Architect-Designed Cabin

Airbnb Holiday Getaway Feature

Airbnb Location:

Two Harbors, MN

This Airbnb is perfect for:

Families, couples looking for a quiet getaway

Airbnb Details:

○ 3 bedrooms ○ 3 beds ○ 2 baths ○ Superhost with 5-star rating ○ Starts at $300/night

About the Space

This one-of-a-kind getaway cabin is the perfect balance of everything you could ever wish for: artful yet cozy with a timber frame modern design that preserves the cabin-at-heart feel. The cabin has two decks with incredible views of Lake Superior, an outdoor fireplace, a "wall of windows" view of the lake from the inside as well as an open floor plan. Not only grand to the eyes, but also kind to the earth; this Airbnb cabin is sustainable and was built to the certification standards and certified by the Department of Energy as "Net Zero Ready."

The cabin is perfectly located just 20 minutes from Duluth and 5 minutes from Two Harbors as well as a boat launch for easy lake access.

The journey of starting an Airbnb

Owner Jack Dickinson runs a company that builds timber homes, barns and commercial buildings. This cabin was an opportunity to show his customers how he and his team are leading the way in terms of sustainability, prefabrication and design. The home is certified as "Net Zero Ready" in climate zone seven, the coldest climate zone in the US, and the structure itself was prefabricated in his manufacturing facility and delivered to the site in the form of timbers and panels.

Jack loves the North Shore of Lake Superior and wanted a place to share that space with his family and loves making it available for others looking to do the same. "It's an absolute joy hearing from our renters how much they enjoyed the space—that's my favorite part of making it available," Jack said. "It was built with our children in mind, so it's the perfect spot for families and couples looking to find peace and quiet with serene views and nature abound."

Booking information:

Guests can book their stay on Airbnb by visiting airbnb.com/h/dickinsoncabin

Husband & Wife Design Duo Create a Modern Tudor-Style Masterpiece

TOURING THE ONE-OF-A-KIND FALL 2022 PARADE OF HOMES FEATURE HOME

By Josiah Kopp | Photos by Josiah Kopp

Photo provided by Mel Anderson

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Every spring and fall, The Home Builders Association of Fargo-Moorhead partners with Parade of Homes to showcase dozens of the best in homebuilding, architecture, interior design and decorating to provide homeowners and the community with all things home inspiration. This fall, the feature home was a grand masterpiece, standing tall, slated in white—a midwestern castle if you will. This home was crafted by husband and wife duo Ben and Mel Anderson of Benjamin Custom Homes. Let's take a tour of this one-of-a-kind masterpiece and learn more about the Andersons’ story.

Ben began building homes on his own at the age of 15 in Lisbon, ND, and has not slowed down since. In 2015, Mel jumped on board with Ben to help with the design process of the first Benjamin Custom Home parade house. Since then, Mel has become integrated into the design of each home, ensuring the character and detail fit just right with each home.

"Our goal is to always build truly unique homes for their unique owners," Mel said. "We view each home we build as a piece of quality artwork that families can enjoy functionally and aesthetically." Founded in 2001, Benjamin Custom Homes isn't only about building homes; Ben is also the current President of the Home Builder's Care Foundation of the FM HBA and is passionate about supporting the foundation's mission by raising funds as a free-will donation to tour the home. Overall, almost $1,500 was raised by the wonderful Fargo-Moorhead community through touring this home!

Mel joined Ben in 2015 and specializes in both interior and exterior design. Everything you can see and touch on a new home she has a hand in selecting. Outside the design world, Mel is a labor and delivery nurse. Earlier this spring, Mel was featured in Design & Living's The People Issue, where you can learn more about her story.

Home & Property Specs

• 1554 sq ft on the main level • 1334 sq ft upstairs • 1544 sq ft below ground • 9 ft ceilings on all 3 levels

Images from BCH show a dollhouse render of the floorplan for both the main level and upper level.

Starting with a Vision

The homeowners approached Ben and Mel with several ideas about how they would like their home to look and feel in each space. They had so many fantastic ideas that made the vision so easy. There were a few renditions of the home layout until the Andersons scaled it into the home the homeowners could visualize being just right for them.

So many unique elements were incorporated into the design of the home; so much interest to the eye was created with the gentle combination of stain colors, mixed metals and paint colors in just the right places. It has just the right amount of color mixed in to add dimension in the right places as well as a warmth added in both the patterns and textures on the flooring and walls. It really is a blend of products to create a happy, cozy and timeless space.

Amenities & Features

This home comes packed with so many bells and whistles, including a large, bright and spacious fourstall garage, a mudroom with cubbies to hide clutter, a Costco grocery door to the walk-in pantry from the garage, custom cabinetry throughout the home, quartz countertops and backsplash, vaulted ceiling in the dining room with beams, custom fireplace, built-in shelving, main floor office with French doors, main floor powder bath with custom trim work, backyard patio/porch off main living space, open staircase with tall windows, second-floor master bedroom and bathroom with open tile shower, free-standing bathtub, soapstone countertops and custom cabinetry, Jack and Jill bathroom, three additional upstairs bedroom and a basement unfinished with a 9 ft ceiling height.

A Full Walkthrough

The exterior of the home has a modern Tudor feel with painted brick, tall windows with header accents and grand peaks. The interior is transitional-modern; the lines and shapes are clean-cut and the finishing materials are classic.

"I give full credit to Curated by Trever Hill for the staging element of this home," Mel said. "He made the place shine with charm and highlighted the features built into the home with his creative eye and talented team. He turned an empty beautiful house into a cozy, perfectly styled home."

Entry & Mudroom

Trending Now Kitchen & Dining

The cabinets are custom Built by Wendt Custom Cabinets. "They did an absolutely beautiful job," Mel said. The main color is Creamy by Sherwin Williams and the island is a dark stained maple to add some contrast and warmth. The homeowner liked a mix of black, gold and polished nickel for metals in the space for extra charm. The dining room boasts a cathedral vaulted ceiling with wood beams spanning the width and a classic candelabra-style chandelier.

Some of the new and upcoming trends incorporated into this home included tapered fireplace, sheetrocked hood, light fixtures, arches, stair railings, front hallway light fixtures, painted brick exterior, black windows, green cabinetry in kids bath and mudroom and beams in dining room.

Living Area

The main living area hosts a grid ceiling, large patio door, beautiful hand-built sheetrock fireplace surround, flanking fireplace stained cabinetry, arched inset shelving and beautiful brushed bronze arm sconces.

Did You Know?

To be featured, a home must meet certain criteria set by the FM Home Builders Association. It must be less than $750,00 and must be completed and staged.

Master Bed & Bath

The master bedroom is spacious and bright with a beautiful view hosting two closets—one for him and a walk-in for her. The master bath has basketweave flooring that perfectly accents the soapstone countertops. The chrome bath hardware adds classic elegance to the space. There is a private toilet room, a tiled shower with a bench and a freestanding soaking tub ready to relax in.

Built in Record Time

The average US home is built in 30-34 weeks. This home was completed in just 24 weeks; the process was expedited to be able to meet the Fall Parade of Homes deadline.

Children's Room

The children's rooms are painted to match the character of the kiddos. The daughter's room has a softened, feminine lavender scalloped design which was painted by the homeowner herself. The windows are large and bright and the light fixture is airy and feminine as well.

"Every project we do has its own challenges and excitements," Mel said. "We love playing with different designs and are always trying to match the home to the owner. A home is an expression of the people who live in it and it's our goal every time to make a home that fits the family. With each home, we learn how to use new techniques and problem-solve elements we have not previously done on other homes."

A job well done indeed, and it's worth mentioning all of the skilled people involved with making this dream home a reality; BCH partnered with several companies to create this oneof-a-kind dwelling. "We have so much local talent and we're honored for them to have been a part of this project," Mel said. Weyer Companies provided all of the painting, Wendt Custom Cabinets provided the built-in shelving and cabinetry, Sierra Pacific Windows (Fargo Glass and Paint), Curated by Trever Hill Design provided staging, upstairs girl's room staged by Handpicked Goods and flowers by Love Always Floral.

Reflecting on the Finished Product

To learn more about how Benjamin Custom Homes can help you build your dream home, visit benjamin-homes.com or call 701.388.9172.

with West Acres & More!

By Geneva Nodland Photos provided by West Acres

The most wonderful time of the year is right around the corner, and with that comes one of the biggest shopping events in the nation. Black Friday is a day filled with deals and dollar signs, and West Acres is Fargo’s central hub for it. On Friday, Nov 25, the mall will be opening its doors for the post-Thanksgiving retail craze, and we want to make sure you’re prepared for the day!

The mall opens its doors at 8:00 a.m., and most stores will follow suit, but opening times will vary. Some stores may be opening up earlier! Watch for the official announcement of opening times the week leading up to Black Friday at westacres.com There’s already a lot to do at the mall on a normal day, so let’s see what’s happening on Black Friday!

Although many guests arrive early for shopping, the busiest time of the day on Black Friday is the afternoon. To avoid crowds, plan to shop early—or late! In previous years, sales have started earlier— sometimes the entire week of Black Friday, and in some cases even earlier in November. Keep up to date on sales at West Acres at westacres.com or on Instagram @westacresmall.

On the day of, the mall is bustling with determined shoppers of all ages. You’ll find great deals, good food and even some entertainment. Guests will immerse themselves in the holiday spirit upon entering the mall as they’re surrounded by festive displays and activations, the warmth of familiar Christmas lights and even snow in the center court. They’ll get a taste of the holiday season by visiting Santa at the mall for photos! Plus, the Saturday following Black Friday, the first Holipalooza of the season will kick off with live performances, local drinks and delicious treats in the Buffalo Court.

Get started on your holiday shopping and support local businesses at the Small Business Saturday Holiday Pop Up Market! This pop up shopping event will host a variety of local businesses and makers where you’ll find handmade and specialty curated gifts and treats. You can enjoy a glass of wine or mimosa and a charcuterie or hummus board while you shop. And don’t forget to grab a dessert from Elu Dessert Kitchen on your way out!

Deals

Although we’re all itching to know the deals of the day, shoppers have to be kept on their toes—isn’t that mystery part of the appeal? You will start to see sales announced through November as we near Black Friday, however, most stores don’t announce official Black Friday deals until the week of. You will be able to find details online at westacres.com!

If Black Friday shopping isn’t for you, there are other ways to hit the holiday deals. The days following Black Friday are still surrounded by the retail rage with Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. These two events continue the trend of great deals but focus on different target markets—like customers supporting small businesses in their communities and online shopping.

Of course, our community participates in the continuation of the shopping, as we really prepare our shopping lists for the holidays… and maybe a few treats for ourselves!

On Saturday, Nov 26, head to your favorite local spots around town to participate in Small Business Saturday. Whether you purchase directly from the business or support them in other ways like leaving a positive review online or donating to a local kickstart or fundraiser for a small business, feel good about your shopping experience. Did you know? You can find your favorite West Acres stores’ deals online at any time. Just head to westacres. com/sales to browse the current sales, then head to the mall to shop!

Small Business Saturday & Cyber Monday Saturday, Nov 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cellar 624, The Venue on Main, 624 Main Ave Suite 4B, Fargo

Save some funds for the great online deals on Cyber Monday. The Monday after Thanksgiving, on Nov 28, find hundreds of deals to complete to your online shopping list. Most notably, find deals online at Amazon, Best Buy, Target and name brands like Samsung, Apple and more. While there are a ton of great tech deals on Cyber Monday (following the theme), you can find a lot more than just that when it comes to large online shopping stores like Amazon or Walmart. By the time these deals come to a close at the beginning of December, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the holidays knowing your shopping is done. During this time of year, it’s easy to put a ton of stress on gift-giving, but remember, sometimes the best gift of all isn’t always something you can put in a box (no, I don’t mean a brand-new car)!

Happy shopping!