On the shore of Lake Lydiard in Wayzata, a once gloomy Midwestern estate has been quietly re-engineered for a family more accustomed to California sunshine than Minnesota winters. The three-acre property, a century-old house that had accumulated remodels like geological layers, came with plenty of square footage but little in the way of cohesion. Five separate renovations had left it inward-facing and stylistically confused, a house that felt darker and smaller than its near-9,000 square feet would suggest.
The new owners – a California fashion designer and family – wanted the opposite. They wanted openness, warmth and a sense of connection to the lake and forest outside. So they turned again to Seattle-based architect Matt Wittman, with whom they’d already completed two homes, to rethink the property from the inside out.
Wittman approached the project with a simple goal: let the landscape lead. The plan involved peeling away the visual clutter, opening up long-blocked sightlines and restoring a sense of calm rhythm to the interiors. A bulky central staircase was traded for a curving sculptural one that brings a soft, fluid movement to the foyer. Windows and doors were enlarged and lifted, framing the lake and allowing daylight to spill more evenly through the main rooms.
Lake Lydiard Estate: Let there be light
Much of the redesign focused on removing the heaviness added in previous eras. Dark 1990s kitchen surfaces gave way to pale oak and marble. The entertainment room’s brick fireplace was replaced with plaster and concrete. Outside, a new trellis and a white oak front door introduce a subtle West Coast note without disturbing the house’s classic profile.
The result is a home that finally lives at the pace of its setting. The family now moves easily between rooms, terraces and the lake beyond, with a layout that works in both July heat and January cold. A historic estate, but with its bearings reset for a new generation.
Next up: A patio is the key to this Mexican modernist residence.
