The Solara
A Modern Rambler Rooted in Warmth and Intention
The Solara is the first completed home in Elevare, Minnetonka's newest luxury neighborhood -where modern architecture meets the quiet beauty of a tree-lined setting. Defined by the balance between contemporary design and organic warmth, clean lines set the stage while carefully chosen materials, rich natural finishes, and thoughtful selections bring an undeniable sense of comfort and life to every space.
The Language of Warmth
From the moment you step inside this home, a clear design language is built around warmth. In a home with strong contemporary bones, the designer made a deliberate choice to soften the modern architecture with rich, natural materials throughout. Warm hemlock ceilings, walnut cabinetry, natural stone, and Roman clay walls appear across multiple spaces - a cohesive thread that carries you through the entire home.
The Great Room:
The great room is the first space you experience upon entering The Solara, and it sets the tone immediately. Warm hemlock ceilings draw the eye upward, complementing the rich walnut cabinetry that anchors the space. The fireplace was kept intentionally simple and clean — a quiet moment designed to step back and let the Marvin windows and natural light do the talking. The result is a room that feels both grounded and expansive, warm and contemporary all at once.
The Kitchen:
The kitchen is where some of the most exciting design decisions in The Solara came together. The centerpiece is the Patagonia quartzite countertop, featured on a stunning 3-inch island with a waterfall edge. When the team first saw this slab, the decision was immediate - the movement, the color, the character of the stone was simply right for the space. Paired with rich walnut cabinetry, the combination is both bold and refined.
The Gaggenau appliance suite elevates the kitchen further, with integrated knobs, a three-piece cooking system, hidden ventilation, and a double oven with steam and microwave unit. Every element was selected to perform as beautifully as it looks.
The Sun Room:
Off the kitchen, the sunroom serves as one of the most layered and inviting spaces in the home. A vaulted hemlock ceiling continues the warmth established in the great room, while a linear fireplace finished with textured stone adds dimension and quiet drama. Roman clay walls bring a rich, tactile quality to the space.
The sunroom is also the connection point to the home's remarkable outdoor spaces - a screened porch with phantom screens, a resort-style pool, and an outdoor grill and dining area. The transition from inside to outside feels seamless.
Primary Suite:
The primary suite at The Solara is a sanctuary. Expansive windows frame views of the serene, tree-lined backyard and pool area, bringing the natural beauty of the location directly into the room. It's peaceful, restful, and considered. A space where the design quietly recedes so that the experience of being there can take over.
The Lower Level:
Descending to the lower level, the bar is an immediate showstopper. A custom backlit Cristallo backsplash paired with metal shelving and dark cabinetry creates a dramatic, layered composition - all grounded by stunning Calacatta Viola marble countertops. The backlighting gives the stone a luminous quality that elevates the entire entertaining space.
The bar opens naturally to the media lounge, game area, and golf simulator, along with a dedicated exercise room, spa, and steam bath - a lower level designed for both entertainment and wellness in equal measure.
Edited to showcase the backlit backsplash
The Details
The Solara is a home where the details reveal themselves gradually, and the more time you spend in each space, the more intentional every decision becomes. The lower level guest bath is a quiet standout - a backlit floating vanity creates a warm, luminous effect, while the same countertop material used throughout the home reappears here as thoughtful shelving accents in the shower. It's the kind of detail that rewards the visitor who looks closely.
Throughout the home, bathroom tile selections were approached with the same care as every other surface. Rather than defaulting to a single palette, each bath was designed to feel unique tied to the mood and function of its space while remaining cohesive within the home's broader material story.
The home office continues this thread with warm custom cabinetry and built-in shelving that bring the same richness found in the kitchen and great room into a more intimate, personal space.
The Solara is a home where it all connects — the ceilings and the stone, the cabinetry and the light, the grand spaces and the quiet details. That cohesion, from the first room to the last, is what we are most proud of.
Thank you for reading.
— The Carbon 6 Interiors Team
For more photos of this project and to view a walk-through video with the designer:
