Tour a Home Brimming With Charm

by Renée Stewart-Hester | Apr 2026

“The design inspiration came from artist Briana Auel’s piece [Concrete Jungle//Glass Ceiling]—its modern lines, vintage gold frames and palette of greens, pinks, and blues set the tone for the entire room,” Andrea Soule says. “To layer in fun, I painted the fireplace in Breakfast Room by Farrow & Ball, displayed art we’ve collected over the years and incorporated antique pieces inherited from Chase’s grandmother [Anne Hull].” Her father, Charles Soule, created the stained-glass entrance to the room, partnering with Down Home Stained Glass in Anoka. Photo: Andrea Soule

If there is a word that describes the aesthetic and spirit of Andrea Soule and Chase Hull’s Deephaven home, it must be community. Admittedly, it’s not a word that’s typically used to articulate a home’s visual or historical narrative, but this abode is special, uniquely built upon a foundation of family, friends and neighbors alike.

The rambler’s story begins in 1955 when its original owners stepped across the threshold to begin building their family and lives on the curved, bucolic property. Moving the timeline forward, Soule was attending Wayzata High School and working for “a wonderfully creative woman who lived in the coziest little cottage tucked away in Deephaven,” she says. “I remember thinking, ‘Someday, I want to be her—with an artsy little cottage full of gardens near the lake.’” Come 2010, Soule, originally from Plymouth, and her then-fiancé Hull, a Wayzata native, discovered and purchased a home, which hadn’t changed much since the mid-1950s, presenting like so many other ramblers that popped up during the country’s post-World War II era.

“I imagined a cottage kitchen with a French bistro feel, and that became my starting point,” Andrea Soule says. “Soft beige cabinets, marble countertops, an Italian Ilve range, an antique coffee grinder, faded blue-and-white wallpaper, wicker baskets, fresh flowers and an antique gold chandelier bring the whole space to life.”

In Soule and Hull’s minds, the house was meant to be a starter home. After a quick update, they intended to flip it, and off they’d go to their next, hopefully, forever home. What they didn’t realize was that the house came with an unexpected feature—a deeply embedded neighborhood where birthdays are celebrated, games are played and holidays are shared. It’s a conclave of neighbors, ready to lend a helping hand and, on occasion, assist with a building project. “It’s the neighbors that sold us,” Soule says of the couple’s decision to make a once temporary home their forever home, complete with children Charlottte, 11, and Crosby, 8.

But that road to forever took some unexpected turns. After a contractor stepped away from the project, the couple’s can-do attitude stepped in. “We turned to our local Nextdoor app and word-of-mouth for the major items, while family [parents Charles and Julie Soule] and friends [too many to mention!] filled in with their talent, creativity and hard work,” Soule says.

“Most rooms start with a single spark of inspiration and grow from there,” Andrea Soule says. “Wallpaper is often my first move—adding instant character and depth.” Be it a single blossom or a full bouquet, Soule is guided by her home gardens when it comes to interior design direction. The wallpaper in the couple’s dressing room is inspired by Soule’s favorite flowers, which were translated into wallpaper by SheShe (bysheshe.com). They loved it so much, they used SheShe’s unique Bums wallpaper in the adjoining bathroom. “The kids and their friends find it hilarious—and honestly, so do we,” she says.

Over the course of about 15 years, room by room, the house has been reimagined with Soule serving as the general contractor when changes necessitated a team of professionals (The main level was taken down to the studs.) and acting as chief creative designer when changes necessitated her flair.

Regardless of a home’s size, a major redo requires an overarching vision—a creative roadmap to maintain cohesiveness throughout an extended process. “For both our home and gardens, my design philosophy is simple: Start with a timeless foundation, then layer on personality,” Soule says. “I choose materials that have stood the test of time … pieces as beautiful today as they were 100 years ago.”

Soule notes she is “inspired by nature, influenced by travel and guided by a love for the perfectly imperfect,” she says. “I believe homes should feel collected, not coordinated—where flowers wander indoors, stories are told through textiles and no two metals or colors are expected to match. I love mixing patterns, layering moments and embracing the beauty of contrast. It’s intentionally unintentional—and somehow, it always works.”

Like the gardens she lovingly plans, plants and tends, Soule brought the home back to life from 1,495 to nearly 2,700 square feet with bursts of color, curated textures and personality galore. “I’m really proud of it now that we’ve gotten to this point,” she says.

As most parents know, children aren’t always conducive to breakable trinkets, light upholstery, vintage rugs and wallpaper, but Andrea Soule is committed to her décor decision-making, noting that she is comfortable in the knowledge that some items will need to be replaced or repaired. Perfection is not the goal—living is.

Even after an extensive remodel, a home’s history remains infused within its walls. Soule and Hull’s home is no different—except it came with its own storybook of sorts. Shortly after moving in, the couple received a handwritten letter from the seller, Clarice, who was living in an assisted living apartment. Soule and Hull paid her a call, which turned into something really special. “Clarice shared stories about building the home, raising her children there and the friendships that shaped the neighborhood,” Soule says.

A few months later, Clarice’s family sent them a photo album, filled with snapshots of the home through the years—birthday parties, holiday dinners and changing backyard scenery. “Seeing that history made our house feel like so much more than just walls and windows,” Soule says, and as her own family grew, roots started to stretch deeper. “Our kids found playmates. We found our community,” she says. “When [COVID-19] hit, those neighborhood connections deepened … porch visits, even a socially distanced backyard ice bar during the holidays. That’s when we realized: We’re not leaving. Let’s make this our home.”

April Aesthetic

Andrea Soule’s layering design technique translates to the outdoors. Spring and summer in the backyard mean hardy perennials (boxwoods, grasses, hostas, hydrangeas, lilacs and lilies) and annuals (begonias, cosmos, impatiens, petunias, salvia, zinnias and more). The pool serves as a warm weather entertaining focal point. As the seasons flip, so does the family’s hosting venue, and the front yard turns into an outdoor ice skating rink that hosts its fair share of open skates and party takes. “I like it that way,” Soule says of her home’s ability to welcome guests at any time of year.

Come springtime, one can get the urge to re-feather the nest, mirroring nature’s regrowth and the reemergence of color with subtle changes to home décor. A Realtor by trade, Andrea Soule has a keen eye for what elements work in a home—even for a quick refresh—and offers some tips.

“Rugs, pillows and soft layers add warmth and can be swapped out easily, refreshing a space without touching the investment pieces,” she says. “Every room, in my eyes, needs a little blue and white— especially a stripe. It’s my signature, my comfort. And I have a love affair with baskets in all kinds, shapes and colors. They hang on walls, disguise plant pots, fill empty corners and hide toys, books and blankets— function meets beauty.”

The following businesses were part of the team that worked on Andrea Soule and Chase Hull’s home: