Alexander House Renovations

Alexander House, the Historic Rostislavovich Estate, is a 9,300-square-foot mansion in Waseca, Minnesota. Alexander House sits on three-quarters of an acre in the heart of the city and was under construction from 1915 through 1916. It has 31 rooms and was built in the Jacobean architectural tradition, inspired by the Beaux-Arts styles of the era. Minnesota architect Clarence H Johnston Sr designed the cottage with interiors designed by William A French Company and the formal English-style landscape by the Charles Wellford Leavitt firm. The cottage is another crowning example of the design and craftsmanship of the Midwestern United States. It is one of the many buildings that used the same contractors as those hired by Chester Congdon of the Glensheen Mansion in Duluth, Minnesota.​The bele’tage of the home has a front layer, a balanced set of three rooms across from the street frontage—the library, Withdrawing Room, and Music Conservatory. While there is a formal double front entrance into the Withdrawing Room on the axis with the grand fireplace, it was never intended to be the cottage’s front entrance but the entrance onto the formal English Gardens. Their connecting wide doorways are arranged on the axis “En Suite.”​You enter the cottage behind this layer; that layer is the second half of the bele’ tage with the Antechamber, Bell Room, ReceivingGallery, Grand Staircase, Dining Room, Kitchen, Powder Room, and Pantry. Which in contrast with the first, are quite disconnected from each other. The plan was conceived to take care of carriage or automobile drop-offs at the paradoxical rear layer where the front street door is. Seldom do formality and intimacy, reserve and warmth, sophistication and simple delight, come together as they do in Alexander House. On the Mezzanine Level is where the sleeping chambers are located for the family. The southern view is the Petrovsky Suite, which has an alcove, a large sleeping chamber, and a Porte Cochere (sun Parlor). At the center of the mezzanine is the Mikhailovsky Suite, which has a large sleeping chamber and a western view balcony, a Sanctorium, a Large Garderobe, and an en suite. In the center gallery leading to the Lastochkino suite is the public powder room En Suite, and the linen closet to the very rear is the servant’s stairway, which leads to the kitchen. The Lastochkino Suite has a large Sleeping Chamber with an eastern-view balcony and a Porte Cochere ( sun parlor study) with a northern-view balcony.​As you ascend to the third floor of the ellipse tower, there is a small salon area. To the southern view, the Gatchina Suite has a large sleeping chamber and a reading alcove. As you proceed down the gallery to the northern view, there is a Mansard Room, a large Cedar Wardrobe, an En Suite, and a Boot and Luggage room. The Massandra Suite has a Large Sleeping Chamber and Prayer Alcove.​As you descend the Ellipse tower to the Garden Level, you enter the Game Room. The Sauna Room, Spa, and Utility Room are to your left. To the right are the Entertainment Center, Office, Wood Shop, Laundry, China Room, and Powder Room.One of the Amenities in the east garden of Alexander House is the summer house, with seating for twelve, an entertainment center, and a summer bar and lounge. The summer house has a patio for grilling and entertaining. ​