Kurt Streu is well placed to comment on the allure of Pritchard Farm Properties. Twelve-year residents of East St. Paul, he and his wife Heather, owners of K. Streu Homes, recently built their new home in the community. They incorporated some of the company's trademark quality and innovation in features such as rounded walls and corners, a turreted kitchen, and a walkout basement onto Eagle Creek. Says Streu, "We try to take full advantage of these scenic half acre lots by orienting the home in such a way as to get the best view."

This includes using a multitude of large windows complemented by 10 to 12 foot ceilings and eight-foot doors. Streu notes that for proper aesthetic appeal, a home has to be well proportioned. He works closely with his clients to ensure that features such as bulkheads and cutout walls are built in the right size and location. "When building a home, there are a lot of things that people can't actually visualize until they walk through it," explains Streu, who takes his clients on site when the house is being framed. "We're not afraid to make adjustments along the way to ensure that everything will be right."

Streu understands what it takes to bring a design to reality, having spent 12 years framing homes as a journeyman carpenter before starting his own company 10 years ago. Working on houses from the bottom up, he has seen the importance of expert craftsmanship first hand. He attributes much of the company's consistent quality to the excellent rapport he has built with tradespeople who have remained with K. Streu Homes from the start. While providing proven custom designs and luxurious features, the company is even better known for its willingness to experiment and innovate. In their own home, tapered rounded pillars are among the curves that give a softer, pleasing look. "It's more work, but the end result is more appealing," says Streu. He adds, "We are willing to do different things that aren't ordinary by using different products, different ideas and different designs, instead of riding the wave of what's already been done."