Zoë François House Tour

I still remember the first time we walked through the front door of this house. It was built in 1902, and you could feel it — that particular stillness of a place that has held a century of lives, laughter, and probably more than a few memorable dinners. We were completely smitten. And maybe just a little naive about what we were getting into. (Spoiler: we were very naive.) But then we saw the woodwork. And honestly, that was the moment we were done for. The main floor is wrapped in the most extraordinary original millwork — rich mahogany and deep, honeyed oak that the craftsmen of 1902 took genuine pride in. We're talking floor-to-ceiling built-ins, intricate carved details, and a staircase newel posts so beautifully it almost feels like it belongs in a museum. Except it belongs in a *home*, which is exactly what it is. We didn't touch a single inch of it, except to love it back to life. A good cleaning, careful refinishing in a couple of spots, and letting it breathe again. Some things don't need improving — they just need honoring. Fifteen years later, I can honestly say that renovating this house has been one of the greatest labors of love of my life — right up there with writing cookbooks and perfecting pie crust. Every detail beyond that glorious woodwork was chosen with intention, wrestled over, debated, and ultimately done with so much care. The kitchen? Rebuilt from the heart out, because if you know me at all, you know the kitchen is where everything begins. It was also one of the main characters in my show, Zoë Bakes (on HBO). Minneapolis winters are no joke, and this house wraps around you like a warm hug when the snow is piling up outside. That's not something you can renovate into a house — it either has soul or it doesn't. This one has it in spades. Saying goodbye is hard. It really, truly is. But we know this home deserves a new family to love it for the next hundred years. If this feels like your home, have your realtor reach out to *Josie Johnson* at [email protected] for details. We couldn't imagine leaving it in better hands. Follow me on Instagram:   / zoebakes   Visit my website: https://zoebakes.com/ Subscribe to my Substack for exclusive recipes & more: https://zoefrancois.substack.com/ Learn about my cookbooks, Zoë Bakes Cakes and Zoë Bakes Cookies: https://zoebakes.com/cookbooks/ ZoëBakes Merch & Signed Cookbooks: https://zoebakesshop.myshopify.com/ Watch Zoë Bakes on Magnolia Network, discovery+ and HBO Max: https://zoebakes.com/zoe-bakes-on-mag... Check out my Amazon shop for baking essentials: https://www.amazon.com/shop/influence...