Vision, Care,
& Strong
Communication.
Aasen Homes was built around the idea that great homes require more than good construction. They require vision, care, strong communication, and a process that feels thoughtful from beginning to end. We approach each project with a design forward mindset and a deep respect for the experience of creating a home.
Founded by
Peter Tollefson
I've been drawn to great homes my whole life. As a kid, I'd wait for the Homes section of the Sunday Star Tribune, study the featured floor plans, then draw my own. I seriously considered studying architecture. I ended up in design anyway, just a different kind.
For 13 years I led experience design at Target, building teams and systems around a simple question: how does this actually feel to the person using it? I loved that work. But I was building in pixels, and the pull toward physical spaces never went away. I spent 15 years renovating my own homes on nights and weekends, including a South Minneapolis house we transformed so completely it nearly tripled in value, and somewhere in there I realized the side passion had become the real work.
So I left the corporate world behind and apprenticed myself to the craft. I led a million-dollar whole-home remodel on Lake Sarah alongside an architect, designer, and some of the best trade partners in. I worked side by side with an established custom builder to learn how the best in this industry operate. I built mentor relationships with seasoned builders and joined the local builder community, because I take this craft seriously enough to learn it from the people who've mastered it.
What I brought with me is what makes Aasen Homes different. A remodel or custom build is hundreds of decisions made by dozens of people over many months, and the design intent either survives that process or it doesn't. I run projects the way a design leader runs a launch: clear sequencing, real collaboration, every trade at the table early, no detail left to chance. On Lake Sarah, after I pulled the structural engineer, window rep, and framer into one call to solve a problem, our truss supplier told me it was the most productive meeting he'd had in 20 years of doing this work.
The name Aasen comes from my family's Norwegian roots, and it stands for the values I build by: simplicity, function, warmth, and ease. It's also why saunas are part of what we do.
Here's the honest reason I chose this over easier work: a home is where life happens. When I design and build a space with a vision for how people will live in it, and then I watch that actually happen, guests gathering, a family settling in, that quiet satisfaction is the whole point. People don't need to know what was intended. They just feel it.
Good design. Built right. Made for real life.
A Small Core.
A Deep Bench.
You work directly with Peter on every project, backed by named specialists who bring big-firm discipline to a boutique builder.
Peter Tollefson
Founder & BuilderEvery Aasen project starts and ends with Peter. He leads design collaboration, preconstruction planning, and day-to-day construction, and he is the single point of contact from first conversation to final walkthrough.
Thirteen years leading experience design at Target taught him how to protect a creative vision through complex execution. Now he does it in wood and stone.
Chris Murphy, CPA
Financial Operations PartnerBehind every calm project is a clean set of books. Chris leads the financial side of Aasen Homes through Breakaway Construction CAAS, his firm dedicated exclusively to construction companies. Reconciled job costs, documented draws, and transparent cost-plus accounting mean you always know exactly where your project stands.
Born and raised in Chicago and now home in Pittsburgh with his wife and daughter, Chris is a family-first guy who believes in working hard and doing right by the people who count on him. Ask him about the Blackhawks at your own risk.
We're Growing
We're currently adding a Field Coordinator to the team, the person who keeps daily project rhythm effortless for our clients and trade partners. Know someone great?
VISIT CAREERSWe believe good design improves daily life and gives a home lasting character.
We value quality work, careful detailing, and materials that feel honest and enduring.
A home should not only look beautiful. It should function well and feel good to live in every day.
We aim to make the process feel clear, collaborative, and grounded in trust.
From early planning to final details, we believe the best work comes from genuine care at every step.
Good design.
Built right.
Made for real life.
We work throughout the Twin Cities, with many projects centered in the western suburbs and lake communities where thoughtful, design forward homes continue to take shape.
