For Ken Richmond, AIA, founder, and partner at Ken Richmond, Architect in Traverse City, Michigan, a day in the life will often see him spending a certain amount of time interacting with clients and consultants, office time, and field time, and dealing with the process of building—which he pointed out is different than the end result. “To me the process is 90 percent of what we do and arguably more interesting, more important, and a lot of times more fun than the actual product, the actual end result,” Richmond said. While collaborating with clients during the design process—and often consultants as well—Richmond said there is a great deal of time…
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Inspired resource
When building or remodeling a residence, unforeseen details can arise at any point in the design process—often placing stress on homeowners, architects, builders, and others involved. Since 1968, Williams Kitchen & Bath in Grand Rapids, Michigan has positioned itself as a locally-owned kitchen and bath design and consultation company assisting homeowners in smoothing out the many details involved in realizing their dream space. With the added creative expertise of its talented professionals at Williams Studio, a sister company of Williams Kitchen & Bath located in Kentwood, Michigan, the company can partner with clients from the beginning of a project and guide it to completion while serving as a resource for…
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The crafted climb
With a well-tuned eye for detail developed by an early introduction to the art of carpentry and further honed by a 15-year specialization in stair systems, Matthew Conrad, design and installation specialist at Stair System Specialists in Saginaw, Michigan is no stranger to the craft. From compelling works of art designed to last and engaging stair systems unified with—and enhance—the architectural personality of a space, Stair System Specialists works to create solutions aligned with space, budget, and a vision blending beauty and function. While initially pursuing carpentry before working specifically as a trim carpenter for a regional high-end custom home builder, Conrad developed an affinity for the grand entrance of…
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Naturally nautical
Among the many unique—and sometimes unexpected—happenings associated with homebuilding, one of the most intriguing can be a finished home’s likeness to those who caringly coax it into existence. A lakeside project finished in Bridgeman, Michigan by the residential restoration, renovation, and new construction firm known as Mark Scott Homes enveloped the personality of one homeowner as a serene and hospitable gathering place set atop a Lake Michigan dune. “The unique thing about our portfolio is that there are really no two houses that are alike. We have a wide variety of styles,” said Jason Fischer, project designer at Mark Scott Homes in Niles, Michigan. “The personalities of the homes usually…
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Timeless timber
Warm timber accents and a cool color palette compose the interior and exterior personality of a lakeside home in Rapid City, Michigan. Finished in the spring of 2018 and designed by architecture, engineering, and design firm Edgewater Design Group, the home captures the best of classic northern Michigan craftsman styles while functioning as an almost full-year residence overlooking Torch Lake. For Stephanie Baldwin, president, owner, and designer at Edgewater Design Group, the process entailed tailoring the home’s design specifically for a family with evolving needs. Constructed on a plot of land that neighbored their initial summer cottage, the new home’s initial design goal was to fit a growing family and…
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The woven coastal cottage landscape
With its angled, architectural lines and sweeping mirrored wings, this nearly 6,000-square-foot lakefront home embraces its location. The canted floorplan acknowledges and leverages its pie-shaped, elevated site overlooking the crystal blue waters of Glen Lake below, and there is an intention paid to its natural landscape as the homeowners and design team behind the project sought to blend the home into the wooded, sandy hill. “[The clients] had been looking around for the right piece of property, so they knew the site very well, and had a vision for how casual they wanted to live—and how they really wanted to take advantage of the bluff,” said Erich Wefing, founding partner…
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The Michigan Adirondack lodge
Found near Torch Lake along the Rapid River in Kalkaska County, this nearly 5,500-square-foot family retreat is an authentic portrait of Adirondack Style architecture set on nearly 400 acres of natural landscape. Inspired by the vernacular of the Lake Placid Lodge and the National Historic Landmarked Great Camps in New York, this secluded residential home is similarly designed as a gathering place and an escape for family and friends. It is a style characterized by its use of natural elements, such as whole, split, or peeled logs, roots, and burls, complemented by native granite fieldstone and massive fireplaces, and displays of Swiss Chalet, Shingle Style, and Arts and Crafts elements.…
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Mountain inn
Text: Kyle Gandy Crystal Mountain, a nationally recognized four-season resort located about 28 miles southwest of Traverse City in Thompsonville, Michigan, has recently undergone an $11 million, 31,200-square-foot expansion—The Inn at the Mountain—that comprises 25 suites, a specialty market, a rooftop terrace, and coffee and wine bar. “One of the demands, in terms of our guests, is that we needed more hotel space; particularly, we host plenty of meetings and conferences, so the 25 suites help with that,” said Brian Lawson, director of public relations at Crystal Mountain. “Another thing we needed was an additional bar space, and more specifically, a place where you could get a cup of coffee.…
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Bright farmhouse
With its intentional use of natural, light materials, this farmhouse shines with timeless style. Text: R. Collins Familiar with modern design trends and imbuing a sense of timeless style, Visbeen Architects and full-service interior design firm Vision Interiors by Visbeen reworked midcentury design concepts blended with the equally classic residential style often known for its use of raw wood and natural materials: the country farmhouse. Perched amid Kalamazoo, Michigan’s shaded woodlands, the Holloway House—finished in 2017—overlooks a ribbon-like stream and bountiful natural beauty that is complemented by the home’s refined, rustic-inspired appearance. “While the exterior is more of that contemporary farmhouse, [the homeowners] had a midcentury theme that they wanted,…
