• Featured,  Form,  Print Edition

    Building Someday

    Built high into the steep, dune bluffs in Leelanau County, this contemporary lakefront home transcends traditional vernacular as it stands witness to the drama of a dynamic Lake Michigan theater. Magnetic and mercurial, the lake is one of expressive hue, shifting sands, and powerful currents set amid ancient forests, towering headlands, and islands of tilted limestone layers buried beneath glacial…

  • Featured,  Form

    Design for Sale: Charlevoix Vineyard

    Just miles from the active downtown shopping and dining district in Charlevoix, Michigan, a charming two-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom vineyard property fitted with a turn-key winery operation rests on 13 rolling acres of beautiful Northern Michigan land. Established in 2007, the commercially licensed winery produces small batch wines from estate grown grapes and is certified with the Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program,…

  • Design Spotlight,  Featured,  Residential

    Design for Sale: Sommerset Pointe

    On Lake Charlevoix in Boyne City, Michigan, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom villa within the Sommerset Pointe Yacht Club and Marina’s lakeside residential collection offers a harmonious combination of lakefront living and active lifestyle. The property, a warm-weather refuge, will arrive on the market soon courtesy of Pat O’Brien and Associates Real Estate, a real estate brokerage firm specializing in northern Michigan’s…

  • Architecture,  Design Spotlight,  Featured,  Residential

    Design for Sale: Pa Be Shan Lane

    Composed of timber logs and stone, a sprawling residence on the Lake Michigan coastline is a captivating design for sale that offers plenty of room and privacy among the lush lakeside woodlands. The property is listed at $2.49 million with Pat O’Brien and Associates Real Estate, a real estate brokerage firm specializing in Northern Michigan’s luxury, residential, lakefront, and commercial…

  • Featured,  Form

    Design for Sale: Charlevoix, Michigan

    Nestled among 16 acres of mature forest—and hemmed by a private deep-water marina—this design for sale in Charlevoix, Michigan is a private boater’s paradise on the north shore of Lake Charlevoix. The property is listed at $2.99 million with Pat O’Brien and Associates Real Estate, a real estate brokerage firm specializing in Northern Michigan’s luxury, residential, lakefront, and commercial properties. …

  • Architecture,  Design,  Design Spotlight,  Featured,  Form,  Residential

    Beachfront remodel

    For many residences dotting the Lake Michigan shoreline, the serene, timeless quality of life on the water permeates through its design elements. Views, coastal interiors, and durable materials often define the homes and cottages. When approaching the remodel of an approximately 6,000-square-foot lakefront home near Charlevoix, Michigan, the homeowners and custom home builder—Miller, Poineau & Naumes, or MPN—determined its façade…

  • Featured,  Travel

    Celebrated history 

    Northern Michigan is often known as a vibrant tourist destination due to its valuable natural resources and seasonal beauty. Since the 1870s—and as railroads expanded their lines to reach more corners of the area—hidden gems such as Walloon Lake were exposed to the yearly influx of visitors from cities such as Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Chicago.  To participate in the industry…

  • Travel

    Reinvigorated essence

    Text: R. Collins For many northern Michigan businesses and organizations, the serenity of the area’s natural environment—composed by sandy bluffs, fresh water, dense deciduous forests, and awe-inspiring seasonal changes—often inspires the design of retail and gathering spaces. When it came time for Spa Grand Traverse, a full-service spa within the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, Michigan, to receive an upgrade…

  • Form,  Residential

    Design for Sale: East Jordan, Michigan

    Upon elevated, rolling, and Colorado-like terrain, there is an East Jordan, Michigan tract of land, residential structure, and other on-site features that has been listed with Pat O’Brien and Associates Real Estate. The Boyne City- and Charlevoix-based firm is a northern Michigan real estate brokerage dedicated to providing both home buyers and sellers with the resources needed to make informed…