Built in the early 1930s for a prominent local family, the house was a home bustling with activity - from formal dinners in the dining room to cozy evenings around the fireplace. Over the years, the house fell into disuse and dormancy, confined by a lack of contemporary conveniences and a layout that proved awkward for more modern living. After nearly twenty years of vacancy, the time was right for the family to consider restoring the house to its former glory, albeit with a touch of the 21st Century. They tasked the design team to honor the house’s original design as much as possible, find practical solutions for difficult or outmoded areas, and augment the square footage with a sensitively-composed addition. They plan to use it as a true second home, where they can enjoy West Michigan’s four seasons for many years to come with friends and family.

Though the original house was well-built, its age necessitated several updates to maintain its beauty and integrity. The roof and siding were replaced in kind, the grand front porch – suffering from structural decay – was rebuilt, brick was repointed, and new energy-efficient windows, replaced single-pane originals. Inside, the floorplan was modified to allow for a large eat-in kitchen, new laundry and mud room spaces, and a spacious second-floor bedroom suite. Additionally, modern heating and cooling systems and new electrical wiring ensure that, in addition to being visually restored, the home continues to work well for the next hundred years.

Throughout the original house and the addition, materials and finishes were chosen with great care so that the whole feels larger than the sum of its parts. From the custom pedestal sinks in the upstairs bathrooms, to the restored original hardwood floors, to the tilework and trim, to new metalwork that will be allowed to patina with time, each element comes together to engender a sense of high quality and timeworn comfort