“When the team of Element Design Studio and Sears Architects of Grand Rapids and TWB Contractors Inc. of Harbor Springs took on the challenge of renovating this cottage in Harbor Springs, Michigan, it was done so with a careful, steady eye on its storied past. Today, the shingle style cottage is a blend of traditional depth and modern brightness, weaving in rich, saturated blue tones, brass accents, and natural woods across an open, reimagined floor plan amid preserved millwork and original architectural details. The result is one of informal elegance and historic charm, modern comfort and timeless coastal feel, reviving a beloved landmark in the community for its next chapter as a modern heirloom.”
“Baker also noted they realized the cottage sat directly on the earth—complete with old tree stumps in the basement—and one of the biggest interventions of the project was lifting the entire house up and pouring a foundation beneath it within the existing footprint of the structure. She noted it was a big undertaking with some risk involved given the constraints—a testament to the builder for its success—and because the existing floor plan had been added onto so many times, the team really reimagined the circulation and flow of the interior layout. Eight bedrooms with idiosyncratic adjacencies quickly became an open floor plan with a centralized kitchen and primary living space to better suit the family’s love for entertaining. The kitchen and living room were also relocated to prioritize views outside.”