Project Description

The site is located on the top of a bluff along Lake Michigan.  The design reflects the client’s wish for a ‘modern’ prairie style home, and is oriented lengthwise along the lake with views from all major rooms.  The natural slope of the site down towards the north allowed for a partially exposed lower level, as well as a bridge as part of the entry sequence.  The use of board-formed concrete, silvery stone walls, and wood surfaces form a natural material palette suitable for the secluded picturesque surroundings.

The living room fireplace was constructed of board-formed concrete (which imprints a woodgrain texture into the concrete) instead of traditional brick or stone.  It features a ten-foot-tall center glass panel that was patina’d using a silvering technique to create an iridescent bronze finish with vertical streaking.  The entrance to the master bedroom features a six-foot-tall onyx stone with a natural edge, mounted and recessed into the wall.  Two custom metal stairways use reclaimed wood treads from a linden tree sourced on site.  A tile mosaic in the basement bath pays homage to the decorative subway tile of New York and the homeowner’s home town of Brooklyn.