WRITER | CANDIE CONAT
PHOTOS | SPECKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
Home to a Million Dollar View
High on a bluff in Leelanau County sits a home that is dynamic in design and creative in character. With its prominent roof lines and tall, bold windows, this home holds true to its Modern Contemporary style. As you arrive, you cannot help but be awed by the sweeping panoramic view that surrounds you; cherry orchards, Northport, Lake Michigan, and the surrounding woodlands offer instantaneous serenity. On a clear day, even the smokestacks in Charlevoix can be seen.
When the homeowner was a child and her family would arrive to visit her grandparents on this family property, they would lovingly refer to it as their million-dollar view. Those special family memories make this a meaningful piece of property and the creation of her dream home here even more extraordinary.
The client found Scott Naumes of Mapleridge Construction by referral. She arrived at their first meeting with her own plans but was eager to hear professional recommendations and creative ideas from the Mapleridge team about how to improve on this already magnificent home design.
Naumes’s first suggestion was to enclose an open breezeway, transforming it into a year-round functional space. On the outside, he surrounded its entrance with stone pillars that offer functional character and brought stone inside the breezeway as well. Placing the house on a basement instead of a crawl space was an important refinement as well, as it allows for future expansion of the living area.
Inside and out, floor-to-ceiling windows give this home a distinctive look and feel — easily one of its most amazing features. They offer a unique sightline down through the breezeway and hall and opening into the family room, highlighting the views beyond the glass in every room. The homeowner says that no matter where you are standing in the home, you have a spectacular 360° view.
The intentionally open design of the kitchen and living room, including the absence of a dining room, creates the perfect place to break bread and gather for stories, one of the homeowner’s favorite things to do. Employing low-profile furniture keeps those magnificent views unobstructed. Just off the kitchen, a triple-pane accordion-style window wall opens wide to mesh the indoors with the outdoors. It creates the ultimate entertainment space and opportunity for a free-flowing hilltop breeze to sweep through the home, clearing away any worries from the day. In the living room, a black granite hearth surrounds a linear gas fireplace, bringing warmth and coziness on a chilly fall evening.
A favorite feature of the home for Naumes is the unique guest suite that even the homeowner agrees might have an even better view of the hillside orchards and water than the master bedroom suite affords.
For the homeowner, the master bedroom suite is, hands down, one of her most treasured places to spend alone time. With large sliding barn-type doors, she can easily close the suite off from the rest of the home for privacy and quiet. A private deck just outside her slider doors offers peace and tranquility with nature and is just a few steps from the entry to her office suite. When company is in the home, she can easily move from master suite to office to work without bothering anyone. In keeping with a minimalist design, she was looking for some type of low-profile built-in side tables and shelving for the master suite. Naumes crafted a design that continues the dividing point of the upper and lower window panes to create floating-style shelving units from cherry wood. The master bath shows off a roomy porcelain tile and glass step-in shower with a waterfall shower head that is to die for. A long, floating trough-style sink with double faucets allows for plenty of counter space.
Naumes and his team at Mapleridge Construction truly enjoy working with a homeowner who understands and values the collaborative process. In the end, it’s all about making sure the customer ends up with a home that far surpasses expectations. This homeowner feels the same way about working with Naumes and with Karl Hitchcock, the site manager for her project. “They were so easy to work with and responsive when I had questions. They were ready and willing to assist me with finding ways to express my own personal style, all while allowing me to stay on budget. And even better, new lifelong friendships were forged.”
Mapleridge Construction
5152 US Highway 31 N
Williamsburg MI 49690
(231) 409-7435
Mapleridge.us
