WRITER | JULIE FORD
PHOTOS | STUDIO GRAPHICS PHOTOGRAPHY
Moeller Builders, Inc
Old World Design Meets Modern Comfort
Winter 2025 Issue
In a peaceful one-acre setting northwest of downtown Midland is a finely crafted custom home featuring European-influenced architecture with Old World details at every turn. For a busy professional couple just starting their family, brothers Nate and Brett Moeller and the team at Moeller Builders have taken their wishes from paper to reality, capturing the exacting detail of every living space.
The husband is from Allen Park, the wife is from Hemlock, and together they chose the Midland area for its excellent schools and sense of community.
When they found the property, they got to work and for two years, they drew and redrew the plans themselves as they both excel as hobbyists of home design.
“I really like design — I just gravitate toward it,” the wife says.
The two-story, 4,300-square-foot home with four bedrooms, 4.5 baths and an office is surrounded by woods and overlooks a large, spring-fed pond. When curiosity led the husband to toss a line in, he caught several fish.
“We worked with the homeowners previously and they just waited until they could do everything they wanted,” Nate Moeller, co-owner of Moeller Builders with his brother, Brett, says. “We have worked with the wife for years doing miscellaneous jobs at her office and have a long relationship.”
Brick and limestone exterior, substantial chimneys, multi-pitched roofs, asphalt shingles with a nuanced effect of slate, three unique outdoor living areas and the continuous warm flickering glow of gas lanterns at the entry collectively exemplify elements of European architectural design.
Throughout the main level, solid hickory flooring in 3-inch, 4-inch and 5-inch widths create a natural look and add warmth to the open floor plan. The mudroom, laundry, pantry and dog shower areas feature herringbone-patterned flooring in a porcelain tile specially made to resemble rustic brick. In the great room, inlaid, off-white wool carpeting is a design feature that visually separates a functional zone within a large open space. Together, the aesthetically pleasing variations in flooring also provide durability for an active family.
“My husband is a big cook and baker, and the floor plan centers around the kitchen,” the wife says. “The floor plan is very important, and we have all the entertaining spaces adjacent to the kitchen for entertaining family and friends.”
Custom kitchen cabinetry is frameless — also known as European — and provides additional storage space with a minimalist aesthetic. There is also a custom shelving unit for a special collection of books.
“My husband wanted floor-to-ceiling shelving to house all of his cookbooks,” the wife says. “He’s really into cooking anything and likes to bake, too. He’ll try anything, from smoking to baking and anywhere in between.”
Countertops and tile are Calacatta quartz, an engineered stone known for its durability and ability to mimic the veining found in natural Calacatta marble. The island includes a sink and two full-size dishwashers. There are two pantries, with one featuring an antique swinging door sourced from a Bay City antique store.
“It’s like an old saloon door; maybe a bathroom door from an old school,” Moeller says. “It was beaten up pretty badly but we sanded and refinished it then hung it up.”
In keeping with European influence, the homeowners sourced decorative wire mesh from England, adding the mesh detail in the swinging pantry door, kitchen cabinetry, mudroom lockers and pantry cabinetry.
The dining room features a vaulted ceiling with box beams matching the hickory flooring and a gas fireplace with a limestone mantel. Adding depth and elegance to an Old World aesthetic is the coffered ceiling of the great room. The floor-to-ceiling gas fireplace with limestone mantle is flanked by custom built-ins to maximize storage.
Also located on the main floor is the laundry room with custom-made drying racks, ample cabinetry and a twin set of washers and dryers that serve as a time-saver. The family dog has his own shower and eating station located in the mudroom.
The master suite includes a gas fireplace; radiant flooring and marble molding in the master bath. All bathrooms feature custom cabinetry, Calacatta quartz countertops and variations of ceramic tile. To accommodate a growing family and guests, each bedroom has its own bathroom.
“A lot of thought went into every single space of how we’re going to use it,” the wife says. “My favorite part of our home and the best decision was the large, covered porch in the backyard.”
The expansive covered porch includes a large, wood-burning fireplace, which creates a comfortable area for entertaining and relaxing that extends outdoor enjoyment well into late fall. At the opposite end of the home is a covered porch located off the husband’s office. Between the porches, the homeowners designed an elegant checkerboard patio with 35 concrete squares and artificial turf, offering a textured outdoor space reminiscent of royal estates.
“It’s all the little details everywhere,” Moeller says. “The homeowners did an amazing job — the details, colors, I can’t take any credit for that. We took all of her ideas and put them into fruition. She was her own designer.”
