We featured the Great Lakes region in our September issue and designers shared details behind a few of their projects.
Jessica Lagrange Interiors
A 1924 lodge set alongside a lake in the upper peninsula of Michigan was the bucolic setting of this home. The large extended family “engaged us to create a rustic, luxurious escape,” said Chicago-based designer Jessica Lagrange. “The texture and color of the main log cabin, along with its monumental fieldstone and brick fireplace, started as the genesis for the decorative effect throughout the interiors.” The result is subdued hues and natural materials, punctuated by both new and vintage pieces and still maintaining the cabin’s original charm. In the kitchen, products include a red stove from Viking and soapstone countertops from Stone Source. Photo: Tony Soluri
Jacob Lukas Design
For this four-story Chicago brownstone that faces the Chicago River at the mouth of Lake Michigan, the client craved “a light filled, elegant and contemporary space,” said Kurt Jacob Miller of Chicagoland-based Jacob Lukas Design. “I gutted the living room, raised the ceiling and ripped out floor-to-ceiling bookcases and installed mirrors.” The outdated iron railings were also tossed, replaced by soft gold and glass ones instead. The custom mantle is 6’ high and cut from Carrera marble slabs, and furnishings include items from Caracole, Massoud and Fine Art Lamps, he said.
For the primary bedroom, the client “wanted a luxury hotel suite feel,” he said. Miller designed the custom walnut and croc embossed velvet bed, which features a 6’1” tall headboard. The room also features a champagne metallic foil wallpaper, Currey & Company chandelier, SunPan bench and custom bedding and drapery from Wildcat Territory. Photo: Jacob Lukas Design
Renee Michael Design
For this 5,500 square-foot home on the Northeast side of Grand Rapids, Mich., the clients – transitioning into their forever home – wanted the great room to have a light, airy and comfortable aesthetic, said Marla Cole of Renee Michael Design in Grand Rapids, Mich.
With 20- foot, floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, “no window treatments were incorporated to maintain sight of the beautiful view,” she said. The room includes a Daydreamer modular sofa from Ethan Allen, two Balboa upholstered swivel chairs from Pottery Barn and Sintra hand-hammered tables.
In addition, “our client wanted to incorporate artwork that was reflective of their African American culture so we commissioned a piece called Divide from Art By Montfort.” Photo: Steven Cole
Glasshouse Interior
The client – a player in the NBA – bought this home for his family over the phone, site unseen, said Marissa Nelums of Chicago-based Glasshouse Interior. The family wanted to modernize the 8,000-square-foot home, and the only request was to open the kitchen to make it accessible from all sides, she added.
The biggest obstacle? “Hauling large items that did not fit in the elevator” of the six-story building, she said. Many of the accessories and custom pillows came from her home store, Glasshouse Interior. Photo: Positive Image
Your Design Partner
These first-time clients wanted to renovate their almost 4,200 square-foot home on a “beautiful, wooded lot,” said Ricci Jackson of Cincinnati’s Your Design Partner. They wanted their great room to feel warm and inviting, with pops of color, as well as connect with the dining room and kitchen.
Two of their favorite features were reviving the entertainment center with Needlepoint Navy by Sherwin Williams and creating a stunning focal point with custom draperies by Carole Fabrics. Products are from Uttermost, Four Hands, Surya, Rowe and Bassett Furniture, as well as the platform SideDoor. Her clients were nervous at first, but “became super excited with the outcome” she said. They then enlisted Jackson to work on a new project, their primary suite.
“It feels amazing to bless others doing something I enjoy so much.” Photo: Justin Sheldon
Michael Abrams Design
These clients relocated from a luxury downtown high rise to a 1917, 2,700-square-foot Craftsman style house in the north shore suburb of Wilmette, Ill. While the city apartment reflected a refined and elegant style, for the new home, they wanted the design “to be warm, unpretentious and inviting to better reflect the character of the architecture,” said Chicago-based Michael Abrams.
The dining table and chairs were brought from their city apartment and Abrams reupholstered the chair in a refined Larsen herringbone woven textile. The living and dining room walls are covered in a Carlisle & Co. natural fiber wallcovering for warmth and texture. The pendant light fixture is from Baker Furniture; “its slim silhouette is a go-to for us.” Photo: Ryan McDonald
