Owner

My goal was to build the most perfect house in every regard.

I wanted the house to blend into the surrounding woods by using natural materials that would blend with the natural colors of nature.

The open design of the living room, dining room, & kitchen was the result of my designing two sailing yachts where opening each area onto the other made the space flow and seem larger than the actual size.

While thinking about what type of home to build, I happened upon a home designed by Richard Bos and knew immediately that he could execute a design that would result in a great house.

The study/library was designed to inspire a sacred, or church-like feeling upon entry as well as anchor the end of the private living quarters with a dramatic room. Espying the library from the entry foyer beckons one down the gallery to have a peek inside.

When you walk into the entry foyer you can view the three main areas of the house simultaneously and have a preview that something special is about to unfold.

I wanted the house to be super high tech without being obvious of the engineering & equipment hidden away on the lower level of the house. The delivery of the mechanical & electrical wonders were accomplished with little evidence of such in the rooms themselves.

Richard Bos - Architect

I first met the owner while he was visiting the Michigan side of Lake MIchigan where I have spent all of my professional life. Upon noticing and admiring several homes that I had designed, the gentleman contacted me and asked that I meet him on his yacht. I was not expecting such a serendipitous meeting!

It happened that the owner had a pristine piece of lakefront property - on the other side of the lake - and he beseeched me to design a home for him. His new home had to harken to his love of boating. It also had to complement the craggy, wild Niagara escarpment of his land, and it had to incorporate absolutely only the finest of materials. Before I would commit, I had to see the land. My wife Barbara and I planned a trip to the Door peninsula in Wisconsin that very next week. We were instantly enchanted and enthusiastically embraced the project!

Thus began one of the most interesting, challenging, and ultimately most fulfilling projects of my career. The team that was assembled - owner, architect, builder, and interior designer - all had the same vision and the end result is truly a work of art!

Tom Birmingham - Builder

Building this residence was a rare opportunity, truly a privilege, and is certainly one of the finest homes that my company has ever built. Everyone who worked on it is very proud.

The owners' vision was clear and the architects inspired. When permits were pulled and excavation started, the plan was only an outline of what would be. Character would be revealed in detail after detail that the architects, Richard and Barbara Bos, rendered as work progressed.

Cypress doors and counterbalanced window frames, exposed steel ship hull trusses, timber-framed ceilings, post and beam screened porch with architectural stone fireplace, taper-sawn shake roof and siding, cypress facings and soffits, lead-coated copper dome and eaves, circle stair turret, radiused walls, antique heart pine floors, slate medallion, Bertch cabinets, Juperana Gold counters, granite patios and foundation coping, patterned steel balustrades, solid brass thresholds, articulated gallery vaults, fourteen miles of custom-molded trim: all that and more in this house. A builder's dream.

The house stands strong without a leak or a crack and, looking back, I am proud to have kept forty balls in the air at all times over the two-year process. More than that, I remember the dedication and care of the team it took to build this house, and I won't forget the owners' kindred spirit.

Glen Lusby - Interior Designer

Not only is this client one of the most interesting people I have ever worked with, I also consider the family dear friends. I have worked with this client many years, and every project is enjoyable and interesting. This home in particular, however, was by far the most rewarding project we've worked on together. Everyone on the project worked tightly together to achieve the end result of a magnificent home. My goal was to relate everything inside the house directly to the outside; I tried to make sure we maintained as much organic feeling as possible, while also providing a unique and comfortable living environment.

To attain this goal, it meant much customization of the furnishings to reflect the outdoors. You can see this everywhere you look: from the dining room chandelier, sideboard, and table; to the living room cocktail table and the furnishings of the master bedroom and second floor guest rooms. I tried to maintain some degree of simplicity, allowing each piece to speak for itself.

Celeste Wegman - Interior Designer

What a delight to work on a home that has a perfect balance with its surrounding environment. The home is set in the majestic woods with an abundance of wild life, on the shores of Lake Michigan; the home is truly one with the elements. The interior architecture is that of a lovely ship or sailing vessel. Lovely and yet very powerful, the materials are at home with all of nature that surrounds them.

The areas in the home that I had the pleasure of working on were: the Master Bedroom Suite, Her Office, the Main Level Guest Suite, and the Library. Respecting the integrity of the home and the owners love of art and their surroundings, I chose materials in keeping with their wishes. As well as honoring the beauty of all that had previously been created. It was a privilege to be associated with such a project.