A modern Michigan House With Views on Three Sides

Story by Stephanie Geurkink

The northern tip of Michigan holds a splendor of natural beauty with abundant flora and fauna unique to a climate that sees four seasons of growth and dormancy. Where rip curls form in water so cold that only the truly passionate feel welcome, and which are concealed by a protected natural landscape of enormous sand dunes. The lack of a consistent cell signal tempts you to leave your rat-race, fast paced mentality at the nearest rest stop. The only call worth taking here is a return to nature.

This is how it went for Barbara and John: John wanted sunlight and waves, Barb wanted quiet. They had already lived a big life of travel and had accumulated a collection of beautiful pieces and memorable experiences along the way. They wanted now was a well-curated, understated, paired down life.

The property they found in Empire already had a cottage on it and the location was perfect, being situated in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The town itself has a population of 300 and has one post office, one library, and miles and miles of freshwater coastline. Indeed, it was exactly what they were looking for.

A quick assessment of the cottage had them planning on a renovation of the structure to make it a more comfortable beach home to share with their children and grandchildren.

Barb and John knew they needed help making their vision a reality. With her background working in the interior design industry, Barb had access to clever minds who could guide her toward sound material selections and clever space solutions. Even then, it wasn’t until she met Randi Thiebaut, founder of Commonality Architecture, that the rubber finally met the road. Randi understood the landscape and the energy of the area. She understood that the couple wanted a sustainable, compact, and efficient home. She understood the constraints and was undaunted. There was an instant chemistry between the homeowners and the young architect. Their project became a testament to the power of good light and a strong foundation.

The original plan was to renovate the existing cottage. Upon doing research, Randi discovered the building was sinking. So the determined to start over completely.

Light is what guides Randi as she determines each protrusion and recess in her structures. For her, it always starts with light. She cares very much about the specific sites of the projects she works on, and so she isn’t one to create a one-design-fits-all structure and plunk it down wherever. Site surveys inform her of the location of the sun and the duration of the exposure. Light is energy, and Randi is not about to waste any bit of it. 

The location also had unique and strict environmental considerations. The property was in the critical dunes set back, which carries a DEQ requirement that the house be readily moveable at the first sign of erosion. Randi knew from experience that helical piers were the solution of choice for new construction along the lakeshore. Once the look and feel of the new home was determined, Randi brought in structural engineers to provide their expertise on a viable foundation to build it on.

In every detail, sustainability is at the core of Randi’s design philosophy and is also a core value that Barbara and John share. Heated floors that are independently controlled cut down on energy waste. Corridors that can be closed off between extended family visits also help to focus energy where and when it needs to be used.

When it came to identifying collaborators and making material selections, the goal was always to source as locally as possible. From the interior millwork to the exterior landscaping, every bit was considered by specialists from Michigan, for the benefit of the natural environment. The vision was a modern minimalist design composed of natural wood finishes and lighting that felt more sculptural than obstructive.

Color would come through views of the exterior landscape, punctuated by a limited and rotating selection of original artwork from the homeowner’s collection. Grasscloth and batten board provide wall treatment texture, and the kitchen is noticeably devoid of hardware.

Barbara knew that she did not want a lawn at this home. She wanted zero maintenance and she wanted to return the landscape to what it would have been naturally. Cattails and shorter grasses help to restore their slice of South Bar Lake into its natural state, while still leaving an opening to drop in a kayak. Muskrats, beavers, mink, otters, great blue heron, all have a home here.

The unanimous favorite room in the home is the main living area. It gets the most amount of sun, washing the kitchen, dining, and primary entertaining space in sunrises and sunsets. The view outward is of the beach, where distant hikers, sunbathers, and local wildlife provide an animated backdrop.