A COTTAGE REBORN

WRITTEN BY BRITTANY DARGA PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAQUELINE SOUTHBY

ONE STEP INSIDE this North Lake Leelanau house and it is so easy to feel right at home. It embodies everything Northern Michigan has to offer – swimming, boating, tubing, paddle boarding, lying in a hammock by day; bonfires, grilling, and good company by night.

“We wanted a new home that feels like a cottage. We wanted it to be cozy and welcoming… not pristine and stuffy,” the home owner said. “It’s made for family.” The home owners bought the property north of Leland about 20 years ago. At the time a 1970s era cottage was on the beautiful property, and about three years ago the couple enlisted MAC Custom Homes of Traverse City to design and build a new home. “We loved that cottage,” they said. “It holds a lot of memories. But it was time to build something new.”

BECAUSE THE FAMILY loved the

cottage so much, a lot of the same layout was kept the same. From the main entrance, guests can immediately see a view of the blue-green lake that runs 21 miles through the middle of the Leelanau Peninsula. The living area is in the same location as the original cottage and boasts a tall, stone wood-burning fireplace with a cement mantle. A cozy couch, soft chairs, and a stool big enough for board games surround the fireplace and the TV. A built-in book shelf is on the right side of the fireplace, which makes the home feel all the more welcoming. White shiplap walls border the space, with white oak floors at guest’s feet. The same shiplap is found on the ceiling with wooden exposed beams leading all the way to the kitchen.

Places to snuggle up and read a book or take a nap are plentiful in this home. The first, a reading nook and small charming door underneath the stairs, can be noticed in the entry way. “There are lots of things in mind in this home for little people who aren’t here yet,” laughs the home owner, who hints at the possibility of future grandchildren.

To the right of the entry way is one of the family’s “puzzle tables” with photos of family around it and a wet bar on one side. “Our family loves puzzles,” the home owner said, and any person can tell from the halffinished puzzles, as well as framed puzzles throughout the home. A built-in table that will fold out is here too, and it is primarily used for puzzles.

of family guests. Its walnut island contrasts perfectly with the white metro quartz countertops. The white cabinets and drawers, coordinate with the white shiplap walls. The six-burner stove top and the white basin sink give the kitchen a smooth, classy look. Perhaps the most notable part of the kitchen is the giant window that opens up to the screened in porch. From here, you can not only see the lake, but hear the waves swooshing to the shore.

“This window is one of my favorite parts of the house,” the home owner said. “You not only get to see the lake, you get to hear it too.”

Wooden doors that were original to the cottage lead to the porches. The screened in porch that is through the giant window off the kitchen is used primarily for the dining space. On the other side, off the living area, is what the family calls a “reading porch.” This is screened in as well, and has plenty of comfortable places to sit while staying warm next to a fireplace if necessary. Both of these porches have storm windows that can be put down during the colder months. Nestled in between these two porches, is a completely outdoor porch space, with Adirondack chairs to enjoy the sun during the day, or a drink in the evening.

Off the kitchen is a large walk-in pantry with not only plenty of shelves, but also counterspace for meal preparation. On the other side of the pantry is a laundry room with two sets of washers and dryers. “When people stay here, I want them to feel like they can do their own laundry,” the home owner said.

OUTSIDE OF THESE ROOMS is a hallway with the first guest bedroom with ensuite bathroom. Each guest room has its own unique style and this one has white and teal colors, contrasted with white board and batten walls, wood floors and recovered furniture to give it a lake and cabin feel. Across from this bedroom is a half bathroom with colorful hand painted pinecones lining the border. The homeowner painted these, and also made many items in the home including a lot of the curtains.

One the other end of the lower level is the master suite, which has a nice view of the lake but also curtains for privacy. A blue and white striped rug lays that over the wood floor, along with a white comforter and blue-gray shiplap walls to give the room a nautical feel. Small rectangle windows close to the ceiling make the room feel nice and bright. The bathroom has a double vanity, and a sizeable white tile shower and free-standing bathtub, with checkered painted fur wood floors.

Walk upstairs from the main stairway and there is a living area that can be closed off with a pocket door. “We wanted guests to feel like they have their own space,” the home owners said. Windows that open are on one wall so the room can feel airy.

CLIMB UP THREE MORE STEPS and guests enter a

hallway that is reminiscent of time spent in Northern Michigan, with canvas and tile artwork (tiles made by Sporck Tileart in Leland) of different places in Leelanau County, as well as artwork from various local shops. Also, in the hallway and throughout the home are framed puzzles. “We are proud of them,” the home owner said. “Plus, when you look at them you recall the memories of when you worked on it together.”

Each of the four guest rooms here have its own flair. All rooms have their own sink and built-in shelf for toiletries, which definitely gives guests a feeling of being at camp. Each bedroom also has a numbered towel. “Towels always get mixed up and they create so much laundry,” the home owner said. “With numbered towels that go to each room, there’s less confusion and less laundry.”

The first guest room guests will come to is referred to as the bunk room because of its three twin sized bunks. Each bed in this room as its own reading light above it. Next is the “red, white, and blue” room, complete with American flag, matching bedding, and a framed puzzle of all the United States presidents.

ACROSS from these two rooms is the “boys” bathroom with a noticeable blue theme throughout, a double basin sink, and a single stall shower and unique yellow light fixtures. Down the hall is the “girls” bathroom, complete with three separate dark pink wash stands, yellow flooring, a shower stall, and a tub.

The third upstairs guest room has a pink theme, and the fourth has colors of the rainbow throughout the bedding, rugs, and wall décor. Each of these rooms and its own sink as well. The fifth bedroom upstairs has three twin beds – perfect for kids. Above the garage is a wide-open space, used for a sewing and exercise room right now.

ONE OF THE MOST notable

rooms upstairs is the “sleeping” porch. The porch is screened in and has custom made windows that fold up. The sounds and breeze from the lake can easily lull a person to sleep here. “This is the absolute perfect place to nap,” the home owner said. The porch has a small bed and porch swing. On top of this porch is one of the home owner’s favorite details – a copper flying pig weathervane. The flying pig is an icon of Cincinnati, which was once called “Porkopolis” because of the pork packing industry that was once there. Many pig statues can now be seen throughout the city.

The home owners wanted to create a home that feels comfortable. “I almost feel like I should walk in a spill a drink just so people know it was created to truly be a home that’s meant to be lived in,” the home owner laughs. “I don’t want it to feel too fancy.”

And the home was created for family. “This home is where all of our family comes together,” the home owner said. “We wanted something old fashioned, yet new. Something fun, relaxing, and enjoyable.”

All-natural luxury made in Michigan. Natural Sleep Begins Here.