PROJECT HOME

With Angela Goodall

PHOTOS BY JASON HULET HULET REAL ESTATE PHOTOGRAPHY

THEN& NOW: Updating Design “Rules”

Freedom to play is the new design theory. So many hard fast “rules” of old are no longer relevant when designing your spaces. Not that “anything goes,” there are still some tried and true aspects of design that should be followed, but stretching your creativity and feeling emboldened to mix it up a bit are all fair game. Rule #1 - You cannot mix white with cream…. well, yes you can! Just be cautious that there is clearly a common undertone. Bright white w/ shades of gray or blue white work well together. Soft white with shades of cream and yellow based whites also flow well. The rule of thumb is to make sure there is enough contrast so one does not make the other look dirty or just a little off. Using different sheens between the shades also contributes to the idea that they are intentionally different. Rule #2 - Don’t use dark colors on low ceilings. Well, if we want the room to feel cozy, that is just what we should do. Paint a low ceiling in the powder bath black. What a statement! Also, playing with the walls in a small space with darker colors and/or large patterns in wall paper or faux finishes. Be brave in a small space. It just may give you the wow factor on a small scale that you are looking for.

Rule #3 - Yes, use wallpaper! The updated colors and patterns are spectacular! If installed correctly by a professional, it will also be easy to strip in the future when you want to update a space.

Don’t even get me started with the “kitchen triangle.” That is a whole other article. But consult a professional when designing a new space. Be brave, don’t box yourself in and it can be an amazing transformation and update to your home that you have been wanting and needing.

Angela Goodall is the lead designer and co-owner of Kitchen Choreography with her husband Mike.

Built to

Heal

Imagine if you can:

your beautiful retirement home in northern Michigan just burnt down to the ground. That alone would be completely devastating. But at the same time you also must face the stark realization that your long-time spouse, best friend, and soulmate is no longer well enough to live and share every day with you going forward.

That’s what happened to Lori Grossnickle.

Lori’s main loves are family and horses (with a plethora of other furry things too). It’s no surprise that her sprawling Leelanau County property is an epic equestrian utopia complete with horses, stalls, a pole barn, and acres of fenced pastures. At the time of the fire the power at her log home had been outed by a big storm. They were temporarily running power on a generator. While Lori was outside watering plants, Chelsea, her horse farm manager, noticed that the lights in the house were flickering and yelled, “Something’s burning.”

Lori’s husband Steve was inside and oblivious to the danger. They got him to safety, and Lori’s three grown children rushed over. Firefighters came from Cedar, Leelanau, and Sutton’s Bay to douse the flames. Lori even ran back in the burning home to retrieve her little Corgi puppy, Darla, who was locked in the bedroom.

“It was a nightmare,” recalls Lori. “Of course, I ran in for the puppy, but not my purse.” Lori’s beloved husband Steve, a retired ophthalmologist, had been slowly suffering from FTD, frontotemporal disorders, a form of dementia. It was now painfully obvious she couldn’t take care of him anymore and decided to get him care, as he was no longer able to be by her side to make huge decisions. Lori felt at a total loss but then realized she had to move forward.