HISTORY IN THE MAKING
Modern Meets Tudor This Birmingham new-build features 21st-century amenities and all the charm and style of the 1920s TEXT BY PATTY LANOUE STEARNS PHOTOGRAPHY BY BETH SINGER
“I
grew up loving Tudors,” says Amy Konja, who, with her husband, Steve, had been searching for Tudors in hopes of finding one for their growing family. The couple decided to look at some of the Tudors in Birmingham’s Quarton Lake area. They still couldn’t find what they were looking for. For one thing, they discovered that while traditional Tudors are often gracious and filled with exquisite features and craftsmanship, they can also be dark and divided up into many small rooms, which is totally impractical by modern standards. Like everyone else in the market today, the Konjas wanted a large living space. They also wanted a staircase off the front door, and a proper library, like those found in so many old Tudors. The couple finally decided that to get exactly what they wanted, they had to build a new home — one with “1920s spirit; an open concept, but still cozy; and a place with moody moments,” Amy explains. She and Steve contacted Birmingham architect Brian Neeper. “We asked (Neeper) to think ‘Palmer Park Tudor’ as the inspiration for this home,” Amy says. Neeper drew up the plans for what would become a three-level, four-bedroom, four-bath, two-powder-room home with 6,450 square feet of finished space, two working gas fireplaces, and one faux fireplace in the main office. There’s also a second-floor laundry and a lower level with an
entertainment area with a bar, as well as a gym. Off the bedroom near the garage, a second office nook with a built-in desk and shelves serves as the study area for the Konjas’ two daughters. The Konjas also got the stairway they wanted, right inside the front door, along with a foyer with wainscoting and an arched entryway to the library. And for the modern lives they lead, the entire back of the house — which includes the kitchen, dining room, and great room — is wide open and full of light. “When we started the process, I wanted to do the design myself,” says Amy, who has been partial to global design influences, particularly Asian, ever since she traveled with her parents as a child. “I had been planning this house in my head for 44 years.”
ISLAND TIME
Uniquely patterned quartz countertops, comfortable Ballard Designs stools, and Newport Brass hardware, among other elements, make this kitchen super chic.
90 DETROIT DESIGN | SPRING 2022
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