Masterpiece Theater

Highly customized home showcases unexpected details that surprise and delight

DESIGN: IANNuZZI

STuDIO, DETROIT

GENERAL cONTRAcTOR:

THOMAS SEbOLD & ASSOcIATES, bLOOMFIELD HILLS

INTERIOR DESIGN:

ELIZAbETH FIELDS

DESIGN, FRANkLIN

POOL: GILLETTE bROTHERS POOL AND SPA, TROY

TEXT:

JEANINE MATLOW

PHOTOGRAPHY:

RAFAEL GAMO AND DuSTIN HALLEck

On a scenic 3.5-acre site in Franklin sits a one-of-a-kind structure that blends effortlessly with the surrounding landscape. “The clients were looking for some juxtaposition,” David Iannuzzi, AIA, architect and principal of Iannuzzi Studio in Detroit, says.

They envisioned a modern form rendered in either traditional materials or completely unexpected elements — which is what they got. “It fits into the neighborhood and is unapologetically modern at the same time,” Iannuzzi says.

“The early design meetings were so fun and free,” he adds. “We like to work with people who are going to challenge us but are also willing to be challenged by us.”

The result is an elegant exterior featuring four pavilions topped with steep peaks that separate public and private spaces, which are connected by smaller glass hallways. “There are little moments we were trying to create for the house. Outside, it may seem simple, but the materials let the details stand out — like the siding that features vertical cedar slats that are very narrow, and the fiber cement panels.”

Iannuzzi worked with Elizabeth Fields, chief designer and owner of Franklin-based Elizabeth Fields Design, from the start. “The architecture has a quietness about it,” Fields says. “The goal was to make it beautiful and dramatic, but it’s also a family home.”

Clean lines balance the playfulness found in the fabrics, textures, and materials. “There’s a great unification of positive and negative, so you don’t get overwhelmed,” Fields explains. All of the contents were curated for the project, like the furniture and the light fixtures in the entertaining pavilion that contains the living room, dining room, and kitchen.

In the living room, with its double-sided fireplace, the nuances of the architecture and interior selections include the quietness of the chairs paired with the houndstooth on the sofa. “That’s what makes your eyes delight and what feels so right about the house,” she says.

A custom LED lighting rig suspended above the cooking surface and island bar blends stainless steel with walnut, and illuminates the kitchen with lights that can point up or down. Another layer of drama comes from the emerald green cabinets and the shapely rope fixture in the dining area.

Happy hues enhance a round rug that softens the primary bedroom. A variety of shades makes it a playful grounding point for the space, which includes a tweed sofa and a fabulous palette of fuchsia, black and white, turquoise, leaf green, nude pink, chocolate brown, purple, and lavender. The main bathroom is another show-stopper, with pink onyx on the sink and a black stand-alone tub.

Less structure at the start led to better aesthetic outcomes for the award-winning house. “This project was one of complete creativity,” Fields says.

PEAKS & PAVILIONS

Above: An exterior perspective shows the separation between gathering spaces and private spaces.

GOOD VIBRATIONS

Above, right: The multihued carpet on the stairs is uplifting.

SHOW-STOPPING

Right: Elizabeth Fields designed the striking tile pattern in the main bathroom. It wows in shades of green, black, pink, and white.