4 minute read
Born Again
This 1930s cottage renovation on northern Michigan’s Walloon Lake involved some very heavy lifting — with a crane — and a smart blend of vintage and modern
INTERIOR DESIGN, buILDER: JENNIFER TYSSE, NORTHERNVIEW HOMES + INTERIORS, bOYNE cITY AND bIRMINGHAM
TEXT: PATTY LANOuE STEARNS
PHOTOGRAPHY: bETH SINGER Walloon Lake has loads of history; it’s where Ernest Hemingway spent his boyhood summers at his family’s cottage. Many of the cottages were built in the 1930s and had fireplaces as their only heat source, low ceilings, and tiny windows to try to keep the spaces warm. Ninety years later, thanks to smart HVAC systems, stateof-the-art insulation, and low-e windows, these historic cabins are being optimized for heating and cooling, in addition to taking in the view. When the new owners of one of those vintage cottages asked interior designer Jennifer Tysse, of NorthernView Homes + Interiors in Boyne City and Birmingham, to modernize their abode, yet make it blend in with the spirit of the other historic cabins on the lake, she knew she was in for a challenge.
“It was a one-owner cabin, a neat old cottage,” Tysse says. The puzzle? It had an odd layout, since the cottage had been added onto a couple of times, with a bedroom configuration and hallway that weren’t used to their fullest potential. Plus, the master bedroom lacked a lake view.
COME TO THE LAKE! Both pages, clockwise from far left: The lodge-style great room is inviting. The kitchen’s use of blue echoes nearby water tones. Kids love to gather in this nook. A convenient bench makes getting ready for waterside fun easy.
BEACHY-KEEN Both pages, clockwise from left: A bunk room, guest bath, dressing room, master bath, the exterior, and master bedroom all have beachy appeal.
The whole main floor had to be taken down to the studs, the walls had to be reinsulated, and a 12- by 16-foot annex had to be built for the master suite so Tysse could create a new space with an outdoor patio and private view of the water. In addition, the roof in the main living area had to be torn off and raised from 8 feet to 18 feet — a feat that was achieved by using a crane to add a ridge beam.The original fireplace is still intact, and has been updated for a cozier feel in the lodge-style great room. The rest of the interior is vastly different from its previous condition, however. It’s warm, streamlined, and its 3,200 square feet feature kid-proof finishes, northern Michigan maple floors, and custom cabinetry.
The kitchen is perfect for entertaining, with a 12-footlong quartz island, two refrigerators, a Wolf cooktop, and everything one needs for accommodating guests. With a bunk room, guest bath, and an inviting master suite/dressing area, the home is just the ticket for creating memories.
“We’re lucky that my company operates under one roof — design, building, cabinetry, carpentry — and that design drives the process,” Tysse says, adding that her biggest challenge was creating a lodge feel with the low-ceilinged great room. After deciding that the only thing to do was raise the roof and rip out the insides — a plan deemed sound by Petoskey architect Greg Presley — everyone involved with the project was glad they took the more complicated road. “That experience taught us that it’s worth doing it right,” the designer says.
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