Wooded Whimsy

Client

Jennifer & John Artz

TYPE

Residential Refresh

Location

Northville

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

Brett Mountain

COLLABORATORS

John’s Office: American Manufacturing & Industry Corp. (Jason Moreen)

When we first set foot inside this Northville home that recently underwent a large addition, we were met with a near blank slate and a family of four yearning for a space that celebrated their love of animals and kept up with their lifestyle and hobbies.

Our Goal:

Our clients first connected with us after their kitchen and primary bathroom was finished because they realized they wanted a design partner who could turn up the dial on the personality of the space and ultimately pull out their vision and make it a reality. So, they brought us in to finish the home in a way that meshed with the completed rooms and gave more space for personality while increasing the functionality.

Our Solution:

Functionality at every corner and whispers of whimsy in each room put our clients’ needs and preferences at the forefront.

The foyer sets the tone for the rest of the home. It’s warm, welcoming, and thoughtfully conceived – from the color scheme to the double doors and doggy supply storage.

To create a living room that naturally extended off the completed kitchen, we leaned on carefully sourced lighting, mirrors, and furniture to cultivate cohesion in the area they spend the most time. The wainscoting and custom houndstooth wood veneer wallpaper also added deeper continuity throughout the entire home.

Our interior design strategy accounted for the spaces’ frequently shifting functionality, from barstools that help host their large extended family and move to make way for dog beds, to the custom tufted banquette seating that inspires quality time (not TV time) in the show stopping sunroom.

Equal care was taken in every inch of the home, including the masculine, work-appropriate office that features custom built-ins and desk and a hidden door bookcase and the storage-heavy laundry room.

The custom dog coasters, hidden mice in every room, the birds that lovingly hold lighting in place, the subtle ET wallpaper in the primary powder room – the list of details goes on and undeniably underscores this family’s unique taste and love for animals.

Thanks to a blend of cohesion, functionality and wonderful whimsy, we collaborated with this family of four to transform their (almost) blank slate into a cozy, eclectic escape from the ordinary for all who enter.