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Lake Michigan Summer Cottage

This summer cottage was designed for a couple that had fond memories of the area where the husband and wife spent many summers as children. The beautiful wooded property fronts Lake Michigan and a tremendous amount of effort were placed on designing the home to accommodate the unique needs of a summer home while maximizing views to the Lake. Not only does the property enjoy endless water views, but it also looks over the rolling woods. Magnificent sunsets tint the entire lake in purples and orange covers the Manitou Islands. Twelve-foot tall ceilings with floor-to-ceiling windows on the main floor allow unobstructed views to the water and sunsets. Materials used also help create a seamless transition of the exterior to the interior. Another aspect that was used to make the home fit in its environment was some of the timber that was harvested was milled for trim and ceilings.

A legend attributed to the Ojibwe explains the origin of the Manitou Islands and the Sleeping Bear Dunes. Long ago, the bear Mishe Mokwa and her two cubs sought to cross Lake Michigan from the Wisconsin shore to escape a great forest fire. The mother bear made it across, but her twin cubs, although they swam hard behind her, drowned in Lake Michigan. The great spirit covered them with sand to form the two Manitou Islands. The mother bear lies and waits forever for her cubs to reach the shore - the Sleeping Bear Dunes. It is with this spirit that the home was designed to ensure it fits in the context.