2015 DHDA: Readers’ Choice

2015 Design Awards

Judges | Details | Exteriors | Interiors | Commercial Interiors
Homes | Rising Star | Reader’s Choice


WINNER: Rochester Hills Beauty

BUILDER: Cranbrook Custom Homes, Shelby Twp.

ARCHITECT: Martini Samartino Design Group, Troy

INTERIOR DESIGN: Eleni Interiors Inc., Oakland Twp.

Ask, and you shall receive. At least that’s how it worked for one Rochester Hills homeowner, who desired a house with a sprawling rustic-style feel that evoked both casualness for quiet evenings spent at home, and a practical and large ambiance perfect for entertaining up to 200 guests at a time.

Those requirements were met tenfold by Shelby Township-based Cranbrook Custom Homes, and those attributes and others impressed the readers of Detroit Home big time — they gave it top honors in this year’s Readers’ Choice/Best Overall Home category.

As for building materials, the structure is made of Montana granite with clear cedar trim, cedar timber accents, and a hand-split cedar roof, which exudes sophistication and charm at the same time. In keeping with the rustic feel, hand-hewn walnut floors run throughout the home, and solid-timber exposed trusses add an attractive appeal.

More special attributes: a hotel spa-like master suite, a limestone-clad fireplace and coffee bar in the master suite, Italian mosaic tilework, a doorless shower, marble flooring with onyx inlays, and more.

As the homeowner also enjoys recreation, this splendid design features a 3,500-square-foot indoor spa/pool/gym and massage area, with a 20-foot indoor waterfall. If that’s not enough, a saltwater aquarium garners rave reviews!

Right at Home Beyond its special appointments, this home’s location is also something to, well, write home about. Through the windows, one looks out to five wooded acres 50 feet above a serene pond. The views are so spectacular, in fact, that the design of the foyer (not shown) specifically addresses what’s outside by keeping the grand staircase to the side, the planners were able to showcase the dramatic views. Exposed timber trusses also adorn many spaces of the home, bringing the outdoors in. The recreation space, less traditional than other areas, makes a splash with a pool, spa, and saltwater aquarium.