When Dan Moore and his wife, Liz, decided to build their third house together, they wanted a warm and welcoming, yet modern, home that their young family could love in the long term.
“The house was such an investment of time and money that we wanted it to be timeless and something our family could grow into and evolve (with) as needed,” Moore says.
The impressive five-bedroom, 5,700-square-foot construction project (with an additional 3,000 square feet on the lower level) sits on a 1 1/3-acre lot in Bloomfield Hills and took two years to complete.
The Moores came to the project with a heightened level of knowledge, as they’re business owners in the construction industry. Moore, owner of Moore Custom Homes in Bloomfield Hills, served as the contractor on their house project. His wife is a co-owner of her family’s Michigan-based business, Bolyard Lumber & Design.
They hired interior designer Carrie Long, of Royal Oak-based Carrie Long Interiors, to work with them to create the stunning contemporary home they envisioned. The project turned out to be serendipitous for both sides.
“Dan and Liz were very hands-on with the project. They’re my favorite type of client to work with, as we can feed off each other and elevate ideas and designs. They’re so experienced, and we were able to talk out every detail of ‘now versus later’ to make this a great home for their family over time. It was a truly collaborative experience,” Long explains, adding, “Dan was in the unique position of being the homeowner, which comes with emotion, but at the same time (he was) the builder, who wants to showcase incredible details and execute (the project).”
Moore shares the designer’s sentiment. “Liz and I are already in tune with design trends, and we were on the same page as Carrie from our first meeting. We brought some uncharted ideas that hadn’t been done before in this area, and Carrie’s team and (the) skilled trades were able to make them happen. We had a vision in mind, and Carrie helped it go above and beyond.”
One of those “uncharted ideas,” which became one of the project’s biggest challenges, was the reglet base and wall detail, which allows for a flush base and a trimless contemporary aesthetic. This sleek design element can be seen throughout the house, from the white oak niches in the great room to the striking primary suite hallway.
“They needed a highly functional, family-friendly home that’s warm and inviting, with great flow for entertaining — but (they also wanted a) wow factor. They wanted the design to be clean and elegant, with understated sophistication engulfed in every single detail,” Long says.
According to Long, she focused the interior design on a timeless neutral palette that included lots of textures, to accentuate the architecture and help make the large rooms warmer and cozier. Neutral colors were selected for large anchor pieces, to enable future flexibility if the couple decides to accent with different accessories or create a new palette at some point down the road.
She says they also used materials such as concrete, wood, and acrylics (“all the tools in the toolbox”) in unconventional ways, to bring warmth to the space.
The white walls throughout the residence show off artwork that was selected by the homeowners from local artists and galleries recommended by Long. “Artwork is so personal; it becomes the soul of the house,” Long says. “I advise clients to find what they love, and I’ll provide the support to make it shine in their house. I want clients to feel good about the art they choose and know its story. I love the art collection Dan and Liz put together, and the white walls are the perfect clean, crisp backdrop to accentuate it.”
Adds Moore: “It was the most uncomfortable part of the project for me, but we’re happy with the results.”
The homeowner shares that his two favorite spaces in the finished home are the ones where he spends the most time: his office and the great room. However, he notes that part of what makes the house so special is the Ketra lighting — a smart system that transforms the mood of the space with different lighting for various times of day. “I’m passionate about lighting and the effects on the space,” he says. “This lighting system can mimic daylight and gets warmer at night, to make the space more inviting for entertaining.”
Long says the impact of the home as a work of art can’t be understated. “While (images of the house) are beautiful, it doesn’t do the home justice to just catch a vignette. To actually experience and live in artwork creates a different emotion that can’t be captured in a picture.”
While the Moore house was the first project the designer and builder did together, it isn’t their last. The pair now regularly collaborates on professional projects.
“In this line of work, people get most excited about the design, but rarely the details. We get excited about both,” the designer notes. “This project had the dream team. We wouldn’t have been as successful with only one of us.”
BEHIND THE DESIGN
INTERIOR DESIGNER
Carrie Long, Carrie Long Interiors, Royal Oak, carrielonginteriors.com
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTOR
Dan Moore, Moor Custom Homes, Bloomfield Hills
CUSTOM COFFEE TABLE
Carrie Long Interiors, Royal Oak, carrielonginteriors.com
“To (design) a space exactly the way a client wants it, sometimes we have to create original pieces to meet the need,” interior designer Carrie Long says of the custom coffee table she designed for this Bloomfield Hills home’s lower level.
JANE BED
Montauk, montauksofa.com
“To emphasize the ease and glam we wanted (in the primary suite), there really was no choice other than Montauk’s (Jane Bed),” Long says. “The craftsmanship works perfectly for this client and will serve them well through the years.”
MICHEL SECTIONAL
Nathan Anthony Furniture, nafurniture.com
“Nathan Anthony Furniture has a mastery with upholstery design. We chose (this sofa and those in the lower level) because they’re gorgeous and punctuated our design goals, but they’re also one of the best brands in the market. These are heirloom pieces the family could recover in the future and use for years.”
HAVANA SOFA
Lee Industries, leeindustries.com
“Lee Industries has become a ‘go to’ for CLI over the years,” Long says of this sofa in the home’s lanai. “They had the perfect pieces to define our design plan.”
MARGATE RUG
Stark Carpet, Michigan Design Center, Troy, starkcarpet.com
“There’s a reason Stark remains one of the top rug brands in the country — heritage. It’s run today by the third generation of Starks, and you can see the family pride in the craftsmanship and beauty in each piece. We chose (this rug and others in the home) not only due to this reputation, but because they truly completed that relaxed elegance we subscribed to.”
Text by Tracy Donohue. Photography by Joseph Tiano. Portrait photography by Reflectivity.
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