Deadlines can yield miracles. Just ask Meg Corley, founder and principal designer of Meg Corley Premier Interiors in Birmingham, who was put to the test with a 9,300-square-foot home remodel in Rochester that needed to be finished in time for the backyard wedding of her clients’ son. “We had pretty much demolished the entire home, and then the lockdown started,” Corley says. “The initial wedding date was moved to early September, and luckily my clients weren’t living (in the home).
“We wanted to save the amazing bones and other details, like the molding that was already in place,” Corley continues, describing the Moceri custom home which was built in 1999. (Mario Moceri, one of the owners of Moceri Custom Homes, had lived in the home.)
The property made quite the impression on Steven and Anne DiMaggio, who have four grown children. “It has an amazing backyard. They fell in love with the pond, four waterfalls, and the bridge, and they wanted to love the inside just as much,” Corley says.
Classic updates make a statement right from the start, with a series of intaglio prints above a smoky gray velvet sofa in the great room, near the entrance. “It’s very dramatic,” Corley says. She explains that she considers the new look more current, with a relaxed traditional aesthetic.
The existing millwork got a makeover, including the oak details in the library. “We used a really dark gel stain that made them sing a little more, and added wallcovering to the back of the bookshelves,” she says. “We took the bones of the house and made them better.”
A cozy kitchen nook features a custom banquette with a tapestry back and an easy-to-clean vinyl seat. The wallcovering and ceiling beams draw the eye up, while the view to the terrace that overlooks the pool and pond is captivating.
More eye candy can be found in the master bathroom, where grasscloth covers the paneling. “It gives some warmth and texture,” Corley says. Wool carpet and a crystal chandelier join nightstands with a two-tone effect that add contrast to the more streamlined background. “It’s more traditional, so I wanted to marry the two to flow together, making it seem a little more timeless,” the designer explains.
Embroidered floral draperies inspired the peaceful palette, which features warm neutrals on a wider spectrum that includes grays, coppers, and green at the forefront.
The master bath was demolished to open up the space. “It had a lot of angles and they wanted a larger shower, so we had to square things up to get that great shower and a freestanding tub,” Corley says. A tile runway sets the tone as you walk through the double doors. “It gives a really great ground for the tub,” she says.
The lower level, meanwhile, was completely redone. “They wanted a lower level that felt like an extension of the rest of the home, not a basement,” Corley says. A TV built-in joins a custom coffee table that’s edged in leather and is a multifunctional piece. The lower-level dining area, where a new archway echoes the built-in, makes it easy to seat 20 for Thanksgiving dinner.
A new powder room with feather wallpaper speaks to Anne’s fondness for whimsical motifs. “A little pattern pulls her heartstrings, and it plays well against the black-and-white hex marble,” Corley says. “A powder room should be like a jewelry box.”
Corley, who was still installing two days before the wedding, deserves praise for her efforts, but she’s hesitant to take the spotlight. Instead, she credits her clients and colleagues for the project’s success. “They were so easygoing, and I couldn’t have done it without my staff and all the trades. It’s a team effort. I want to give them kudos.”
Steven gives it right back: “Meg was very professional and she GC’d (general contracted) the project,” he says.
Guests say they feel like they’re at a resort, and when the wedding planner posted photos of the big day, people said: “I want to book my wedding there!”
Heirloom Treasures
Library Legends: The DiMaggio library, above, tells many stories, and not necessarily just in its books. First, there’s the family crest that hangs on one wall. Then there’s the pottery crafted by the couple’s children, and a sentimental stamp collection Anne DiMaggio received from her father. “It’s a wonderful place to go and sit, surrounded by family mementoes and memories,” homeowner Steven DiMaggio says. DiMaggio, who’s also passionate about baseball history, keeps a picture of his grandfather above the family crest to remind him of that. And how does Grandpa DiMaggio relate to baseball? Well, it’s in the name. Legendary center fielder Joe DiMaggio was Steven’s grandfather’s cousin. — JM
BUYER’S GUIDE
INTERIOR DESIGNER
Meg Corley, Meg Corley Premier Interiors, Birmingham, megcorley.com
BATHROOM, MASTER
Artwork – By the Pond II, Paragon
Bathtub – Jacuzzi Soaking Tub, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, Troy
Cabinet – Omega Cabinets, Acorn Kitchen & Bath, Pontiac
Countertop – Crystallo, PMP Marble and Granite, Troy
Floor Tile (decorative) – Verona Blend Polished Herringbone, Beaver Tile & Stone, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Flooring – Anatolia Mayfair, Virginia Tile, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Sconces – Oxford Sconce, Visual Comfort
Shower Accent Tile – Pixel Décor Mix in Glacial, Virginia Tile, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Shower Tile – Anatolia Mayfair, Virginia Tile, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Stool – Custom, Meg Corley Private Label, Birmingham; Fabric, Sarong Weave, Schumacher, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Wall Paint – Sherwin-Williams, Big Chill
Window Shades – Custom; Border, Samuel & Sons, Fabrics, Lange Glazed, Schumacher, Michigan Design Center, Troy
BATHROOM, POWDER ROOM
Flooring – Hex A Peel, Mission Stone Tile
Lighting – Open Work Sconce, Visual Comfort
Sink – Archer, Kohler, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, Troy
Wallpaper – Quill Gold, Designers Guild, Rozmallin, Michigan Design Center, Troy
BEDROOM, MASTER
Bed Frame – Burbank, Century Furniture; Fabric, Finn, Schumacher, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Bedding – Serena and Lily
Chandelier – Milazzo Waterfall, Visual Comfort
Chests, Bedside – Tribeca nightstand, Century Furniture
Drapery – Japonica, Romo, Tennant & Associates, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Flooring – Whitfield Natural Textiles
Lamps, Table – Contemporary Balustrade, Visual Comfort
Sofa – Custom, Meg Corley Private Label, Birmingham; Fabric, Kravet/Lee Jofa/Brunschwig & Fils
Table, Coffee – Paragon Club, Century Furniture
Wall Insets – Haruki Sisal, Schumacher, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Wall Paint, Trim – Sherwin-Williams, Passive
Window Shades – Hartmann&Forbes, Tennant & Associates, Michigan Design Center, Troy
BREAKFAST NOOK
Ceiling Treatment – Custom, Meg Corley Private Label, Birmingham
Bench, Dining – Custom, Meg Corley Private Label, Birmingham; Fabric, Walden, Cowtan & Tout
Chairs, Dining – Matter Vinyl Seats, Kravet/Lee Jofa/Brunschwig & Fils, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Drapery – Lange Glazed Linen/Arches Embroidered Tape, Schumacher, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Table, Dining – Custom, Century Furniture
Wallpaper – Regatta Raffia, Thibaut, Rozmallin, Michigan Design Center, Troy
DINING ROOM
Artwork – LeftBank ART
Chairs – Meg Corley Private Label
Lamps – Visual Comfort
Table and Buffet – Alfonso Marina
DINING ROOM (lower level)
Chandelier – Farlane, Visual Comfort
Chairs, Dining – Streamline Side Chair, Caracole
Drapery Fabric – Feline, Schumacher, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Flooring – Whitfield Natural Textiles
Sconces – Edie Baluster, Visual Comfort
Table, Dining – Open Invitation Table, Caracole
Wall Paint – Sherwin-Williams, Mindful Gray
ENTERTAINMENT ROOM
Cabinet, Entertainment – Custom, Meg Corley Private Label, Birmingham
Ceiling Treatment – Easy Elegance Ceiling Tiles, Armstrong
Drapery – Fabric, Feline, Schumacher, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Flooring – Whitfield Natural Textiles
Pillows, Accent – Feline/Rocky/Arlo, Schumacher, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Sofa – Meg Corley Private Label, Birmingham; Fabric, Alistair, Schumacher, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Table, Coffee – Redford Ottoman, Century Furniture
Wall Paint – Sherwin-Williams, Mindful Gray
GREAT ROOM
Artwork – Mint Wood Home, Intaglios
Flooring – Aria, Prestige Mills
Lamps, Table – Ponte Chap, The Natural Light
Pillows, Accent – Yves/Xanadu, Kravet/Lee Jofa/Brunschwig & Fils, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Sofa – Meg Corley Private Label, Birmingham
Table, Coffee – Louviers Cocktail Table, Alfonso Marina
Table, End – Bridgeton, Century Furniture
Wall Paint – Sherwin-Williams, Mindful Gray
KITCHEN
Backsplash – Virginia Tile
Countertop – Victoria Falls, PMP Marble & Granite, Troy
Drapery – Schumacher
Stools – Meg Corley Private Label , Birmingham
LIBRARY
Armchairs – Meg Corley Private Label, Birmingham; Fabric, Louis, Kravet/Lee Jofa/Brunschwig & Fils, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Ceiling Treatment – Cork Metallic, Thibaut, Rozmallin, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Light, Ceiling – Basil, Visual Comfort
Pillows, Accent – Tomato, Romo, Tennant & Associates, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Rug – Stark Carpet, Troy
Sofa – Meg Corley Private Label, Birmingham; Fabric, Hue, Kirby
Table, Coffee – Long Shelf Life, Caracole
Wallpaper –Sisal, York Wall coverings, Rozmallin, Michigan Design Center, Troy
ADDITIONAL PROJECT CONTRIBUTOR
Design Assistant – Calynn Berry, Meg Corley Premier Interiors, Birmingham
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