Sometimes, you just know when something is right. That was the case when Chicago architect Celeste Robbins looked at a Mid-century home in southwest Michigan, on the eastern shores of Lake Michigan, for a client.
The surprise, however, was that the home wasn’t right for the client — but it was perfect for Robbins. “I fell in love with it and made a spontaneous decision to put in an offer,” she says of the lakefront property she calls her “Michigan happy place.”
“I loved the Mid-century vocabulary and the 2.5-acre site, and I thought it would be a perfect gathering spot for my family and friends,” Robbins remembers.
Built in 1956, the 2,300-square-foot, three-bedroom home was designed by Winston Elting, a Chicago-based architect better known for his Modernist homes and churches in the Windy City and its suburbs. What Robbins admired most about the design, she says, was “its utter simplicity,” explaining that “although its plan is a straightforward rectangle, with under 3,000 square feet of living space, it feels like so much more, embracing the 2.5-acre property and making the most of its small footprint.”
She also liked its unusual courtyards and outdoor spaces. “Elting carves out a courtyard in the bedroom and outside with the terrace. This makes the simplicity of the design much more rich and complex, and you can experience nature on both sides of the home — the big, expansive lake view on one side and the intimate courtyard view with one beautiful tree on the other.”
While the house “sat in harmony with the lakeside landscape” and “honored nature with its materials and design,” the architect says it needed updating. “I knew I could learn from its precise beauty while bringing my own voice to a renovation. While I respect Mid-century design principles, I also wanted the house to feel fresh, not weighed down by the past. I loved the architecture and details that existed. I wanted to honor its strong vocabulary, but not be tied exclusively to the Mid-century vibe.”
As part of the renovation, Robbins replaced all the wood on the walls to match the original, and stained everything on-site. “The wood was tired” and had a lot of visible nail heads, she explains. “Replacing this wood with a clearer wood grain brought an important shift to elevate the home” and gave the once rough and rustic interior a dressier feel, she says.
In the open living room, an oversized floor-to-ceiling fireplace made of a stunning pink brick (crafted in Chicago in the 20th century) is placed asymmetrically and provides inspiration for other spaces. “The rosy tone of the Chicago brick became a soft and unexpected layer that appears as a color reference throughout the home,” Robbins notes.
Parts of the home had been renovated through the years, but not the bathrooms or the kitchen, which features an original counter-height fireplace that Robbins says “adds a unique sense of luxury to what is typically a more functional space.”
She also reshaped the kitchen’s design, removing the original wall ovens, adding pocket doors to hide the oven and cooktop, and replacing porcelain tile that had been added through the years with wood flooring. The result, she says, is an expression of her belief that “a kitchen should be elegant, not just a place to work.”
The home’s bathrooms were also redone. “I wanted a strong look, to make them feel special,” Robbins says, adding that she fell in love with some mottled pink quartzite stone slabs and wanted guests to get lost in the depth and animation of its natural beauty. “While it wasn’t a material used in the homes of this period, all I could think about was Mies Van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion and how he used the stone’s beauty as art,” she says. “I would like to think he would approve.”
A fan of 1st Dibs and Chicago’s Pavilion Antiques, Robbins chose neutral furnishings to complement the home’s rosier tones; the pieces include a carefully curated mix of vintage, custom, and new. “I’ve always had an affinity for MCM, but more European,” she says. Overall, she wanted the house to feel “fresh, as if it could have been built today.”
The author of “The Meaningful Modern Home: Soulful Architecture and Interiors,” Robbins is known for her ability to bring warmth, softness, and livability to contemporary design. “I create inviting houses filled with personality that translates into a true sense of home,” she says. “Modernism isn’t an edgy, severe aesthetic. It’s a collection of design principles — a balance of scale, an emphasis on the movement within and between spaces, and a connection to nature.”
The Michigan home isn’t Robbins’ first Mid-century Modern residence. She lived in an MCM home in Chicago for 15 years and says the style continues to influence her. “I really connect with this house,” she says. “It’s like going full circle.”
She uses the home year-round and enjoys walking on the beach in summer and visiting in the fall, when it’s quieter. Her favorite room changes based on the time of day or whether she has guests. “I like the kitchen when I’m with friends. If I’m on my own, I like to drink coffee in the great room in the morning. And I love my bedroom, with the intimate courtyard on one side and the lake on the other.”
Robbins isn’t the only who has fallen in love with this iconic lakefront home. “Anyone who walks in has an immediate reaction,” she says. “The house is comfortable yet unique, interesting, and incredibly welcoming. People are crazy for this house.”
Behind the Design
Architect
Celeste Robbins, Robbins Architecture, Chicago, robbins-architecture.com
Project Contributors
Appliances: Sub-Zero
Area Rugs: Stark, Troy
Bathroom Stone: Calia Stone
Builder: Insignia Homes, Caledonia
Cabinetry: Boffi
Wood Flooring: Exquisite Surfaces
Kyllikki Salmenhaara “Attribution” Table Lamp, 1stdibs, 1stdibs.com
“I look for a mix of quiet and sculptural one-of-a-kind animated pieces. This beautiful ceramic lamp brought together the composition of the soft pink on the brick and the organic form of the wood table.”
Otto Schulz Attributed Mid-Century Lounge Chair, 1stdibs, 1stdibs.com
“This chair invites you to curl up as though it will give you a hug,” says architect Celeste Robbins, who had this special piece in the primary bedroom recovered in a light pink cashmere by Alt Living. “There are various interpretations of this chair because it offers such a cozy invitation.”
Tall Stool in Black Walnut Sawkille, sawkille.com
“The stools from Sawkille were selected for their delicate and timeless form, which fits quietly into the kitchen design,” Robbins says.
Bronze Calming Trophy Koi Fish Schneible Fine Arts, schneiblefinearts.com
“This beautiful stone koi fish is a vintage piece from Japan,” Robbins says of the oversized piece, which was signed by Japanese master metal artist Ota Ryohei. “Having had a home with a reflecting pool, the koi fish has meaning — but I also have an affinity for beautifully made Japanese antiques.”
Large Easy Chair by Marta Blomstedt Galerie Provenance, galerieprovenance.com
“The Marta Blomstedt chair in the great room is a special chair,” Robbins says. “I selected it for its artful design and sculptural form.”
Borge Mogensen Spanish Dining Chair, 1stdibs, 1stdibs.com
“The Borge Mogenson Spanish Dining Chair is a classic Mid-century chair that achieved its iconic status due to its design and the fact that it’s comfortable to sit in for long dinner parties and family game nights.”
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