Peaceful, Easy Feeling

In a designer’s career, there always seem to be a few projects that truly stand out. For Dayna Rasschaert, it would be a renovation she worked on in Bloomfield Village. Rasschaert, who also resides in the Village, is especially fond of houses in this neighborhood (the 1,000-home Village, located within Bloomfield Township, was officially organized in 1924 and occupies about one square mile). “I was referred to the homeowner by a longtime client,” Rasschaert says. “Referrals are wonderful, especially from clients you love working with. You know it will be a great fit!”

The whole-home renovation got underway five years ago. At that time, the designer would have weekly meetings with the homeowners, architect (Krieger Klatt Architects), and builder (Petrucci Homes). “It felt like family,” she recalls. “We were called the ‘Dream Team’ by the wife.” Along the way, a friendship blossomed, and a feeling of warmth sprung to life amid the home’s soft, cool, and serene palette.

“The homeowner wanted classic neutrals, so it has a quiet color scheme, soothing and pretty, but it’s also very warm, even though a lot of it is monochromatic,” Rasschaert says of the classic Colonial-style home that’s situated on a corner lot and has won several Detroit Home Design Awards in various categories.

I love banquettes, and I try to incorporate them when I can.
— Dayna Rasschaert

Everything about the home was changed, Rasschaert says, explaining that there was pretty much just one chimney standing after the demolition. “The homeowners intended to keep more (of the home), but once the walls were opened up, (it was discovered that in order) to keep the integrity of the building materials, they all needed to be replaced.” Beyond overhauling the original footprint, new square footage was added.

One of the biggest challenges was the height of the new ceiling, in addition to all the millwork and coffered ceilings, Rasschaert remembers, “but Krieger Klatt is the best to work with; they’re so talented.” Another challenge was the kitchen. “We were constrained there because we had to work with a large header beam. We incorporated it with the ceiling coffer detail,” she says. “It actually gave the ceiling beams a nice finishing point.”

Today, the kitchen is all about light and bright, and showcases a spectacular island. “It’s one of the largest islands I’ve worked with,” Rasschaert says of the piece, which fills a great deal of the space. More than 12 feet long, it’s made of Calcutta Maximus Caesar Stone (“no staining,” she says) and is “mitered to 2.5  inches thick in the center, and flanked with 4-inch-thick walnut butcher blocks. We wanted to avoid a seam and, after maximizing the size of the stone, the island still needed to be larger to properly fill the space. Capping both ends with walnut was the perfect solution for all of our design needs — scale, aesthetics, and function.” (Incidentally, the project was Rasschaert’s first time working with Granite Creations in Novi. “They’re now my go-to on all stone projects. Their work is flawless,” she says.)

A favorite part of the kitchen for the family is the cozy breakfast nook, which features a 6-foot-square concrete table. “It’s a warm gathering place,” Rasschaert says. “It’s large, but cozy at the same time for this tightknit family with two teenaged sons. I love banquettes, and I try to incorporate them when I can.” The chairs sport an indoor-outdoor fabric that can handle spills well and are “easily wiped down,” the designer notes.

The kitchen’s counter stools, made of a white faux leather, look untouchable, but can stand up to anything. More white comes in the way of the pristine marble subway backsplash, which includes different shades of white.

In the family room, the fireplace (not shown) looks simple, but was “so complicated to install,” Rasschaert recalls. “The mantel was designed in metal. The intention was to have a thin profile to accommodate a TV above, at a comfortable viewing height. A Michigan-based steel manufacturer fabricated and finished it in a dark bronze. Attaching the thin, yet very heavy, profile was a challenge. It was made with an L channel which was secured to recessed, reinforced walls. Then marble tiles were applied to conceal it. The marble tiles were mitered in the corners, so the linear veins flow across the top and down the sides. Wood paneling was fabricated around the metal surround,” she explains. “We had so many meetings about that fireplace,” she adds with a laugh. The rest of the room is awash in limestone, metal, marble, steel, leather, and wood.

White, grass window shades on the French doors are decorative but also functional, and provide privacy. They let light in and also look nice from the outside. Along one wall, a bar/entertaining center with a refrigerator is handy during parties, the designer says.

Off the foyer, a sweet anteroom has a bench that provides a spot to put on or take off shoes, or peek out the window (something the family’s dog loves to do). Schumacher animal print pillows provide a modern appeal.

In the powder room, which exudes an old country-club feel, a veritable treasure trove of materials await. Visitors find walls that are walnut-paneled mingling with a Calcutta gold marble countertop, hammered nickel sink, and crystal faucet and door knob. The door is very rich; it was specially ordered in walnut to match all the paneling. “I love a traditional powder room,” Rasschaert says.

Of note in the living room, where warm and cool tones play off each other, are an antique sofa and seating belonging to the family that was reupholstered and refinished. “They were stripped down and then stained a little darker, to make them look more modern and current,” the designer explains. “There are contemporary pieces in this space, like the chair by the window and the bench, so these modernized antiques (one now has a gray herringbone fabric while the other is covered in a sumptuous ivory velvet) work nicely here and balance the look.” The dark beams in the space echo the wood of the marble fireplace’s mantel, while the marble-top coffee table was custom-made to match the fireplace.

The master bath features a luxurious soaking tub and fresh white cabinetry. Chic details abound, like the café-style curtains in the bathroom, designed by Rasschaert and created in Birmingham interior designer Julia Knevels’ workroom. “With no pleats, they’re cleaner looking and more modern,” Rasschaert says.

For the exterior, Krieger Klatt chose a cedar shake material for the center elevation. “They wanted a beautiful gray color so the shake would coordinate with the painted Hardie Board, so we chose an opaque stain. It was a challenge to get that right. I took a cedar shake piece to the Sherwin-Williams paint store in Birmingham and they painted it for me,” Rasschaert says. “I had to tweak it to get it right. You want the right percentage of stain versus paint, and using an opaque stain allows the beauty of the wood to show through and show the variations in the wood.”

Krieger Klatt specified the locations for exterior materials and the builder, designer, and homeowners made the final selections. Gas lanterns and a new front door round out the renovation.

“The house has a calm, ethereal feel,” Rasschaert says. “When you walk through it, a calmness comes over you. There are so many details, like moldings and coffered ceilings, yet they all look effortless. All in all, there may be parts of the home that look like you shouldn’t touch them, but it really is a very family-friendly home.

“There was really good — no, great — energy that went into it.”

BUYER’S GUIDE

INTERIOR DESIGNER
Dayna Rasschaert, Dayna Flory Interiors, Bloomfield Hills, daynafloryinteriors.com

ANTEROOM (OFF FOYER)
Cushion – Foam N’ More & Upholstery, Clawson
Flooring – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Pillows, Accent – Schumacher, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Sconces – Visual Comfort, City Lights Detroit, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Shelving, Display – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Wall Paint – Sherwin-Williams, Worldly Gray 7043
Window Seat – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Window Shade – Royal Crest Inc., Oak Park

BATHROOM, MASTER
Bathtub – MTI, Wittock Kitchen and Bath, Birmingham
Cabinetry – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Flooring – Ciot, Troy
Mirrors – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Sconces – Visual Comfort, City Lights Detroit, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Sinks – Kohler, Universal Plumbing Supply, Oak Park
Wall Paint – Sherwin-Williams, Nebulous White 7063
Window Treatment – Dayna Flory Interiors Custom, Bloomfield Hills; Pindler Fabric, Samuel & Sons Trim, Tennant & Associates, Michigan Design Center, Troy

BATHROOM, POWDER ROOM
Cabinetry – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Countertop – Granite Creations, Novi
Mirror – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Pillows, Accent – Schumacher, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Sconce – Visual Comfort, City Lights Detroit, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Sink – Thompson Traders, Universal Plumbing Supply, Oak Park
Wall Treatment – Innovations, Rozmallin, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Window Treatment – Royal Crest Inc., Oak Park

BREAKFAST NOOK
Chandelier – Visual Comfort, City Lights Detroit, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Chairs – Hickory Chair Interior Design Showroom, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Flooring – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Pillows, Accent – Restoration Hardware, Troy
Table – Custom through Dayna Flory Interiors
Window Seat – Foam N’ More & Upholstery, Clawson
Window Shades – Royal Crest Inc., Oak Park

FAMILY ROOM
Armchairs – Hickory Chair Interior Design Showroom, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Cabinetry – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Ceiling Treatment – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Chandelier – Visual Comfort, City Lights Detroit, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Chest – Gabby Furniture
Countertop – Granite Creations, Novi
Fireplace – FireClass, Wixom
Flooring – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Pillows, Accent – Foam N’ More & Upholstery, Clawson
Rug – Professional Rug Works, Troy
Sofa – Pearson, Hickory Chair Interior Design Showroom, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Table, Coffee – Hickory Chair Interior Design Showroom, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Table, Occasional – Hickory Chair Interior Design Showroom, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Wall Paint – Sherwin-Williams, Worldly Gray 7043
Window Shades – Royal Crest Inc., Oak Park
Wingback Chairs – Stanford Furniture

KITCHEN
Bar Stools – Hickory Chair Interior Design Showroom, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Cabinetry – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Ceiling Treatment – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Countertop – Granite Creations, Novi
Flooring – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Lighting, Bar – Visual Comfort, City Lights Detroit, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Stove – Thermador, Specialities Showroom, Berkley
Wall Paint – Benjamin Moore, 50 percent  strength Harbor Gray AC-25, cut with white

LIVING ROOM
Armchair – Antique, Refinished and Fabricated by Guaranteed Furniture Services Inc., Berkley
Artwork (mantel) – Baker Furniture, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Bench – J. Redmond Designs
Chandelier – Visual Comfort, City Lights Detroit, Michigan Design Center, Troy
Fireplace – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Flooring – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Pillows, Accent – Foam N’ More & Upholstery, Clawson
Sconces – Robert Abbey
Sofa – Antique, Refinished and Fabricated by Guaranteed Furniture Services Inc., Berkley
Table, Coffee – S&L Designs
Vaulted Ceilings – Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Wall Paint – Sherwin-Williams, Repose Gray 7015
Wall Treatment (fireplace) – Ciot, Troy
Window Shades – Royal Crest Inc., Oak Park

EXTERIOR
Paint  – Sherwin-Williams, Pewter Cast 7673
Windows – Windsor Windows

ADDITIONAL PROJECT CONTRIBUTORS
Architect — Krieger Klatt Architects, Royal Oak
Builder — Petrucci Homes, Bloomfield Hills
Landscaping – Juett Associates Inc., Commerce Township