On a 45-acre property in Rockford, north of Grand Rapids, there’s a custom structure filled with windows that frame a creek and other spectacular scenery. Architect Ben Franceschi, principal with Mathison | Mathison Architects (MMA) in Grand Rapids, describes the aesthetic as “warm mountain modern.”
The discreet wet bar features paneled refrigerators and a hidden cabinet, thanks to designer Kathy Waite. “(She) has a gift for making everything elevated. She did a great job of creating storage so you have everything right at your fingertips,” the homeowner says.
Due to site restrictions, the home’s placement was the most profound piece of the puzzle. “We wanted to be as close to the creek as possible, but there was an important challenge in getting the levels of the home reconciled with the topography and existing water table. What we had to pull off with the building techniques and technology was a huge part of this project,” Franceschi explains.
The well-equipped kitchen pairs walnut cabinets with a blackened-steel hood, while quartzite tops the perimeter counters and backsplash.
He adds: “Before the site was reforested in the 1930s, this was a farm. Where we positioned the home, there was a trail that became the conceptual basis for a long corridor with windows.”
Entertaining family and friends was key to the home’s design, so including plenty of seating was a necessity, especially in the sunken living room that opens to the outdoors.
Sustainable features include continuous exterior insulation, triple-pane windows, and a passive solar technique that lets in plenty of sun in the winter, while the awnings help the home stay cool in the summer.
“The exterior environment was as important as the interiors; we didn’t want to compete with the outside.”
-Kathy Waite
A Japanese wood-burning technique called shou sugi ban enhances the cypress exterior. “It provides rot-resistance and longevity, but also an amazing depth of color. There’s a moody feel to the home,” the architect says. Cedar, stone, and slate appear inside and out, giving the structure a cohesive feel.
“The clients were building a more modern-style home that was different from what they previously owned,” Kathy Waite, principal of Kathy Waite Design in Grand Rapids, adds. “She wanted the home to have a warm and inviting feel. The exterior environment was as important as the interiors; we didn’t want to compete with the outside.”
Guests were another consideration. “Entertaining not only friends, but family, was in the forefront of our minds, and required adequate seats that were comfortable and flexible,” Waite says. She points out that lighting plays an important role, especially the dining room fixture. “It’s a piece of art, and that’s how we approached it. The other elements in the dining room are subtle, so it’s the outside setting you enjoy,” she adds, noting the neutral palette and the sculptural chairs with a simple silhouette that surround a custom table.
The well-equipped kitchen pairs walnut cabinets with a blackened-steel hood. Quartzite tops the perimeter counters and backsplash, while at the sizable island with a waterfall edge, multiple pendant lights create an intimate feel. “I wanted the lighting to provide a canopy of the island and help the space not feel so vast,” Waite says.
Where some may have placed a breakfast table, velvet corduroy chairs join a cocktail ottoman and side tables that nod to nature. “This client wanted a comfy spot to have coffee in the morning and unwind at night,” the designer explains.
With distinct seating areas and a stone fireplace, the sunken living room — which opens to the outdoors — works just as well for the empty-nesters as it does for guests. Materials include a wood ceiling with blackened-steel beams and slate floors.
A solid quartzite slab dazzles in the main-floor powder room. “It had all those organic elements and colors that were just right for the project,” Waite says. “We put it in the powder room so everyone could enjoy it.”
In the primary suite, walnut panels highlight a leather headboard flanked by floating nightstands. Textured linen walls soften the wood. Slate and travertine create a natural backdrop in the bathroom, where recessed mirrored medicine cabinets offer storage. A custom sunken stainless-steel tub holds a wooden caddy made from a tree on the property.
A windowless lower level that caters to the husband includes a deluxe bar with a speakeasy feel. Wood paneling warms the space, where guests can play pool and air hockey. A faux leather banquette surrounds game tables that can be pushed together, while a quartzite bar with a waterfall edge faces an antiqued mirror backsplash and metal upper cabinets. “The lower level takes the Michigan basement to a whole new level. It shows one part of the home really can be hidden rooms,” Franceschi says.
“The clients made a real investment in the process, which is always so much better. They push us and we push them, and it’s very productive. The success in how they use each space was a direct payoff of the owners and the design team really meditating on how they would use them,” he adds.
“We never built a house before. It’s a daunting process,” the wife says. “Having MMA, Rockford Homes, and Kathy to guide us through was very helpful. There’s so much involved, like how close the home could be to the creek. We wanted to feel like we were part of the woods, nestled in. Our team definitely delivered that.”
The couple also never had a home with so much glass. “Every season is beautiful and every view is beautiful. They really studied the house and the light at different times of the day. It’s super moody and cool,” she adds. “Ben (Franceschi) wanted a corridor that had sight lines from one side of the house to the other, so you can see through the whole house. It’s a very grand house, but that helps to create more intimacy. We really tried not to overbuild; we use all the spaces. That’s what I love about it.”
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