The property that includes Lake Shore Resort has been in Andrew Milauckas’ family since 1948, but it took 75 years to build a new cottage that takes full advantage of one of the property’s best views. Located in Saugatuck, along the shores of Lake Michigan, the resort has long been a summer favorite. “It used to be that winters were dead in Saugatuck,” Milauckas notes, “but more is open and going on now, so it makes sense to be open.” Many guests, he says, have been curious about what the property is like in winter. The solution? Craft a four-bedroom, 2,600-square-foot cottage on a vacant wooded area adjacent to the resort and keep it open year-round. The result includes two separate units, one up and one down, each with a living room with a fireplace, kitchen, two bedrooms, and a bath.
Design was important to Milauckas, a former art director and graphic designer for Herman Miller. He drew inspiration from and borrowed the best features of classic Lake Michigan cottages located nearby, he says. “I wanted them to feel like they had always been there, and to have a character and an authenticity — to be new and current, but true to older lake cottage styles.”
Milauckus says the cottage’s design was inspired by the renovation of the main lodge’s lobby, a look he calls “Lake Michigan modern.” Like the area’s historic cottages, he wanted the spaces to include a mix of modern, traditional, and Arts and Crafts design styles and to look like they had evolved over time. To achieve exactly what he wanted, he teamed up with interior designer Tim Wykeham, who also worked on the main lodge renovation. “The guest house is the perfect addition to the Lake Shore Resort — relaxed, warm, and calm, but meticulous with the details,” he says.
Highlights include a “massive” front porch that spans the front of the entire cottage, and an upper balcony with views of Lake Michigan from both the living areas and the bedrooms. Neutral main rooms include hand-crafted materials such as white oak tongue-and-groove paneling and lime-washed walls, while bedrooms feature a cozier, darker palette. Carefully curated furnishings include vintage Mid-century Modern pieces, some sourced from Europe.
Milauckas says his goal was to “get all the details right” and design “something I could feel proud of and guests would appreciate.” The cottage opened to the public earlier this year and is ready for its first winter season. “At this time of year, it’s pretty quiet here,” he says, adding that the ice buildup on the lake is very pretty. “It can be a really lovely, relaxing getaway.”
MORE INFORMATION: lakeshoreresortsaugatuck.com
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