Liz Marchant Ourston, the owner of Liz Marchant Interiors in Austin, Texas, who lived in West Bloomfield as a teen, recently took on one of her first Michigan projects since moving to Texas from California in 2019. The home, a 1920s Tudor Revival in Bloomfield Hills, had undergone a massive renovation that doubled its original 3,000-square-foot size while seamlessly preserving its character and integrity. Ourston, who had assisted on the original expansion of the home with Denise Morrison Interiors, was brought back in by the homeowner (a high school friend of the designer) in 2022 to renovate two of the home’s original rooms — a multipurpose office and a dining room.
The office, which in addition to functioning as a workspace, had to accommodate a place for entertaining, reading, homework, and piano-playing. “There were a lot of things we wanted to accomplish,” Ourston says about the space.
Even though the home is fairly sizable, the family’s needs included an office as well as a space where the husband could play his beloved piano for the kids. They also wanted to be able to have a couple of guests over for a glass of whiskey and to watch a football game, or have a cocktail by the fire. Basically, Ourston says, the couple wanted “an intimate entertaining space, piano room, home office, and homework area” all rolled into one.
Built-ins that lend a luxurious library feel include a corner desk and a bench at the homework table, while swivel chairs can face the baby grand piano or the fireplace. “We were able to accomplish their goals with an efficient layout that still fits four swivel lounge chairs, so you can pivot for all the activities,” the designer notes.
Original wood floors and textured walls surround the exquisite millwork from WeissWorks by Nightingale in Holly. Unique elements include the corner desk, which is topped with quartzite. “We wanted it to feel sophisticated but fun,” Ourston says.
The designer took the same approach in the dining room. “We wanted to make it feel like we made the office feel,” she explains. “We captured the (feel of the) original architecture, but also brought in modern elements.”
Avid entertainers, the homeowners spend a good deal of time in the dining room, which features an intricate ceiling. “I like to do research when working on a historic home, and I came across this inspiration picture that had a grid ceiling with different widths and depths, creating a plaid effect,” Ourston says. Chairs that sport a diamond pattern surround the custom table while a modern Visual Comfort chandelier hangs above.
Another nod to the home’s 1920s Tudor architecture: higher wall paneling, embellished with an art ledge. Although it’s a bit chunky and thick, the designer says, it’s still elegant. “They’re not dainty little details,” she notes.
Ourston took her cues from the rooms that were original to the house. “The addition has a transitional style, but the home had that original texture on the walls and original molding that helped me to appreciate the craftsmanship and details from that time period and style,” she explains. “It has so much character and detail, but it isn’t too fancy. It’s sophisticated but casual, and I really like that aspect of it.”
More information: lizmarchant.com
Text by Giuseppa Nadrowski. Photography by Jacob Hawkins.
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