As I sit here writing, an arctic blast has taken over the state. Plain and simple, it’s absolutely frigid out. But even though the temperatures outdoors are feeling in the negatives, I’m enthusiastically planning for spring gardening — from my backyard vegetable and flower beds, and my home’s constantly changing landscaping (it’s hard to not update something every year!), to my family’s ever-expanding lavender fields in northern Michigan (we’ll have more than 4,000 plants blooming this year!).
I can’t help but get lost in seed books (so many varieties!) and farm equipment catalogs (so many new products!). There’s endless potential for the season ahead. It might seem a bit too early to be thinking about planting and all that it entails, but there’s something about getting ready for spring that helps to warm these dreadfully chilly winter days.
I think it’s because spring is a time for growth and revival. And not just for plants. It’s a time to get back outdoors, open your windows, go for a run or a hike (without fear of ice!), refresh your space, and get ready for the warmer months ahead. Spring is a fresh start and a clean slate. In “Anna Karenina,” author Leo Tolstoy said it best: “Spring is the time of plans and projects.”
The design world seems to agree, too. There are always so many inspiring launches and collaborations (we explore a few on page 20) come March, and the fresh color palettes are always quite transformative — like the much-talked-about 2025 Color of the Year (page 22), PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse.
To be in step with the season, for this issue I wanted to explore all sorts of new beginnings, including the highly-anticipated return of a beloved restaurant, Lady of the House (page 29), and the newly opened Canopy residential development (page 32), both in Detroit’s Core City neighborhood. Detroit Design also heads north to explore Otis, a boutique hotel in Harbor Springs (page 30), where the owners gave a former inn new life as a Mid-century retreat complete with iconic vintage furnishings from some of the MCM movement’s most beloved figures. Designer Annie Kordas, meanwhile, also gave a fresh vibe to a 1900s-era farmhouse in Grosse Pointe (page 26), enlivening the historic home’s dining room and foyer with bold prints and moody hues.
Heading back to Detroit, designer Lyzz Hope helped an Upper Peninsula couple begin their retirement in style with a reimagined Midtown condo (page 67). The same can be said for designer Dayna Rasschaert, who updated her own home (page 43), and for designer Jessica Neeper, who created a chic and functional home in Birmingham for a family that just moved to the Midwest (page 51). Architect Charles R. Stinson (page 35) and designer Mia Johnson (page 58) also cleverly used design and décor to give their clients inspiring homes where they can relax and grow.
This spring, I hope our stories and inspiring visuals encourage you to greet the season with enthusiasm for what’s ahead.
Cheers to a fresh, new season!
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, to my family’s ever-expanding lavender fields in northern Michigan (we’ll have more than 4,000 plants blooming this year!).){kind=link}