Houzz Tour: A Fresh Look for a Modern Gem in Michigan

Photos by Jason Keen

House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their toddler
Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Size: 4,000 square feet (371.6 square meters)
Designer: Evan T. Mathison of Mathison Architects
Builder: New Urban Home Builders

When a young professional couple returned to their hometown of Kalamazoo, Michigan, to be closer to their parents as they started their own family, they found a 1971 architect-designed home for sale by the original owner. While the home had been well-cared-for, the gray, cedar-clad exterior was crowded in by overgrown vegetation and a chain-link fence.

Today, the new landscape and Cor-Ten steel walls around the house allow “the building to express its elegant architecture,” says architect Evan T. Mathison. A new coat of chic black paint covers the old stained gray cedar siding.

Before: The original exterior was covered in stained gray cedar. The backyard included a chain-link fence.

The front entry leads into an open-plan main level. The original concrete-block wall to the left makes up the backside of the living room’s fireplace.

The home’s original tray ceilings were all raised to 8 feet. New recessed lights replace original track lights. The new floors throughout the home are white oak.

Before: The existing kitchen was remodeled in the ’90s. It featured dark wood cabinets and a beige tile floor.

Instead of a traditional tile backsplash, windows behind the kitchen sink and between the counters and upper cabinets bring in additional light.

Before, the lower level “felt like a ’70s community college,” Matthison says, “with lots of concrete block and 4-inch red tile on the floor.” The lower level also housed an indoor pool. Reconstructed stairs feature new floating white-oak treads. The radiant-heat concrete-slab floor covers the former pool. Chilewich woven vinyl flooring around the stairs covers an area where glue from the original tile couldn’t be removed.

The modern concrete fireplace is bookended with white oak walls and built-in benches. Nelson bubble pendants hang overhead. Mathison kept the exposed ceiling structure, clerestories and windows overlooking the backyard.

Browse midcentury lighting

The minimalist master bedroom features sliding doors that lead to a private balcony. A Barcelona chair and ottoman in saddle leather fit in with the home’s midcentury style.

The original mahogany plywood casework covers the walls of the walk-in closet off the master bathroom. Leicht cabinets, porcelain tile, a walk-in glass shower and a soaking tub complete the space.

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