As written in Northern Home & Cottage by Elizabeth Edwards For years, Jeff and Ellen Miller spent their vacations sailing in Northern Michigan—so they had plenty of time to check out which small harbor town they might like to retire to someday. When that time arrived several years ago, they looked at properties up and down the coast and along inland lakes. When they discovered a sweet piece on the outskirts of Boyne City that included waterfront and a buildable lot, with a garage on it, across the street, they knew they’d found home. The couple figured they could find plans for their dream lake cottage online. After all, they weren’t looking to build anything grandiose. Just a small-to-medium sized contemporary Craftsman. But after an unfruitful online search they gave up, frustrated. Every plan they found had the back of the house facing the water—they needed a blueprint for a home that fronted on the water. The Millers first met the woman, Stephanie Baldwin, Owner & President of Edgewater Design Group, who solved that issue and a number of others on the 2015 Northern Home & Cottage Petoskey Area Home Tour. Baldwin’s home that year was a smart, 2000-square cottage on Crooked Lake with simple lines and a Craftsman sensibility. That home proved to the couple that Edgewater Design Group is as proficient at small homes as the larger ones they are often known for. Edgewater Design Group did indeed come up with the perfect plan for the Millers. At 2400 square feet, the simple Craftsman with its 3 bedrooms, vaulted ceiling in the great room and upstairs deck is everything the Millers wanted—including the fact that construction stayed within their budget. An extra courtesy of working with the talented design team is a screened in porch facing the lake (“She told us, of course you have to have a screened in porch,” Ellen says. “And we love it!’) Edgewater’s other touches are more subtle. The Millers wanted to keep the garage, but the home needed to be sited on a small knoll some feet away in order to capture the views of Lake Charlevoix across the street. The solution is a covered walkway and steps that are so artful they enhance the home. Another favor Baldwin did for them was to connect them with Legacy Construction, a firm known for its craftsmanship and attention to detail. The Miller home, outfitted with touches including custom molding, cherry cabinetry, a stunning custom range hood, built in shelving and custom vanities. A warm hickory floor and lovely earth-toned Craftsman-style color palette pull it all together, while a fireplace mantel hewn from a tree taken on the property rounds out this gracious lake cottage.

As written in Northern Home & Cottage by Elizabeth Edwards For years, Jeff and Ellen Miller spent their vacations sailing in Northern Michigan—so they had plenty of time to check out which small harbor town they might like to retire to someday. When that time arrived several years ago, they looked at properties up and down the coast and along inland lakes. When they discovered a sweet piece on the outskirts of Boyne City that included waterfront and a buildable lot, with a garage on it, across the street, they knew they’d found home. The couple figured they could find plans for their dream lake cottage online. After all, they weren’t looking to build anything grandiose. Just a small-to-medium sized contemporary Craftsman. But after an unfruitful online search they gave up, frustrated. Every plan they found had the back of the house facing the water—they needed a blueprint for a home that fronted on the water. The Millers first met the woman, Stephanie Baldwin, Owner & President of Edgewater Design Group, who solved that issue and a number of others on the 2015 Northern Home & Cottage Petoskey Area Home Tour. Baldwin’s home that year was a smart, 2000-square cottage on Crooked Lake with simple lines and a Craftsman sensibility. That home proved to the couple that Edgewater Design Group is as proficient at small homes as the larger ones they are often known for. Edgewater Design Group did indeed come up with the perfect plan for the Millers. At 2400 square feet, the simple Craftsman with its 3 bedrooms, vaulted ceiling in the great room and upstairs deck is everything the Millers wanted—including the fact that construction stayed within their budget. An extra courtesy of working with the talented design team is a screened in porch facing the lake (“She told us, of course you have to have a screened in porch,” Ellen says. “And we love it!’) Edgewater’s other touches are more subtle. The Millers wanted to keep the garage, but the home needed to be sited on a small knoll some feet away in order to capture the views of Lake Charlevoix across the street. The solution is a covered walkway and steps that are so artful they enhance the home. Another favor Baldwin did for them was to connect them with Legacy Construction, a firm known for its craftsmanship and attention to detail. The Miller home, outfitted with touches including custom molding, cherry cabinetry, a stunning custom range hood, built in shelving and custom vanities. A warm hickory floor and lovely earth-toned Craftsman-style color palette pull it all together, while a fireplace mantel hewn from a tree taken on the property rounds out this gracious lake cottage.

This modern rustic Tahoe renovation in an exclusive development on the outskirts of Truckee embraces the mountain life.
Inspiration for a rustic living room remodel in San Luis Obispo

This large wooded property on the outskirts of downtown Raleigh, nestled away from the bustle of traffic and noise, Screamed for an entertaining outdoor space. These homeowners love the outdoors and love to cook. They chose a set up that fit their cooking style. A gas grill, a smoker and a pizza oven, for the ultimate grilling experience. They added a sink and mini fridge for convince and ample counter space for food prep/cooking. There is plenty of shade and comfortable seating on the covered deck with fans to keep it cool during the hot summers and heaters for the colder months. Step inside the bar to make a drink where you’ll find a well stocked bar. You can end the night at the fire pit, roasting marshmallows and relaxing. It’s the perfect gathering spot for family and friends.

A four-acre permaculture retreat on the outskirts of Woodinville, offering tent sites and yurts. Family-friendly with goats, ducks, ponies, chickens, woodland trails, outdoor sinks/showers, compost toilet—immersed in nature

This project was undertaken as a Project Manager to modernize and expand the amount of income possibilities of this previously run down duplex. The kitchens, and bathrooms were completely torn out and restructed to modern standards and trends. The units were individualized with their own touches i.e. Modern and Distinct fireplaces in each units to be the focal center point. Additional touched such as elegant chandeliers, modern recessed lighting, glass exotic backsplash, and brass distinct hardware throughout made these units appealing to sindle professionals looking for modern eclectic rentals in the desirable outskirts of Downtown Glendale.

This large wooded property on the outskirts of downtown Raleigh, nestled away from the bustle of traffic and noise, Screamed for an entertaining outdoor space. These homeowners love the outdoors and love to cook. They chose a set up that fit their cooking style. A gas grill, a smoker and a pizza oven, for the ultimate grilling experience. They added a sink and mini fridge for convince and ample counter space for food prep/cooking. There is plenty of shade and comfortable seating on the covered deck with fans to keep it cool during the hot summers and heaters for the colder months. Step inside the bar to make a drink where you’ll find a well stocked bar. You can end the night at the fire pit, roasting marshmallows and relaxing. It’s the perfect gathering spot for family and friends.

This project was undertaken as a Project Manager to modernize and expand the amount of income possibilities of this previously run down duplex. The kitchens, and bathrooms were completely torn out and restructed to modern standards and trends. The units were individualized with their own touches i.e. Modern and Distinct fireplaces in each units to be the focal center point. Additional touched such as elegant chandeliers, modern recessed lighting, glass exotic backsplash, and brass distinct hardware throughout made these units appealing to sindle professionals looking for modern eclectic rentals in the desirable outskirts of Downtown Glendale.

Rift-Sawn White Oak Custom Cabinetry transforms this newly purchased home that had been flipped by DIY owners multiple times. These homeowners downsized from their previous home located on the outskirts of Corvallis, into this smaller one-story home in town and wanted to make this new home meet their forever needs. The previous work on the home left significant imperfections that needed to be addressed, and the owners wanted to remove all natural gas in order to have an all-electric, powered-by-solar home. Additionally, we wanted to improve the feel of this home to match the preferences of these new owners, without remodeling every area of the home, including keeping the Kitchen that had been remodeled recently. One of the most significant visible improvements to this home was the custom rift-sawn white oak front living room built-in cabinets. Paired with replacing the greyish-brown LVT flooring with natural white oak hardwood floors, these cabinets greet the owners and each visitor with warmth and comfort, using warm wood tones and all-natural materials, including a statement Blue Tempest Quartzite fireplace stone surround. The new hardwood floors are carried throughout the entirety of the home and add a beautiful warmth to the existing white and black kitchen design. These built-in cabinets also provide necessary storage for this downsized home.

This traditional style two-story family home is situated on the quiet outskirts of Southampton. A minimalist white contemporary kitchen with oversize white subway tiles and marble countertops allows the black walnut floors to pop. The contemporary eat-in kitchen table and antique family-heirloom chairs brings a modern feel to the space. The master suite is complete with marble-look tile flooring and industrial-style pendant lights. Upstairs is the guest bath which features a beautiful floating vanity. On the main floor the Living room features a black floor to ceiling continental gas fireplace. The overall contemporary feel of the space brings new life to this mid-century home.

On the outskirts of downtown lies this contemporary masterpiece. Complete with a 8 x 50 mirror like lap pool, and a custom stainless steel hot tub, this ultra private estate provides the homeowners with every amenity possible to enjoy outdoor living at its best. Photo credit: Jamen Rhodes

M-S Pro Architects announce the completion of an indoor swimming pool in a state-of-the-art, single storey family home set in a picturesque location on the outskirts of Bratislava - one of Europe’s youngest capital cities. Kebony, a beautiful wood recommended by leading architects, was chosen to craft the ceiling of the swimming pool, which is designed to emulate rippling waves as well as for the terrace deck and structural beams. Sustainability and a desire to recreate the close proximity often seen between wood and water in the natural environment were primary focuses in the design of this project. This led a requirement for a low maintenance wood, compatible humidity and with advanced durability, for the swimming pool ceiling. In addition, a high level of precision when cutting the wood was required in order to achieve the desired appearance of waves. Supplied by Leading Market, Kebony was carefully selected for the pool ceiling, which consists of 490 lamellae of timber, due to its versatility, durability and environmental credentials. Kebony was also installed throughout the exterior of this property, both for the spacious outdoor terrace and the exterior and interior beams. One of the reasons to choose Kebony was the unified look of wood in all these different applications. Developed in Norway, the patented Kebony technology uses an environmentally friendly process, which permanently enhances the properties of sustainable softwood with a bio-based liquid derived from agricultural crop waste. By polymerising the wood’s cell wall with furfuryl alcohol, the wood gains greatly improved durability and dimensional stability, giving it characteristics similar to those of tropical hardwood. In creating a wood with comparable properties to tropical hardwood that can be grown in a FSC certified, sustainably managed forest, the demand for tropical woods is reduced, allowing timber to once again be an important part of sustainable construction. Tomáš Hubinský, Lead Architect at M-S Pro, commented: “From conception through to completion, the creation of this ceiling has been a real feat. Despite the challenges faced by such an intricate design, Kebony was the perfect material to convey our desired effect of waves rippling along the ceiling. We will continue to incorporate Kebony into our interior and exterior designs, with wood fast becoming the first choice material for all architects.” Mette Valen, Sales Manager Norway at Kebony, explained: “The distinctive nature of this design cleverly portrays the capability of Kebony, demonstrating both the aesthetic and performance qualities of the product. We would be honoured to work with M-S Pro in the future and look forward to seeing how they utilise Kebony in their future projects.”

M-S Pro Architects announce the completion of an indoor swimming pool in a state-of-the-art, single storey family home set in a picturesque location on the outskirts of Bratislava - one of Europe’s youngest capital cities. Kebony, a beautiful wood recommended by leading architects, was chosen to craft the ceiling of the swimming pool, which is designed to emulate rippling waves as well as for the terrace deck and structural beams. Sustainability and a desire to recreate the close proximity often seen between wood and water in the natural environment were primary focuses in the design of this project. This led a requirement for a low maintenance wood, compatible humidity and with advanced durability, for the swimming pool ceiling. In addition, a high level of precision when cutting the wood was required in order to achieve the desired appearance of waves. Supplied by Leading Market, Kebony was carefully selected for the pool ceiling, which consists of 490 lamellae of timber, due to its versatility, durability and environmental credentials. Kebony was also installed throughout the exterior of this property, both for the spacious outdoor terrace and the exterior and interior beams. One of the reasons to choose Kebony was the unified look of wood in all these different applications. Developed in Norway, the patented Kebony technology uses an environmentally friendly process, which permanently enhances the properties of sustainable softwood with a bio-based liquid derived from agricultural crop waste. By polymerising the wood’s cell wall with furfuryl alcohol, the wood gains greatly improved durability and dimensional stability, giving it characteristics similar to those of tropical hardwood. In creating a wood with comparable properties to tropical hardwood that can be grown in a FSC certified, sustainably managed forest, the demand for tropical woods is reduced, allowing timber to once again be an important part of sustainable construction. Tomáš Hubinský, Lead Architect at M-S Pro, commented: “From conception through to completion, the creation of this ceiling has been a real feat. Despite the challenges faced by such an intricate design, Kebony was the perfect material to convey our desired effect of waves rippling along the ceiling. We will continue to incorporate Kebony into our interior and exterior designs, with wood fast becoming the first choice material for all architects.” Mette Valen, Sales Manager Norway at Kebony, explained: “The distinctive nature of this design cleverly portrays the capability of Kebony, demonstrating both the aesthetic and performance qualities of the product. We would be honoured to work with M-S Pro in the future and look forward to seeing how they utilise Kebony in their future projects.”

M-S Pro Architects announce the completion of an indoor swimming pool in a state-of-the-art, single storey family home set in a picturesque location on the outskirts of Bratislava - one of Europe’s youngest capital cities. Kebony, a beautiful wood recommended by leading architects, was chosen to craft the ceiling of the swimming pool, which is designed to emulate rippling waves as well as for the terrace deck and structural beams. Sustainability and a desire to recreate the close proximity often seen between wood and water in the natural environment were primary focuses in the design of this project. This led a requirement for a low maintenance wood, compatible humidity and with advanced durability, for the swimming pool ceiling. In addition, a high level of precision when cutting the wood was required in order to achieve the desired appearance of waves. Supplied by Leading Market, Kebony was carefully selected for the pool ceiling, which consists of 490 lamellae of timber, due to its versatility, durability and environmental credentials. Kebony was also installed throughout the exterior of this property, both for the spacious outdoor terrace and the exterior and interior beams. One of the reasons to choose Kebony was the unified look of wood in all these different applications. Developed in Norway, the patented Kebony technology uses an environmentally friendly process, which permanently enhances the properties of sustainable softwood with a bio-based liquid derived from agricultural crop waste. By polymerising the wood’s cell wall with furfuryl alcohol, the wood gains greatly improved durability and dimensional stability, giving it characteristics similar to those of tropical hardwood. In creating a wood with comparable properties to tropical hardwood that can be grown in a FSC certified, sustainably managed forest, the demand for tropical woods is reduced, allowing timber to once again be an important part of sustainable construction. Tomáš Hubinský, Lead Architect at M-S Pro, commented: “From conception through to completion, the creation of this ceiling has been a real feat. Despite the challenges faced by such an intricate design, Kebony was the perfect material to convey our desired effect of waves rippling along the ceiling. We will continue to incorporate Kebony into our interior and exterior designs, with wood fast becoming the first choice material for all architects.” Mette Valen, Sales Manager Norway at Kebony, explained: “The distinctive nature of this design cleverly portrays the capability of Kebony, demonstrating both the aesthetic and performance qualities of the product. We would be honoured to work with M-S Pro in the future and look forward to seeing how they utilise Kebony in their future projects.”

This traditional style two-story family home is situated on the quiet outskirts of Southampton. A minimalist white contemporary kitchen with oversize white subway tiles and marble countertops allows the black walnut floors to pop. The contemporary eat-in kitchen table and antique family-heirloom chairs brings a modern feel to the space. The master suite is complete with marble-look tile flooring and industrial-style pendant lights. Upstairs is the guest bath which features a beautiful floating vanity. On the main floor the Living room features a black floor to ceiling continental gas fireplace. The overall contemporary feel of the space brings new life to this mid-century home.

The Desert Blume Homeowners' Association hired Specialty Gardens to design, build, install and maintain the Seasonal Container plantings for their subdivision on the outskirts of Medicine Hat. Lighting is solar in all the containers as there is no electricity in these locations. The arrangements must withstand high winds and visits from hungry ungulates (mule deer) as well.

Photo Credits: Mireille Gravel
Large minimalist master gray tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile drop-in bathtub photo in Montreal with quartz countertops, flat-panel cabinets and dark wood cabinets

Large Wall Project on the outskirts of Ottawa
Staircase - transitional staircase idea in Ottawa

A beautiful rustic contemporary home designed on the outskirts of Calgary on a stunning lot overlooking a golf course, with one of the most amazing views of the majestic Rocky Mountains. Spacious living and a very private master suite were key requirements for this project. These clients who were open to a desig that married the rustic feel they wanted with contemporary clean lines in the interior. We incorporated vaulted ceilings, exposed beams and created warm and inviting spaces. We were able to take advantage of the remarkable views and landscapes with bright and beautiful floor to ceiling windows, bringing amazing light into this home. See this project and more at www.beginwithdesign.com Photos; Carol Ellergodt