Located just over an hour outside of Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan, a young couple, with their newborn baby and three dogs, found an opportunity to create a bespoke vacation home that silences city life and focuses their attention on a slower way of living. Designing a home with a sense of place was important for this cottage to become the counterpoint to their busy city life. The project itself is a collection of refined, unassuming objects that get nestled into its landscape. It develops its own dialogue with the context, contrasting the soft river landscape adjacent to it, but with a familiarity that welcomes a sense of peace. This contrast creates a subtle grandeur when approaching the buildings that gets softened through their organization.
Starting out with three lots later became five, which allowed us to develop a campus of three separate buildings; a main house, garage, and guest house. The main house is organized into two distinct wings; one for sleeping and one for living. These wings are connected by the kitchen which serves as the heart of the home and the center of all activity in the house. Offsetting these wings develop a sense of privacy on the property, shielding the private spaces from neighboring buildings while framing views beyond. The back of the site contains an in-ground pool for entertaining with views directed to the river. A detached guest house and studio/office provides additional space for quiet contemplation.
On the inside, a restrained color palette and minimalist detailing makes for a calming escape from the moment they walk in the home. The interior puts the outdoors on display in a serene environment to exist in with its museum-like quality. Vaulted ceilings and exposed steel structure create an unexpected sense of grandeur without overpowering the surrounding landscape. Organizing the interior with carefully curated millwork pieces hide the clutter of everyday life and allows light to permeate through home.
The primary suite utilizes the vaulted ceiling to merge the bedroom and bathroom into one collective space. A fully custom vanity and millwork design is used to define each space, allowing natural light to penetrate the space from above. The bedroom maintains a bright, subdued palette which allows the environment to be on display while the bathroom adds interest with the strong contrast of the shower tile. This space defines the effortless tranquility that this house offers to its inhabitants. A space of seclusion, of quiet, of living at a slower pace.
Together with our clients we have made a space for connection, a space to be present, a space that allows life to unfold effortlessly. This minimal holiday home will help this growing family counter the chaos of modern life for years to come.
