A Lake Michigan Cottage Reborn

Although the Northwest coast of lower Michigan is increasingly well-known as a natural wonder and a tourist destination, not many visitors make it to Cross Village – a tiny hamlet near the top of Michigan’s “tunnel of trees.”

Here, Lake Michigan is vast, the beaches are unending, and the forests are deep and quiet — the perfect escape for a young family from their busy lives downstate, and an idyllic place for their toddler girls to experience the beauty of the natural world.

Four years ago, the house was decrepit, but the site and the beachfront were ideal.

The house was demolished to the studs, and new mechanical systems, windows, floors, cabinetry, and appliances were added – all guided by the owners’ unerring eye, which determined the simple aesthetic that prevails.

The major architectural intervention in this simple, boxy cottage is a large porch and roof overhang that provides shade, weather protection, and indoor/outdoor space while maximizing the incomparable lake views.

The original cottage lasted 60 years. With this remodeling, the original spirit of the cottage lives on.

Take a look at the interior below.

Design and Photography by Keith Campbell, who notes that he’s happy that his career has taken him to these beautiful places. And, he’s thrilled to design, renovate, and extend the life of some great Michigan houses, most of which began life as simple wood buildings, before wood was cool.

See more of Campbell’s work on his Instagram page.