Detroit Remodel Mimics the Hudson River’s Beauty
From admin on March 8th, 2010 in Detroit
When Jon Carlson and his wife spotted their future home overlooking the Hudson River near Ann Arbor, Michigan outside Detroit, they knew compromises would have to be made. But with land this spectacular, the home itself was settled on as a mere afterthought.
Stricter zoning laws that went into effect after the original home’s completion dictated that any new construction would have to be built 50 feet back from the bluff. In order to skirt this law, the Carlson’s kept 40 percent of the foundation and, with the help of builder Brian Howard, rebuilt from there. Knowing that his clients were already in love with the setting, he set out to create a home that reflected the outdoors.
While the roof, exterior walls and floors were spared from demolition, new windows were installed and the structure nearly doubled in size. The design was kept minimalistic, but with wood adorning every room, the home didn’t lose its warmth. And while the furniture may just scream “modern,” everything was kept open and airy – a perfect representation of the scenery that had drawn the Carlson’s there in the first place.
