LIghthouse bluff reveal
DROPPING ALL THE DETAILS -
It's FINALLY time. Lighthouse Bluff is complete and its story time!! This property captured our hearts from the moment we set eyes on it, I mean how could it not. Cloaked in warm aged cedar shakes from head to toe, a beacon room sitting atop the gorgeous scalloped roof, a cantilevered atrium, and massive windows everywhere leaving your heart guessing just how stunning the inside view must be, as this house sits on a low bluff overlooking Lake Michigan and a serene creek that flows along the north side of it. This one is a rare beauty among the cookie cutter architecture along the lakeshore. It was designed, built, and lived in by the famous architect John Tilton until it was purchased by our client. He built this home back in the 80’s and it was FAR ahead of its time in style then. Even now, it surpasses anything we have ever even imagined designing. This was absolutely the most beautiful home we had ever set foot in.
As you can imagine the inside did not disappoint either. Custom designed wood doors and millwork was used throughout the entire home. The statement spiral staircase sits in the center and works up 4 stories from the ground level to the beacon room. Walking up to level one, you are practically immersed on the beach front. The cantilevered atrium streams in so much natural light and is probably one of the most unique aspects of this house. There is also a show stopping see through fireplace that subtly breaks up the living room and the atrium. The ceilings in the common area are vaulted giving the whole room great heights and they are draped in warm stained beadboard to match all the custom millwork, there are also architectural beams that add so much interest here. This floor also holds not one but three screened porches with incredible views, two porches come off the master bedroom which has another absolutely immersive view. The master bedroom is unique in that there are no free walls for a bed with the room being in the shape of an arc and there being windows or doors inhabiting all the other walls, the bed placement is in the center of the room which just enhances the overall experience. Back in the main space, the kitchen and dining space have a dropped drywall ceiling that adds a cozy element in contrast to the tall ceilings. The kitchen cabinets match the rest of the custom woodwork throughout the rest of the home as well. There is a glider that leads outside to the terrace off the kitchen which is of course cantilevered over the driveway. There are so many beautiful surprises that this home holds - back inside, the dining room has four gorgeous custom doors that house, I kid you not, a dumb waiter! Can you believe that? This dumb waiter is ingenious too because if you could imagine toting anything up that spiral staircase is a chore.
As you climb the stairs to level two and step onto the balcony landing that overlooks the living room & atrium, there are two oversized custom arch doors that, you guessed it, match the custom woodwork throughout the house and these babies have gorgeous vintage aged brass hardware! When I tell you that Mr. Tilton did not leave out any details, he did not come to play. The bedroom to the right has the largest, most beautiful circular window that is showcased with an arched ceiling to help elevate the height in the bedrooms. This bedroom also has custom built in cabinetry where the dumbwaiter stops. Cassidy and I felt this room needed to feel balanced in shape but funky in style. We went with a deep teal palette and selected the Walker Noble West Elm rug to add in a little bit of flare. We removed some of the tiered built in cabinetry as it traced the entirety of the back wall and only kept the center cabinetry which allowed for us to fit two queen beds which enhanced the sleep count from before. We also installed two arched wall sconces that work as reading lights and additional ambiance in the space. This room was an absolute blast to put together, potentially one of our favorites if we had to choose.
Across the hall on the creek side of the home an identical sized room with the arch ceiling to accentuate the height, this room however has a walkout balcony that has the second best view in the home right next to that lighthouse lookout on the 5th floor. This secondary bedroom accommodates a singular queen bed with a sitting area across from it. The balcony has an adorable seating area that would be the perfect spot for a morning cup of coffee or evening glass of wine. The center of the balcony houses a jointly used bathroom clothed in deep teal tiles with a vaulted ceiling and another circular window that centers the whole room. This room is tranquil and relaxing through and through , it has a double vanity, tile shower, and an incredible show stopping built in soaker tub.
It doesn’t stop here either, the climb continues to the 360 degree lighthouse look out where the statement beacon room tops out and you can see serene Lake Michigan views for miles. This spot is a perfect romantic moment or sleeping spot under the stars for the kiddos.
All the way down to the ground level leads you to the theater room where one could enjoy their favorite films while eating home popped popcorn. There used to be Mr. Tilton’s office on this level where he dreamed up incredible ideas we’re sure, but because this home needed to house as many people as possible, we decided that transforming this room into a bunk room was the right move. We focused on keeping the theme throughout the home, we used a Sherwin Williams Hale Navy as the basis for the entire room. We truly believe some rooms are just meant to be dark! We designed a custom quadruple queen built in bunk with a niche for charging or storing personal items with a reading light. We accented the bunks with a funky gold star and navy color matched wallpaper. There is also access to the incredible arcade room from the bunk room for endless gaming, this room is equipped with two arcade games and an arcade basketball hoop, a sofa for lounging all in the glow of the neon sign to “game on”
Out the double doors of the basement is the pathway to the outdoor experience. When we say we will NEVER get over this space, we truly mean it. After many hours of designing, we crafted the perfect oasis including a fourteen person custom inground spa, to luxury lounge chairs, to the grass and stone grid for added texture, to the oversized planters and the steps leading to the firepit sitting area. This outdoor space is also engulfed in Lake Michigan views every way you turn. We will never get over this location.
All in all this will forever be one of our favorite jobs if not the top. We will never forget the opportunity to work with this incredible home. If you want to stay here, check out this link: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/734668133181274827?adults=9&checkin=&checkout=&children=0&infants=0&pets=0&wishlist_item_id=11001932281139&source_impression_id=p3_1691088006_uQdJdLKTdEHzew%2Fq&previous_page_section_name=1000 - or visit gatherplaceproperties.com to book direct. This was one for the books #lighthousebluff