Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Hand Crafting Rehabs a Michigan Farmhouse
Artisan-made and vintage furnishings, a coffered ceiling and agrarian touches give a century-old home warm appeal
There aren’t many 4-year-olds who can claim they were raised in a barn, but the youngster growing up in this rehabilitated farmhouse in Birmingham, Michigan, can honestly say he’s maturing while surrounded by items with agricultural or industrial roots. The child’s father is an avid collector of all things agrarian, so when he hired Michael Poris, principal at McIntosh Poris, he asked that the architect include some of the pieces in the hundred-year-old house.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A father and son
Location: Birmingham, Michigan
Size: 2,240 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Photography by Brett Mountain
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A father and son
Location: Birmingham, Michigan
Size: 2,240 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Photography by Brett Mountain
During its long life, the house was made into townhouses and then converted back. It bore the battle scars of multiple remodels. “There was some original molding,” says Poris. “We added to it with matching trim and painted it a brown-black, because we needed something strong to stand up to all the industrial elements.” Poris adds that when the budget is tight, bold paint is always a cost-effective way to add drama.
Paint: Black Beauty, Benjamin Moore; hanging metal art: Suzanne Beautyman; white ceramics: Im Schafer; brown ceramics: Benjamin Teague
Paint: Black Beauty, Benjamin Moore; hanging metal art: Suzanne Beautyman; white ceramics: Im Schafer; brown ceramics: Benjamin Teague
The architect added a coffered ceiling to make the living room more formal and masculine. “Before the remodel, this room was a plain box,” he says. “It was just too simple.”
Richmond Sofa, Richmond Chairs: Gus Modern
Richmond Sofa, Richmond Chairs: Gus Modern
One corner of the living room is dedicated to the young son. The bench is a vintage piece whose life probably began on a farm, while the rolling table and chairs are custom made from old art packing crates by a local designer. All of the art and furniture in this corner were crafted by Cranbrook Art Academy alumni and students.
Table, chairs: Rob Laskey
Table, chairs: Rob Laskey
The unusual design of the chairs allows two small children to sit together on one piece.
Chairs: custom by Seth Keller
Chairs: custom by Seth Keller
An old elevator gate (left) defines the entry to the home. “The entry foyer was large, so we weren’t sure what to do with it,” says Poris. Two chairs (one sized for a man, the other for a boy) and a bookshelf make the area a reading nook.
Chairs: custom by Seth Keller
Chairs: custom by Seth Keller
The cabinets had a less-than-ideal color, so Poris had them restained the same hue as weathered wood. “It fits in well with all the old farm elements,” he says.
“Like many old houses, this one had a small room tacked on to the back,” says Poris. “The client wanted the space to be reminiscent of an old-fashioned diner.” To that end the architect had a banquette and a metal table installed beside a pass-through window. “I imagine hamburgers being slid right out of the kitchen, just like at a diner,” he says.
Table: Richard Gage Design Studio
Table: Richard Gage Design Studio
Vintage swivel seats were installed on the table legs. “They were probably used by factory workers,” Poris says. “They swing under the table when not in use.”
“When the house was divided, two sets of stairs were installed,” says Poris. “When it was converted back to a single-family house, the former owner let one run of stairs die into a wall.” Rather than remove the useless stairs, the architect decided to make them function differently. Bookshelves and a salvaged library ladder make the former dead space a library landing. (The ladder is narrow, and people can walk past it on the old stairs.)
Poris used heavy-duty tempered glass — the kind reinforced with wires — to bring an industrial look to the landing floor.
The landing is right above the back door and lets light into this entryway.
The master bath’s vanity has a reclaimed-wood top and galvanized plumbing pipes as the legs and towel bars underneath. “It’s just a simple plumbing pipe,” says Poris. “The joints are installed as feet.”
Sinks, toilet: Toto
Sinks, toilet: Toto
Table legs and top: Heritage Company II Architectural; buffet, stools: custom by Seth Keller