Village House

For its owners – two artists, one a musician and the other a painter – connection to the surrounding community was essential. The peninsula-shaped lot spans between two streets, giving the house not one but two public faces. At one end, a generous pass-through window links the kitchen to a covered porch; at the other, the painting studio opens outward, inviting friendly engagement with passersby.

The house hugs the eastern interior property line, while the opposite side opens to a generous garden. The landscape is intentionally low-maintenance and drought-tolerant, composed of non-invasive, pollinator-friendly plantings. Paths and gathering spaces are woven through it, including a patio area anchored by a wood-fired pizza oven.

Inside, a single loft-like volume accommodates living, dining, and kitchen functions, creating a flexible and communal heart to the home. Bedrooms and baths are compact by design, allowing space for two dedicated studios – one tuned for music, the other filled with north light for painting. A wood-burning stove provides additional warmth and atmosphere in winter months.

With the village’s high water table, a basement was not practical. Instead, a continuous concrete slab – topped with smooth, locally sourced Lake Michigan stone – grounds the house and contains the radiant heating system within. The floor is ADA-friendly and runs uninterrupted throughout the home, reinforcing the openness of the plan.

Large folding doors along the living room and north studio open fully to form a breezeway, drawing in air from Lake Michigan. Deep overhangs and carefully placed opposing windows further encourage passive cooling, reducing reliance on mechanical systems.

Performance was integral to the design. Super-insulated walls and roof assemblies, triple-pane windows, and continuous ventilation through heat recovery units create an exceptionally tight building envelope. Mini-split systems provide supplemental heating and cooling when needed.

The house is fully electric and supported by an 8.4 kW solar array paired with battery storage, advancing its net-zero energy goals. LED lighting, programmable controls, and high-efficiency appliances ensure that the home performs as responsibly as it lives.