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  4. House Tour: A Contemporary Michigan Farmhouse

House Tour: A Contemporary Michigan Farmhouse

April 18, 2014
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Spots for relaxing and chatting were all part of the plan in this new farmhouse-style vacation home in western Michigan.
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Art of conversation

Art of conversation

Chats last late into the evening on a screen porch linked to the living room by double doors. The relaxed, stay-awhile style comes from revived bargain finds: wicker furniture painted black, pillows wearing grain sacks, an old factory cart converted into a coffee table and a metal watering jug made into a lamp. A focal-point burgundy potbelly stove heats the space in fall and winter when glass panes replace screens.Ceiling fan Hunter Fan Company. hunterfan.com Flooring Azek Building Products. azek.com Rug Marrakesh indoor/outdoor. Ballard Designs. ballarddesigns.com Stove Vermont Castings. vermontcastings.com Table Vintage, painted white. The Painted Lady. thepaintedladychicago.com Wall color OC-17 White Dove. Benjamin Moore. benjaminmoore.com

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Planned for parties

Planned for parties

A welcoming warm palette of taupes and grays steers dinner parties in a relaxed direction. A twig chandelier adds rustic elegance above a farm table dressed up with side chairs in a whitewash finish. Grass-cloth wallpaper brings texture.Lighting Custom twig chandelier. Deanna Wish Designs. deannawish.com Side chairs Regency. Noir. noirfurniturela.com Wallpaper Grass-cloth. Kravet. kravet.com Windows Semco. semcowindows.com Window treatment fabric Restoration Hardware. restorationhardware.com

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Set the mood

Set the mood

Family members don't hesitate to plop on tufted ivory sofas in the living room. Owners James Dolenc and Tom Ryker, partners in a Chicago interior design firm, outfitted traditional-style furnishings in casual linens and serene colors-neutrals with greens and blues pulled from outside. Wood panels, instead of drywall, reflect the aesthetic, as does the white-stained oak flooring. Sunlight floods the living room through skylights and clerestory windows, making the cavernous space feel simply cozy.Chairs Custom by JamesThomas. jamesthomaschicago.com Fabric: Birds. Galbraith and Paul. galbraithandpaul.com Coffee table Colonial. Noir. noirfurniturela.com Rug Heather Glenn Eclipse. Karastan. karastan.com Sofas Custom by JamesThomas. jamesthomaschicago.com Fabric: Stone Harbor linen. Kravet. kravet.com Table lamps Robert Abbey Inc. robertabbey.biz Wall color OC-17 White Dove. Benjamin Moore. benjaminmoore.com 

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Easygoing entertaining

Easygoing entertaining

Before meals, guests tend to gather around the 9-foot-long island in the cottage-style kitchen. Four barstools offer plenty of seating for socializing. Beaded-board cabinetry, a herringbone-pattern tile backsplash and open shelving highlight the design. Backsplash Glass tile. Walker Zanger. walkerzanger.com Cabinetry Van Enk Woodcrafters LLC. vanenkwoodcrafters.com Color: OC-17 White Dove. Benjamin Moore. benjaminmoore.com Counters 4030 Pebble. Caesarstone. caesarstoneus.com Faucet Rohl. rohlhome.com Hardware Restoration Hardware. restorationhardware.com Lighting Ceiling fixture: Restoration Hardware. restorationhardware.com Hundi Lantern: Pottery Barn. potterybarn.com Sconces: Troy Lighting. troylightinglights.com Range Thermador. thermador.com Refrigerator Jenn-Air. jennair.com Sink Kohler. us.kohler.com

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Storyteller

Storyteller

Vintage curiosities on built-in shelves greet visitors as they step into the foyer of the Glenn, Michigan, home. Incorporating items with a history injects personality into a room-and often leads to story time.

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Drop zone

Drop zone

Beach bags, flip-flops and towels get stashed in the mudroom, where a 9-foot-long bench provides a convenient seat. A lip keeps the cushion in place. Travertine tile stands up to foot traffic.

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Casual gathering

Casual gathering

A roomy L-shape banquette with a slanted back promotes lingering, which keeps guests near the action of the adjacent kitchen and living room. A custom zinc-top table brings rustic warmth to the eating area. Benches Custom. Van Enk Woodcrafters LLC. vanenkwoodcrafters.com Table Custom designed by Dave Lennard. davelennard.com 

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Gender-neutral design

Gender-neutral guest bedroom

Mixing masculine- and feminine-style furnishings, like pairing black iron with country florals and gingham, makes the room fitting for any overnight visitor.Bedding Ikea. ikea.com Wall color 1676 Northern Air. Benjamin Moore. benjaminmoore.com 

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Planned amenities

Planned amenities

Each en suite bathroom has built-in shelves, drawers and clothing racks. Bath essentials are provided, so guests feel pampered.Cabinetry Van Enk Woodcrafters LLC. vanenkwoodcrafters.com Faucet Sign of the Crab. signofthecrab.com Lighting Restoration Hardware. restorationhardware.com Sink Ladena. Kohler. us.kohler.com

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Discussion-worthy decor

Discussion-worthy decor

A growing collection of paint-by-number art from flea markets is a conversation starter-and guests love to say thank-you by adding to the group.

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Quiet escape

Calm escape

A pale palette soothes one of the three guest rooms for restful nights. The first coat of wall paint looked like "egg-yolk yellow," so they calmed it down with a subtler shade.Bedding Lands' End. landsend.com Lighting Table lamp. Shades of Light. shadesoflight.com Wall color 345 Winter Sunshine. Benjamin Moore. benjaminmoore.com

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Kid-friendly hideaway

Kid-friendly hideaway

Built-in twin beds above the garage give kids a cleverly crafted retreat. Below-bed storage maximizes space. Pine floors painted white look purposefully beachy; a striped rug and checkered headboards and bedding feel a little bit country.Bedding Eddie Bauer. eddiebauer.com Cabinetry Van Enk Woodcrafters LLC. vanenkwoodcrafters.com Lighting Sconce: Visual Comfort. visualcomfortlightinglights.com Vintage water-can lamp: Wiring by A Lamp and Fixture Shoppe. alampandfixture.com  Rug Ikea. ikea.com Wall color OC-17 White Dove. Benjamin Moore. benjaminmoore.com Window Treatment Custom by JamesThomas. jamesthomaschicago.com

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More resources

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Builder Lake Home Builders, 18 Park St., Saugatuck, Michigan. lakehomebuildersmi.comDesigners James Dolenc and Tom Riker. JamesThomas. jamesthomaschicago.comLandscaper Scott Menghini, Landscape Design Services Inc., 7351 W. Olive Rd., Holland, Michigan. landscapeds.comExterior Decking Azek Building Products. azek.com Lighting Barn Light Electric. barnlightelectric.com Siding HardiePlank. James Hardie Building Products Inc. jameshardie.com Color: OC-17 White Dove. Benjamin Moore. benjaminmoore.com Window Double-hung style. Semco.  semcowindows.com

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    1 of 13 Art of conversation
    2 of 13 Planned for parties
    3 of 13 Set the mood
    4 of 13 Easygoing entertaining
    5 of 13 Storyteller
    6 of 13 Drop zone
    7 of 13 Casual gathering
    8 of 13 Gender-neutral design
    9 of 13 Planned amenities
    10 of 13 Discussion-worthy decor
    11 of 13 Quiet escape
    12 of 13 Kid-friendly hideaway
    13 of 13 More resources

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    House Tour: A Contemporary Michigan Farmhouse
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