COURTYARD RANCH

Built into a wooded ravine near Lake Michigan, this ranch-style home was designed to be a serene retreat for empty nesters, but with spaces sized generously enough to accommodate returning family.

A split-face “Texas Cream” limestone wall screens an entry courtyard, a private moment, revealing an intimate garden and a glimpse of the double-height volume inside.

Organized as a U-shaped, courtyard house, the configuration is a direct response to the landscape, an inverted amphitheater-style plan echoing the descending topography.

Floor-to-ceiling windows along the rear façade frame views of the forested ravine and immerse the interiors in warm, natural light. A screened porch, seamlessly linked to the kitchen with folding doors, further blurs the boundary between indoors and out, deepening the home’s connection to its natural setting.

Scope
Architecture + Interior Design

Collaborators

Contractor: Highgate Builders Inc.

Photography
Steve Hall, Hall + Merrick + McCaugherty Photographers

Completed
2014