Home Tour - Michigan "Camp" Cabin

INTRODUCTION

This was one of the most fun projects our team has had the opportunity to work on. Our client purchased 150 acres of land in Michigan originally to build an ATV track and Sportsbarn. On the property, there was a little two bedroom cabin and we tossed around ideas of what to use it for. Ultimately, the decision was to create a “camp” style cabin for guests to crash in, complete with a full kitchen, multiple lounge areas, a food-hall setup in the garage, and a retro arcade room in the basement.

THE DESIGN PROCESS

The existing conditions of the cabin were extremely outdated and it needed a major refresh to make it kid-friendly and ready for entertaining. The kitchen needed to be gutted and opened up, and the carpet had to go immediately. We also debated whitewashing the wood paneling on the walls and ceilings…at first it felt overwhelming, but once we changed out the floors and introduced some black and white accents, the paneling was absolutely perfect, just as it was.

We knew from the start we wanted the palette to be masculine, edgy and bold so that it would tie in with the Sportsbarn once that was built on the property.

Before the renovation, the cabin was full of carpet and wood. Even the cabinets in the kitchen were made of the same wood, and it was overwhelming!

The basement is huge, and was musty, carpeted, and overall pretty gross. We wanted to take advantage of the square footage and create a unique arcade/game room for the client’s kids, but this space needed to be transformed.

The exterior of this cabin needed an update just as much as the interior. The brown felt tired and we wanted to open up the garage so that it could be used as more entertaining space.

THE REVEAL

Now that you’ve seen just how musty this place was before the renovation, you can truly appreciate the transformation. Our team successfully converted this place from an old hunting cabin into the perfect spot for summertime parties and entertaining, and just in time.

Let’s start with the exterior. We said farewell to the brown siding and washed a black stain over the entire house. New gray decking and a modern metal rail instantly refreshed the house, creating a strong first impression.

We opened up the double garage doors and replaced them with one big modern black and glass door. The new door combined with two new skylights allow light to pour in and transformed the space from a standard garage into an open-air entertaining space.

When the door is opened, it becomes an extension of the outdoor space. A commercial beverage fridge and cabinetry along the back wall allow this space to be the central hub during parties, where food can be laid out and people can come rest and eat in between rides on the ATV track.

Remember the before shot of this space? Scroll up to refresh yourself because the transformation is pretty dramatic. Gray LVT flooring tones down the warm wood tones in the space to create a balance, while a new open black kitchen creates a dramatic focal point, accentuated by the black painted beams running across the ceiling.

Black stainless appliances integrate seamlessly into the blacked-out cabinetry.

The show-stopper in the kitchen is this live-edge waterfall bar-counter. The wood tones tie in perfectly with the ceiling throughout the space but give a modern, unexpected twist.

New lighting and doors give a modern and fresh kick to the space and compliment the black accents throughout.

Open shelving on either side of the window tones down the heaviness of the black cabinetry and allows for easy access to cups and mugs.

The stairs and beams were painted black to break up the wood tones and highlight these unique architectural details. Layers of lounge seating and dining areas are woven into the space to create different zones for entertaining while still keeping the space open and cohesive.

Our clients one ask was that the kids could throw a football in here without destroying anything. With that in mind, soft, leather lounge seating and resilient concrete and Lucite tables were incorporated into the design to create an aesthetically beautiful space while still keeping it safe for abuse from kids.

Upstairs, we created an additional lounge area with flexible furniture and sofas that can be converted into additional sleeping spaces. A sprawling chandelier allowed for us to customize the lighting layout while still using the one existing junction box.

There are two bedrooms in this cabin and our goal was to maximize sleeping areas. In this first room, we actually extended the walls to take over the area that used to be a dining area and used the high ceilings in here to create a custom triple bunk-bed.

That top bunk is not for the faint of heart!

In the other bedroom, we went full camp style and fit in seven twin beds, each with their own trunk at the foot where people can store their personal belongings. Three different bedding sets help break things up and make the space feel more balanced.

The bathrooms got completely updated as well with black and concrete accents and crisp white to give a subtle break from all the wood tones.

Behind the cabinetry in the garage, a staircase leads down to the basement. Artist Erin McKinley of Relativity Textiles, painted a custom Mario-themed mural on the wall of the stair case, giving an unexpected surprise and hinting at what’s to come.

In the basement, we blacked out the walls, ceiling and floors to create a dramatic, moody space and let the lights of the games be the focal point of the design. On two walls, glossy round decals reflect the lights and add a playful touch. Our team hunted down dozens of authentic, vintage arcade games (including Skeeball!) and dispersed them throughout the space, along with a light-up dance floor and virtual-reality corner.

This family loves Ping-Pong, so of course this space needed a black table to tie in with the rest of the space. Graphic lights on the wall and a custom neon sign add personality and introduce the edgy aesthetic from upstairs.

Our team had so much fun working on such a unique project and we could not be more thrilled with how it turned out. Big thank you to Courtney for her bold vision for this space, and Emily Boyd for managing the process from start to finish.

The Sportsbarn on this property is currently being framed, and we can’t wait to share that one with you in a few short months!

-dgw

Project Team: Courtney Esch, Devon Wegman, Carolyn Cannon, Emily Boyd and Michael Wegman

Photography: Dustin Halleck