Shiplap as the new beadboard shines in this relaxed but sophisticated renovation of a 1990s cottage on the Leelanau Peninsula. Enjoy a sneak peek of the home below, and see more on the Northern Home & Cottage 2020 Virtual Tour on October 30.

Designer/Builder: Kitchen Choreography

Andrew and Elaine Oliver were living in Hong Kong when they came across a Zillow listing that sounded like it was exactly the summer home they’d spent years searching for. The 1990s cottage might have needed some updating, but its bones were good, and importantly, it was a quarter mile from Andrew’s mother’s house, across from his grandfather’s and near an uncle and cousins. Beyond all of that, the lot was very private. The couple bought the home, sight unseen.

After they’d spent some time in the home, they thought—maybe a new wood floor to replace the old laminate floor? And that down- draft from the hood vent over the range was irritating … “Everything kind of snowballed from there,” Elaine says.

Besides being avid cooks (among his other culinary talents, Andrew cans), the couple also loves collecting art and furniture. So, they were both very invested in how they wanted their home to look and feel. They took their ideas to contractor Bob Biggs of Biggs Construction and architect Mark Humitz of Cornwell Architects—they, in turn, steered the couple toward adding Angela Goodall of Kitchen Choreography to the design-and-build team. It turned out to be a key piece of advice: “She and her team were amazing,” says Elaine. “Angela gave us technical guidance and we had a fabulous design collaboration.”

Photo by Speckman Photography

That cohesive working relationship shines in the finished renovation—from the new reclaimed chestnut floors, to the cooks’ dream kitchen outfitted with a generous quartzite-topped island and new creamy-white cabinetry. The pièce de résistance of this kitchen, however, is what Elaine calls “my husband’s kitchen”—a pantry tucked into the space left after a built-in desk was removed and a two-foot space was taken out of a closet in a bedroom on the opposite wall. The pantry—with its subway tile walls and barnwood sliding barn door—beautifully houses all manner of cooking gadgetry, from coffee-making equipment to Andrew’s sous vide and, yes, his canning equipment.

Photo by Speckman Photography

The rest of the home shares the relaxed modern farmhouse vibe, including shiplap that replaces all drywall, a fun use of wallpaper (swallows on the wall-papered ceiling of the laundry room!) and an upstairs children’s bunk room with six built-in bunks.

Join Angela Goodall as she reveals more of this smart, stylish renovation on our Northern Home & Cottage 2020 Virtual Tour. (Tip: Watch the virtual tour video carefully to discover the Kitchen Choreography secret to shiplap walls in the shower!)

Thank You to Our Presenting Partner, Golden Fowler Home Furnishings

Photo(s) by Speckman Photography