With its Seaside Coastal inspired accents this stunning home by Trillium Shore is one for the ages. Learn about the inspiration behind this beautiful Northern Michigan home in Elk Rapids, and purchase your tickets to take a look inside eight of the North’s most incredible homes, including this one, on the Northern Home & Cottage 2021 Virtual Home Tours.

The darling town of Elk Rapids is surrounded by water and fruit farms, while its neighborhoods are dotted with gracious historic homes. This home set on the west arm of Elk Lake, just outside of downtown, captures the essence of those features perfectly. The builder, Jamie Wilkins of Trillium Shore Custom Homes, likes to say that he sweats the details so that homeowners don’t have to, and indeed, he perfectly orchestrated this detail-oriented home.

Designed by Shoreline Architecture’s Steve Werner in close collaboration with the homeowner, the black, white and gray exterior borrows elements from the Queen Anne era. A covered, wrap-around porch, peaked gables clad in board-and-batten and classic four-paned windows (on the road side) echo the local farmhouse vernacular.

The interior, however, is all about lake living. A muted palette of warm gray walls, white oak floor, creamy-white trim-work and paneling with accents of deep marine blue sets a serene backdrop for the equally serene panorama of the picturesque lake visible from the generous windows and a set of French doors.

The open kitchen is as functional as it is lovely. A kicked-up pantry is outfitted with two counters big enough to use for prep and open shelving for storing serving dishes. A coffee bar tucked into the cabinetry in the main kitchen and a bar just off the kitchen, signal that this room is made for enjoying. Lux touches include the paneled refrigerator and freezer, brass hardware and faucets and the leathered blue-gray Azul Aran granite island top. But the real show-stopper here is the custom range hood, fabricated in steel and trimmed in brass fabricated locally by Darin Fetter of North Shore Iron Works.

The adjacent living area is defined by a coffered ceiling and three square columns that mark the area’s separation from the foyer on one side and the kitchen/dining area on the other. A fireplace set into a wall of shiplap, custom shelving made by the Trillium Shore team and a collection of tasteful paintings round out this relaxing space.

In the master suite, one set of French doors opens to the covered porch, while another set opens to a light-filled music room. The bathroom, with its Jack-and-Jill sinks, soaking tub and custom shower, opens into a to-die-for walk-in closet.

The white oak stair banisters, made by Jamie Wilkins, curve slightly outward at the ends as if welcoming people upstairs. The staircase wall is paneled with painted white rectangle panels—a touch that adds dimension and interest to the stairwell. Upstairs there are four bedrooms, one of which is en suite and another two connected by Jack-and-Jill bathrooms, with views of either the lake or trees. Finally, as if to add an exclamation point to this artful home, one of the bedrooms is paneled in an intriguing and eclectic geometric pattern—expertly executed by the skilled Trillium Shore craftsmen.

Building Resources for Timeless Sophistication on Elk Lake

Builder | Trillium Shore
Architect | Shoreline Architecture
Cabinets/Flooring | Designs by Dawn
Landscape | Vidosh North
Home Automation | American Home Technology
Garage Doors | Northern Garage Doors
Appliances | Max’s Service
Building Materials | Preston Feather
Countertops | Capital Granite
Windows | Kolbe & Kolbe, Old Mission Windows
Interior Doors | Elenbaas Millwork
Fireplaces | Source Julien
Metal Work | North Shore Ironworks
Lighting Fixture | Advance Electric
Mirrors and Shower Door | TC Mirror and Shower Door
Electrical | Voltage Electric
Painter | ProSelect Painting

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Photo by NHC Sponsor Logos

Photo(s) by Greg MacMaster, Eagle Eye Video Productions