Michigan Blue Magazine

While cottages are synonymous with long-awaited, short-term stays, there’s no need to pack bags and head to another home when you live on a lake year-round. No matter the season, there’s plenty to enjoy when the abode is as majestic as the home architect Lou DesRosiers designed for Courtney and Duane Tursi on the shoreline of Upper Straits Lake in the city of Orchard Lake.

Ann Arbor-based Motawi Tileworks aims to change the art of the home one tile at a time. The one-of-a-kind tiles have added color and elegance to homes, libraries and hospitals across the country.

For many Michigan leisure seekers, seasonal stays and scenic settings often go hand in hand. Such is the case for Catherine “Cahssey” Augenstein, who has spent summers on Gun Lake in Middleville since she was a kid.

Late winter is that time of year when waterfront property owners and others begin planning for the upcoming warm seasons.

There’s nothing conventional about the hip, new restaurant called Houndstooth, located in the Benton Harbor Arts District. From its urban eclectic décor and mouth-watering menu to the brother/sister team who boldly chose Friday the 13th as opening night, Houndstooth is a stimulating dining experience designed to feed all five senses.

Maybe it’s the gift of unscheduled time, maybe the inspiration of lake and woods, but no trip to our family cabin has ever ended without the practice of art in some form.

Two iconic outdoor Michigan brands have decided to join forces for the cold season. Launched in fall 2019, a co-branded clothing collection created by Merrell and Stormy Kromer became available to consumers just in time for the cooler Michigan weather.

Whether you have a waterfront property or not, the indoor environment always can be enhanced with sensational scenery. Artistic wall murals can deliver a dramatic backdrop that takes a space from basic to breathtaking.

Start with a sunrise or end with a sunset. Cyclists on the state’s newest long-distance cycling trail can dip their toes — or tires — in the sand, ride for miles under a canopy of trees, say hello to grazing cattle and smell the fresh farm air.

Yesss! Cottage Life. Reminisce about loon calls, watching the sunrise, feeling the breeze. Check out cottage and lakefront living shows or boat shows.