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Great Lake Story 2014: On Manchester Pond – Chapter Two

On Manchester Pond, Chapter Two – The Design \\ Renderings Courtesy of J. Visser Design

April 1, 2014

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Great Lake Story 2014 On Manchester Pond

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Final Chapter

The Great Lake Story custom home being built by Insignia Homes in Cascade Township’s Manchester Hills development optimizes all advantages of its elevated pond-side site.

Local Home Designer Jeff Visser of J. Visser Design tailored a purposeful, view enhancing plan that not only suits the lay of the land and nearly five-acre private pond, but also fulfills the homeowners’ “must-have” wishes, which include a family-size pool and inviting outdoor living areas. As the parents of six children at varying ages and stages, the homeowners also desired a design featuring inviting gathering places for shared family time, and just as importantly, plenty of personal spaces to assure each family member a private retreat. This plan needed to feature smartly-laid rooms of a more functional nature and a garage with the capacity to house four vehicles.

LIFESTYLE LIGHTS THE WAY

In sync with Manchester Hills’ neighborhood vibe, the home’s architectural elements are inspired by Old World influences but with modern-day panache. This pond-front haven is designed to support a lifestyle propelled by outdoor living while infusing the outdoors into indoor spaces.

Visser’s custom-designed blueprint took shape through a collaborative relationship with the homeowners, who brought several of their own ideas to the table. The 6,654-square-foot home features an abundance of daylight windows generously dispersed amongst seven bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms and living and recreational spaces with open-room designs that optimize natural light and the property’s picturesque views.

Within the home, rooms are strategically placed adjacent to outdoor entertainment areas to accommodate easy ingress and egress during outdoor festivities. Pond-view patios were chosen over decks, smartly placed off to the side so sunlight could flow unhindered into the lower level.

“There are two bedrooms, a full bath and a place for the kids to hang out on the lower level,” Visser notes. He adds that the master bedroom has its own space on the main level, as well, with a den/offi ce creating a quiet haven away from household distractions. Four more bedrooms, two baths and another shared-space hangout completes the upper level.

This pond-front haven is designed to support a lifestyle propelled by outdoor living while infusing the outdoors into indoor spaces.

“The key was giving everybody adequate-sized bedrooms and enough bathroom space, yet still having space in different areas where people could get together without having everybody in the same room,” Visser says. “So there are really places for that on all three levels.”

Even though the homesite’s deep lot would typically be considered fairly wide, Visser still had to run the gauntlet to make it all work, taking into consideration the need to angle the large home toward the pond while accommodating space-devouring garage requirements. Visser met the challenge with a separate four-stall garage with an upper-level bonus room that provides prime privacy for visiting guests and doubles as a great getaway for indulging in personal pastimes.

Look for highlights of this distinctive home’s craftsmanship and learn about other key partners who are bringing this family’s dream at Manchester Hills to fruition in Michigan BLUE Magazine’s upcoming Summer Issue. For more details about Great Lake Story, visit mibluemag.com.