Glen Lake Great Lake Story 2017
Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four
Chapter Five | Final Chapter
During the design phase of their new vacation home set along turquoise-hued Glen Lake on northwest Michigan’s scenic Leelanau Peninsula, Mike and Molly Beauregard spent considerable time with Northville architect Joseph Mosey, R.A. including features that would remind them of the 12 years they had lived on the New England shoreline.
“We wanted to replicate the traditional wood shingle/shake and fieldstone themes found on the East Coast into our new lake house,” said Mike, a private equity investor in Detroit. “Additionally, we wanted the house to look like it was added onto several times, as if it were originally built in the early 20th century.”
Crafting the home’s authentic Nantucket look required builder Eric Render of Render Construction in Traverse City to source very specific materials.
“Getting the right stone and then the right applications was very important to us,” Mike illustrated, “and Eric and his team didn’t settle for the first supplier they found.”
Ultimately, Render sourced historic New England fieldstone from a supplier in Massachusetts, which delivers the authentic coastal sense of place his clients sought both inside and outside of their home.
The Beauregards’ new family getaway on Glen Lake also features naturally weather- and insect-resilient red cedar shingles, rugged hand-split cedar shakes and copper accents including dormer roofs, flashing and a custom chimney cap. Bluestone quarried from the eastern U.S. echoes the lake’s inviting cool hues on the porches.
“When we had been on Block Island, we’d redone an old A-frame, and it was beautiful,” Molly shared. “But it had been an old kit house. And we’d always drive around the island seeing all of these great old shingled, traditional Nantucket-y homes, so this new house is really our dream.”
PORTAL OF PROGRESS
Having partnered with builder Eric Render multiple times before, Mosey could attest to the seasoned waterfront specialist being one of the best to bring the Beauregards’ Shingle-style retreat to fruition. After meeting with Render, as well as two other prospective contractors, the Beauregards agreed.
“While he had successfully worked with Joe on prior projects, we were most impressed with Eric’s due diligence on us, really,” said Mike. “He asked dozens of questions in the bidding process, which we realized in the first few weeks ensured we were on the same wavelength from the beginning.
“His responsiveness and attention to detail matched our own.”
Of key importance was the builder’s superior level of communication. Render shares regular progress reports through an online client portal, including construction schedule, cost reports and weekly photos of the project site as well as upcoming selections, approval forms and other documents.
Being able to access their project’s building log 24-7 was essential for Mike and Molly, whose permanent home in Bloomfield Hills was 250 miles from the construction site.
“We wanted the house to look like it was born there, not like it landed.”
— Molly Beuregard
Along with specific quality and volume criteria Render’s team had in place, the frequent communication they all had in advance of making significant orders from vendors was vital to getting craftsmanship done right the first time—important for both timing and budget concerns.
“He’s just so meticulous in his level of competency,” Molly said of the builder. “You feel his commitment the minute you meet him.”
TESTAMENT TO TRUST
The authentic detail, top craftsmanship and uncompromising quality of the Beauregards’ completed Shingle-style retreat on Glen Lake in Glen Arbor is as much a testament to trust as it is to industry expertise.
“Building anything is always a relational process,” Molly noted.
Render, Mosey and revered interior designer and friend Nicole Withers, ASID, of Jones-Keena & Co. in Birmingham were the team Mike and she wanted to work with: “They’re each amazing at what they do. And we trusted the people they brought on to the job.”
While Mosey and Withers drew from a proven system of checks and balances, “Eric draws from a lot of good solid trades and brings the right craftsmen,” Mosey noted. “He has great respect for the architect and interior designer and knows where he fits in.”
Elements such as the home’s striking coffered ceiling, comfortably elegant kitchen, bluestone porches and premium TruStile doors also speak to synergy with regional specialists including Old Mission Windows in Traverse City and noted kitchen designer Liz Firebaugh, CKD, owner of Signature Kitchens in Petoskey. An entirely other high level of craftsmanship, orchestrated by expert landscaper Jeffrey Hennig, principal/owner of Environmental Artists in Leland, completes the finished project.
“We come from different places and different parts of the process, but share the same goal for our clients: the absolute best outcome,” said Mosey.
Learn more about each of these team members who crafted the Beauregards’ retreat on Glen Lake in BLUE’s upcoming TRAVEL & ADVENTURE Issue 2017 (August/September).
Great Lake Story is a continuing series chronicling exceptional waterfront homes and those who design, build and own them. Michigan BLUE invites you to learn more about the team crafting the Beauregards’ new home on Glen Lake at mibluemag.com.
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