Dan Kullman, Bitterjester

Matthew and Karine Maynard are designers, blacksmiths and artists who use metal and architectural space as their media. As a husband and wife team, they specialize in hand-forged custom stair rails, furniture and applied design. Their work has been featured in international books & periodicals as one of the leading architectural artist blacksmiths teams in the world today. Their designs have been given prominence & awards by both the National Ornamental & Misc. Metals Association and the Artist Blacksmiths Association of North America. Their large railing commissions reside in homes and businesses from California to Italy. www.maynardstudios.com

Basement Hall with raised mouldings for wall panelling. Three secret doors designed into the panelling.

The clean lines of this stair case and railing reinforces the farmhouse style and was inspired by the homeowner. Inspiro 8

We love it when a home becomes a family compound with wonderful history. That is exactly what this home on Mullet Lake is. The original cottage was built by our client’s father and enjoyed by the family for years. It finally came to the point that there was simply not enough room and it lacked some of the efficiencies and luxuries enjoyed in permanent residences. The cottage is utilized by several families and space was needed to allow for summer and holiday enjoyment. The focus was on creating additional space on the second level, increasing views of the lake, moving interior spaces and the need to increase the ceiling heights on the main level. All these changes led for the need to start over or at least keep what we could and add to it. The home had an excellent foundation, in more ways than one, so we started from there. It was important to our client to create a northern Michigan cottage using low maintenance exterior finishes. The interior look and feel moved to more timber beam with pine paneling to keep the warmth and appeal of our area. The home features 2 master suites, one on the main level and one on the 2nd level with a balcony. There are 4 additional bedrooms with one also serving as an office. The bunkroom provides plenty of sleeping space for the grandchildren. The great room has vaulted ceilings, plenty of seating and a stone fireplace with vast windows toward the lake. The kitchen and dining are open to each other and enjoy the view. The beach entry provides access to storage, the 3/4 bath, and laundry. The sunroom off the dining area is a great extension of the home with 180 degrees of view. This allows a wonderful morning escape to enjoy your coffee. The covered timber entry porch provides a direct view of the lake upon entering the home. The garage also features a timber bracketed shed roof system which adds wonderful detail to garage doors. The home’s footprint was extended in a few areas to allow for the interior spaces to work with the needs of the family. Plenty of living spaces for all to enjoy as well as bedrooms to rest their heads after a busy day on the lake. This will be enjoyed by generations to come.

Two Story Built-in flanking a free standing staircase with glass and metal railing. Modern Staircase Design.

Madeline Harper Photography

Weighing in at around 2,100 pounds this massive rebar handrail was fabricated inside the home due to its overwhelming weight. This handrail was made out of #18 (2¼” diameter) rebar and the balusters are #10 (1¼” diameter) rebar. At the top of the stairs a 90 degree bend was required due to the post placement. Overall, this rebar handrail sets the tone for this old industrial look.

Photographer: D&M Images

LongView Studios Chester Armstrong - Fox Carvings

A herringbone carpet that everyone loves. This is Momeni, Heatherly, in the color Cashmere. This is a flat weave wool that is durable while being stylish! The homeowner worked with Interior Designer, Jessica Klein of @ohidesignblog to make this stair and hallway runner come to life! DM us for more information on how to get this carpet into your home!