A place to breathe. Meadow Lane is a weekend retreat set in an idyllic landscape along the shores of Lake Michigan that fosters respite, connection, and harmony with the surrounding landscape. The empty-nester clients desired “an escape from the city for the family to gather. A place for sunlight. A place to breathe.” The design and orientation of the home optimize the site’s unique attributes on a two-acre wooded bluff overlooking the lake. To the south, a woodland preserve abuts the property, allowing panoramic views that merge the blue lake horizon with a deep woodland understory.

Three separate structures—the main house, an entertainment/guest wing, and a detached garage—are thoughtfully arranged to maximize privacy, optimize natural light, capture views, and create outdoor spaces. Set perpendicular to the lake, the two living structures are staggered to increase the linear extent of glass exposure and corner views of the ever-changing vista. The staggered arrangement reduces the overall presence of the home upon arrival by screening the guest wing with the main house. The walls of the detached garage help form a protected garden courtyard at the entry that is contemplative and inward-looking. Opposite the garage, a glass link connects the two living structures with doors that fold entirely away, creating an aperture out of the courtyard to the expansive views beyond.

Natural native materials define the architectural palette and are used to create a timeless and enduring connection with nature. A limestone wall wraps the exterior at the main house’s ground level. It extends seamlessly through the home, beneath the feet, and out to a pool terrace, establishing a visual and tactile connection to the surrounding landscape. The ground level of the entertainment wing and garage is clad in dark slatted wood siding that mimics the vertical elements of the woodland and complements the limestone. The second-story black locust-clad boxes, designed to gray and weather over time, hover above a band of clerestory windows that provide daylight and privacy around the courtyard.

Beneath the box’s overhang at the entry, a slatted oak ceiling continuously flows from inside to out. Floor-to-ceiling glass openings and mitered glass corners allow sunlight to illuminate each room, immersing one in nature. The owners arrive and exhale. This is their sanctuary – their place to be restored.

• Architects: Wheeler Kearns Architects
• Area: 8927 ft²
• Photographs: Steve Hall, Hall + Merrick Photographers
• Manufacturers:  Accoya, Focus, Hunter Panels