South Haven Remodel

While the best views of this Lake Michigan marina were from an upper balcony, they were mostly hidden from the rest of the house, blocked by existing roof lines. The final design solution revolved around the idea of essentially “tipping up” the main roof that sloped toward the marina. Structurally this meant constructing a new, shallower roof plane, to allow the installation of windows and doors across the entire second floor living room wall, creating an almost 180-degree panoramic view of the marina and town beyond. Unsafe second and third floor stairways were removed and shallower code-compliant ones were stacked along one wall. A five-foot diameter circular stair was installed between rebuilt first and second floor porches, resulting in a unique two-story screened-in area, easily accessible to and from both floors. All interior third floor supports were removed and replaced by a 30-foot-long steel beam, which had to be threaded through existing exterior walls. New framing, left exposed and painted white, creates an airy, light-filled room which now serves as the backdrop for spectacular views outside.