Deciding whether to trade in a Windy City home for a remote lakefront lot was a no-brainer for Diane and Dick Elliott. The antiques dealers knew it was only a matter of time before they’d leave big-city life behind for a rustic retreat.
“It was in our blood to live in a cabin,” says Diane. The Michigan natives, who spent their childhoods splashing in lakes, discovered this property just south of Mackinaw City on a 1991 canoe trip. Both land and lake seemed idyllic, but a large “sold” sign in the ground put an end to any fantasy of relocating here. Then fate intervened when the original buyer fell out, leaving the acreage for the Elliotts after all.
Within months they’d thrown themselves into the design and construction of a new 2,000-square-foot retreat that combines 1900s cabin with Great Lakes camp and traditional Adirondack lodge. They tailored the cabin to the landscape, fitting it snugly among the trees without cutting any down. Dick handcrafted the twisty trimmings and porch out of unusually shaped cedar branches to give the house quirky appeal. “One day, my friend brought a few branches over, and I started nailing them to the cabin,” he says. “The natural curves of the cedar really brought the square structures to life.”
While Dick worked outdoors, Diane dedicated herself to decorating the interior. Many of the fine American Indian and Arts and Crafts period pieces she chose came from Elliott & Elliott Art and Antiques, the couple’s gallery in nearby Harbor Springs. Cherished American antiques, French club chairs, and glowing Mica lamps all add warmth and elegance to the rustic atmosphere. In one bedroom, she paired a log bed with Windsor armchairs, achieving the same sophisticated effect.
Flanking the main house are two 1930s cabins, which the couple salvaged and relocated to their property. One now serves as a 144-square-foot guesthouse with a log bunk bed. “Our grandchildren love sleeping in there when they visit,” says Diane. The other holds fishing equipment during the months when walleye, trout, and perch aren’t jumping in the lake.
Add to the scene Dick’s hand-built dock, and the Elliotts’ property begins to resemble a summer camp. The long pier leads out into a protected cove, where several Chris-Craft boats wait for passengers on crisp blue-sky days. “We’re fanatics about wooden boats,” Diane says. “They are a beautiful art form.”
When summer’s splashes fade and the rustling of autumn leaves begins, Dick and Diane pull the boats from the lake and prepare for the winter ahead. Because lakes Michigan and Huron converge a few miles north, the cabin huddles against storms blowing in from both lakes. To combat the elements, the Elliotts rely on the weather-resistant properties of their white-cedar, whole-log walls.
The scent of burning leaves tinges the air as Dick and Diane sit by the water and reflect on their labor of love. Was it worth it, building a lakefront home hours from the Windy City? The answer is always “yes.” After all, cabin living is in their blood.
ALSO:
Cabin Style
