Nestled in a wooded lot on a pond in Grand Rapids Michigan sits an architectural gem; a home designed and built in the 1960’s by famed Chicago architect Otto Stark. In need of major renovation our clients purchased this gem and hired us to guide them through the planning and design process. This was an incredible transformation and we thought it would be fun to share some of the before and after photos, we even have some original photographs and drawings still intact! There were many iterations of this home which made it clear the original designer and homeowners labored over the design process.
BEFORE AND AFTER: OUR AWARD WINNING LUXURY RENOVATION OF THE ICONIC OTTO STARK HOME
kitchen before
Back of the home after renovation
Below is one of the original blueprints for the main floor. On the right was the listing on Zillow before our clients bought it. During construction, the original owners opted for a spiral staircase in the Foyer. Interestingly enough for the redesign we opted for an L shaped stair that hugs the dining room wall, similar to the original blueprint.
original blueprint from the 1960's
floorplan prior to reno 2019
The new floorplan included a much larger kitchen, Primary bedroom along the back of the home and a newly added screened in porch. Nothing in the house went untouched, there had been many renovations over the years and most areas in the home were either in disrepair or unfinished. This floor plan shows a fireplace on the wall in the Living Room, but just after construction started we replaced it with another window. I LOVE how the house flows now and how simple the original shape is !
NEW FLOORPLAN
Hover over these images to see before photo's! Photographer for this project was Geoff Shirley.
kitchen after
kitchen before
The Kitchen was moved from an enclosed room, centered on the South wing of the house, to the SE end of the home. Completely opened up to the Dining Room and living spaces, with two large windows flanking the prep sink, the size increased dramatically! White oak cabinetry with large pantry and appliance storage, integrated pulls and attached walnut bar are a perfect fit for the way our clients live and entertain.
living room after
living room before
The Living Room staying in it's original location. We added floor to ceiling windows and moved the original fireplace to be centered on the exterior wall, versus where it had been in the middle of the room. That way you could look outside and fire at the same time! Color was brought in with furniture and art. One of the four original front doors was used as the cabinet front for the TV console. Love the collected feel here!
foyer after
foyer before
BEFORE AND AFTER FOYER
The original homeowners loved the spiral stair concept in the Foyer, but the age of the stairs and spacing of the risers did not meet code. We also wanted to free up space in the Foyer and relocating the stair opposite the new Dining Room location helped to do that. I love the natural light that flows through this room and the glimpse you get into the Kitchen and Living Room!
primary bedroom after
primary bath before
primary bedroom before
primary bath after
The Primary Suite was such a transformation! We combined two bedrooms facing the back yard and expanded the windows to include the entire wall. Black textured wall paper creates a different mood than the rest of the house, and feels calming The vanity we designed for the primary Bath uses one of the existing front doors to the home, which was purchased by Otto Stark in Spain and brought back for the project. Re-purposing architectural elements is one of our favorite things to do. We love old houses!
Renovations take a lot of care and consideration, we love doing them because they bring history forward for future generations to enjoy! We call them legacy homes, as they continue to impact the people who live there and the community around them. Have you thought about how your home impacts the community as a whole?
For more on this project visit our portfolio page,.
All my best!
