When industrial designer, Martine Ilana, relocated with her family back to Detroit, Michigan, after living in southern California for over a decade, they knew that recreating the light and energy of Venice Beach would be critical to their new home. When they discovered that this 5,300 square foot, midcentury modern house had been uninhabited for nearly four years, it became obvious that they had to breathe life back into the property, as the house felt like a true sanctuary hidden among the trees, notably the 150 year old willow just off the shoreline. 

Tucked away on a steeply sloping site, the Sodon Lake House takes its name from the dichothermic lake which it overlooks — one of three known natural lakes of this type in Michigan. When approached from the road, the mid-century modern home appears as a modest atomic ranch. When experienced from within, the home’s layout is revealed as a series of intermediate floor levels which create cozy areas for living, dining, sleeping, working, and entertaining. The young family of four quickly fell in love with this quirky interior which offers big panoramas of the lake and intimate framed views of the site and home itself.

The greatest challenge that the owners undertook was the need to be complete the entire project (planning, design, permitting, and construction) in 12 months. They selected Iannuzzi Studio for their design sensibility, environmental stewardship, and client-first approach, as well as their ability to work “on the fly” having completed several design-build projects.

Using a California-inspired color palette, Iannuzzi Studio worked with Martine’s design firm, Temescal Creative, focusing on sustainable and durable materials across the entire home’s renovation. The team covered the 1950’s era reddish brown brick with an Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS) which significantly bolstered the home’s insulation values while a white finish was the first major step in bringing the lightness and energy the family desired. Replacing decayed wood siding with a custom rainscreen of unfinished cedar had a two-fold benefit. The rainscreen provides passive cooling and ventilation while cedar is naturally rot-resistant for longevity. Leaving it unfinished allows the home to blend into the wooded site. Water damage to the ceiling and walls was addressed by selecting a standing seam metal roof for its long lifespan and ability to be recycled. Rounding out the exterior is a mural of geometric tile strategically located at the end of a key sight line from the interior.

The remodel and renovation of the interior was completed with a similar strategy. Prioritizing efficient circulation and access to daylight drove changes to the interior layout. Brightly colored surfaces, low-maintenance materials, and no-VOC finishes contribute to a healthy and uplifting environment. Where possible, the structural slab-on-grade was exposed, ground, and polished ridding the house of unnecessary material finishes.

Completed in 2022, the Sodon Lake House has been successfully restored and transformed into an artistic, chic and uniquely warm abode for a family that embraces essential living.