Art in the Meadow Private Residence

A difficult 13-acre site near Lake Michigan suffered extensive legacy issues from a former greenhouse operation. Mounds of broken glass and disturbed ecosystems informed the many activities needed to reclaim the site for regular passive recreational use by the owner and guests. An old vacation cottage was renovated as a modern retreat: Living Habitats’ work included detailed site planning for an outdoor pool, deck, screen porch, new vehicle court and gardens. A small three-season shed was repurposed as irrigation pond overlook. An old garage was transformed into a studio retreat. A new stand-alone guest cottage was sited as part of Living Habitats’ original master plan effort. Signature sculptures collected by the owner are featured throughout the site, with the site context elevating each of the pieces featured. All of these programmatic elements are linked together with an extensive path network that winds through restored ecosystems. Detailed restoration strategies and plans guided contractor efforts over many years of restoration. Regular site stewardship maintains and enhances the restored vegetation and ever-evolving hardscape, architecture, and outdoor gallery.