My May-June 2014 issue of Midwest Living arrived this week — yay!
Imagine my excitement
when I spied this farmhouse-style vacation home
in SW Michigan:

lakehomebuildersmi.com
I immediately recognized it as one I’d seen before,
when it appeared on the cover
of the late, great Chicago Home + Garden magazine:

Summer 2012
That issue was so divine, I just had to save it!
Are you a magazine saver, too?
In my world, there are some that are just so wonderful
that you just can’t bear to part with them!
* * * *
Anyway, there’s that same front porch, now:

I love the classic white siding!
The grays of the industrial-style sconces+ galvanized pots
complement the black door + sidelights very nicely, too.
Those handsome homeowners on the porch are Tom + James,
who are partners in their Chicago interior design firm.
http://www.jamesthomaschicago.com
Obviously, the guys live + work in Chicago
+ spend weekends + vacations at their farmhouse,
about an hour + a half drive away in SW Michigan.
Here:

All the cool kids in Chicago own vacation properties
in the super charming beach communities
along Lake Michigan’s shoreline.
My cool friend, Alan, vacations here + assures me that I would love it, too!
Stay tuned for this summer, fingers crossed!
* * * *
But back to the house.
Here are Tom and James again, sharing a moment in their cottage-y kitchen:

I’m a fan of the ceiling planks,
the cute schoolhouse light over the farmhouse sink,
+ the pale wood tone of the floors.
I’m seeing lots of non-kitchen-y rugs in kitchens lately, + I approve!
* * *
Speaking of approval, here’s my favorite space in the house, a screened porch:

I love its rustic, cottage charm, + that red Vermont Castings stove is wonderful!
* * *
In contrast, the living room is a tad more formal:

While it’s furnished in too formal a style for my vacation home taste,
there’s no denying it’s a gorgeous space.
That tall ceiling + those clerestory windows + all the white! Love!
* * *
Meanwhile, here’s one of the guest bedrooms:

I’m a fan of the twiggy side table, the iron bed
+ that cool, vintage photograph. (I’ve always wanted one of those!)
The pale blue paint, which rules, is Benjamin Moore’s Northern Air.
* * *
So. What do you think of hanging plates in a bedroom?

I’ve always liked it, but I know some people don’t.
It’s so sweet!
* * *
And now, speaking of sweet, look at the kids’ room — it’s so cute!

The layout is genius, + I love all the red!
I have a similar lamp, repurposed from an old gas can,
that I bought decades ago (yikes!)
* * *
The bathroom’s very nice + on the plain Jane side:

* * *
But c’mon, Tom + James! This is a vacation house! Let’s have some fun!
Okay. Here’s fun:

Who doesn’t love an old, wooden sign?
I’ve been making old-looking signs, too. (I’ll share later.)
I really like that vintage column + that topiary housepant, too!
I like them so much that every spring, I’ll ‘spring’ for one . . .
. . . knowing full well that the poor thing won’t survive the winter at our house.
The humanity!
Fingers crossed for this year — hope ‘springs’ eternal!
* * *
So. I’ve saved the most fun feature of Tom + James’ farmhouse . . .
. . . a gallery wall of paint-by-number paintings, at the stairway!

Way to go, Tom + James!
And how cool is it that their houseguests
often bring them a new paint-by-number painting
as a “thank you” host gift!
Isn’t that the most adorable idea, ever?
🙂