After a devastating house fire, homeowners Jim and Jan Norris brought in their original design-and-build team to rebuild the home–with an elevated new look.
This article first appeared in Traverse Northern Michigan. Find this story and more when you explore our magazine library. Want Traverse delivered to your door or inbox monthly? View our print subscription and digital subscription options.
In the early 1980s, Jim and Jan Norris purchased a hundred-acre wood in the center of Leelanau County with views that roll out over forested hills all the way to Lake Leelanau and miles down the Lake Michigan coast. The couple took their time deciding when and what to build, enjoying the property for hiking in the meantime. Finally, around 2000, they turned to MAC Custom Homes to design and build a summer home situated to take in the sublime views from the top of the wooded ridge. Back then, Northern Michigan’s luxury custom-home scene was in its fledgling stages, but the company, founded by Mike Collings, was already breaking out as a leader.
Eight years later, after deciding to move their family to Northern Michigan full-time, the Norrises once again hired MAC Custom Homes to remodel and expand the house. This time they added two other Northern Michigan design teams to the mix: Mike and Angela Goodall, founders and principals of Kitchen Choreography, and Dorina Rudd of Design Strategies. In 2014 and again in 2018, the couple turned to the same crew for further home refreshes.
Photo by Jason Hulet
The Norrises were more than satisfied with their rustic farmhouse-style home when, on the first cold day of October 2020, Jim lit a fire in the great room hearth that ignited a chimney fire. The couple called the local fire department, and after scouring the home with detectors, firefighters pronounced it safe. Several hours later, however, the smoke alarms began screaming—and the couple opened the bedroom door to find the great room filled with smoke. Looking out the bedroom window, Jim could see the orange glow of the roof burning. The couple, their three dogs and pet bird made it out safely—just hours before the roof collapsed. What turned out to be a seven-alarm fire ruined their home. Not only would the couple need to rebuild with winter coming on, but also they’d have to do it amid the shutdowns and slowdowns of the pandemic.
Photo by Jason Hulet
“It was not the time to build new relationships,” Jan says; they immediately contacted Kitchen Choreography, Design Strategies and MAC Custom Homes for their rebuild. Sadly, Mike Collings had since passed away, but the company is run by his former employees, Executive Builder (and now owner) Joe Colgrove and Executive Assistant Marcy Hurst. As for the other team members, the Goodalls of Kitchen Choreography and Dorina Rudd and her Design Strategies—their résumés brimmed with some of the finest designs in Northern Michigan.
Photo by Jason Hulet
The busy team worked seamlessly together to rebuild the home within the same footprint, but this time with a new classic modern look. Gone was the dark woodwork and rustic peeled beams, and in came the soothing tones of light oak and maple in the flooring, beams and cabinetry, coupled with a leathered granite hearth, soft gray walls and furniture, and pops of citron green upholstery. In the kitchen, marble-veined Cambria countertops, black appliances and a handsome black custom range hood added more contrast. The monochromatic palette is the perfect backdrop for the Norris’ new art collection—one that has been carefully rebuilt since the fire.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about the execution was its efficiency. From top to bottom, the Norris’ new home was ready to move into in 20 months. “They all did an incredible job under very stressful circumstances,” Jan says. “The best part of the rebuild was the quality of craftsmanship, the teams we worked with and most of all: being home again.”
Photo by Jason Hulet
Photo by Jason Hulet
Photo by Jason Hulet