Margaret McCurry's extraordinary career

Chicago architect Margaret McCurry likens architectural design to literature.

Haute Properties: Design with Entertaining in Mind

It’s an age-old problem. People like to watch. Whether for a family gathering, or a corporate soirée, people gravitate toward the kitchen. The challenge for the host is to handle the crowd, get the food to them in timely fashion, and be able to enjoy their own party. “Human beings have, for …

Home owners Doug GeBraad and Jim Fitzmaurice create a peaceful retreat

It was the 1980s. Lovell & Whyte owners Doug GeBraad and Jim Fitzmaurice both had corporate jobs in Chicago. As a sideline, GeBraad began to buy and redesign homes in Southwest Michigan. As he became more involved in that, the two decided to buy a second home in the area.

The lake house: A Nantucket-style home full of charm

"When you're standing at the front door, your eyes are drawn through the house to the lake," says architect Jeff Harting, standing in demonstration at the front door of the two-story Nantucket-style lake house, with its Dutch gambrel roofs, cedar shingles and New York fieldstone.

Elves Antiques celebrates holiday every day of the year

Dave Eppelheimer never intended to leave Christmas decorations up year-round in his Grand Rapids Heritage Hill home, but as his collections of antique ornaments grew, and storage spaces filled, that is what happened.

Elves Antiques celebrates holiday every day of the year

Dave Eppelheimer never intended to leave Christmas decorations up year-round in his Grand Rapids Heritage Hill home, but as his collections of antique ornaments grew, and storage spaces filled, that is what happened. "This tree has been up since 1995," he says, pointing to a full-sized tree …

Long Beach Home Offers Southern Colonial Comfort

Christmas has always been special in the Hamilton home. "I decorate every year," Jan Hamilton says. Perhaps it was a way of creating stability for a family who always seemed on the move. With husband, Bob, in the Marine Corps, the family relocated a lot. In forty years of marriage, the coupl…

Beech Run: Simple Elegance in a Cape Cod

Climbing the stone steps of Beech Run, visitors might think they are entering an earlier time—a time when home features were functional, when a steep roof helped keep snow from accumulating on it, when shutters kept the wind out, when stone fireplaces provided heat and served as stoves and o…

A Home with a View of Grand Mere

Along the western edge of Stevensville, nestled behind the beaches and sand dunes, is a unique series of inland lakes. The area is called Grand Mere. Loved for its natural beauty and its ecological variety, the lush enclave is where Liz and Dave Carlson purchased a second home in 1991.

Blueberry View provides creative retreat

Bookmaker Judith Serling-Sturm paints pages on the studio floor as part of her stay at Blueberry View Artist retreat.

Blueberry View provides creative retreat

Artist Janet Sullivan remembers the artist-in-residence opportunities she enjoyed as a student of Chicago's Art Institute and as an early graduate starting her career. "They were tremendously valuable," she recalls.

Avoiding the dreaded food poisoning

Suddenly, with no warning, you become nauseous. Your body aches, your head throbs. A fever ensues, diarrhea, vomiting. Finally it eases, and within 24 to 48 hours you're your bouncing bubbly self again.

What mood is your color?

Mood rings turn colors to reveal a person's mood, but colors also influence mood. Colors can actually elicit a physiologic response, affecting heart rate and breathing. "A lot of the way we relate to color is subconscious," says Cathi Lloyd, owner of Decorating Den Interiors, a full-service …

The never-ending debate about dogs on the beach

Ready to roll! The four Airedales of Will Schauble and Jason Spohn—plus one belonging to a friend—eagerly await their walk on the bluff overlooking the beach.

The never-ending debate about dogs on the beach

The New Buffalo Beach not only prohibits dogs, but all pets in general.

Warmth and worldly flair define a vast riverside estate

Reminiscent of an Old World country estate, the home of Keek and Bill Bielby sits on six and a half acres atop a bluff overlooking the Galien River. Tall trees abound—as do owls and deer, squirrels, and other wildlife.

The never-ending debate about dogs on the beach

Few things are as sacred to Americans as their pets. Our routines enmeshed, dogs, cats, even birds become virtual members of the family. Many admit it is more difficult to lose a pet than a loved one. Dogs are unique in that they can go places with us. They become invaluable companions. A "b…

The healing properties of mud

Since ancient times, people have recognized the healing properties of the mud surrounding Israel's Dead Sea. Its "salts" are a complex mix of minerals purported to draw toxins from the body and nourish the skin. Folks travel from around the world to soak in the water and bathe in the mud. Ma…

Inaugural fundraiser for the Designers' Guild of SWM

This chair—which was designed and painted by kids at the Boys & Girls Club of Benton Harbor—will be auctioned May 27 at the Opening Night Preview Party of the Inaugural Designers' Guild of Southwest Michigan Garage Sale.

Inaugural fundraiser for the Designers' Guild of SWM

There's a new event in town and it promises to be a hit. The Inaugural Designers' Guild of Southwest Michigan Garage Sale, featuring all-new high-end merchandise at a fraction of retail prices, takes place Memorial Day weekend.

Natural Getaway: A cottage in the woods

The Paw Paw River has always been a major player in Southwest Michigan's development. A highway for native Americans, then fur-traders, it enters Berrien County in the northeast corner, travels west, then drops south and meanders through Benton Harbor, where it joins the St. Joe to empty int…

To tan, or not to tan?

The 21st century finds people confused when it comes to sun exposure. On one side you have tanning bed fanatics and on the other, 30 SPF sunscreen proponents. And then there's the research that finds most of us are deficient in vitamin D. What's the health-conscious body to do?

A premature infant now thrives, thanks to technology and determination

By all accounts, Jake Swallow is a normal 9-year-old. He plays sports, performs well in school, and is a happy child. "He's the most laid-back kid," says his mother, Tiffany Swallow. "He smiles all the time." Jake is lucky. No one would know the health crisis he has overcome. And it all star…

The Storm Before the Calm: Planning Your Honeymoonn

Vows have been taken, toasts have been made, the bouquet thrown. It's time for the bride and groom to get away and spend their first few nights alone together as husband and wife. Whether the honeymoon travel goes smoothly--or turns into a nightmare--hinges in large part on how well it has b…

Long Beach Playhouse

A model freight train speeds past the perfectly scaled Ferris wheel, Citgo station, and other buildings of its mock town. At the helm is homeowner John Leinweber. “I’ll get it going,” he says to his friend and partner of twenty-eight years, Jim Laughlin, as a separate passenger train sticks …

House of Tranquility

Nestled in amongst cottonwoods and beach grass, this Southwest Michigan home provides wondrous views of Lake Michigan, and is a comfortable vacation home for its Chicago-based owner. It was the view, in fact, that sold the owners on the property in the first place. “It was on a winter evenin…