Such was the case when Dr. Michael Seitz first saw Young’s
envisioned in thatch—a nod to his native South Africa. Dr. Seitz
former home on 304 Park Avenue. Inspired and intrigued by the
went on to purchase Earl Young’s first home, and one of Northern
stone exterior, he thought the roof was unremarkable. The truth is,
Michigan’s more visionary building projects in recent years was
that roof probably didn’t do much for Young either, given he went
launched.
on to focus on roofs in his designs, making them progressively more
Off came the roof and in came Colin McGee, an English Master
undulating and enchanting. Young once said: “I build a roof, and
Thatcher who spent four months in the frigid winter of 2014–15
shove the houses in underneath ...”
constructing a thatch roof that undulates over the stone walls
On the flight back to his home in Texas, Dr. Seitz sketched ideas
like poured caramel. Working with Way Building Contractors in
for a new roof. Soon after, he made a Lego model and used drawer-
Charlevoix, Dr. Seitz had the home’s interior completely gutted.
lining paper to sculpt a brilliantly complicated new roof that he
Those amazing stone exterior walls still encase the home’s original Northern Home & Cottage
OCT | NOV ‘17
NHC 35