Boathouse + Studio
LITTLE TRAVERSE LAKE BOAT GARAGE
This 500 sq. ft. boat garage, originally built in 1954, was remodeled to function as an art & design studio. The main house is a modest sized ranch so, this renovated living space was a very welcome addition for the owners.
The studio is just 25 feet away from the water of Little Traverse Lake so, of course it makes sense to house the owners’ kayaks and paddle boards there. The open floor plan will also allow for exercise equipment and a small free-standing infrared sauna.
The studio exterior along with that of the main house and a small detached car garage were all painted to coordinate. Dark earthy colors, associated with California Craftsman style bungalows, were used: olive, brown, maroon, grey, and mustard.
The wide, thick exterior cedar trim follows the bungalow theme, too. The new entry door features square stiles and rails characteristic of Craftsman structures. The large verdigris brass Old California light fixture next to the entrance reinforces the motif.
Warm to the bone
To kick off the project, the interior of the building was gutted to the studs and rafters and rewired. So the studio will be useable year-round, the wall cavities and new attic floor were sprayed with energy-efficient foam insulation and a Scandinavian design gas stove will easily heat the space. A second life indoors The owners wanted the interior of the studio to be have the patina and ambience of a rustic Michigan boathouse.
As it turns out, the main resource would be their aging dock, which they salvaged. The dock featured hefty redwood planks measuring 5.5 inch x 1.75 inch x 8 feet. These weathered, sturdy wood and metal pieces deserved a second life indoors, as wainscoting. The steel legs were cutoff flush with the bottom framework of eight dock sections. The sections were sand blasted to remove the peeling paint and debris from the planks. This also removed any remaining paint from the heavy steel frame. The blasting raised the grain of the soft redwood and brought out its natural rosy color. The metal was returned to its raw state and should oxidize over time. Seven dock sections were mounted horizontally over the foundation blocks on three walls in the studio. The underside of the dock is displayed so that the steel hardware is visible.
Roofing on the walls
Jackson Station located the old corrugated roofing, from a disassembled Leelanau barn, for sale in Northport. This salvaged galvanized metal was used to cover the walls just below the ceiling moulding to the top of the wainscoting on three walls and full height on the back wall. The distressed metal complements the warm redwood and ties in with the metal parts of the dock.
Window and door trim
11 more dock sections, matching the original 7 sections, were rescued from an overgrown lot on the opposite side of the lake. The intent of salvaging this dock was to use the redwood for the interior trim, moulding, and bathroom exterior. After the dock was disassembled with a metal grinder/cutter, the 77 redwood planks were ripped in half, revealing the deep red wood inside. The freshly milled 5/8” redwood planks were brushed using a wheel sander. The stiff nylon rotary brush accentuated the grain and enhanced the red shade of the newly exposed portion of the wood. The weathered side took on a subtle sheen, but still retained its timeworn shades of grey and green.
The rust-stained bolt holes and distressed ends of the boards were left intact to carry through with the rustic theme. A clear coat of polyurethane was applied to the brushed sides, which enriched the red even more. The pairs of boards that were created when the wood was ripped were keep together for bookmatching the horizontal and vertical trim. The original dome shaped lag bolts, which had a good layer of rust, were inserted in the old bolt holes. Additional holes were drilled and bolts added to accent the trim and create symmetrical patterns.
A need for light
The original south-facing translucent fiberglass overhead door let a slight glow into the space, but there were no windows in the boat garage. A bank of three new awning windows, with a Craftsman grille pattern, were installed on the east and west sides of the building. The old overhead door was replaced with a new door that, instead of solid panels, has glass panels between the stiles and rails which were painted grey to match the new entry door.
A flamed ceiling
Shou Sugi Ban is a centuries-old Japanese method of using fire to preserve wood. Charring (a.k.a. flaming) seals the wood and gives it an attractive finish while achieving much greater depth than traditional stain would. The owner flamed 4’ x 8’ beaded plywood panels with a propane torch. The tight wood grain retained its natural pine color while the softer/looser grain charred to a deep, rich black. It may remind someone of a dark ominous sky just before a big summer deluge.
Beatiful Concrete Floors
The original concrete floor was ground smooth and a black base coat was used to seal the porous cement slab and foundation blocks. A decorative epoxy metallic stain was applied. The intent was to match the rusty parts of the dock hardware and galvanized panels. Random, organic flows of rusty brown mica in the stain have a watercolor effect. The finish is extremely hard and easy to clean.
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