The Craftsman-style home of DAADS board members, Frank Edwards and Ann Williams was recently featured in the February 2006 issue of the "Detroit Home" magazine. The article covers the home expansion of this architectural gem located on an acre lot in Royal Oak. "DETROIT HOME" magazine editor Rebecca Powers wrote the article and the beautiful photographs that capture the artistic styling of the home were by photographer Beth Singer.
The article mentions some of the people and firms that helped with the home transformation. Architect Jon Sarkesian of Royal Oak states, "It was such a great house to start with. The original house was beautiful with Craftsman detailing. Frank and Ann are a couple with an appreciation for accurate historic detail. The addition was going to be something that looked like it was part of the original house."
Royal Oak based interior designer Tom Verwest, a DAADS board member, helped with the selection of fabrics, kitchen cabinet materials and paint colors. Verwest said, "I worked with the couple's preference for Arts and Crafts-era furniture but also tried to make everything as timeless as possible." Paint Smart Studio, owned by Leslie Craig, another DAADS board member provided the paint colors and Design Unlimited worked with Verwest (TVI) in supplying the kitchen cabinetry.
The home expansion included an enlarged basement, family room, mudroom, patio with fireplace and
an expanded master suite with a walk-in closet, a sun porch and a full bath. Williams said, "Working
with professionals was new. The first house took so long to do that we prefer having other people
do it right. Part of doing it right
includes having a clear focus."
Edwards said, "We didn't call it
an "addition," we called it an
"expansion."
Both Frank and Ann are DAADS board members. Frank recently gave up an eleven-year stint as treasurer of our society while Ann has remained a board trustee while she devotes much time in raising their two sons, Conor and Devan and operating her freelance graphic design business.
Part of the fun in being a DAADS member is having a chance to visit some remarkable homes and attending some interesting events. The DAADS board met at this classic family home for its February meeting. The board has been invited to meet at other DAADS member's homes in the past. Included were the homes of Tom and Kim Rusinow's in Grosse Pointe Woods; Amy LaBarge and Ron Beeber's home in Dearborn, Rebecca (Binno) and Hal Savage's home in Hamtramck, Kip and Emily Ewing's home in Bloomfield Hills, Lucy and Ron Ortiz's home in Washington Township and Cheryl and Nino Chiuchiarelli's home in Grand Blanc. Meetings at these wonderful homes as well as attending festive events and dining together as a group, are the fun things that DAADS members regularly participate in. If you love Art Deco design and architecture, join the Detroit Area Art Deco Society as a member and even better, volunteer to be on a committee or on the Board of Directors.
