Kitchen Remodeling in Whitmore Lake, MI

Three-season cottages turned year-round on the US-23 lake

The houses ringing the lake range from small 1920s to 1950s cottages to newer homes built on cleared lots. The cottages share a pattern. Kitchens sit in what was once a back porch or a lean-to, ceilings are low, and the floor framing beneath is often shallow, so moving a sink across the room means planning the drain path before anything else. Exterior walls were thin when built, and a sink on a north wall is a frozen-pipe risk during a Michigan cold snap.

The other pull is the view. Owners want windows facing the water, which removes the wall where upper cabinets normally go. We answer that with tall pantry cabinets on an interior wall, deep drawers in place of base doors, and an island that holds dishes and gives guests a place to stand without crowding the cook.

The cottage stock has a long history behind it. Northfield Township lists the lake at about 667 acres, and it drew summer visitors from the mid-1800s on, after the settlement's post office took the name Whitmore Lake in 1854. Resort hotels gave way to private cottages, and the narrow lots they left behind explain why so many lakeside kitchens are tight, with neighbors close on both sides and little room to build out.

Kitchen remodeling in Whitmore Lake for cottages and new lake houses

Lake House Kitchen RemodelOur lake house kitchen remodel work starts from the view: which wall faces the water, and what storage has to move elsewhere so it stays open. On a lot that drops toward the shore, the walkout level often gets a second, smaller kitchen too.Kitchen RemodelingA full kitchen remodeling project suits cottages being rebuilt for year-round living, where plumbing, insulation and layout all change together. Sequencing matters there: drain paths and wall insulation are settled on paper before a single cabinet is ordered.Kitchen DesignStandalone kitchen design helps owners who are building new on a teardown lot and already have a builder lined up. Nick's drawings give the builder exact appliance openings, plumbing locations and lighting before framing starts.Kitchen CabinetsCottage rooms rarely come in standard widths, so cabinets made to fit save inches that stock boxes waste. In a lean-to kitchen with a sloped ceiling, those inches decide whether you get a pantry or just another filler.Kitchen CountertopsCountertops for a lake kitchen have to shrug off wet swimsuits and sunscreen; we steer toward low-maintenance quartz or sealed stone. Edges get eased rather than sharp, because wet hands and kids in life jackets pass the island all summer.Pantry & Cabinet StorageWhen the lake wall loses its uppers, pantry storage on an interior wall takes over: roll-outs for groceries a full-time household buys, plus a bin for paper plates and dock-day coolers.Whole-Home & Interior RemodelingHome remodeling picks up the mudroom by the lake door, where towels, boots and life jackets need a home, and the laundry that a summer of swimming keeps running.

Seven miles from Pinckney: how a Whitmore Lake design comes together

1. 1

   Walk the cottage together

   Nick visits the house for an interview-style consultation, looks at the crawlspace or basement under the kitchen, and measures.

2. 2

   Start design on retainer

   A design retainer covers floor plans, layout options, 3D views of the lake wall, elevations and installation drawings, ending with pricing.

3. 3

   Pick finishes at home

   Counters, faucets, tile, lighting and hardware are selected with Nick by the hour or under one package fee, samples in hand.

4. 4

   Cabinetry ordered

   A purchase agreement lets Kitchen NV order cabinets and materials, timed so deliveries avoid the busy summer months if you prefer.

5. 5

   Partners build, Nick checks

   Partner contractors do the construction; Nick stays involved through the install.