FENNVILLE, Mi — Over the years, a Michigan lakeside retreat has charmed celebrities with its blend of privacy and luxury.
Listed at $6.75 million by Liz Engel and David Isljamovski of Century 21, the 4-acre estate at 2526 Lakeshore Dr. in Fennville is MLive’s House of the Week. The series showcases distinctive homes from across Michigan every Wednesday.
“The property really has a gamut for the potential buyer. But for somebody looking for privacy and luxury on the lakeshore, this is it,” Isljamovski said. ““It’s been a place that celebrities want to come and get a little reprieve from the everyday stuff.”
The secluded property includes a beautifully “rehabbed” main house, separate guest house and attached pool house, in-ground pool, full-size tennis court and manicured gardens.
“There’s gardens here, gardens there. You can walk to the beach and back. And there’s so many different nooks on the property, so it makes it feel like something out of a film,” Isljamovski added.
The owner drew inspiration from architect Hugh Newell Jacobson’s Buckwater House in Lancaster, Pennsylvania when remodeling the main house, creating what Isljamovski described as a modern Cape Cod-style.
Cedar plank siding wraps the exterior, while the lakeside features floor-to-ceiling windows with multiple sliders opening to a wraparound cedar deck.
“The owner wanted to bring the outside in,” Isljamovski said.
Built in 1941, the 4,755-square-foot main house has five bedrooms and five bathrooms.
Past the entry, visitors are flooded with natural light and lakeside views—a welcome trend throughout the main home. The first floor includes a sitting room, ensuite primary, a second ensuite bedroom.
A large area with vaulted ceilings is central to the home. The refined space includes a living room, dining room and kitchen.
The ensuite primary—simple in design—is its own escape. It features an office or study, large closets and a luxury bathroom with Japanese soaking tub.
“Everything is state of the art,” Isljamovski said. “The bathroom is basically a steam room with all heated floors. It’s like you’re at a spa.”
The primary suite has direct access to the swim spa on the outdoor, wrap-around porch facing the lake.
The second ensuite bedroom contains a secret lofted area in the ceiling. A drop-down ladder, similar to one used for an attic, gives access to the hidden space with veranda.
The private nook isn’t the only feature that delighted the owner’s daughter and her friends. The basement contains a child-sized playhouse that contains a bedroom and bunk room.
“It’s like the nicest dollhouse you’ve ever seen,” Isljamovski said.
As with a Cape Cod-style homes, the upstairs contains two bedrooms flanking a full-size bathroom.
The guest house—also referred to as “The Pool House”— retains more traditional cottage charm with cathedral ceilings and a wood-burning fireplace. Built in 1972, the 1,470-square-foot space includes four bedrooms, five bathrooms and a finished basement with office space and additional sleeping areas.
An attached but separate pool house structure offers a kitchen, bathroom and entertainment space.
The property includes two pools. One traditional pool operates seasonally from May through November. A year-round heated swim spa sits on the back deck facing the lake. A tennis court surrounded by hedges provides additional recreation.
Gardens throughout the property feature native Michigan plants including oriental grasses, blueberries and hydrangeas. The curated areas earned a nomination for the 2024 Saugatuck area garden tour.
The estate sits in Fennville but within minutes of Saugatuck’s restaurants, shops and art galleries. Local wineries and blueberry farms are nearby.
“The Saugatuck area is a really sought-after area,” said Isljamovski, who lived in San Francisco for 20 years and draws similarities between the two areas. “It gives you that sort of not only luxury, but ultra privateness.”
Michigan’s riparian rights mean the 217 feet of beach frontage remains private, preventing public access. The property spans four full acres while many neighboring lakefront parcels have been subdivided into smaller lots.
Short-term rentals are permitted in Fennville, making the property a potential investment for luxury vacation rentals.
See 72 images provided by Kristian Walker Photography by clicking into the gallery above or click here. View the listing of the home here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.mlive.com ’
