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michigandesign.com
I nterior designers are among the
privileged few able to witness a
project as it morphs from caterpillar
to chrysalis to butterfly.
In the case of and
principals of design
firm the spectacular three-
story, 5,000-square-foot penthouse they
designed in downtown Detroit’s restored
Westin Book Cadillac couldn’t have had
more unglamorous beginnings – or such
stunning results.
“It truly was a blank
canvas.”
“This space had been the mechanical
tower, so it had never been a residence,”
Nelson explains. “Someone had started
to make it into a residence, but it was far
from complete; it was just pure studded
walls. The stairs weren’t finished.
There was no HVAC, no plumbing, no
electrical. It truly was a blank canvas.”
In collaboration with Detroit-based
Integrity Building Group, the project
gained momentum, though it took
about 18 months to complete. Originally
erected as the Book-Cadillac Hotel,
the building today is home to a hotel,
condos, and the popular Roast and 24
Grille restaurants. It’s a thriving spot
now, but the imposing structure on
Washington Boulevard and Michigan
Avenue was revived from near extinction
after being shuttered in 1984.
The kitchen’s most striking attribute is the
impressive black marble island. The 12-foot
slab had to be cut down the middle and
transported up the freight elevator. Marble:
Chandelier:
TOP RIGHT | Breathtaking views of Detroit’s
skyline can be enhanced with the assistance of
a telescope on a stand in a corner of the great
room. The abstract painting is by Jan Dorer.
Sconces: City Lights Detroit, Suite 98.