BY JENNIFER LOVY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM HAEFNER

When Clare and Michael Smith (not their real names), decided to build their dream house, the couple had a simple vision: a house that embodied peace and would offer a sense of belonging to the environment they were inhabiting — in their case, 1.4 acres overlooking Gilbert Lake in Bloomfield Hills.

The pair, who are in their 50s and asked to remain anonymous for privacy, spent countless hours scouring the internet and poring over books and magazines searching for inspiration for the design. “We used Pinterest like crazy,” says Michael, who runs a continuing-education business. They finally found their vision online in a mid-century home they called “the reference house” because so many of its features appealed to them, from the clean lines, open spaces, and expansive windows to the simple design, warm materials, and use of colors.

Nearly two years ago, after a building process that took more than a year, (The homeowners worked with Bloomfield Hills architect Lou DesRosiers) the couple moved into the 10,250-square-foot home, the highlight of which is its stunning, and plentiful, lake views: All the rooms, except for two of the bedrooms, face the water. Even the master bathroom features a corner window that peers onto the lake.

“We underestimated the impact living on water would have on our daily state of mind,” says Clare, a public-health professional. One of her favorite perks: watching the sunset over the lake. “There’s not a day that goes by where we don’t look at each other and acknowledge how much we appreciate living here,” she says. “It never gets old.”