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Pool house with a simple gabled form and sliding doors opening to a relaxed lounge, anchored by the pool and surrounded by wooded landscape in Harbor Country, Southwest Michigan, Pure Michigaas by Jaffe Architecture

Pure Michigaas

Harbert, Michigan

Light-filled mudroom with shiplap walls, a sculptural wood bench, and warm modern detailing in Pure Michigaas by Jaffe Architecture
Minimal powder room featuring an integrated stone basin, soft textures, and a restrained, modern material palette in Pure Michigaas by Jaffe Architecture

Materials were chosen with intention—resilient enough to stand up to daily life, and refined enough to age with beauty. Thermally modified wood siding clads the main house and the pool house, bringing warmth, texture, and durability to the exterior. Clean details like trimless edges, mitered corners, and aluminum accents prioritize material integrity and honor simplicity. 

Pure Michigaas great room with expansive glass walls, a modern fireplace, and a central gathering space in a vacation home in Harbert, Michigan by Jaffe Architecture
Pure Michigaas great room with warm modern interiors designed for ease and everyday living in Harbert, Michigan by Chicago architect Lisa Jaffe of Jaffe Architecture.

“Lisa has impeccable taste and was tireless in sourcing and acquiring materials. I would not hesitate to recommend Lisa and her staff for architectural and interior design services.”

Pure Michigaas great room with expansive glass walls capturing views of the wooded four-acre site in Harbert, Michigan by Jaffe Architecture
Pure Michigaas kitchen designed for intentional, everyday living with a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces in Harbert, Michigan by Jaffe Architecture

“They are rigorous about every detail and set high standards for the individuals who provide materials and ultimately construct the space. Jaffe Architecture is tireless in their quest to do the very best for the client.”

Pure Michigaas kitchen by Jaffe Architecture with expansive windows framing wooded views, bringing in natural light while supporting everyday living and function through a clean, highly usable layout in Harbert, Michigan
Pure Michigaas great room sliding doors by Jaffe Architecture opening to the landscape, creating a seamless connection between interior spaces and the surrounding wooded site in Harbor Country
Pure Michigaas by Jaffe Architecture featuring a pool house that doubles as a screened porch, with warm wood cladding, sliding doors, and a relaxed indoor-outdoor gathering space designed for easy entertaining in Southwest Michigan
Pure Michigaas guest bedroom by Jaffe Architecture in Harbor Country, Southwest Michigan, designed for a multigenerational retreat with a warm modern palette, soft textures, and large windows framing wooded views to support rest, reconnection, and relaxation.
Pure Michigaas by Jaffe Architecture featuring a built-in daybed and reading nook with integrated bookshelves, designed for lounging or accommodating extra guests— a thoughtful detail that adds flexibility for owners in this Harbor Country, Southwest Michigan retreat

Through the use of retractable screens, the heart of the home easily transforms into a screened lounge, the go-to gathering place. Oversized glass doors open to the herb garden, outdoor kitchen, and pool. Designed for ease and togetherness, this is a lakeside escape where every generation can find their place—and return to it again and again. 

Pure Michigaas by Jaffe Architecture featuring an outdoor kitchen in a modern farmhouse setting, with durable, low-maintenance materials designed for ease, anchored by a wood-burning grill and set alongside the home’s warm, natural palette in Harbor Country, Southwest Michigan
A modern vacation home in Harbor Country, Southwest Michigan, composed of connected gabled forms set on four wooded acres, with a pool and expansive glazing that reinforces the home’s connection to the landscape, Pure Michigaas by Chicago architect Lisa Jaffe of Jaffe Architecture.

Rather than following a formula, this house reflects our perspective on the modern farmhouse: pared back, grounded, and guided by the land.

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Situated on four wooded acres in Harbor Country, this multigenerational retreat embraces the natural rhythm of the
land, welcoming extended family and friends to gather, relax, and recharge. The clients envisioned a second home
that felt rooted yet flexible, designed for connection across generations and seasons. Jaffe Architecture responded with a low-maintenance, high-comfort getaway where flow, flexibility, and joy take center stage.

 

Inspired by the rustic charm of local barns, the architectural design unfolds as two gabled volumes joined by a
central connector: an approach grounded in regional vernacular and modern design principles. Living areas extend
outward to include the main house, a pool pavilion with the pool just beyond, and a screened porch that opens fully
to the surrounding landscape. Strategically placed windows invite natural light from east to west, enabling cross-
ventilation and curated woodland views that enhance both sustainability and comfort.

Light-filled mudroom in Pure Michigaas by Jaffe Architecture with natural wood paneling, built-in storage, and warm modern detailing
Exterior detail of Thermory Benchmark Pine siding with clean modern detailing and precise corner joinery in Pure Michigaas by Jaffe Architecture
Gravel entry path leading to the main entrance of a modern retreat in Harbor Country, Southwest Michigan, with gabled forms in Pure Michigaas by Chicago architect Lisa Jaffe of Jaffe Architecture.
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