HOUSE BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

When a leading custom homebuilder, DeHaan Homes, and the award winning architectural firm of Visbeen Associates set out to build a neighborhood near a historical district of East Grand Rapids, Michigan, their collective goals were to create a unique new community of classic homes, yet capture the look and feel of the neighboring historical estates. As fourth-generation builders and architects, Douglas DeHaan, owner of DeHaan Homes Inc, and Wayne Visbeen, owner and lead architect of Visbeen Associates Inc, turned back the clock to design and build vintage homes of their grandfathers’ era.



THE CHALLENGE:

Douglas DeHaan and Wayne Visbeen wanted to stay true to the architectural styling of Victorian era for this client in their development while designing this home. Initially, the design team looked to integrate today’s technology, integrate energy efficiency and use updated exterior products that were maintenance free as possible, a criteria for many of their clients. The challenge originated in finding a current, architecturally correct alternative to natural products that were historically correct and used to build Victorian styled homes,. Despite some initial pushback, Douglas DeHaan challenged longtime practices of cedar and redwood, and suggested the use of vinyl products that had historical respect. According to Douglas, using j-channels and trim pieces with vinyl siding, do not represent the look of natural wood. Our grandfather wouldn’t of used F-channels, so our mission was to use them, but conceal them. The key to the success of this project and design was to carefully conceal the vinyl trims which upon completion created the feel of a historical wood sided home.



WHY MASTIC HOME EXTERIORS?

According to DeHaan, the company looked into all manufacturers that had products with historical character. They wanted something that could provide a durable, low maintenance, historically accurate exterior without sacrificing style or architectural significance. The goal was to select products that achieved the look of real cedar and real cedar shakes – minus the hassles and cost to maintain a real wood exterior. In the end, Mastic Home Exteriors by Ply Gem offered the best products with a historically accurate appeal, in a modern setting, at a great value. Plus, as a longtime Mastic Home Exteriors customer, DeHaan has never had a service issue with the company.



THE RESULT:

“Between the color, the use of materials and how we applied them to the home, it has a very architectural, historical feel,” said DeHaan. Another local builder was working on a new development in the historical district of East Grand Rapids and heard about the DeHaan home. He wanted to show the historical society, who was extremely opposed to working with vinyl, a great example of a historically built home using non-natural material so he brought them over to see the house in person. They were blown away by the results and all agreed that the home was not only beautiful, but also architecturally correct with the historical character preserved.



Home details:

• 6,400 square feet 5 bedrooms,

• 4.5 baths

• Turret has elevated sitting area outside of the master bedroom – “parents retreat”

• Master bedroom has his and hers closets, full bath and laundry area

• The home was designed with a contemporary, open floor plan for the downstairs and a compartmentalized upstairs, which is more traditional to Victorian homes

• The owners have three young children so they designed the lower level of the home with space for their children to use as they grow – for sleepovers, group meetings, a game room, etc. The space can also be used for guests.

• DeHaan Homes created a scrapbooking room with drawer storage, high countertops for standing, an island on rollers, and hidden door storage

• To build the home, DeHaan used Mastic Home Exteriors by Ply Gem vinyl siding products in half-round, perfection shingle and triple 3” smooth profile styles