estled on three acres of rolling terrain
near Cranbrook in Bloomfield Hills is a
1925 Wallace Frost home. "As soon as we
saw the outside of the house, we wanted it,"
said the owner. The slate roof, copper gut-
ters, ivy, limestone trim and gazebo in the back
make a lasting and inviting impression.
Architect Wallace Frost designed 25 homes
in the Bloomfield area and at least 45 in Bir-
mingham, according to Wallace Frost: His
Architecture in Birmingham, Michigan pub-
lished by the city's Historic District and De-
sign Review Commission, available at the
Baldwin Public library. When Wallace Frost
homes go on the market, many are sold by
word-of-mouth. At the library there is a long
waiting list to check out this Wallace Frost
book or see the reference copy.
The Weir, Manuel, Snyder and Ranke real
estate firm in Birmingham has sold several
Wallace Frost homes over the years. "The
fact that they are Wallace Frost homes gives
them a premium," said Mark Thomas, presi-
dent of Weir, Manuel, Snyder and Ranke.
"There is something special, more interest-
ing, more charming and something of a pedi-
gree in a Wallace Frost home."
The late Mr. Frost studied architecture at
the University of Pennsylvania with French
professor Paul Cret During World War I, Mr.
Frost was an architect and met Albert Kahn
who was a government consultant After the
war, he came to Detroit to work with Mr. Kahn
in his architectural firm.
Many Frost homes have European influ-
ences. Some of the common Frost traits in-
clude: several windows, high ceilings,
interesting roof lines, interior archways, lime-
stone exterior trim and multiple fireplaces.
The Frost home near Cranbrook has an Eng-
lish design, like many of the homes built in
the 1920s near Cranbrook.
The current owners of this home are the
third occupants. They have lived there for 17
years, and this is their second remodeling with
interior designer Susan Winton Feinberg
ASID of Walter Herz. The first renovation in-
cluded adding air conditioning and updating
the plumbing and electrical systems.
The husband prefers contemporary styles,
while the wife likes a classic look. The cou-
ple chose a contemporary look for the living
room and more traditional design for the li-
brary and dining room 17 years ago. In the
`70s, silver foil wallpaper and steel and chrome
furniture were de rigueur. The green velvet
couches complemented the glass tables.
"We painted right over the wallpaper for the
second renovation," said Ms. Feinberg. The
couple plans to recycle some of the '70s fur-
niture by using it in their Florida home.
"We decided that the home is traditional
and everything should be more traditional. I
really like it better," said the owner. The cou-
N
A Jean Paul Riopelle oil painting accents the hunter green seating area.
The owners reupholstered the furniture in this den that was furnished 17 years ago.