Home + Design

Coming Home to Individuality

At Esquire Interiors, this year's biggest design trend is personality over uniformity Article by Lindsey Dodge After a decade of staged minimalism—spaces that looked pristine but somehow all felt the same—homeowners are craving something warmer in 2026: rooms with personality, texture, and evidence of real life. “You can only do so many shades of white, khaki, or beige before we’re all living in the same home,” says Amanda Barron, marketing director at Esquire Interiors, the family-run Ann...

Event Planning + Services

The Art of Celebration

The Vanguard brings approachable, sophisticated hospitality and elevated event design to Ann Arbor Article by Emily Klimas At The Vanguard, the celebration doesn’t begin with the first toast, the opening slide of a presentation, or the first bite. It begins the moment you enter the building and your eyes begin to feast on the rich design details. A magnifying glass rests atop the  Cyclopedia of Michigan . Blue-tinted china hangs above the fireplace. Greenery spills from the ceiling in the...

Life + Culture

Only in Ann Arbor

Get to know John Downing, the handyman with a PhD Article by John Downing Grad Student Transplant My wife and I grew up west of the Rocky Mountains. After completing our bachelor’s degrees, I was accepted into the PhD program in the Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences Department at the University of Michigan.   Setting Up Shop While pursuing my degrees, I picked up extra work as a handyman. I've always enjoyed fixing things and working with my hands. One referral led to...

Home + Design

A Place Called Home

HouseN2Home turns empty spaces into homes for veterans, families, and others finding stability after homelessness Article by Maria Karpiel | Photography by Stacy Anderson and Provided “That’s not going to be the story this time.”   That was the thought that ran through Ruth Ann Logue’s mind over and over again.   She had just finished a conversation with someone she knew. Someone who had seen hard times before. A single mother with three young children who, due to a family tragedy, had...

Home + Design

Listening to the House

An award-winning remodel reveals Rochman Design-Build’s trust-driven, design-led approach to reimagining older Ann Arbor homes Article by Maria Karpiel | Photography by ERI Creative and Stacy Anderson When Gary Rochman first walked up to the 1956 brick ranch in Ann Arbor Hills, he saw a home emblematic of its era—solidly built, thoughtfully proportioned, and set within a neighborhood that had only grown more desirable over time. Like many mid-century homes in Ann Arbor, it reflected a period...

Home Services

Reimagined by Design

In the town where the Huron winds and weaves, Under the shade of the Michigan leaves, A client’s vision awakens from sleep— “A dream they entrust us to nourish and keep”. It starts with a sketch, a spark, a "What if?" Before the first hammer or the heavy lift. From the Rochman mind to the craftsman’s hand, We build the dreams that your heart has planned.It began with a man and a singular aim, Before the awards and the local acclaim. Gary saw more than just lumber and grit; He saw how a life in a...

Home Services

Designed with Love

When it comes to high-end remodeling, a space doesn’t always need to make a grand statement to have a lasting impact. In fact, some of the most powerful transformations happen in the smallest, most intentional corners of the home—the places where love lives in the everyday.For the February issue of Ann Arbor City Lifestyle, we are exploring the emotional side of design through a recent major remodel on Dobson Place. This project beautifully illustrates how a home can evolve alongside a family...

Arts + Culture

The Next 100 Years

Ann Arbor’s iconic Michigan and State Theaters evolve to champion a new era of creativity and community Article by Maria Karpiel | Photography by A. J. Saulsberry and Stacy Anderson It takes just one Google image search of “Ann Arbor” to see it—the glowing marquees of the Michigan and State Theaters, splashed across the screen like the city’s own calling card. And it makes perfect sense. At 98 years young, these beloved venues are stitched into Ann Arbor’s cultural DNA.   But according to...

Life + Culture

Building Community

Realtor—and ultimate townie—Ariel Hurwitz-Greene sees Ann Arbor as a place worth investing in emotionally, not just financially Article by Lindsey Dodge | Photography by Stacy Anderson When Ariel Hurwitz-Greene of @properties REMI Christie's International Real Estate talks about Ann Arbor, she doesn’t start with housing trends or market forecasts. She starts with people. “Real estate is a big investment, but it’s also a big life choice,” she says. “I want people to feel rooted here.”   A...

Home + Design

A Legacy of Trust

Chelsea Lumber Co. is shaping its future on a foundation of trust, service, and a willingness to grow Article by Maria Karpiel | Photography by Meg Dula There’s something unmistakable in John Daniels’ voice when you hear his radio ad for Chelsea Lumber Co.—a warmth, a steadiness, a sense of trust. But if you have the chance to talk with him, in person, you realize it’s not just an ad. This is a man—along with his team—who knows what he’s doing. That’s no surprise for a business that’s been...