Home Services

A Legacy of Craftsmanship on Morton Ave

In the historic neighborhoods of Ann Arbor, homes often carry stories that span generations. For one residence in Burns Park, that story has a unique recurring theme: a partnership with Rochman Design Build that spans two different families.Having completed two significant projects for the home’s previous owners, the team was invited back by the new family to write the next chapter. This deep familiarity with the home’s "bones" allowed for a kitchen addition that feels less like a renovation and...

Life + Culture

When the People Make the Place

The quiet leadership behind Sesi Motor’s enduring legacy Article by Maria Karpiel | Photography by Stacy Anderson Walk inside the doors, and you’ll feel it. Talk to someone who works there, and you’ll experience it. Ask someone who purchased a car there, and you’ll hear it.   Things are different at Sesi Lincoln, Mazda, and Volvo.   Not louder. Not flashier. Just more deliberate and intentional. Nearly 80 years after opening as one of the original Lincoln-Mercury dealerships—backed by...

Life + Culture

Hold Them Close

Ronald McDonald House Charities Ann Arbor ensures families are never far from their hospitalized children Article by Emily Klimas Picture this: it’s late within the hospital walls. Children feel the anxiety of nightfall—not of sleep, but of separation. Of watching parents leave amidst the unknown. Of leaving a sibling behind in the hospital. A family with an infant hospitalized at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital huddles beside two LED lamps. They carry one lamp to the window and their toddler...

Life + Culture

Small-Town Charm, Big-City Energy

Ashley Schafer of the Main Street Area Association connects downtown with the community Article by Ashley Schafer Vibrant. Welcoming. Connected. As Executive Director of the Main Street Area Association, I work to keep Downtown Ann Arbor vibrant, welcoming, and connected. From signature events to business advocacy, my role focuses on supporting local merchants while creating experiences that bring the community together year-round.   Creating Experiences on Main Street From Galentine’s...

Arts + Culture

Center Stage

Shining a spotlight on Midwestern stories, talent, and voices with Jeff Daniels and The Purple Rose Theatre Company Article by Rebecca Voigt A theater is so much more than a building. It’s a home for artistic exploration, a place where old friends and strangers come together for a communal experience that’s new every time the house lights dim and the curtain rises. It’s a place that transports audiences to a different world through the story unfolding onstage. A place to laugh, cry—and learn...

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...