Stepping down the floating stairs, you’re greeted by a dark, moody interior, with ambient light casting across your shoulders as you gaze around the mysterious haven. As you step further in, subtle delights catch your eye: soft, cozy banquettes; architectural light fixtures; and an elegant, floor-to-ceiling wine cellar. This isn’t some luxury hotel lounge, however—it’s a basement reimagined by Momentum Construction + Design with a level of craft and sophistication that feels both unexpected and extraordinary.
Momentum was launched by friends Adam Zylka and Drew Martin, who first met in 2007 through their wives and began collaborating on remodeling projects during the height of the recession. Brad Rowley, a college friend of Zylka’s who joined the company during the COVID-19 pandemic, likes to joke that Momentum was “founded in his basement.” The idea to join forces first took shape back in 2010 while Zylka and Martin were finishing one of their first big projects—Rowley’s basement.
Fifteen years later, that grassroots origin has expanded into one of Ann Arbor’s most trusted construction and design firms, with Zylka overseeing operations and Martin leading field production.
The company’s lead designer, Emily Bastion, first began working with Momentum through her own interior design company, with the team quickly becoming her preferred contractor. After years of collaboration on many shared projects, Bastion eventually shifted into a full-time role at Momentum. “I trusted them and liked working with them,” she says, “It felt very much like I was welcomed into the family. I think it was a really natural transition for me.”
This familial sense extends not only to Momentum’s team, but also the interests of their clients, as the company’s meticulous approach to design can be felt everywhere from home architecture to personalized kitchen islands—-with every detail religiously planned in advance.
“We take into account pretty much every single aspect of how [our clients] live in their home before we even dive into actual space planning,” Bastion says, explaining how she gathers information like daily habits and family size to establish an aesthetic, timeless vision that meets clients’ needs and exists comfortably within the present architecture of their home.
One recent design that highlights Momentum’s craftsmanship and dedication to their clients is the aptly titled “Golf Lounge.” The project transformed an unfinished space in a client’s basement into an elegant multi-level wine lounge and golf simulator. Here, you’ll find a dark, atmospheric retreat fit with plush seating perfect for late game nights, intimate nooks for unwinding with a glass of wine after a long day, an enchanting 17-by-3 wine cellar, and tall, ergonomic bookshelves that—when pivoted—reveal the large, immersive screen that also doubles as a dodgeball simulator for the client’s children.
However, masterworks like these don't just happen overnight. Months of planning go into every project, with the company actively working on six to 10 designs at a time while ensuring their full attention goes into every single facet without exception. At the same time, the leadership at Momentum Construction + Design isn’t looking to radically increase their overall scope. Instead, they value their current place in Ann Arbor’s construction landscape, serving as reliable stewards of detail-driven, client-based designs.
“We’re pretty intentional with our growth,” Zylka says. “We don't want to be the biggest company in Michigan or even Ann Arbor. We want to be the best.”
Learn more at buildwithmomentum.com.
“We don't want to be the biggest company in Michigan or even Ann Arbor. We want to be the best.” — Adam Zylka