• fresh exchange mighigan farmhouse sitting on the back deck with friends
August 2, 2018

Home Tour: The Fresh Exchange’s Michigan Farmhouse

See how two lifestyle bloggers have mastered the art of creating beautiful spaces for others to gather.

After traveling all over the world and living in Raleigh, North Carolina for a few years, lifestyle bloggers Mike and Megan Gilger of The Fresh Exchange felt a pull to move closer to family in Leelanau County, Michigan.

For eight months, the couple sketched house plans, working to find the perfect balance of budget and design. This winter, their sketches came to life as they finally moved into their new home, built in collaboration with Shugart Builders.

Here, we share a behind-the-scenes look at the fresh and unique design of the finished Michigan farmhouse.

fresh exchange mighigan farmhouse picnic on grass in front of house with dog laying by the table

fresh exchange mighigan farmhouse minimalist kitchen interior design all white with black chairs

the fresh exchange megan gilger chopping kale

What inspired the design behind the home?
I had a dream one night that was vivid of building a home on top of a hill back where I was from (Northern Michigan) and it set the course for building the home. We wanted to bring together a very modern/city feeling to a farmhouse that was traditional to the area.

We wanted to make it a welcoming place for family and guests, but feel minimal, relaxing, and embrace the seasons that would unfold on top of the hill here. Light was also a high priority since we have long winters, which is one of the many reasons we went with Pella® 450 Series Wood Window Casements.

tri colored cavalier king Charles spaniel sitting on green couch open concept living room the fresh exchange

blue honeycomb bathroom tile pella 450 series window

We love the tile in your bathroom! What led you to pick this specific color and shape combination?
The bathroom, outside of our kitchen, is hands down my favorite space in our whole home. We wanted a relaxed and simple nature that brought together different colors, textures and patterns into one space while still feeling cohesive, relaxing and timeless. Fireclay Tile helped our vision come to life with beautiful muted, modern and neutral colors.

What is your favorite part about the home now that it’s complete?
So much light is in the home throughout the whole day. Between living on a hill and being positioned facing North and South, the amount of light every time of day and year is unbelievable. The simplicity of the design as well has been the perfect palette for our lives and the gatherings we hold every week or so.

the fresh exchange modern farmhouse sitting on the back deck with friends

Follow The Fresh Exchange and Pella on Instagram for daily home and design inspiration.

This article was written by
Nicolle Picray, Content Marketing & Social Media, Pella Windows & Doors
Nicolle Picray

A self-proclaimed Social Media Geek and DIY aficionado, Nicolle is a member of the Pella Marketing team, focused on content creation and curation. In her free time she can be found pillaging thrift shops for furniture projects, attempting to rationalize with her 4 year old daughter, and editing her husband’s honey-do list.

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