"The Vaughan house was designed to appear as if it has been there for years."

FEATURED PROJECT Sally Russell began looking for property to develop in 2001 and found what she was looking for in the three acre corner lot at 730 Vaughan Road in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.  Sally interviewed four architects and chose Bill Baldner of Clifford Wright and Associates.  Working together through the winter of 2001, they developed blueprints and she broke ground in June 2002.  The Vaughan house was designed to appear as if it has been there for years.  On the outside, the use of the staggered butt slate roof, the unique brick work on the chimneys, turret, and rakes, the triple glazed leaded glass windows are all reminiscent of the architecture at nearby Cranbrook.  The enlarged pane of glass in the first floor windows was a signature detail of Wallace Frost, a prominent local architect from the early twentieth century.  On the inside, the walnut and oak floors have been hand scraped and the marble and stone floors have been honed or tumbled to give them that same aged appearance.  In keeping with the authentic effect, wet plaster was applied to the ceilings in the oval foyer, dining room, china pantry, theater and lower level lobby, as well as the underside of the turret stairs and the crown moldings at the foyer balcony.  Real stucco was used in the wine cellar, the porte cochere ceiling, and outside on the dormers. Originally, a 1917 Spanish-style house occupied the lot but unfortunately proved to be beyond repair.  However, there were several elements that were worth saving and were incorporated into the new house.  Among those elements are: Two crystal chandeliers, one located in the china pantry and the other in the dining room Wrought iron balconies flank the windows of the family room fireplace Several pieces of wrought iron have been used in the wine cellar – a chandelier, sconces and gates.  The original front door has been refinished along with a pine cabinet that was once used as a confessional Bull-nosed Pewabic tiles that once served as window sills have now found a new home as sills for the turret windows. The house was designed for not only comfortable everyday living, but also for entertainment. The home features a gourmet kitchen, a lower level refreshment bar with easy access to  the pool, an elevator, exercise room, sauna, steam shower, computer hallway, guest quarters, au pair suite, theater, game room, his and her powder rooms, changing rooms, an outside fountain, hot tub, pool and a heated storage room under the terrace for winter furniture storage.  Early on in the project, Sally moved her wood shop machinery into the five car garage to expedite all the moldings that were to be milled.  Seven species of wood were used throughout the home and include poplar, cherry, walnut, white oak, alder, pine and African mahogany.  Sally’s good friend, Jim Murphy of Interior Carpentry, is responsible for designing and carving the intricate elements found throughout the house.  This unique woodworking has won an award from Detroit Home magazine. The Vaughan house includes the most modern amenities.  Mechanically, there are five boilers that provide radiant heat throughout the house, heat for the pool and spa, snow melt for the auto court, front walk approach, hot tub path and upper terrace.  The house has over thirteen miles of wire and utilizes the Lutron dimming system, a computer-driven programmable electric system.  Fiber optic lighting can be found in the foyer, master bathroom, great room and family room.  There is an integrated sound system throughout the home and outside entertainment areas.  Thanks to a standby gas generator, the house will never be without power.  All the waste and water lines have been insulated for energy efficiency and soundproofing.