Saverio and Kerry met at the grand opening of a friend’s art gallery in downtown Detroit and eight years later, they still live in the city of Detroit, now with their two sons. They consider themselves incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to live in a historically designated townhome, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

Kerry is a serial entrepreneur that has created online resources for young professionals, After 5 Detroit, and now families, LittleGuide Detroit, which highlight the fun and vibrant lifestyle throughout the city of Detroit and beyond. Saverio is a third-generation cement mason and contractor, who transitioned his expertise in the housing industry to become one of the top performing realtors throughout the Metro Detroit area.

My Style: Mid-century modern with raw finishes.

Inspiration: Living in an original Mies van der Rohe property, we draw an immense amount of inspiration from his design, layout, and “less is more” mentality.

Favorite Element: Two of our four walls throughout the entire house are all glass. We love the natural light that fills the home and the connection to the park and nature outside of our windows.

Biggest Challenge: In true Mies “less is more” style, there is a lack of storage throughout the home.

What Friends Say: Our friends and neighbors always ask how we keep our house so clean. We are minimalists at heart, but with two kids, we have to work hard to keep our house clean. We finished our basement so that we could have a designated space for a playroom, storage, etc., which helps keep our first floor clean. I also have a small obsession with my Dyson handheld vacuum (Animal). With a sand playground directly outside our door, it’s so handy to be able to quickly vacuum up everything the boys trek into the house.

Biggest Embarrassment: When you live in a glass house, you have to quickly come to terms with everyone being able to see EVERYTHING inside your house.

Proudest DIY: The original railings around the stairs only offered a small handrail and mid-bar, leaving about 1.5 feet open, which is a complete hazard for small children. We needed to create a safe, but design-friendly solution for the railings and for the stairs. Instead of store-bought baby gates, we designed and fabricated our own baby gates and railings that fit seamlessly with Mies Van der Rohe’s original design, but now meets today’s safety codes and regulations.

Biggest Indulgence: Artwork and furniture. With clean white walls, it’s hard not to indulge in incredible art. We also invested in an original Mies Van der Rohe Barcelona Table as the centerpiece in our living room.

Best Advice: Take your time living in your home and finding the right pieces for each room. It’s so tempting to want to decorate your house the minute you move in, but some of our favorite rooms have taken years to complete.

Dream Sources: Design Magazines, like Dwell, online resources like Apartment Therapy and Houzz, and of course, endless hours of watching HGTV.

• Benjamins Moore Decorator White 

• Art by Matt Eaton
• Nelson Bench

• Sofa: Dwell Studio with West Elm pillows and throw. 
• Bertoia Diamond Chairs from Knoll
• Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Table
• Plant — Bloomscape
• Original Plycraft lounge chair 
• Side tables — CB2
• Custom made Rug
• Floor lamp — Houzzt  
• Wood panel from Hense
• Adrian Faulker 
• Le Shoppe, Keego Harbor, Michigan

• Chairs – France & Son
• Table Custom marble slap on Room and Board table frame
• Chairs — France & Son
• Art – Ellen Rutt and Kelsey Brooks 
• Kitchen designed by Patrick Thompson Design

• Master Bed – West Elm Mid-Century line
• Original Bertoia Chair – Resale shop 
• Custom closets — Clever Closets and designed by Saverio 

• Kohler fixtures and steam shower with ceramic tile. 
• Custom Heating Vents — Kul Grills

Thanks Kerry and Saverio!

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