THERE’S A SMALL-TOWN, “Music Man” feel to the Mossburg Building’s charming front elevation—and it did not happen by accident. “More than giving it a particular style, we wanted to design a building that looks like it’s been a part of the fabric of Harbor Springs for years,” says architect Robert B. Sears. “We didn’t want it to look brand new, so we were very careful with the scale of the building, the windows, the doors, and the detailing.”

It’s not just another pretty face in this picturesque resort town. On the ground floor of this hardworking, multipurpose building are offices for the builder/developer; upstairs is where his family of four lives, on two floors. And on the roof is a deck with its own kitchen and killer views of Lake Michigan. “While our family has to make sure that the beds are made every day,” says Robert E. Mossburg, owner of The Cottage Co. of Harbor Springs, “it’s a convenient way for the customers to come upstairs to see some of the details that go into the homes that we build.”

CATEGORY: Live/Work; ENTRANT / BUILDER / DEVELOPER / INTERIOR DESIGNER: The Cottage Co. of Harbor Springs, Harbor Springs, Mich.; ARCHITECT: Sears Architects, Grand Rapids, Mich.; LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Litzenburger Landscape, Harbor Springs