Notable Chicago design firm Soucie Horner, Ltd. takes over a historic Saugatuck, Mich. inn—and reveals a stunning redesign.
The living room features decorative pillows by textile artist Lynda O’Connor.
“We’ve always wanted to own and design a boutique inn,” says Martin Horner, partner at Chicago design firm Soucie Horner, Ltd. So when learning that Saugatuck’s historic Wickwood Inn was coming onto the market in 2021 while Horner was taking an innkeeping class and roadtripping to B&Bs across the Midwest, it was a no-brainer for him and his partner Shea Soucie to take over and usher it into its next era. As Horner says, the timing felt serendipitous.
The inn’s meticulously manicured lawn
Built in 1937 as a home for the mayor of the picturesque lakeside town, the 11-room Colonial revival house is situated in the heart of Saugatuck’s charming downtown. It was the town’s first bed-and-breakfast and a beloved farm-to-table culinary destination for decades, so with much history to build upon, Horner and Soucie had their work cut out for them. “It was important to our team to honor the original architecture,” Horner shares. “We sought to create a soothing, neutral palette that is clean and classic. As a nod to its historic legacy, we used existing antiques and art to fill the walls, giving each room its own unique look and feel.”
In Room No. 2, blue, cream and pale grey hues come together to create a peaceful space inspired by Michigan’s butterflies, flowers and blueberries.
The Soucie Horner, Ltd. team redesigned the inn from the group up—literally. “We started the process of [designing] each room by selecting a specific rug from our SHIIR Rugs line that complemented each space,” says Horner. “We used that as the foundation, and then drew style inspiration from the rugs to curate the design of the rest of the room.” Along with custom wool and silk hand embroidered SHIIR Rugs, sleek Waterworks fixtures, silk Cowtan & Tout drapery, plush Vispring mattresses from The Luxury Bed Collection and handcrafted Matouk bed linens and bath towels create a carefully curated comfort throughout the property. And their efforts are already garnering widespread attention: Wickwood Inn was recently named one of the 10 best bed-and-breakfasts in the country by USA Today.
Estate Suite No. 11, which is flooded with natural light and appointed with charming antiques, is one of the most popular accommodations.
Lucky for guests, many of the artifacts, artworks and furnishings are shoppable. The space doubles as a living showroom, so guests don’t have to leave the Soucie Horner, Ltd. brilliance behind after checkout. “Owning a distinctive, design-forward inn in the charming town of Saugatuck is a natural extension of our brand,” Horner says. “It aligns perfectly with the lifestyles of our clientele.” 510 Butler St., Saugatuck, Mich.
Each guest room is equipped with a renovated bathroom and Matouk bath linens.
Photography by: PHOTOS BY DUSTIN HALLECK
