A 'mushroom home' with a whimsical thatch roof is on the market in Michigan for $4.5 million, and the owner is sharing the story behind how it was built — check it out

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Amanda GohAug 31, 2022, 10:12 IST
A 'mushroom home' with a whimsical thatch roof is on the market in Michigan for $4.5 million, and the owner is sharing the story behind how it was built — check it out

The exterior of the Thatch House.Michael Seitz

  • Michael Seitz spent three years renovating a 1918 "mushroom house" in Charlevoix, Michigan.
  • He wanted to create a wavy, fairytale-like roof and sketched out the design on a paper napkin.
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Michael Seitz spent three years renovating a 1918 stone cottage in Charlevoix, Michigan. Known as "The Thatch House" due to its roof, he's now listing the home for $4.5 million.

Michael Seitz spent three years renovating a 1918 stone cottage in Charlevoix, Michigan. Known as "The Thatch House" due to its roof, he's now listing the home for $4.5 million.
The exterior of the mushroom house, also known as the Thatch House.Michael Seitz

The house was originally constructed by famous local builder Earl Young, who was known for his whimsical, fairytale-like stone cottages that have been referred to as "mushroom houses," and even "Hobbit homes."

Located on 304 Park Avenue, the Thatch House was where Young lived up until the late 1940s with his wife and their children, per the Charlevoix Earl Young District report.

"This happened to be the house that Young built for himself when he was 20," Seitz, a mechanical engineer, told Insider.

This is the first time that Seitz is putting the house up for sale since he bought it in 2013, per listing records.

Houses in Charlevoix, which is near the northern tip of Michigan, have a median listing home price of $399,900, per data from real-estate platform Realtor.com. There are currently 45 single-family homes in the area for sale, with prices that range from $79,900 to $4.5 million — making the Thatch House the most expensive listing in the neighborhood.

Nate Granata from Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan holds the listing.

However, the property didn't always have its thatch roof: Before Seitz renovated the home, the original roof was made of asphalt shingles.

However, the property didn't always have its thatch roof: Before Seitz renovated the home, the original roof was made of asphalt shingles.
The house had a dramatically different roof when Seitz first purchased it.Michael Seitz

Although Young was known for his mushroom houses, he did not design this property in the same style, Seitz said: "It had a totally different roof, and it was really a normal house of the 1920s."

Seitz decided to completely remodel the roof by making it wavy, "like a floppy hat," he said. Material-wise, he drew inspiration from the thatched houses of Cape Dutch in South Africa where he's from.

It helped that the house was located near where Young built his collection of mushroom houses, Seitz said.

"I come along from South Africa, with my almost-identical style, and I had this vision of what I was going to do because of all the houses in the surrounding. I thought, 'What a perfect place to put my art,'" he said. "If I'm a classical pianist, and other people are playing with the piano, that's where I'm going to go."

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On the plane ride to Houston, Texas, where he lives, Seitz said he couldn't get the house out of his mind — and ended up sketching his ideas on a napkin.

On the plane ride to Houston, Texas, where he lives, Seitz said he couldn't get the house out of his mind — and ended up sketching his ideas on a napkin.
A scan of an early sketch that Seitz made for his redesign of the house.Michael Seitz

Using the measurements he took when he first viewed the house, Seitz thought about what he wanted to change — including the interiors.

"I could see the house in my head and my first instinct was to try and draw it. We were flying back from a vacation and I was drawing on the plane on a napkin," he said.

When he got back, Seitz even built a model of his redesigned house using a Lego set, some sticks, and other materials that he found.

When he got back, Seitz even built a model of his redesigned house using a Lego set, some sticks, and other materials that he found.
A model of the Thatch House that Seitz built using Lego and other materials he found around the house.Michael Seitz

His then-wife couldn't understand what he was trying to create and told him to forget about the idea, but Seitz refused.

"I built a model of the house right there and then to show everybody how the roof was going to look," he said.

Once the model was completed, Seitz knew immediately that he was going to buy the house — and he did.

"I quickly bought the house for cash. I didn't do inspections. I just went to them and said 'I'm buying this place,'" he said.

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During the renovations, Seitz removed the old roof but kept the original stone exteriors that Young had built.

During the renovations, Seitz removed the old roof but kept the original stone exteriors that Young had built.
Seitz had the old shingle roof completely torn down.Michael Seitz

The material used to create the roof was imported from Europe and thatched by hand by a local craftsman.

"It's a natural reed," he said. "It's very durable, it can last 60, 70, even 80 years."

Apart from keeping the house insulated, reed is easy to work with and can be molded into different shapes, he added. This meant that Seitz was able to create the gently sloping design that he wanted for the roof.

On the inside, Seitz wanted an open-plan layout and created a medieval theme using stone and wooden furniture.

On the inside, Seitz wanted an open-plan layout and created a medieval theme using stone and wooden furniture.
The interiors have an open floor plan.Michael Seitz

Before the renovation, there was hardly any stone work inside the house at all, Seitz said. He had to get a local stonemason to add the rocks to the interior walls to achieve the effect he wanted.

"Some of the rocks I had to buy, but most of it I found buried on the property as waste rock," Seitz said.

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Seitz estimates that he spent almost $2.6 million on the renovations.

Seitz estimates that he spent almost $2.6 million on the renovations.
The dining area.Michael Seitz

Almost everything inside the house was made by hand — right down to the solid pine doors, which are of different sizes, Seitz said.

"Normally everything's done exactly the same because you're going to put Home Depot doors," Seitz said. "So if the doors are one or two inches out, it increases the feeling that they're slightly off, because I wanted to make sure that they didn't look like they were pre-constructed."

Even the wood on the staircases has been rubbed with dirt and made to look old, Seitz said.

Even the wood on the staircases has been rubbed with dirt and made to look old, Seitz said.
One of the living areas in the Thatch House.Michael Seitz

The slabs of dirtied wood were then covered in a layer of wax to achieve an aged effect, he said.

"I just love the old, rustic, romantic look, with lots of fireplaces and big timbers — the way the house is now," Seitz added.

Despite living in a different state, he made it a point to oversee the entire renovation through FaceTime with the contractors. He even flew in once a month to check in on the progress in person, he added.

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There are seven bedrooms in the house, and Seitz is currently using the place as a vacation rental.

There are seven bedrooms in the house, and Seitz is currently using the place as a vacation rental.
One of the seven bedrooms in the house.Michael Seitz

The entire house is available for rent, but rates vary depending on the season. Prices start from $1,100 per night for weeknights but can fall between $1,300 and $1,900 on weekends, per Seitz's website.

Despite that, Seitz says he didn't build the Thatch House to be a rental property but had to turn it into a business due to the high costs he's incurred.

Despite that, Seitz says he didn't build the Thatch House to be a rental property but had to turn it into a business due to the high costs he's incurred.
One of the seven bathrooms in the Thatch House.Michael Seitz

His financial situation also changed after going through a divorce, Seitz said.

"Suddenly I really can't afford to have this house, and so it went on to the rental market as an afterthought," he added. "I'm not particularly wealthy, so I need it to earn its own keep."

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Although the house is on the market, Seitz is not in a rush to sell it. He's aware that it's an expensive property with a design that's not suited to everyone's taste.

Although the house is on the market, Seitz is not in a rush to sell it. He's aware that it's an expensive property with a design that's not suited to everyone's taste.
Seitz sitting in front of the Thatch House.Michael Seitz

Whoever purchases the Thatch House is likely to be someone who has the financial means to upkeep it either as a primary residence or even a vacation home, he said.

"This is art, and not everybody wants to buy art. A very expensive painting or something valuable can be on the market for 10 years before the right person comes along," Seitz said. "If it sells this year, next year, or in 20 years' time, I don't care. Maybe my kids will get it."

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