The Michigan House

10/30/2026

🌳 The Shady Side at The Michigan House

One of our favorite outdoor spaces at The Michigan House is a little park-like yard we call The Shady Side.

When we bought the property, this was one side of a circular driveway that went all the way around the house. We knew it could become something more inviting for guests - not more pavement, but a place for coffee, a picnic, a book, or simply relaxing beneath the trees.

Sam suggested turning this portion of the driveway into a little park, and I loved the idea.

We had so much to work with - mature trees and an established understory growing beneath them. As with the rest of The Michigan House, we designed the space ourselves, working closely with our landscaper.

He enjoyed being part of the creative process. When he learned that several beautiful lady palms were being removed from another property, he offered them to us. We happily gave them a new home, placing them where their fronds could be enjoyed from the garden and through the second-floor living room and bedroom windows.

Together, we transformed the old driveway into The Shady Side.

The mature trees give this little park its character. Sometimes the lawn is deeply shaded; at other times, sunlight filters through the branches and dapples the grass.

Today it’s a peaceful, fenced outdoor space where guests can enjoy a little fresh air and a quiet moment beneath the trees.

What I especially love is how it came together - by preserving what was already there, finding new homes for trees, and welcoming the ideas and contributions of the people doing the work.

It’s one more way we’ve tried to make The Michigan House feel like home, both inside and out. 🌿

The Michigan House
One Historic Dwelling with Six Residences.
In the heart of DeLand.

Website:
https://themichiganhouse.com/

10/27/2026

Belonging isn’t simply about finding a place to stay. It’s about finding a place where you can begin to feel connected.

At The Michigan House, we believe that connection extends beyond our front door - into the historic streets, gardens, local businesses, arts, and everyday life of DeLand.

Come along for a little walk through the town we’ve come to love. 🌳

The Michigan House
One historic house. Six distinctive residences.

10/24/2026

One Historic House - Six Distinctive Residences - THE MICHIGAN HOUSE

10/22/2026

In less than a month, DeLand’s main street will become an open-air gallery! Woodland Boulevard will close to traffic and fill with art, artists, and the energy of a downtown celebration.

This year’s featured poster was created by Robert Ross, a Winter Park-based painter whose distinctive perspective brings a beautiful sense of color and place to the 2026 festival.

The Michigan House is proud to sponsor the 33rd Fall Festival of the Arts and support this beloved DeLand tradition.

A perfect reason to visit DeLand! 🎨

📅 November 21–22, 2026
📍 Woodland Boulevard in Historic Downtown DeLand

10/22/2026

10/22/2026

Restoring a Century-Old Heart Pine Staircase

At The Michigan House, Managing Partner Sam Klitenick is pictured on the main staircase. It links the residences on the first two levels and leads to the second-floor gallery, where the restored heart-pine floor continues. The wood was harvested when the house was built, more than 100 years ago. It connects the house’s spaces and carries its history.

When our builder removed the dingy carpet, he uncovered the heart-pine treads and encouraged us to restore them with painstaking care. They were sanded and finished to a high gloss, much like the brightwork on a wooden yacht. In the gallery, our carpenter repaired the floors with boards cut to match the original plank widths, leaving the new wood visible.

Sam imagined the blue-and-white tile on the risers. Its vintage patterns brighten the staircase and bring an artistic touch, with a look reminiscent of tile in older Spanish homes.

The staircase and gallery floor are just two of the distinctive features at The Michigan House. We look forward to sharing more in future posts.

To ask about availability or reserve a residence, please contact us directly through The Michigan House website⁠.



Website:
https://themichiganhouse.com/

10/18/2026

DeLand’s Street Mural Tradition 🎨

In DeLand, art doesn’t remain inside museum walls. It appears along the streets, transforming ordinary buildings into pages of the city’s story.

DeLand’s mural tradition began more than three decades ago with a vision for a walking tour that would unfold “like the pages of a giant book.” Today, the city continues to encourage public art that reflects its history, character and hopes for the future.

The murals pictured here show how many different stories public art can tell.

Erica Group’s colorful “Greetings from DeLand” celebrates the city’s natural character, while The DeLand Wings, part of her larger Wings of the West project, invite people to step into the artwork and become part of it.

Another mural honors Lue Gim Gong, the Chinese American horticulturist known as Florida’s “Citrus Wizard,” pictured with his beloved rooster, March.

“A Conversation Over Chess in 1929,” by Jill Cannady, imagines a diverse group gathered in conversation and companionship.

The DeLand Naval Air Station mural, by Courtney Canova, remembers the local men and aircraft connected to the city’s World War II history.

What makes this subject especially fitting for The Michigan House is that the murals are another form of stewardship: they preserve stories, enliven older buildings, support local artists, and help residents and visitors see the city more attentively.

For those spending time in DeLand, following the Historic Mural Walk is a wonderful way to become acquainted with the community … one painted wall, one story and one neighborhood at a time.

Murals and artists pictured:

🎨 “Greetings from DeLand”- Erica Group
🪽 The DeLand Wings - Erica Group
🍊 Lue Gim Gong - Courtney Canova, Bianca Braga and Jeremy Canova
♟️ “A Conversation Over Chess in 1929” - Jill Cannady
✈️ DeLand Naval Air Station - Courtney Canova

https://themichiganhouse.com/

10/17/2026

Discover DeLand by Train, and leave the highway behind! 🚆

We are excited that you can now travel between DeLand and Orlando by train, with stops in charming communities like Winter Park along the way!

It’s wonderful to have the option to commute and skip
grind of the freeway. Whether you’re visiting for pleasure or spending time working in Orlando, charming DeLand offers a wonderful alternative lifestyle to the bustle of the city.

At The Michigan House, you can enjoy the character and walkability of historic downtown DeLand while having a convenient rail connection to Orlando, without the stress of driving I-4.

Thanks to the West Volusia Tourism team for sharing another great reason to discover DeLand!

10/15/2026

As The Michigan House was getting ready to open, I wanted to introduce Sam Klitenick, our Managing Partner, so he could talk about how we developed the concept and design for the house.

My flight to Europe was the next day, and Sam’s schedule was full, so Sam and I had just one small window to film with the videographer. We decided to use it and let the conversation unfold naturally. Here I introduce Sam, and then he shares his perspective and plans from the sofa in the Carriage Cottage.

Nothing was staged. You’ll see the house around us, and Sam dressed for Florida. I love how naturally this captures the beginning of The Michigan House and the next chapter we were building together.

https://themichiganhouse.com/

Video production by
KOACH Media

10/10/2026

History, Just Across the Street

The Michigan House enjoys a remarkable location on a short, tree-lined stretch of historic West Michigan Avenue. Just half a block from Woodland Boulevard, DeLand’s award-winning Main Street, it sits diagonally across from the Stetson University President’s Mansion and directly across the street from the Henry A. DeLand House Museum.

Here, within one of DeLand’s nationally recognized historic districts, two distinctive properties stand almost face to face, separated by little more than a narrow street. The DeLand House Museum dates to 1886, while The Michigan House occupies a building dating to 1925.

The DeLand House began as a modest farmhouse on land originally purchased by Henry A. DeLand in 1876. Later home to Stetson University professor Dr. Charles Farriss and his wife Alma, the house was extensively restored in 2024. Today, the museum offers visitors a glimpse into DeLand’s early history and the people who helped shape the city.

Across the street, a century-old apartment building has been carefully restored and reimagined as The Michigan House, now offering six unique furnished residences.

The Michigan House is especially proud to support the West Volusia Historical Society, which operates the museum and has worked since 1973 to preserve and share the region’s history. Its contributions include historical research, educational programs, and publications such as A Field Guide to DeLand Buildings.

Preserving historic buildings is about more than protecting architecture. It’s about keeping the stories of a community alive and allowing those places to remain part of its future.

If you haven’t visited the Henry A. DeLand House Museum, we encourage you to step inside and discover some of those stories for yourself.

For guests of The Michigan House, it’s just across the street.

Plan your visit:
https://www.delandhouse.com/visitors