Julia Filipp grew up in northern Michigan’s Alden on the turquoise-blue waters of Torch Lake. One day, as she contemplated those missed carefree days amid pines, cedars, cherry trees, and rustic vibes, an idea popped into her head: Why not re-create some of the north in her Berkley home?
Her husband, Rob, an operations manager at tech company Thumbtack, agreed. After purchasing their new home (their second in Berkley), located on a triple lot, the couple decided not only to remodel the home in a modern farmhouse style (kitchen, pantry, mudroom, and laundry room) but also to overhaul their backyard landscaping to be reminiscent of Julia’s childhood surroundings.
After working with Royal Oak’s Detroit Build and its sister company, Whiski Kitchen, on the construction and interior-design aspects, they called on Oak Park-based Four Seasons Garden Center & Custom Landscape Services and began working with Four Seasons landscape architect/horticulturist Alexandra Hossfeld.
“I love the way all the design elements of the exterior complement the building and existing treed yard, from the patio pavers to the finer details like the patio furniture,” Hossfeld says. “It’s the perfect example of how a backyard can become a true extension of your living space and a nostalgic tribute to your place of origin.” The appearance of the house is quite cottagey, so it was easy to complement that in the outdoor aesthetic, she adds.
Here’s how the Filipps created their cottage-style Up North vernacular.
Lifestyle lowdown
“We have three kids [15, 3, and 1] and two dogs, so part of the conversation with the landscape designer was we wanted it to look nice but be low maintenance,” says Julia, who works as an account executive for Google. “And we like to host friends and family a lot, so we wanted it practical for that, too,” Rob adds.
Save the trees!
To keep an Up North feel, pre-serving trees was top of mind. They also wanted to ensure that they still had some shade on the house, so they “worked around” a large American basswood, Rob says. It joins several mature oak trees.
Grass is always greener
To repair the lawn, which is often worse for wear after construction and renovations, Hossfeld used seed mats, which “ensure the grass would germinate as usual in the spring,” she says. “The preparation of the soil is critical to seed establishment.”
Please be seated
The soft couch and chair came from Walmart (Better Homes & Gardens set). “They hold up well,” Rob says. An acacia wood (water-resistant) dining table and chairs coordinate well with the home’s cedar.
It’s in the details
“We used cedar boards to finish the front porch and rear entry/stoop and cover the construction beams/posts. For siding, we used a cedar shake look-alike vinyl on the dormers and the sides of the porch,” Julia says.
What’s next
The couple are in the throes of overhauling a large side yard, which includes planting a self-pollinating dwarf cherry tree (a nod to Julia’s northern roots and their wedding location in Suttons Bay). They’ll also add hydrangeas, ornamental grasses, and dogwood shrubs.
Mucho mulch
Julia and Rob were keen on natural-looking mulch. Says Hossfeld: “It’s a natural hardwood blend, finely shredded and not dyed.”
Rock solid
The designer suggested well-placed boulders around the yard to provide variety in texture and height.
Stepping around
For the patio, the couple opted for Techo-Bloc pavers (made of concrete aggregate). “They go over a layer of gravel and sand,” Hossfeld says. “The sand locks the pavers in place.” Stepping stones that lead from the door to the patio are made of the same material and feature the same color but are larger. They’re placed in crushed granite. (The pavers’ color is a rusty-gray tone called Champlain Grey).
Pleasing plants ’n’ pots
“We’ve not had a lot of luck with high-maintenance landscaping and keeping everything alive,” Rob says with a laugh. Thus, a low-maintenance, natural-looking setting was a must. Dogwood shrubs have year-round interest, including red stems in the winter, and provide a dash of color, while hydrangeas aren’t trimmed back until late winter, providing some landscape texture in the fall and winter. In the late spring, white hydrangeas pop. “They wanted something that would add color but not get too big,” Hossfeld says. “The type of hydrangea we selected stays about 3 by 3 feet.” Hostas and boxwoods also adorn the property. Julia likes to purchase more colorful annuals for her pots at Telly’s Greenhouse and Garden Center in Troy (she purchased the pots that flank the back door at Telly’s, too).
This story originally appeared in the August 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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