Copyright M Live Michigan
MEARS, MI — It’s hard to make the choice between rural privacy and lakeside luxury, as the two worlds rarely cross in Michigan. The kind of property where breathtaking views and timeless charm create the perfect escape for those seeking peace, beauty and refined comfort. But this one property caters to all of the above, where you can experience the very best of Michigan’s lakeshore living at this stunning, fully renovated farmhouse built on stable dune with a major addition completed in 2012. Located at 8282 W Harrison Rd. in Mears, this gem is listed at $5.7 million through Signature Sotheby’s International Realty with realtor and licensed helicopter pilot Dylan Tent. This one-of-a-kind property is MLive’s House of the Week. Homes across the state of various architectural styles and prices are showcased every Wednesday. Originally this property featured a late 1800’s small farmhouse with over 20 acres boasting 687 feet of private pristine sandy beach and the gorgeous view of Lake Michigan’s brilliant clear water. The wooded quarter mile long driveway opens up to the expansive lake view and charming setting. The property was purchased in the mid 1980’s by Helen Lefler with a vision in mind. As a young girl, Helen Lefler grew up on a farm and always had a love for old farmhouses and barns. Upon retiring from K-Mart as the vice president and treasurer in 1988, she was thrilled to find this rare place of her dreams, said Karin Lefler, Helen’s niece and current owner of the last four years. “To be here, and to live here, it’s a feeling you can’t get anywhere else,“ Karin Lefler said. ”You really are in your own world." In the fall, the farmland’s gorgeous, Karin Lefler said. In the winter, she said the crisp scenery is simply serene. “This place, it’s life transforming and healing. It actually is healing. It’s the water, I think, literally breathes life, helping to transform and heal us,” Karin Lefler said. “I’ve come here a number of times after loss, you know, losing parents or being very ill, and the place heals. It strips stress away every time.” The small farmhouse was updated to become a full time residence. Inspired, Helen Lefler took classes learning how to draw the architectural plans for the barn. Helen Lefler creatively sourced many of the materials including the wood for the interior from Oregon. She decided on a Count Rumford fireplace design and in 1992 the stunning barn was completed. The barn has superb acoustics with its soaring wood ceilings and beautiful wood beams allowing the humble upright piano inside to sound like a grand, Karin Lefler said. Attention was then turned back to the house. As Helen Lefler worked on the design, she made many trips to Detroit and Grand Rapids in search of architectural pieces to keep the ascetics and charm that included old solid wood doors, stained glass, door knobs and heating grates. One thing Helen Lefler made sure of is one would never enter a bathroom facing the loo. In 2012, Helen Lefler’s vision was complete with the house having two-story additions added on the the front and back. To this day the house features the original hardwood floors, original exterior light fixtures re-wired on the two covered porches, fireplace and the interior walls were plastered to maintain the original character. The house went through further remodeling in 2024 including kitchen remodel with new Viking appliances, bathrooms remodeled, all new light fixtures and electrical outlets and new windows and doors. Both the barn and house have been freshly painted inside and out. The main farmhouse has been thoughtfully updated from top to bottom, including all-new Anderson Windows, blending modern luxury with classic farmhouse character. Owners can look forward to enjoying panoramic lake views from nearly every room. The custom kitchen features Viking appliances. The primary suite offers a spa-like retreat with a remodeled bathroom, custom built-ins and a convenient laundry area. Owners can look forward to stepping outside for coffee and sunsets overlooking Lake Michigan. Karin Lefler said she has been coming to the property for nearly 40 years before owning it, as it’s been a treasured location in her family for decades. “The sunsets are spectacular. They’re always different. And what’s really extraordinary when you live someplace like this full time is you get to catch them all,” Karin Lefler said. “And it’s rare, but if the lake’s super still, it’ll reflect the sky.” “It’s just amazing. It can be purple and orange and all different colors. And it’s just so wild because you can see all the way to the horizon where all those colors are reflected on the lake and then the sky. That, to me, is spectacular. Atop that, the moon sets over the lake too. It’s so beautiful as it looks like a fireball out in the sky. ... On a clear night, you can just see stars for days.” Beyond the main house, the custom designed barn and silo completed in 1992, provide a spectacular bonus living space with 4-car garage. The barn loft is a showstopper — boasting soaring wooden beams, a large stone fireplace, lake views and a full kitchen. The silo staircase with a hand-crafted curved railing adds architectural charm, leading to additional guest quarters ideal for entertaining or extended stays. Every inch of this property has been refreshed, including new paint, windows, lighting, insulation, outlets, and mechanicals — offering peace of mind and modern convenience in a setting that feels worlds away, Tent said. Though this remarkable place with humble beginnings has been remarkably transformed, it retains the heart of the land, Karin Lefler said. Essentially, that’s what it’s all about: the vast scenery and serenity of Lake Michigan with all it’s wonder from turquoise colored water when it’s showing off, a different sublime sunset every night, fall’s brilliant colors, winter’s fresh snow appearing like a sea of sparkling diamonds, the blooming of flowers in spring and summer a story in of it’s self, Karin Lefler said. All this in what’s now becoming known as a climate safe haven is just waiting for the next person to come fall in love with the place, Karin Lefler said, and experience the year round joy to be found here. Lefler said living on 20-plus acres gives such privacy, even on the beach, that makes it feel like your own oasis, only being visited by wildlife like birds chirping, squirrels running about, deer, eagles, turkeys and monarchs too. “It’s so quiet. There’s this feeling of being like in my own world. I’ve never experienced that in my life unless I’ve come here. It’s truly incredible,” Karin Lefler said. “But then if we want to go out and get coffee or something, there’s a great coffee shop in the closest town. Pentwater and Ludington are close drives, and it feels like you’re visiting little Hallmark towns, filled with restaurants, yacht clubs and everything you need while visiting the city — all while traveling along the water on the coast. “It makes you feel like you’re on holiday anytime you travel into town.” Tent said it is rare to have lake frontage like this, not only a private beach fronted, but with the elevated bluff too. He said it is the perfect house for an artist or a celebrity — somebody that really values privacy. Whether used as a full time residence, family compound, or weekend getaway, this unique Lake Michigan offering with plenty of room to add another home is a true legacy property, Tent said. This extraordinary property, Tent said, combines the serenity of a lakeside retreat with the craftsmanship and comfort of a luxury estate. “It’s a really inspiring place. Not only is the farmhouse incredibly cute and very well done, but the quarters above the loft, whether it’s a recording studio or an event center, it’s just really special,“ Tent said. ”And you can really see that through the architecture and the photos. But on top of that, it’s a great place to develop for a family compound because you have so much acreage. Usually on a lake house, you have this big compromise somewhere where you’re right on top of somebody, but that’s not what you have here. “You have this massive private space, and you have this great opportunity to develop multiple other residences and make it a generational family compound, if you’d like.” Scroll down to see 10 of the images from the photo gallery for a glimpse inside this home to see why it’s MLive’s House of the Week.
