Small House Renovation Design Specialist in Farmington Hills, MI | Turnwood Design Group LC

Turnwood Design Group LC is a small historic home renovation design specialist serving Farmington Hills, MI and the surrounding Metro Detroit suburbs. We help homeowners of 1930–1960 houses plan timeless, proportionally correct, charm-safe renovations through architectural design, elevation redesign, additions, and whole-home masterplans.

Most renovations accidentally erase the character that makes your home special

and

leave you with something trendy, bland, or structurally compromised.

Homeowners want to improve their 1940–1960s home…
But they don’t realize that modern renovations often:

• Destroy original proportions

• Clash with midcentury forms

• Age quickly

• Lower long-term value

• Make the house feel “off”

Midcentury homes can’t be renovated like new construction — and most contractors don’t understand the historical patterns that make these houses shine.

We get it

You want a home that feels updated, functional, and beautiful…

But you don’t want to lose the story embedded in your walls.

And you shouldn’t have to choose between charm and modern comfort.
Most homeowners feel stuck because they:

• Don’t know what to preserve on 1930s–1940s Cape Cods & Bungalows

• Don’t know what to change on 1950s Ranch Homes

• Don’t know how to honor the 1940–1960 Colonial Revival era.

• Don’t know how to maximize ROI in Mid-century infill neighborhoods

• Stress about buying small post-war homes across Farmington Hills, Plymouth, and Northville because they’re hard to renovate.

You’re not alone.

Almost every client comes in with the same fear:
“I don’t want to ruin my house.”

Our entire process is designed to help homeowners avoid the “remuddle trap” generic updates that erode charm, lower ROI, or create costly mistakes.

You need the Home Revival Blueprint™

A Historically Inspired Plan for Your Midcentury Home

• This 1:1 renovation planning session gives you clarity before you spend a dollar on contractors or drawings. During your personal online Blueprint session

  • This is NOT a design trend session. We confirm what’s structurally and architecturally possible

  • This is NOT a “contractor walk-through.” we’ll identify upgrades that increase value without ruining charm

  • This is NOT a Pinterest mood board. We’ll help you avoid $30K–$50K mistakes caused by bad design decisions

    This is a deep architectural analysis of your home’s original historical DNA — its proportions, classical lines, mid-century massing, and stylistic logic — blended with modern livability.

    • Reveal your home’s true historical potential

    • Identify timeless architectural cues hidden in the home

    • Map out which updates enhance vs. destroy value

    • Show which classical elements pair naturally with midcentury massing

    • Outline a renovation plan that feels believable for the house

    • Protect charm while upgrading livability

    • Recommend changes rooted in historical precedent, not trends

Not all applicants will qualify- Submit your house today for free.

Why 1930–1960 Homes Require a Different Approach

Most architects, designers, and general contractors treat older homes like blank slates. We don’t.

From “Is This a Good Idea?” → to “This Is the Home It Was Always Meant to Be.”

Small historic houses have:

• Load-bearing walls in unexpected places

• Low rooflines and tight attic geometry

• Original window rhythms that affect curb appeal

• Proportions that fail under modern “open concept” plans

• Exterior elements that must stay balanced for resale value

Once you understand the original architectural intent of your midcentury home:

• You stop guessing

• You stop second-guessing contractors

• You stop wasting money on ideas that don’t fit the house

And instead:

• Every decision feels obvious and aligned

• You can see the house’s future clearly

• You fall in love with your home again

• You feel confident investing because the design is timeless, not trendy

This is where homeowners experience the big “Aha!” moment:
Your home isn’t limited — it’s under-realized.

You need Renovation Design Services that give you
A Home That’s Historically Inspired, Timelessly Beautiful, and Undeniably Yours.:

Picture a home that:

• Looks like it could have always been that way

• Has better flow, better function, better curb appeal

• Respects its midcentury roots

• Gains timeless, architectural credibility

• Feels elevated — more like a “boutique home”

• Will still look right 30 years from now

• And grows in value because it honors its era

This is what happens when you renovate with historical intelligence — not trends.

Each service is designed around one goal:
helping you renovate confidently while keeping the character that makes your home special.

Love the design process by being part of it

• Reduce frustration by being informed about construction techniques

• Be confident by seeing the process unfold in full 3d

• Know and understand the steps to successful renovation in advance

• End uncertain outcomes for your home renovation project

Follow These 3 Steps to Transform Your Midcentury Home Into a Timeless Classic

Why Choose Turnwood Design Group LC?

Homeowners work with Turnwood Design Group because:

• We specialize exclusively in 1930–1960 small homes

• Our designs protect your home’s charm, value, and proportions

• We help you avoid contractor-driven mistakes

• We focus on smart planning, not expensive guesses

• You get clarity before construction begins

• We’re independent designers, not trying to sell you demolition

• We provide drawings, analysis, and guidance you can use with any contractor

We help you renovate your home the right way, without regrets, surprises, or generic updates.

Join us Online to transform your house:

Welcome

If you’ve ever walked through an older home in Farmington Hills, perhaps a 1940’s Cape Cod or a 1950’s ranch near Orchard Lake, you’ve seen the story: beautiful curb appeal, solid bones—but the layout feels boxed-in, the kitchen looks dated, and you’re asking: “How do I make this feel like it belongs to us now, not just 50 years ago?”
At Turnwood Design Group we specialise in small house renovation design in Farmington Hills and surrounding cities. We help homeowners bring modern comfort into classic homes while protecting their charm and value.

Why choose a small house renovation design specialist?

Old homes built between the 1930s-1960s around Farmington Hills often come with great character; hardwood floors, original brick fireplaces, winding hallways and lower ceilings. But they also come with problems: inefficient layouts, tight storage, dark kitchens, questionable insulation and changing lifestyles.

When you hire a small house renovation design specialist (that’s us) you get:

• A plan that honours the historic build yet gives you functional zones: open-plan kitchen/dining, better flow to the backyard, upgraded baths.

• Budget awareness—because with smaller houses you often have less wiggle room for major additions.

• Value-driven design so your home stays in scale, fits the neighbourhood, and maximises resale in the Farmington Hills / Northville / Novi corridor.

Services we offer

Small home renovation design

Often homeowners ask: “What do I do if my kitchen is original 1950s size and the butcher-block island doesn’t even fit?” With our small home renovation design service, we re-work the layout, improve light, open a wall or re-code the footprint but keep your scale intact. We use CAD or 3D scans to show you how it will feel before any walls come down.

Historic house renovation design

If your home was built in the 1930s-50s, you may have design history worth preserving—original mouldings, mid-century built-ins, classic proportions. Our historic house renovation design service helps you keep that soul, repair or replicate key features, and still include all the modern comforts like better insulation, smart lighting, and open living. We’ve helped many homes in the downtown Farmington and Evergreen neighbourhoods do exactly this. Turnwood Group+1

Home design and consulting for older homes

Some clients don’t yet know exactly what they want. They say: “Our 1958 ranch has become too small for us. We love it but we don’t know what to change or where to start.” That’s where our home design and consulting for older homes comes in: we meet you on-site, scan the layout, discuss style, budget, use patterns, then deliver a clear roadmap. Our signature Home Revival Blueprint™ helps you avoid costly $50K mistakes many homeowners make. Turnwood Group

Residential renovation architecture

While we specialise in small homes, our residential renovation architecture service covers structural changes—removing walls, adding windows, re-routing HVAC, upgrading exteriors—all tailored to older homes in Farmington Hills and surrounding cities. Because small houses often have quirks in their foundation or structure, we design with those realities in mind.

Service Areas & Local Expertise

We serve Farmington Hills, MI and the surrounding cities, including Farmington, Northville, Plymouth, Novi, South Lyon and West Bloomfield. We know local zoning, typical build-types (ranch, Cape Cod, split-level) and the regional market value for homes in Oakland County.

Because your neighbourhood matters: the schools, the historic neighbours, the style of homes built in the 30s-50s. For example, many homes near downtown Farmington were original mid-century cottages; we’ve renovated dozens there.

Common questions homeowners ask

Q: Will doing modern updates ruin the historic charm?
A: It can, if you simply rip out all the original detail. But our historic house renovation design is about making things work for you today—adding comfort like insulation, double-pane windows, open kitchens, while honouring details like original trim, built-ins, and ceiling height. You don’t have to pick one or the other; you just need the right design plan.

Q: Where do we start if we only have a limited budget?
A: Start with the consulting and design phase: get the home design and consulting for older homes service. We scan the house, talk budget, identify “high value” moves: for example moving the kitchen window wall to the backyard, re-purposing a formal dining room, and improving storage. A little planning saves a lot of money in mistakes later.

Our story & local roots

Turnwood Design Group was founded right here in Farmington Hills by Nate Turner, and for years we’ve focused on older houses; small homes in the 1930-60s era—helping families make them modern places to live. Turnwood Group+1 We believe in doing things that last: quality materials, design that fits the house, not the fad, and working with trusted builders in the Oakland County area.

When winter hits and you’re tired of dark corridors in the old ranch, we know how the daylight moves across Meadowbrook or Orchard Lake. When you’re prepping your Cape Cod near downtown Farmington for resale, we know what buyers in Northville and Plymouth are looking for. That local know-how matters.

Ready when you are

If you’re thinking: “I love this house but I don’t love how it works anymore,” you’re not alone. Many homeowners in Farmington Hills call us saying exactly that: “How do I keep the character while making it work for 2025?” We answer by showing you the path with small house renovation design, historic house renovation design, home design consulting, and full residential renovation architecture.

Want to get started? Let’s talk about your house, your goals, your budget—and we’ll show you what’s possible. Give us a call or fill out our online form and mention your neighbourhood (Farmington Hills, Northville, Plymouth…) so we can speak your language.

Thank you for stopping by. We’d love to help you turn your classic home into a place that lives the way you do—beautiful, comfortable, and built to last.