Island Aerie is a house conceived, designed, and built by owners Jan and John Terry, with extensive help from many creative and talented people; the house is utterly unique and 100% custom made. 

Island Aerie was first available for rent in the spring of 2005 and it is NOW available to rent year-round.

The owners designed the house for their own extended family, imagining a special place where their loved ones and friends could comfortably gather for informal, relaxing get-aways. 

The Terrys are proud of their creation and enjoy sharing it with other families and groups like themselves who love the quiet, friendly, secluded atmosphere of Beaver Island and who value and respect the undeveloped natural setting. The Terrys invite and welcome others to visit Beaver Island and enjoy the unique peacefulness of this relatively undiscovered vacation setting.

Jan and John Terry live on a working farm in Central Michigan near Mt. Pleasant. They have five children and many animals. They hope to one day retire to their beautiful home on Beaver Island.

AN EAGLE'S HOME

Like its namesake, an eagle’s “aerie,” or “eyrie,” this special house stands tall amid the treetops, watching over the forest edging the shoreline of majestic Lake Michigan. Bald eagles have often been spotted over the bay and harbor near the house and in the undeveloped “Nature Area” that is adjacent to the “Magical Forest” on the east side of the property.

The home’s blue steel roof melts into the sunny summer sky and the muted gray-brown siding camouflages it within the surrounding huddle of pine trees. Large windows invite in bright southern light and provide a three-story waterfront view over the entrance of the main Beaver Island harbor, Paradise Bay. Masses of trees to the southwest shelter the house from the harshest winds and provide privacy for the occupants.

UNIQUE POST & BEAM DESIGN

Inside, the integral design feature is the post and beam skeleton of the structure, which is exposed in all of the house’s 13 rooms. Centuries old weathered barn wood mixes everywhere with varieties of new wood, on the floors, walls and ceilings throughout the house. The rustic wood-covered surfaces contrast with the sleek modern fixtures in the kitchen and baths and the comfortable furnishings. Interior second and third-floor balconies allow for the circulation of light and air and offer interesting views of different levels of the house and the outdoors.

TOGETHER, YET NOT TOO CLOSE

The owners designed a house where they, their adult friends and family, and all the kids could co-exist together, yet not be constantly into each other’s spaces. There are three floors, a second floor deck, and a large first floor deck. There are four bedrooms:  two bedrooms with king size beds - so two couples can each have their own rooms - plus the “boys’ bunk room” and the “girls’ bunk room” where the young brothers, sisters, cousins and friends can sleep together in camp-like coziness. Another twin bed is located in the third floor playroom. Two full bathrooms plus a master bathroom allow for several persons to be “using the john” at the same time. 

WHY DIDN'T THEY CUT DOWN THE TREES SO WE CAN SEE MORE WATER

The house is on a waterfront property and the south-facing decks offer views of the entrance to the Beaver Island harbor where all of the boat traffic passes. However, the owners decided not to cut away all the trees between the house and the water, even though clear-cutting would allow for a greater water view. The trees between the house and the water provide significant shelter from severe wind and weather that blows in over the bay from the southwest in the winter. The surrounding forest   also provides privacy for occupants of the house. In addition, the owners love trees and the forest, and they did not want to kill any more trees than absolutely necessary when they built the house.