We had the pleasure of staying at the Marigold Lodge during the last ASID board meeting in Park Township, MI. At the end of a long, winding road through the backwoods of the town, a stone wall opens up to reveal the lodge. Did you know that the Marigold Lodge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places? If you didn’t know where to look, you wouldn’t know it was there, even if you live there according to our Uber driver!
Century-old trees tower over wide, low buildings with clean lines, typical of Prairie School architecture. Egbert and Margaret Gold bought the small peninsula Superior Point in 1912. In January 1913 the first structure, an icehouse, was built. These days, 2,600 customers like us visit furniture manufacturer Herman Miller Inc.’s facilities in Zeeland and when they do, they stay at the historic property with views of Lake Macatawa.
Near the front door of the main building that was once the Gold’s summer cottage, bicycles typically stand ready for visitors—since we visited in November, we used our imagination. One step inside the lodge, the light changes. Stained-glass windows highlight warm colors and dark wood.
The furniture is a mix of Herman Miller and pieces original to the Gold’s but always seems to fit with the home’s period.
Upstairs in the main house are eight guest rooms. Among them are Egbert’s and Margaret’s bedrooms, each with original furniture and sunrooms with the requisite picture windows. From the sunrooms, you can see much of the grounds and across Lake Macatawa. Horticulture was Egbert Gold’s hobby, which explains the interesting plant specimens throughout the property, many of which he imported many of the trees from Europe.
Restoration began even before Herman Miller owned Marigold outright. Employees performed much of the work, including reupholstering some of Gold’s furniture with Herman Miller fabric. Downstairs, the furniture is more modern and the nine guest rooms come with Pullman kitchens since they are away from the main house.
Next door, inside a replica boathouse, a conference center is one of the only modern touches. Furnished with all of the company’s latest designs, the center shows Herman Miller in action. The Learning Center stands where greenhouses and servants’ quarters once were.
Today, Herman Miller Inc. keeps the private hotel and training center separate from its operations. The residential ambiance is meant to give customers a break from the fast-paced business world. They say bringing customers to Marigold is like bringing them into Herman Miller’s home. They get to see — in a very tangible form — the values of the company. Who wouldn’t wanna work here?
Visiting the Marigold Lodge was such a wonderful experience and we hope to return soon. Be sure to follow our future travels on Instagram: @kerrielkelly. Cheers!
