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Motor City Designer Dwelling

  • Story By
    Patrick Daly
image-51814398-1024x768-1024x580-02 For most automotive enthusiasts, the dream of parking their most coveted possession beside their coffee table is just that, a dream. For Kyle Evans and Michael “Chet” Chetcuti, the issue isn’t a matter of getting the car into the house, but which car they want in their house that day. BMW 2002 gotti detroit kyle evans michael chetcuti designer house quality metalcraft chrysler jeep Evans, a senior designer for Chrysler in the Jeep studio and his partner Chet, owner of Quality Metalcraft (QMC), a metal stamping and engineering company, took on the task four years ago of converting the former Hinson Heating + Air Conditioning building into what would eventually become their home. Located in Royal Oak, a suburb just north of Detroit, the 6,400 sq.ft space is testament to their passion and appreciation for both cars and design. ford GT living room detroit kyle evans michael chetcuti designer house quality metalcraft chrysler jeep There are few cars that capture this marriage of design and automotive purity better than the 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition parked in the living room. From the Gulf livery to the muscular form, the GT transforms from just a car into a piece of sculpture in the space. camilo pardo eames detroit kyle evans michael chetcuti designer house quality metalcraft chrysler jeep The GT seems right at home alongside vintage Saarinen and Eames furniture and it ties in nicely with the numerous Camilo Pardo artworks on display throughout the house. Merkury Hg camilo pardo detroit kyle evans michael chetcuti designer house Camilo Pardo, the famed Ford GT designer, has various paintings and custom furniture that he and Chet collaborated on. The duo’s Merkury Hg furniture serves as functional sculpture in the indoor/outdoor patio room on the second level. The pieces feature polished aluminum sections connected by a single central cylinder. The team created chairs, tables, and lamps using this design language and they are definitely a conversation starter for anyone willing to take a seat in the surprisingly comfortable chairs. detroit designer kyle evans michael chetcuti house As the seasons change in Michigan, so does the car collection. With summer kicking into full gear in Michigan, you can expect to find Evans and Chet grilling or entertaining in the house’s inner courtyard, a 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350SR just a few feet away begging to be driven. 1962 buick skylark wagon shelby mustang gt350SR detroit kyle evans michael chetcuti designer house quality metalcraft chrysler jeep Beyond the walls of the house, a flawless 1962 Buick Skylark wagon lays claim to the driveway while a BMW 2002tii and Cadillac CTS-V Wagon fill up the available street parking. detroit kyle evans michael chetcuti designer house quality metalcraft chrysler jeep From the Shelby Mustang GT350SR to Evans' 1966 Corvette Stingray to the 2003 Dodge Tomahawk motorcycle concept that has spent time at the loft, there are few places on earth that have had more iconic metal parked just yards away from the fridge. When winter arrives in Michigan or the pair just wants to take a trip off the beaten path, you’re guaranteed to find at least one AEV Brute or Wrangler menacingly parked out front. This, due to the fact that Chet is also an owner of American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), a Jeep aftermarket outfit that updates Wranglers through increased performance, styling, and capability. The success of AEV can be inside as well in the form of numerous awards from recent SEMA shows and a 1:43rd scale Wrangler that AEV assisted with for Jeep’s Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 project. gulf ford GT detroit kyle evans michael chetcuti designer house quality metalcraft chrysler jeep Even with all of the automobilia and a larger than life neon She-Devil sign dominating the eastern wall of the living room, the space never overwhelms. Evans mentioned, “When I tell people about the house who haven’t seen it, their immediate thoughts are that it’s a 50’s diner type theme and it’s really nothing like that.” detroit designer kyle evans michael chetcuti house (1) Jet engine inspired bathroom sinks constructed of brushed aluminum panels are not exactly the norm at your local diner. The sink that Evans and Chet designed is another piece featuring work by QMC, as is the kitchen counter made from stainless steel panels left over from the construction of Detroit’s Motor City Casino. detroit kyle evans michael chetcuti designer house quality metalcraft chrysler jeep Much like transplanting modern technologies into a classic car, Evans and Chet have shown that there is always room for improvement. While the loft is beyond impressive already, it comes as no surprise that the artist in Evans says, “it’s still a work in progress.” -Patrick Daly
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