Ellison Bay Manor Gets a Facelift

For an interior designer, staging a 35,000-square-foot mansion is an opportunity that comes along once in a lifetime. Marilyn Jensen, owner/designer at Sister Bay Trading Company, recently had that opportunity as she worked with the owners of Wisconsin’s largest private home, Ellison Bay Manor. Perched on the limestone bluffs of Door County above the pristine waters of Green Bay, the manor is a regal home that has gained national attention for its size, style, and artisanal details.

The game room in Ellison Bay Manor.

“The word ‘staging’ doesn’t really do justice to what we achieved in the home – we truly gave the space new life and new energy,” says Jensen, who worked with her team to give the space a “facelift.”

“At the heart of Ellison Bay Manor is so much beauty – the architecture, the millwork, the craftsmanship – but it needed to be illuminated,” adds Jensen. “My job was to let the natural beauty of the home shine through, by paring down the décor, lightening the colors, and bringing the incredible beauty of the outdoors into the space.”

Marilyn Jensen

The residence boasts three grand guest suites, 10 bathrooms, and an impressive 5,000-square-foot master suite. Another highlight is the two-story library designed in the style of Vanderbilt Mansion. An entire wing is dedicated to a pool and spa’ which includes tropical plants, a floor made of Jerusalem Quarry Stone, and several waterfalls, including one connecting to a 14-person whirlpool.

The Manor was opened to the public for a July 17th concert by Midsummer’s Music Festival, Door County’s premier classical music ensemble, which returns for another concert at the Manor on Sept. 2 [for more information on this concert, look in Section 3].

Ornate and luxurious as Ellison Bay Manor is, in the end it is still a home. “After making some changes to the interior, I can now envision kids running down the hall, I can see people in the pool, and I can imagine a family here, having the time of their life,” says Jensen.

For more information, contact Marilyn Jensen at [email protected] or 920.854.2554.