Our clients' lake house was built with large family gatherings in mind. This home's spacious footprint and open-concept floor plan is perfect for hosting holidays and other special events, and the tranquil surroundings (spoiler alert: it's on a lake!) ensure that every day feels like you're on vacation. While the home boasts some amazing views, the interior was lacking in personality and function. Our clients reached out to us hoping to create their own serene retreat from the hustle of everyday life, and also to ensure that it would be a warm and welcoming environment for their guests when it came time to host next year's holiday festivities.
"Stay close to the serenity of a lake to meet your own peace of mind." - Munia Khan
When we first met with our clients it became clear that during the initial construction of the home, location was more of a priority than the interior finishes. The home was perfectly situated with the best lake views in the neighborhood, but the initial materials selections and furnishings no longer reflected the owners' tastes and they were ready to start over completely. We were determined to breathe new life into this beautiful home and to use the landscape as inspiration for our new color palette and materials selections. Our clients were on board for an infusion of color, style, and a bit of pattern-play mixed in!
The great room is the main gathering space for this family, so maximizing the seating options and creating a more functional flow overall was imperative. We installed custom built-ins complete with bench seating, plenty of storage, and a spot for the TV on either side of the existing fireplace. We opted to top the bench with a custom cushion and centered an extra-long sofa across from the fireplace wall to ensure there's enough lounge spots for all.
Custom swivel chairs, upholstered in a blue and taupe piano-key fabric, ensure that no one misses out on a front row seat to the outside views. We brought new life to the fireplace with the addition of an updated mantle and an over-grout treatment on the stone. The oversized arched mirror placed on top draws your eye up to the two-story ceiling where a tiered wagon-wheel chandelier takes center stage. We anchored the room with a printed rug featuring varying shades of blues and incorporated an assortment of unexpected textiles (peep those leather pillows!) to really play up the texture. Nesting metal coffee tables and a long console table behind the sofa provide a landing area for drinks and also give our clients a place to display collections of family photos and other accessories.
We continued the hardwood flooring into the kitchen and breakfast areas and opted for a warm nutmeg stain all over. The new appliance layout in the kitchen really opened up the space without changing the overall footprint. The white cabinetry, quartz countertops and marble tile backsplash create a bright and airy feel, while the rattan-wrapped bar stools with brass detailing provide warmth. We repeated the same fabric on the bar stools and chairs for continuity. Custom window treatments in a watercolor-print fabric and a new circular-shaped dining table accent the breakfast area's bay window and high ceilings.
The front of the house features the main dining room and a formal living room. We played up the drama in these spaces with the addition of painted ceilings, picture molding, and textured wallpaper. Our favorite treatment: the custom art work we installed on the dining room's focal wall! Complimentary jewel-toned velvet fabrics on our seating give these spaces the infusion of "lux" they needed while their performance-grade nature ensures that no room is off-limits to visiting little ones!
One of our favorite spaces to design is always a powder bathroom, and this one is no exception! We fell in love with this large-scale patterned wallpaper and designed the rest of the space around that. In fact, we loved it so much that we decided to repeat it in the custom roman shade we designed for the window! Pattern-matching the print allows your eye to move easily around the room and reinforces the bold choice. We added oomph to this small space by installing a board and batten treatment painted in a bold green. The custom penny tile floor pattern feels fresh in a white and blue color-way and keeps the space from feeling too heavy. We also designed this stunning floating vanity with hidden doors that allow supplies to remain out of site so the overall look is clean and seamless - the perfect form-meets-function moment!
In the main floor's primary suite, we focused on designing for longevity. We removed the rarely-used jetted tub in favor of installing a large, custom tile shower complete with rain head, handheld shower and large bench. This change ensures our clients can continue to enjoy their lake home for years to come! Swapping the bubble-glass window with a transom window still allows light to filter through the space while maintaining privacy. A marble mosaic tile is definitely the room's show-stopper with its gorgeous green and blue basketweave pattern. A marble penny tile on the shower floor is as practical as it is beautiful! In place of the old shower's location, we opted for a custom built-in painted in a soft blue to tuck away linens and toiletries out of site. The new custom vanity painted to match is topped with a crisp white quartz. Polished nickel and glass finishes found in the wall sconces and other hardware selections sparkle against the neutral patterned wallpaper.
The existing built-in shelving in the primary bedroom was more clutter-collector than it was functional, so we removed it and created a desk area where our clients can still enjoy the views while working from home. We mimicked the bathroom's wallpaper selection behind the desk for added pattern and interest. A mirror installed above allows it to serve double-duty as a vanity area! The room's color palette is a mixture of soft blues and greens with pops of color found in the vintage botanical artwork flanking the new bed as well as other well placed accessories. We decided again on a painted ceiling to draw your eye up to the interesting faux-coffered details. The cool blue tone calls back to the bathroom's cabinetry and trim color and the polished nickel and leather caged pendant provides an unexpected, but stunning combination that we immediately fell in love with!
Upstairs, we focused our design efforts on creating spaces where guests would enjoy hanging out during their stay. First up, the under-utilized loft that overlooks the great room. We decided that this space would best function as a game area where the kids could have a place to play while still being a part of the festivities downstairs. We anchored the space with an unexpected art installation of vintage polo sticks and created a fun seating group around the game table with a large upholstered bench and custom swivel stools done in a knobby striped fabric. The new floating shelves, stained to match the great room's mantel, provides space to display games and books that guests can grab and go as they wish!
We wanted the three secondary bedrooms to feel playful, but smart, since both kids and adults would be sharing these spaces. We selected bold fabrics for our custom pillows and then layered in complimentary bedding and window treatments in soothing tones and textures to create an overall serene environment that guests will have a hard time leaving when their stay is over! Though the overall color palette of blues, mints and blushes are similar, each room's style is unique, ensuring they can have a different experience at each visit! We included at least one family heirloom piece in each bedroom to remind us that the past is just as sweet and important as the here and now.
Our clients are so in love with how their home has come together over the past year! Great homes take time, so if you're ready start updating yours, click below!!
Photography: Mullins Media Co.
Additional Styling: Curtains, Blinds and Bath
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