The Lakeside Project Transformation
The Before
We often enter a space that has been well-loved for years and years and this lakeside home was one of those projects. The furniture was in need of replacing, but the floor plan also needed to be updated to make the space feel modern and more functional.
Drawing the Space
The first thing we do in any project is to create a floor plan. The rug in the original plan was too small, making the furniture feel disjointed, so we put in a much larger rug to start. We then opted to move the gas fireplace across the room to connect it to the kitchen and dining room and to create a blank wall for the sofa. We closed up one of the openings to the sunporch, again creating a natural space for furniture and allowing for more privacy between rooms should one person want to sit and quietly enjoy the view while another wanted to watch TV. Open shelving between the hallway/dining room and the living room creates a wall for furniture without preventing light passing through.
Designing the Room
The plan for this space was to create an inviting living room for entertaining and relaxing, while making the connected sun porch the perfect place to knit and read. The unique structure of the space benefitted from thoughtfully arranged furniture that is proportionately scaled to the room. A cohesive color palette and natural textures create a casual yet polished living space perfect for lakeside living. We took inspiration from the beautiful lake views in the color palette and textures, bringing the outside in.
The Family Room
Here you can see the wall that we closed off to allow for better furniture placement. A framed TV with the cords thoughtfully hidden allows the functionality of a TV without taking away from the aesthetic of the room.
Custom Cabinetry
Beautiful hand-crafted walnut shelves sit on top of a navy custom cabinet creating the feeling of a wall, while maintaining open sight lines for natural light to move through. They also provide space for accessories that add so much personality to any home. The goal with accessories is to make the space feel curated over time, reflecting our client's personality and reinforcing the color palette we created.
The Fireplace
The pictures above don't present a true "before and after" because we completely relocated the fireplace but they do emphasize how altering the fireplace can really modernize a room. In this case, raising the firebox off the ground provided a better view from around the room. And switching from a wood surround to stone with a lovely walnut mantel absolutely transforms the look. Finally, the art above the fireplace assists with scale, making the wall feel full and complete rather than empty.
The Sunporch
Out on the sunporch, a comfy sofa and a swivel chair provide a place to sit and enjoy the lake view. We can't think of a better place to enjoy a morning cup of coffee. Again, we grounded the space with a large area rug and kept the color palette light and bright to feel like the outdoors flows right into the room. The art is also aquatic and botanical themed, reinforcing the outdoor vibes.
If you want to see more photos of this gorgeous space, head over to our portfolio and check it out.
