Calming Tones and Natural Materials Selected for Client’s Second Home Retreat
A light fixture made from driftwood. A peaceful fireplace in the bedroom. Cozy textures to invite lingering in the living room. Soothing colors, both outside and indoors. It’s all in the details.
Cozy textures invite hanging out in this great room, whether to binge watch a new series, play board games with the family or curl up with a hot cup of tea and a good book.
In fact, all of these details and more are what help to create a cozy and calm space for our clients of this Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, home.
After the couple realized the original home layout and structure wouldn’t be able to suit their family and needs, they embarked on a journey to build the home of their dreams. While it would serve as their second home for now, they built and designed it with the intention of it becoming their “forever” home in the future.
The couple learned of Interior Enhancement Group after visiting a getaway home the firm designed for another client. When it was time to work on their dream home, the homeowners reached out to Kelly Guinaugh and our design firm early in the process which helped us identify opportunities to recommend small changes with big impact.
Second Homes are Second Nature
Working with clients on their second home is second nature to our design firm. In fact, about half of our work is out of state. One of the benefits of working with clients locally is it allows us to work with them in the city where most of the decisions are made and not when they’re at their vacation property trying to relax.
Second homes are a specialty.
We love getting to know our clients, their styles and interests so we can work collaboratively with them. We also work as a team with architects, contractors and builders. Our ultimate goal is to create a process that is smooth, timely and on-budget but also enjoyable experience for our clients.
Great style doesn’t need to break the budget, either. For example, the homeowners of this Lake Geneva home knew they wanted to design their “forever” home even though it would serve as their second home in the meantime. When they struggled to create a home layout and plan that would meet their needs both functionally and in the budget that they were comfortable investing, we recommended areas where they could splurge to get the most impact while being more budget-friendly in other areas.
Splurge for High Impact
Our Lake Geneva client, like many of our clients, live active and busy lives. Their second home is their refuge. Their place to escape the hustle and bustle of the weekday fast pace. With four children, two dogs and hopes to entertain guests throughout the year, we knew we had to take into account livability without sacrificing the design aesthetic.
Earthy colors and soft textures invite people to linger in the great room.
The client wanted a Scandinavian-inspired retreat so a minimal look, comfort and coziness were prioritized. We incorporated natural and earthy colors and textures throughout and selected fabrics that were stain resistant, some are even bleachable, yet still light and soft fabrics.
In the great room, the upholstered pieces are designed to take the wear and tear of daily use while achieving that light and airy look desired by the client. Soft and understated colors such as nautical blue, taupe and off-white pull the space together. The two-piece wooden coffee table with visible tree ring details allows for versatility in the space and brings a softer texture into the room.
Reclaimed wooden panels in a chevron pattern make for a stunning feature wall.
The client fell in love with an accent wall she saw elsewhere and to help her realize that serene feel she was seeking in her bathroom, we recommended reclaimed wooden panels in a chevron pattern to create a highlight or feature wall behind the bathtub.
We carried that chevron pattern as a backsplash on the bar in the dining room for impact.
In the dining room, that chevron pattern can be seen again as we selected a very textural, multi-dimensional concrete tile as the backsplash. The look begs to be touched and gives the impression of a cozy knit sweater or blanket.
Give Your Four-Legged Friends a Leg Up
Another way to customize your home and welcome everyone is to create a pet shower station for your pets.
Don’t forget to design a space for your four-legged family members.
Since our homeowners have two dogs, we designed their own washing and grooming area complete with a step that folds away when not in use and a hand-held spray nozzle in the shower. No detail was overlooked. We designed it at a height that was comfortable for pets and the homeowner to make pet spa day the best for both pet and their human family.
Don’t Overlook Lighting
Interesting lighting fixtures can be just the element you need to provide both lighting and beautiful design.
Lighting can pull together an area without overwhelming it.
A circular pendant made of driftwood leading up the stairs to the bedrooms is a lovely way to introduce light into the area without it appearing too heavy. It offers great texture while also bridging the elements from the outdoors inside. To further soften the transition space, we introduced a vase with plumes.
The elegant waves are a nod to the lake nearby and the dark coloring of the piece match the dark window frames.
Since this home is close to the lake, we wanted to take advantage of that calming lake feel. We recommended this black metal lighting fixture for its simplicity in design yet sophisticated look. Notice the curvature in the chairs carry the shape throughout the space.
These weaved tulip-shaped light fixtures add a calm mood to the bedroom.
When we were considering lighting for the bedroom, we wanted something a bit more ethereal to match the calm mood we wanted to evoke in the space. Since the room’s coloring is subdued, we took inspiration from the black metal handles from the accent tables and chose tulip-style weave pendants to complete the room.
Serenity Now
We wanted to create that serene feeling before anyone even steps inside so we paid attention to the exterior color of the home.
The exterior of the home is painted with Benjamin Moore’s Classic Grey and accented with Sherwin Williams Storm Warning.
The colors we chose throughout the home, whether in the bathroom or kitchen, entryway or great room, support the feeling of serenity and calm. Pops of colors, whether greenery from plants or natural materials such as wood or natural stone, add to those calm feelings.
We wanted to carry those soft grey and relaxing colors inside so we selected peaceful shades like Sherwin Williams Egret White and Agreeable Gray.
