Houzz Tour: An Alabama Lake House Grows With the Family
A funky 1970s cabin loses its fake wood paneling and shag carpeting but stays true to its relaxed roots
An Airy and Resilient Makeover
The tone is set just inside the door with white oak flooring, nickel-gap butt wall boards, natural woven textures, a casual striped flat-weave rug and a light, earthy color palette.
The bright new crowd-friendly design needed to be able to take a beating from weekend activity at the lake. “This family likes to live hard at the lake, so nothing could be too precious,” Colgan says. “There are tons of people and dogs. There is a lot of cooking and lots of activity going on.” She made sure that damp bathing suits, muddy paws, and mustard, ketchup and red wine stains would not wreak havoc on the materials she chose.
The tone is set just inside the door with white oak flooring, nickel-gap butt wall boards, natural woven textures, a casual striped flat-weave rug and a light, earthy color palette.
The bright new crowd-friendly design needed to be able to take a beating from weekend activity at the lake. “This family likes to live hard at the lake, so nothing could be too precious,” Colgan says. “There are tons of people and dogs. There is a lot of cooking and lots of activity going on.” She made sure that damp bathing suits, muddy paws, and mustard, ketchup and red wine stains would not wreak havoc on the materials she chose.
A major layout change was combining the kitchen, dining room and family room into one large space. “We wanted the kitchen to enjoy the view of the lake,” Colgan says. She turned the space into a cohesive great room.
They replaced the original windows, maintaining the expansive view of the water. The kitchen moved into the former dining area from a small space tucked off to the side, and the dining area moved in front of the windows facing the lake. The former kitchen became a large walk-in pantry.
They replaced the original windows, maintaining the expansive view of the water. The kitchen moved into the former dining area from a small space tucked off to the side, and the dining area moved in front of the windows facing the lake. The former kitchen became a large walk-in pantry.
Before: In a quick reference snapshot taken before the remodel we see that the house had amazing bones, but its finishes — like the popcorn ceiling, fake wood paneling and tired thick carpeting — were past their prime. The kitchen, seen at the back left, was mostly tucked into a closed-off area, with the dining space in front of a half-wall of windows looking out toward the woods.
A Pleasing Open Plan
After: “We really wanted to make the kitchen part of the open plan and great room,” Colgan says. The new windows, beams, lanterns and nickel-gap butt boards on the walls continue from one end of the house to the other, unifying the long gathering space. The island and windows now have a pleasing symmetry and bring in light that was lacking in the formerly dark off-kilter layout.
Since this was a casual lake house kitchen meant to accommodate big groups, it had different standards from a typical kitchen in a single family’s primary residence. The goals here were that the kitchen would enjoy a lake view, be a lovely and cozy space to look at and experience, and let people gather and keep the cooks company without getting in the way.
Lantern: Ballard Designs; sconces: Circa Lighting; counter stools: Mainly Baskets; see more woven bar and counter stools
After: “We really wanted to make the kitchen part of the open plan and great room,” Colgan says. The new windows, beams, lanterns and nickel-gap butt boards on the walls continue from one end of the house to the other, unifying the long gathering space. The island and windows now have a pleasing symmetry and bring in light that was lacking in the formerly dark off-kilter layout.
Since this was a casual lake house kitchen meant to accommodate big groups, it had different standards from a typical kitchen in a single family’s primary residence. The goals here were that the kitchen would enjoy a lake view, be a lovely and cozy space to look at and experience, and let people gather and keep the cooks company without getting in the way.
Lantern: Ballard Designs; sconces: Circa Lighting; counter stools: Mainly Baskets; see more woven bar and counter stools
They wanted light counters but thought that marble would be too precious-looking and delicate. “We wanted to go more rustic at the lake,” Ide says. Colgan suggested engineered quartz, which could stand up to wear and tear, and a honed finish, which lends a rustic feel. The counters are Calacatta Nuvo by Caesarstone.
Oil-rubbed bronze light fixtures and hardware and the dark picture frames and counter stools add a nice amount of dark, rugged contrast to the light-colored surfaces. The sink is a classic apron-front farmhouse sink, and the faucet has a traditional silhouette and polished nickel finish.
Faucet: Kohler; browse traditional nickel kitchen faucets
Oil-rubbed bronze light fixtures and hardware and the dark picture frames and counter stools add a nice amount of dark, rugged contrast to the light-colored surfaces. The sink is a classic apron-front farmhouse sink, and the faucet has a traditional silhouette and polished nickel finish.
Faucet: Kohler; browse traditional nickel kitchen faucets
Expansive Pantry Allows for a Neat and Uniform Kitchen Look
The lack of upper cabinets allowed room for new windows, open shelves, a range and a vent hood. The curved corbels supporting the shelves and the butt board-wrapped vent hood add coziness. “We didn’t want this kitchen to look so utilitarian. We wanted it to be warm and cozy,” Colgan says.
To give the kitchen area a streamlined look, keep messes out of sight and give the cooks room to work, she located the main refrigerator, the microwave, the small appliances and the snack supplies in the pantry. Several fridge drawers, for things like drinks, are in the main kitchen on the far ends of the range wall. Also in the kitchen is everything needed for cooking, like pots and pans and the dishwasher and sink.
The lack of upper cabinets allowed room for new windows, open shelves, a range and a vent hood. The curved corbels supporting the shelves and the butt board-wrapped vent hood add coziness. “We didn’t want this kitchen to look so utilitarian. We wanted it to be warm and cozy,” Colgan says.
To give the kitchen area a streamlined look, keep messes out of sight and give the cooks room to work, she located the main refrigerator, the microwave, the small appliances and the snack supplies in the pantry. Several fridge drawers, for things like drinks, are in the main kitchen on the far ends of the range wall. Also in the kitchen is everything needed for cooking, like pots and pans and the dishwasher and sink.
Before: Most of the kitchen was squeezed into a space that is now the walk-in pantry. “Before the renovations, it was crazy when we’d try to cook in there together,” Ide says.
After: The sliding pantry door’s green color ties in to the exterior siding and evokes relaxed summer-camp nostalgia. The subway tile backsplash extends to the ceiling for a nice finished look, and the black shelf supports add a utilitarian touch that is different from the more elegant wood shelf supports in the main kitchen.
“This was my favorite part of this project — we were able to hide the fridge, all of the small appliances and the bulk of the storage in the pantry,” says Robert Melvin of Holland Homes. “That’s how we were able to keep the kitchen nice and clear.”
Light fixture: Etsy
Light fixture: Etsy
A Display of Meaningful Homemade Art
Ide shot photos of special spots around the lake that had meaning for her family, like Chimney Rock and Children’s Harbor, as well as family photos. Then she and Colgan had them printed in sepia tones on linen paper and framed them inexpensively in matching frames. Arranging them in a striking grid created a meaningful wall full of memories.
An Insider’s Guide to Creating the Perfect Gallery Wall
Ide shot photos of special spots around the lake that had meaning for her family, like Chimney Rock and Children’s Harbor, as well as family photos. Then she and Colgan had them printed in sepia tones on linen paper and framed them inexpensively in matching frames. Arranging them in a striking grid created a meaningful wall full of memories.
An Insider’s Guide to Creating the Perfect Gallery Wall
Engineered hardwoods replaced the shag carpeting, and white nickel-gap butt boards replaced the 1970s fake wood paneling. The fireplace was whitewashed and has a new mantel. The vaulted popcorn ceiling got a smooth finish, new rustic beams and a trio of oversized open lantern fixtures. And Melvin notes that characteristics of engineered hardwood floors made them the best choice for the lake house. “They don’t expand or contract or separate, making them very low maintenance, and you can pick out an exact color with a uniform look — there are no stain surprises. And they look great,” he says.
The scale of these lights stand up to the volume of the room and the height of the ceiling. “These are from Ballard Designs, and they were a great pick because they don’t have glass that would need cleaning or dusting. Plus we needed three of them and these didn’t break the bank,” Colgan says. While the butt boards for the walls were a big splurge, her clever catalog shopping made up for it.
The furniture can take a beating and does so regularly. It’s slipcovered in a durable Crypton fabric that is stain- and odor-resistant and can go in the washing machine.
Floors: The Eighteen Seventy-Five collection in Wandsworth white oak, Real Wood Floors
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The scale of these lights stand up to the volume of the room and the height of the ceiling. “These are from Ballard Designs, and they were a great pick because they don’t have glass that would need cleaning or dusting. Plus we needed three of them and these didn’t break the bank,” Colgan says. While the butt boards for the walls were a big splurge, her clever catalog shopping made up for it.
The furniture can take a beating and does so regularly. It’s slipcovered in a durable Crypton fabric that is stain- and odor-resistant and can go in the washing machine.
Floors: The Eighteen Seventy-Five collection in Wandsworth white oak, Real Wood Floors
Find a contractor in your area
The fireplace has a new look thanks to white paint and a new mantel. The TV is a must for big-game weekends. The armoire conceals a bar.
Master Suite Addition Continues the Theme
Next we’ll move over to the new master bedroom addition, which is on the left side of this photo with the three windows. With the new master, there are a total of three bedrooms with en suite bathrooms (two on the main level and one on the lower level), plus two more bedrooms and a bunk room on the lower level.
Next we’ll move over to the new master bedroom addition, which is on the left side of this photo with the three windows. With the new master, there are a total of three bedrooms with en suite bathrooms (two on the main level and one on the lower level), plus two more bedrooms and a bunk room on the lower level.
The new master bedroom has a vaulted ceiling, but it’s lower than the great room ceiling for a cozier feel. A farmhouse-style bed, a jute rug and linen drapes bring a homey vibe to the room. The nickel-gap butt boards continue the light and rustic lake house feeling in here. The comfortable chair and ottoman were something Ide brought from home.
Bed: Pottery Barn; drapes: West Elm; rug: RH; browse jute and sisal rugs
Bed: Pottery Barn; drapes: West Elm; rug: RH; browse jute and sisal rugs
The butt boards and Caesarstone counters continue in the new master bathroom, which has a generous shower and ample vanity storage. Bin pulls and vintage-style mirrors and sconces are in keeping with the rustic vibe.
A staircase to the lower level has a runner that matches the rug in the entry hall.
They decided to extend the butt boards down here after they realized how much they liked them upstairs. This was a major expense in the budget that Colgan mitigated by doing a lot of savvy catalog shopping and by scouring the internet for ready-made vanities that would fit the bathrooms’ dimensions, rather than going with more expensive custom vanities.
Shop for vanities
They decided to extend the butt boards down here after they realized how much they liked them upstairs. This was a major expense in the budget that Colgan mitigated by doing a lot of savvy catalog shopping and by scouring the internet for ready-made vanities that would fit the bathrooms’ dimensions, rather than going with more expensive custom vanities.
Shop for vanities
After: Now it serves as a cute and cozy bunk room that sleeps six. Because it’s a basement, they switched to vinyl floors that look like wood.
The entire extended family gathered to enjoy their first Thanksgiving in the spruced-up version of the family home in 2017. It was the first of many family weekends that will be spent together at the lake.
Takeaways
The entire extended family gathered to enjoy their first Thanksgiving in the spruced-up version of the family home in 2017. It was the first of many family weekends that will be spent together at the lake.
Takeaways
- Overall updating, finishing a basement and extending a house are worth thinking about before jumping to the teardown option. This house is full of memories that were kept thanks to a thoughtful renovation.
- How you function in a kitchen deserves careful consideration, particularly if it’s in a shared house with several cooks and lots of folks coming in and out to grab drinks or snacks.
- A white and bright space can maintain a rustic vibe. The key is to use textures like wood (instead of drywall), rough linen, ticking stripes, leather, canvas, metal finishes and woven twig or wicker furniture.
- A walk-in pantry can be a game changer.
- Using materials like quartz countertops, flat-weave rugs, Crypton fabrics, slipcovered furniture and engineered hardwood floors keeps this house rugged and durable.
- An easy and inexpensive way to create a wall of meaningful art is to print photos in the same colors and frame them in matching mats and frames.
Who lives here: A couple, their daughter and three sons, and their grandchildren
Location: Lake Martin in Alabama
Size: Five bedrooms plus a bunk room, five bathrooms
Designer: Tyler Colgan
In the mid-1970s, the Wilson family bought a lot on Alabama’s Lake Martin and built a lake house that was of the era — think dark-paneled walls, funky window arrangements and shag carpeting. The house was fabulous for lakeside fun and plenty big enough for a family with four children. But flash forward 40 years, and those four grown children have partners and seven kids among them — and everyone wants to spend time at the lake house together. The problem was that the beloved lake house was too small and cramped for the three-generation crew, and stylewise it was drearily dark and overly shaggy.
“We wanted the house to be light and bright because it had always been so dark. But we also wanted it to be easy to keep clean,” says daughter Cameron Ide, who lives with her family in Atlanta, about 150 miles from the lake house. And she knew that her good friend Tyler Colgan, who was also her designer in Atlanta, was just the person to help them.
Colgan’s firm drew up architectural sketches for a master bedroom addition that fit in with the architecture of the original home, came up with a material and color palette for the house’s full renovation, helped transform an unfinished basement room into a cheerful bunk room, and helped with furniture and accessory selections. Holland Homes completed the construction work and kept everything on schedule.
On the exterior, the home kept the same woodsy lake feel, with green Hardie board siding blending in with the foliage. Everything to the left of the door is part of the original house; the new addition starts just to the right of the door and contains a new master suite. The scale and placement of the addition keep the house from looking like a McMansion — it still fits in at the lake.