Timeless beauty and old-world craftsmanship are a winning combination in this shingle-style home
elcome to the first annual issue of Lakeshore Living. This new magazine, from the publishers of At The Lake, focuses on lake living in the Geneva Lakes area and beyond.
We’ve spent a year exploring the area in search of inspiring lakefront homes and beautiful, lush gardens to capture in photo essays for our readers. We bring you the results of that search: visual tours of several area homes, including the dazzling “Bayside Beauty” that appears on our cover. We sat down for a Q&A with local design professional Philip Sassano (page 12). And our friends at Brick & Mortar Home helped us select unique and fun home accessories for this summer season (page 56).
My favorite photo shoot for this issue was in Joy Peterkin Rasin’s gardens (pictured at left). Her gardens are documented in The Archives of Great American Gardens at the Smithsonian Institution, and they are so colorful and peaceful, we have been drawn back there for several consecutive summers. We offer a brilliant sampling beginning on page 34.
Please take this magazine outside to a comfortable chair near your favorite lake for a leisurely read with your beverage of choice close at hand. We hope you find our Lakeshore Living features and ideas inspiring for your own lake living.
Unlike most of the industry, we’ve never tried to design with a signature style in mind. Rather, as design chameleons, we are obsessed with connecting clients with original ideas and resources. In the end, our courageous, confident and well-edited designs create spaces that are both extremely personal and visually original. No joke, if you want “safe” you don’t hire our team.
Q: it’s my understanding that found objeCts play an important role in your designs. Why is that?
Found objects and vintage material is absolutely essential to creating interiors with a sense of history and authenticity. The key is the percentage. Too much, and you’re approaching Shabby Chic/Flea Marker hoarder territory. I believe the best interiors tell many stories, and vintage materials give rooms instant credibility. Do you really want your interior saying “I found this entire room on-line, at a furniture store or on page 57 of some catalog?” Every element of a room, from the accessories to the furniture, should be part of an orchestrated visual of your passion and your personality. And for the record … spaces that have passion and personality never go out of style.
“I believe the best interiors tell many stories, and vintage materials give rooms instant credibility.”
Philip
Sassano,
owner of The design Coach llC and The refined rustic Studio & gallery
Q: you’ve designed a number of lake home interiors. hoW have design trends Changed over the years, and What do you believe is the driving forCe behind the Change?
It’s important to note that in our world there’s a difference between design and decoration. Related to design, people are enjoying interiors that can support both large gatherings and intimate moments simultaneously. If you’re not using a room in your lake home, it’s probably because it’s designed to serve only one lifestyle purpose. These days, at the
Home
lake, your dining room table may need to double as your game table on a moment’s notice. Functional versatility in every room is important. Related to decoration, higher quality goods and less clutter are driving the current lake home aesthetic. The days of played out anchor and sailing motifs need to be controlled. My opinion, “Go Jump In The Lake” signs need to be regulated by the State of Wisconsin. One per family. A more authentic interior awaits, it’s out there … just go get it.
Q: l ake homes tend to be gathering spots for family, friends and lots of entertaining. What are some design must-haves to faCilitate this?
Comfort is still king, and regardless of the size of your lake home there are three things that are absolutely essential. A great set of blankets, a good grill and well stocked bar.
Q: When you’re designing an interior of a lake house, What speCial Considerations do you make? is there an effort to bring the outdoors in With the use of Color and texture?
Ignore traditional design myths. Take some risks and make your lake home a visual departure from your primary residence. Also, with advances in fabric technology, you CAN have spaces that are both durable and elegant … you just need to select the right materials. Bringing the outdoors in with color and texture is not something we think is a primary design consideration. However, bringing the inside out is! Exterior spaces are being designed with as much thought and consideration as other rooms in the home. Think beyond the haphazard placement of Adirondack chairs.
Q: When someone is embarking on neW ConstruCtion of a lake house or a remodeling projeCt of an existing lake home, What’s the most important tip you Can provide to ensure good design is inCorporated into the plan?
Two part answer here. First, involve your interior design team before you break ground. A good design team will pack critical materials selections in the blueprint stage, making for more accurate bids and a more lifestyle focused project. I am only as good as the performance of my team. They’re amazing. Together our job is to help clients see what’s possible. And second, for larger construction and remodeling projects, I recommend hiring a design firm with an experienced staff. It takes a team to put these projects together, and I’ve seen too many projects delayed and design opportunities missed by hiring design professionals with little or no practical construction experience. Let’s face it, you’re going up a mountain … better have yourself a good creative Sherpa. ❦
2002, Bob and Ruth Anne Morava of Williams Bay noticed that a piece of lake property in Cedar Point Park that they had long admired was for sale. In fact, Bob grew up just a few houses away and had been friends with the family since childhood. “Bob has a great love for the lake and Williams Bay itself,” explains Ruth Anne. “So when this property came on the market, we wanted to make that extra leap.” They purchased the property and moved in, but it was always their hope to replace the existing WWII-era house with a “forever” home they could enjoy with their two sons and extended family. Two years ago, with the help of architect Ken Etten, builder Randy Thelen and interior designer Katie Wozniak, that dream house became a reality.
Etten, of McCormack + Etten Architects in Lake Geneva, has over 21 years’ experience designing homes in the Lakes area, and he knows the challenges that come with that task. “The problem the Moravas were facing in the original house was that they had very limited views of the lake on that property,” he says. “They wanted to create a home where they could maximize their views.” The lot was relatively narrow — only about 80 feet wide — and when the Village ordinances regarding setbacks were factored into the equation, the space constraints presented a particular challenge.
“Bob has a great love for the lake and Williams Bay itself. So when this property came on the market, we wanted to make that extra leap.”
—Ruth Anne Morava, homeowner
Etten set to work solving the puzzle of designing a house and two-car garage to fit the lot that would also provide maximum views. He accomplished this by designing an open-plan house that stacks living space vertically. The result was a house that allows lake views from multiple rooms, including the master bedroom and the Great Room. “Now when you enter the main living area, the first thing that hits you is the view,” he says. “You can also see the views out the side of the house and from the tower on the corner. They have great views of the Williams Bay beach, views straight across the Bay, and you can look almost all the way down the lake to Fontana.”
Thelen, of Thelen Total Construction in Elkhorn, describes the views as the real “wow factor” of the house. “With the Wisconsin climate, you have to create spaces where you can enjoy the views of the lake 365 days of the year,” he points out, adding that the design of the home also allows for plenty of outdoor space as well, including a patio terrace that connects to the lawn and the lake. Thelen describes the overall style of the house as “casual elegance,” a term Etten agrees with.
To maximize lake views, architect Ken Etten of McCormack + Etten in Lake Geneva designed a tower on the side of the house that offers 180-degree views of Williams Bay; on the first floor this space serves as a breakfast nook.
“The house is designed in a style we refer to as Lake Cottage,” Etten explains. “It’s a style that’s prevalent on Geneva Lake because it echoes the precedent that was set back in the original lake cottages that the people from Chicago first built.” According to Etten, Lake Cottage style includes a mix of siding, shingle-style roofs and Arts-andCrafts-influenced design.
Inside, the goal was to design the home to be comfortable and welcoming. Wozniak, of Katherine Elizabeth Designs in North Barrington, Illinois, describes the process of working with the Moravas on their dream home as extremely collaborative. “[Bob and Ruth Anne] know what they like, but they were open to ideas and that made the process flow very smoothly.”
Wozniak is an award-winning designer who has more than 11 years of experience in the field; she went on to win a National Envision Design Competition Award in 2012 for her design of the Moravas’ master suite window treatments.
The Moravas included Wozniak in the planning stages of building. “We were involved with the project before the foundation was even dug,” Wozniak explains. “We start early so that during the building process, adjustments can be made to better fit the designs we suggest and we’re not holding up the building process.” Decisions like kitchen layout and appliances, traffic flow and luxury amenities often affect the overall architectural design and building method, so Wozniak feels it’s prudent to consult a designer early in the process.
Because the Moravas were building not just their dream house but also their primary residence, considerations like use of space were particularly important. “They wanted the kitchen to function where one end of the island served as a bar and the other end served as a kitchen,” Wozniak says. “That was the first time we had done a bar incorporated into a main kitchen. The outer island houses the main bar, so that Bob can be serving everyone in the great room area and that traffic pattern won’t get in the way of anyone cooking.”
Thelen was particularly pleased with a view-maximizing trick the team was able to employ in the master bedroom. “From working with a designer, they knew how they wanted to position the bed in the room, and that was with the bed facing the windows to the lake,” he explains. “For the nights they want to want to watch TV, we incorporated a TV that drops down from the ceiling with the touch of the button. That way when it’s not in use, the TV doesn’t detract from the view.” To do this, Thelen built a cavity in the attic into which the TV can retract.
In the great room, a wood-burning fireplace presented an opportunity to solve an age-old dilemma: how to get more wood for the fire without bundling up and dragging wood in from the outside? Etten and Thelen worked with the Moravas to design a wood bin that would be accessible from the garage and from the great room itself. “Now they can open doors on the inside of the living room to get the wood from the pile without having to go outside,” explains Thelen. “This is a lot less mess.”
Little touches made a big difference as well. At every step of the building process, the Moravas tried to engage local businesses and craftsmen. “We’re really happy that we chose a lot of local tradesmen,” Ruth Anne says. “Most of them are from the lakes area.”
With Wozniak’s help, the Moravas selected their preferred style of cabinet knobs for the kitchen and the built-in cabinets in the great room. The knobs were then hand-made at a company in Lake Geneva. The walnut floors allowed them to include an elaborate inlaid design in the shape of a compass pointing to the lake, the execution of which Wozniak was particularly pleased with.
Other luxury touches in the home include Sub-Zero refrigeration and Wolf appliances, Cambria Quartz countertops, a “whole-house” Nuvo sound system, state-of-the-art Pella windows with “Vivid View” screens to allow more light and visibility, rustic walnut floors, a Kohler Bancroft whirlpool tub, Suntouch electric floors in the bathrooms, a Finlandia sauna room and a master bedroom suite with a balcony overlooking the lake.
The master bathroom incorporates a Kohler Bancroft whirlpool tub, Kohler Katalyst showerhead, and Suntouch electric floors. The house also features a sauna room.
The spacious master bedroom allows for a sitting area that enjoys wraparound views of the lake.
Interior designer Katie Wozniak of Katherine Elizabeth Designs helped the homeowners select soothing, water-inspired colors for the bedroom.
But when it came to designing the home, accessibility was just as important as luxury. The Moravas knew as they were building a house that they wanted to be able to live in it as long as possible. “They really wanted a ‘forever’ home,” Thelen explains. To that end, they included an elevator and other accessibility touches like extra-wide doorways and bathrooms. “This is practical now as well as later,” explains Melody Fehling of Thelen Total Construction. “When you think about the extended family coming to visit or you think about other visitors that may have mobility issues, it just makes good sense.”
Energy efficiency was another major consideration. Thelen points out that the house’s location on the lake makes it more susceptible to wind and the elements in the winter. To counter these effects, a variety of materials and products were chosen for their ability to keep heat in the home. “We’ve got triple-paned windows throughout the house, which increases the insulation provided by the glass,” he says. “Then we use a foam insulation in the exterior walls and attics, similar to what you’d see in your refrigerator door. Foam insulation is very dense so no air moves through it, which makes it a much higher performing insulation.”
For interior designer Wozniak, the aesthetic choices were guided by the Moravas’ desire to make the inside of their home reflect the view they saw outside. “We kept all the architectural materials neutral in tone to stand the test of time and be classic,” she explains. “But then in draperies and upholsteries and accents, they really wanted to bring in the colors of the sunset. So as Ruth Anne and Bob watched the sun setting over the lake at various times of the year, we brought those colors in as accents.”
Sleeping spaces also benefited from this nature-inspired design. “Upstairs for the bedroom colors, we brought in the blues of the lake,” Wozniak continues. The soothing, water-colored palette also extended to the upstairs bathroom, where the natural stone and travertine featured a pattern of waves and hints of grayish blue. The overall effect is comfortable and familiar while maintaining the light and openness that the Moravas sought.
The house was completed in 2011 and is a testament to the power of collaboration. “One of the challenges [in building a house]is making all of the decisions so quickly,” Ruth Anne explains. “This was a house that Bob and I designed on bar napkins throughout the course of our lives,
but we needed guidance. We chose the team we did because we knew we needed experts who would provide some input and direction into the process… they gave us a lot of creative criticism, ideas and led us down the right path for us.”
“It was a really good team, and I look at projects as a team effort,” says Etten. “Clients, architect, contractors, interior designer, landscape designer… there’s a real satisfaction at the end of a job when you have a client that’s happy, when they love the house, and everyone’s still getting along at the end of the process. We worked together and were really happy with the result, and ended up with very happy clients.”
Thelen and Fehling agree. “It’s such a relationship during the building phase,” Fehling says. “The client really has to pick a team that they’re in sync with, personality wise. It’s going to be a long-term relationship.” Thelen adds the secret to getting the right end result is good communication.
It’s a philosophy the Moravas embrace. “There’s no way that I could have done this without Randy and Katie,” Ruth Anne says. “The experts know what they’re doing. Having that third and fourth opinion helped immensely.” ❦
The open plan layout of the house allowed the team to incorporate a bar space extending from the kitchen counter, so the homeowners can entertain guests and prepare food simultaneously. The great room and dining room feature wood-beam construction and built-in cabinetry while maintaining an airy, open feeling.
The state-of-the-art-kitchen incorporates Sub-
Zero refrigeration appliances, Wolf appliances and Cambria Quartz countertops. A large pantry with built-in cabinetry hides clutter and provides plenty of storage space.
#1 Selling Inboard Boat In The Country
#1 Selling Pontoon Boat In The Country
European
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By Anne Morrissy | Photography by Linda Oyama Bryan
Eight years ago, Orren and Tina Pickell moved into their dream home in the exclusive South Shore Club on the site of the former Northwestern Military Academy, and since then they have entertained scores of family and friends. “We’ve had up to 40 people sleep over at once,” Orren says jovially, and he says it’s not unusual to have 12-15 people sleeping there on any given summer weekend. Although their primary home is only about an hour away in Mettawa, Ill., Pickell says there’s something special about the Lake Geneva area. “I know it seems odd that you’d have another house so close, but it’s a whole other world when you’re here,” he says. “When you get to the lake, it just feels different.”
left: The site on which the Pickells’ house sits is the former northwestern military academy on geneva lake’s south shore. The South Shore Club development features forty home sites arranged in a horseshoe layout, with each having a stunning view of the lake. BottoM: guests entering the home pass through a gated courtyard reminiscent of an old-world european style home.
No stranger to luxury lake homes, Pickell is the founder of Orren Pickell Building Group LLC in Northfield, Ill. Over his 40-year career, he estimates he has built around 800 homes, including more than 15 of the homes currently part of the South Shore Club. So when it came time to build his own home within the full-amenity development, Pickell had a clear vision of what he wanted in a house and what would blend with the old-world European style prevalent in the South Shore Club.
“We wanted a house that would be comfortable,” Pickell explains. “We wanted to be able to entertain a lot of people. And part of the way we put
toP: in addition to top-of-the-line appliances, the kitchen features copper/metal and stone countertops, and leaded stained glass windows. BeloW: in keeping with the rustic character of the architecture, the Pickells selected neutral colors along with dark reds, light green and gold for their décor, allowing the natural wood to take center stage. right: The stone fireplace with walk-in hearth and the hand-hewn timber cathedral ceiling in the great room guided the design of the home, evoking a hunting lodge in the french alps.
the millwork together, the flooring and the finishes was so the house would look even better as it got older and more worn. We wanted the house to patina very nicely.”
The overall effect is that of a comfortable hunting lodge in the French Alps. The interior features hand-hewn, exposed-timber cathedral ceilings, natural stonework fireplaces (with stone sourced from Wisconsin), white oak plank floors, and leaded stained glass windows, among many other touches. The floorplan features five bedroom suites and six bathrooms distributed among three levels.
The South Shore Club development is a distinctive concept on Geneva Lake. After Northwestern Military Academy consolidated with St. John’s Military Academy, moving its campus to Delafield in the late 1990s, the site of the former institution was cleared and its 41 acres broken up into 40 home sites. Each homeowner who purchases a site is free to design his or her own home on lots that are either 40 feet by 85 feet or 45 feet by 95 feet.
South Shore Club homeowners also buy a 1/40th share of all the common areas and services, which include extensive luxury amenities: professional landscape maintenance; water/septic maintenance; snow removal; garbage removal; a custom-designed, zero-depth entry swimming pool and hot tub with lifeguard service; a 5,000-square-foot subterranean clubhouse with full lake views; a tennis court; a lakefront swimming area with a private pier and water trampoline; a children’s beach; private boat moorings and canopied hydraulic lift slips available for lease; 1.5 miles of nature trails; a chip-and-
putt golf area; Bocce ball and croquet courts; a children’s playground; a yacht club; and year-round concierge services.
The development was partially inspired by a luxury development in Harbor Springs, Mich., called Harbor Point, which is situated on a narrow peninsula that juts into Little Traverse Bay. The gated community of about 25 houses prohibits motor vehicles on the peninsula, emulating nearby Mackinac Island; residents park at the gate entrance and take horse-and-carriage traps to their homes. “Those 25 houses are some of the most prime real estate in the state of Michigan, possible even in the country,” explains Pickell. “They’re close together, and the way they make this work is with landscaping and architecture, including lots of vegetation. That was a big inspiration for the South Shore Club.”
“ and ParT of The Way We PuT The millWork TogeTher, The flooring and The finiSheS WaS So The houSe Would look even BeTTer aS iT goT older and more Worn. We WanTed The houSe To PaTina very niCely.
”
— orren PiCkell, homeoWner
Susan Hamilton, sales consultant with Orren Pickell Building, describes the layout of the South Shore Club as roughly a horseshoe set within a rectangle. “When the houses are in this horseshoe, even if you build in the back, you still have a stunning view down the middle onto the lake,” she explains. “It allows everyone to have a beautiful view.” Pickell points out that although this horseshoe layout — or as he describes it, the bell curve — can lead to the houses being fairly close together, the extensive greenspace and creative landscaping creates a sense of privacy and spaciousness.
One of the goals the Pickells set when building the house was to maximize these lake views. According to Tina Pickell, part of their “must-have” list when designing the home was to ensure lake views from the master suite, the family room, the screened porch and the dining area.
Guests enter the home through the courtyard, and an octagonal, copper-roofed open porch is one of the first things they see. In fact, according to Orren Pickell, this porch itself was a happy surprise; it was initially added to complete the overall exterior look they wanted to achieve. “Now the front porch is one of the great things about this house,” he says. It offers a view of the woodland area and achieves total privacy from other homes. “It’s totally open to the woods and you can get a glimpse of the bridge [on the shared greenspace],” he explains. “I’ve learned that if you sit out on a covered porch outside, it feels great.”
In designing the home, the Pickells worked to merge the outdoors with the indoors. Exterior elements of slate, stone, copper, and cedar are mirrored
toP: The screened porch is a favorite spot for the Pickells. it provides a view of the woodland area and privacy from the other homes. BottoM: The walkout lower level includes a custom bar with wine refrigerator that’s convenient to the patio for outdoor entertaining. right: The master suite features cathedral ceilings, a sitting area and a walk-out balcony as well as stunning lake views. in addition to the master suite, the home features four bedroom suites.
throughout the interior, and multiple balconies, porches and terraces allow nature into the house. There’s also an outdoor kitchen and barbecue area under a roof: “We do a lot of grilling,” Pickell explains.
Inside, they designed the open floor plan to favor entertaining and vacation living. The first floor is dominated by the 20-by-22-foot great room featuring the impressive cathedral ceilings, which opens into the dine-in room. The rest of the first floor contains the screened porch and an open deck, as well as a secluded library, a laundry room and a chef’s kitchen with top-of-theline appliances.
The second floor layout includes three private guest suites with cathedral ceilings and an expansive master retreat that includes its own study and walk-out balcony. “Each bedroom is a guest suite,” explains Tina Pickell, adding that the idea was to allow for “quiet time in multiple areas.”
The walkout lower level features a large family room, a game room, a custom bar, and a walk-in wine cellar, as well as a fifth bedroom suite. The home is fully automated throughout and boasts both Lutron and Crestron systems to control lights, shades, music and thermostat.
The standout feature of the home is unquestionably the timber-beam cathedral ceilings. Orren Pickell says he was inspired to include them by a trip to Montana, where he visited the plant of one of the largest log producers in the area. “To make each one of the beams, it would [traditionally] take four guys two days at least to manufacture.” But on his visit to the plant, he saw the same beam created in about 20 minutes. “It was very impressive,” he says. “I got a lot of ideas out there.”
The slate roof was sourced from Vermont, but most of the other materials used in the home were sourced locally in Wisconsin and Illinois, which Pickell points out is in adherence with the European tradition. “In Europe, when a house is 300 years old, almost always the materials were local, because transportation was so expensive,” he explains. “The stone was often quarried out of the farm where the manor house was located. Once in a while, they imported luxury stone to go around windows and doors, and we did that here, but overall we’re looking for more of a casual look.” They worked with local vendors and subcontractors to complete the home, which took about nine months to build.
“We had some fairly high-level finishes,” he explains. “When you’re trying to finish up an interior, there are tons of details, and you have to finish one detail before you can move on the next. It comes down to not making too many changes.” He points out that his years of expertise helped in making the right decisions the first time.
Their guiding principle in choosing interior finishes was to create a space that could withstand the rigors of daily living. “We wanted the interior to look distressed and yet elegant,” explains Tina Pickell, adding that they wanted, “no worries about people having to take off their shoes,” as well as a home where “dogs can roam without worries about damage.”
Now, eight years later, they are happy with the effect they have achieved. “Everyone who walks in remarks on how comfy and cozy it is,” says Orren Pickell. Hamilton, who has been a guest in the home, concurs: “It is gorgeous; we love it up there.”
Pickell emphasizes that a big part of the comfort comes from the full-service amenities that accompany life in the South Shore Club. “One of the nice things about this particular spot: it’s beautiful and convenient, and I don’t have to worry about anything.” ❦
toP: The master bath features an elegant freestanding bath tub situated in front of a bank of windows looking out at the expansive lawn. BottoM: The twin vanities with plenty of storage are positioned opposite the bath tub to take advantage of the room’s natural light. right: each of the guest suites features its own luxurious bath to ensure complete privacy.
ThiS Page: Purple Cone flower growing with yellow Coreopsis makes a lively late summer combination. righT: ‘Carefree Beauty’ rose: in the climate of lake geneva, planting roses that are bred on their own root, such as this ‘Carefree Beauty,’ rather than a grafted root, have a much better chance of surviving our brutal winters. if there is a winter die back, the resulting rebirth in the spring will be the same variety rather than the wild rose root used in a grafted rose.
Flowerside’s Gardens
In 1898, Simeon B. Chapin built a shingle-style country home for spending the summers. The estate’s name, flowerside inn, proved confusing to geneva lake area visitors, who kept showing up at the Chapin home with the intention of staying a night or two. Consequently, Chapin replaced “inn” with “farms,” the plural referring to his many properties, including Brookdale farm, Summer acre farm and Como farm.
In Chicago, Chapin was a financial powerhouse who founded the Chapin and Company brokerage firm. In Lake Geneva, he donated the site for Horticultural Hall, contributed immensely to the local Y.M.C.A., and founded the Water Safety Patrol. He also had a great passion for his gardens. He employed up to fifteen gardeners for the upkeep of his expansive landscape.
When Rudy and Joy Rasin purchased Flowerside in the 1970s, the gardens had fallen into disrepair. Undeterred, Joy Peterkin Rasin tackled one area at a time, planning carefully designed plantings and employing a nationally renowned landscape company to implement her ideas.
So spectacular were the gardens at Flowerside, they were documented in The Archives of Great American Gardens at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. in 2002 (part of the Garden
Club of America collection). On these pages we share with you the results of Joy’s efforts over the past four decades.
“It’s important to me that the garden views from within the house be as glorious as those from within the garden, and that no matter how one enjoys the garden, a new pleasure is revealed with every visit,” Joy says. “I spend the winter reading up on new plants and return for the summer to work with Nita in making new designs, new beds, widening existing beds and inserting new varieties wherever possible. We are always shovel pruning those that didn’t survive and experimenting with moving plants around to make them happier in a new environment.
“A garden is never finished. I love to walk the gardens and even more so if I have a gardening friend to walk them with.”
The Joy of
The viSion of Joy PeTerkin raSin ComeS To life in viBranT Color PhoTograPhy By ClinT farlinger | image idenTifiCaTion By Joy PeTerkin raSin and niTa CarlSon
Bee Balm monarda ‘raspberry Wine’: The various varieties of monarda are very useful in the garden for cut flowers as well as for long standing color but caution must be used as it spreads by runners, and borders on invasive. aBove: The yellow “hyperion” daylily is amongst the most fragrant and oldest of the daylilies.
lefT:
lefT: a member of the “Tango” asiatic lily family. With several blooms to a stem, available in various colors but all centers speckled with maroon, these are most satisfactory in the garden. aBove: yarrow (white); Purple Coneflower; heliopsis (yellow daisy-like); lythrum virgatum ‘morden gleam’ (spike pink), not to be confused with the banned loosestrife: all bloom surrounding the four fountain statues original to Joy’s previous family home constructed in 1906. They no longer serve as fountains but are anchored firmly into the ground to bring memories while adding interest to the garden.
lefT: The prolific yellow Coreopsis, as long as it is deadheaded, is a non-stop blooming perennial. aBove: The prolific and spreading heliopsis ‘Summer Sun,’ shown here with Platycodon grandiflorus, makes a colorful mid to late summer display.
lefT: as it ages, the yellow center of the zinnia becomes more apparent. aBove: from the window box, the lovely orange petaled flower is a small “window box dahlia.” ❦
Bluebird Day
Built in 2011 on part of the old Westgate estate, this geneva lake home was designed with all the amenities of modern living, yet evokes an old lake house feel, complete with dormers, terraced front yard, loads of built-in cabinetry and custom-designed lead glass accents. Delightful and ingenious hidden extras, such as a secret loft room and fully-functional beacon, add an imaginative touch.
PhotograPhy By shanna Wolf excePt Where noteD
Top: An expansive kitchen, full of natural light, allows for several cooks to move about at once. Custom cabinetry hides appliances and a concealed walk-in pantry (far left).
RighT: The soaring entryway welcomes guests to the lake.
FaR RighT: A central living room opens to a heated lakeside porch. Custom cabinets, lead glass accents and a tray ceiling add formality, thoughtfully balanced by comfortable, inviting furnishings.
opposiTe page: A staircase connecting all three levels is conveniently located at the home’s “back” (street side) door. At the lake, the “front” door is the one facing the lake.
This page: The lower level features a walk-out patio facing the lakefront, with a ski-theme game room, living area, expansive bar, two-sided fireplace and wine room.
CloCkwise FRom Top leFT: This century-old, locally reclaimed barn wood was repurposed into a spacious “Irish Wharf bar.”
Old rowing oars become a guestbook work-in-progress; houseguests sign them with a permanent marker.
Adjacent to the wine room is a dining table for impromptu tastings.
aBoVe: Upstairs, the bunk room functions as a guest space with built-in storage, bedside lights and charging stations.
RighT: A large guest bedroom offers an en-suite bathroom, with a view of the lake. Above this room is a working beacon light that can be seen for two miles. Beyond the suite is a theater room designed as an old Zephyr train car, custom-designed above the garage.
Summer living is grand from the glassed-in front porch. A window and French doors open out from the kitchen area. It’s one of Shadow the dog’s favorite places to be. ❦
BuildeR/aRChiTeCT: Engerman Companies
inTeRioR design: Philip Sassano Design, Inc.
auTomaTion: Edge
landsCaping: Technics Lawn & Landscape Inc.
Lakeshore Collections
To AChieve
accessorize your home Style and Comfort
Special touches to create an inviting environment are always in demand. We asked our friends at Brick & mortar home in lake geneva to help us create a portfolio of must-haves for outdoor dining and lake-themed living. Browse the next four pages for indispensable and inspiring ideas, combining classic, timeless styling with an upscale twist.
toP roW, left to right: merritt international, 9.5” artisan Tile Plate, oceania Pattern, $15; Two’s Company, rope Cheese knives, $42; merritt international, medallion Plate, 11.5,” $14; artisan Tile Plate, oceania Pattern, $15; medallion Plate, 7.5”, $11. MiDDle roW, left to right: laguiole, debutant 24-piece flatware box set, $270; Saro Trading, Woven nubby Placement (natural), $9 each and Saro, Classic design napkin (ivory), $7 each BottoM roW, left to right: Barreveld river Stone Placemat, (Black/White), $10; kalalou, Candle holders with rope accent, Small - $29, med. - $44 and large - $62; (vance kitira candles sold separately); k&k interiors, metal Spoon napkin holder, $20
toP roW, left to right: Woven Workz, europa Throw (Camel), $88; dCi, 30” metal Clock on Tripod, $149; Beachcomber, 38” Wooden Sailboat, $159; MiDDle roW, left to right: authentic models, decorative globe obelisk, $58; four Seasons, 21” Box Back Throw Pillow, $99 (four Seasons pillows, $89-$99 for pillows shown in photo on left. Special order pillows, $89-$189); BottoM roW, left to right: kalalou, rush round mat with anchor, $49; k&k interiors, Wooden Twine Candle holders, 10” - $36, 8” - $30 and vance kitira Timber goblet Candles (Brown Sugar), 4” - $15, 3” - $8; moby dick, Ship Wheel, 24”, $88
Geneva Lake Classic
by
the timeless beauty of this elegant home on Geneva Lake’s south shore captures the essence of shingle-style design and old world craftsmanship. built in 2007 by Fischer Fine Home building Inc., Lake Geneva, the home is a testament to meticulous attention to detail, exceptional construction practices and extraordinary results. For more than 25 years Fischer has been known for building Geneva Lake’s most admired homes and this one is no exception.
photography
Werner straube
The main living spaces are centrally located within the home and take advantage of sweeping lake views. The living room, at left, and family room, above, feature french doors leading out to terraces.
The Shaker-style kitchen has white cabinets but a contrasting handcrafted island. Soapstone countertops and a backsplash with blue rippled glass tiles complement the colors in the soapstone and mimic the color of the lake. The cooktop hood is steel with an antique patina, and the weathered tone is picked up with the three pendants above the island. The homeowners did not want a formal dining room, so an upgraded eat-in-dining area opposite the kitchen was created with a boxed bay window to maximize the lake views.
BuilDer: fischer fine home Building inc., lake geneva, Wi • architect: myefski architects, evanston, il • Designer: hickman design associates, Chicago, il
The tongue and groove ceiling detail is a signature feature throughout the house, providing added texture to all rooms. The master bath (above) features double vanities, one with a place to sit and apply makeup. limestone on the countertops and tub deck, flooring of multi-colored tumbled limestone, a tongue and groove wall treatment and built in storage complete the look. one of three guest baths is trimmed with wainscot detailing. double pedestal sinks sit atop a limestone floor accented with a small mosaic glass tile border.
meals-on-the-move
Call for our weekly
a gift of food Show how much you care by scheduling a thoughtful delivery for someone. entertaining Enjoy your event while we do the work—from office lunches, to meetings, to family celebrations, or other special gatherings. gourmet gifts Stop in to visit our gift shop, filled with unique gifts, delicious gourmet goodies, and special gift baskets, perfect for every occasion.
