Living the Lakeside Life

A design team balances the beauty of natural surroundings with practical features in this home by the water.

- MERYL SCHOENBAUM

When spending time in nature is as important to the quality of your life as the air you breathe, it's only natural to want to put down roots where nature is abundant right outside your door. Such was the case for the owners of this lakeside cottage in Hayward, Wisconsin. Not only did they want to live in beautiful, natural surroundings, they wanted to build the home of their dreams there too, so they brought in an interior design firm to help them achieve the look and feel they desired in their new-build home.

"The now-retired couple who owns this lakeside cottage wanted a fresh start with a new build that was perfectly designed for friends, family (children and grandchildren) and enjoyment of the outdoors," says Krystal Kellermann, senior designer at O'Hara Interiors, who collaborated with Taylor Allsup, an interior designer at the company, on this project.

WARM WELCOME. "The entry door is painted in the same vintage-inspired forest green as the kitchen cabinets. "The foyer's design includes several references to the rest of the home," Krystal says. "The beamed ceilings make an otherwise tall ceiling feel intimate and welcoming."

NATURAL NEUTRALS. The living room's color palette was pulled from the view outdoors for a relaxing and comfortable ambience. "We took inspiration from the colors of the woods and the lake in several areas of the home," Krystal says.

SHIP SHAPE. A warm white shiplap on the walls extends from the foyer throughout the kitchen, mudroom, staircase and other spaces in the home.