Home is a place where laughter will breeze in and out through the windows and doors and linger for years waiting to be shared with family and friends. Stories about special events and holidays are often repeated, lied about, and exaggerated to unrecognizable shapes but that’s when the conversations become fun and bawdy. The more you make your home warm and comfortable the more memories you collect. For this home on Lake Waubesa every room pulls you in and wraps you in a warm blanket of coziness.
As you approach this home from the street the steep pitched roof reminds me of homes built in the 1920s. The crunch of October leaves under your feet greet you as you walk to the arched front door with a small eyebrow roof above it. Once you enter you’re invited to walk up a beautiful set of stairs with a sculpted railing to an open view of the lake with a dream kitchen on the left and a large living room on the right. I had the pleasure of photographing this home in 2015 which was owned by another family and when this home was purchased a disastrous flood occurred while the new owners were away causing the entire lower level to be flooded and eventually remodeled. Enter the dream team.
The narrow galley style kitchen is stunning with all white cabinets and gold drawer and cupboard handles and the contrast immediately catches your eye. There is a narrow island in the center and I can see how useful this would be for this long kitchen. The under cabinet lighting washes over the travertine floor and the back wall is an artistic design made by the homeowners creating a three dimensional appeal of circular shapes throwing interesting shadows. The countertop faces the lake and the big windows allow for an expansive view of nature. This home is an old soul kind of home with nine foot ceilings and brick fireplaces that remind me of the home I grew up in. But that’s as far as the comparison goes. The new interior after the remodel is beautiful.
While speaking with the homeowner there is soft music piped throughout the entire home and I was then directed to a lighting panel that has a switch on it called “party mode.” With a beaming smile she hits the switch and every sconce, recessed lighting can, chandelier, and lamp in the home is turned on to the perfect lighting for a party. You have to love a feature like that especially when someone is so proud of it. She turns the lights on and off like it was magic. Now that I’m thinking about it I’m wondering how that was done. Maybe it is magic. I’m going to research “party mode” for my house because that was a fun feature.
The homeowner is an artist and her husband collects model cars and boats and you can see their love and passions in the rooms where they relax. The side porch quickly became my favorite room in the home. The architecturally designed ceiling is magnificent. You can’t stop looking at it and the screened in porch next to it is a perfect compliment to comfort. This is a home where everyone feels comfortable. Warm and inviting.
I love to imagine homes like this in the winter when the wind and snow are blowing and the temperatures are biting. You spend the day outside and then you come home and curl up next to a fire with a glass of wine or a smooth bourbon where you can enjoy the peace and quiet of winter. This home has that quality as the lake is big enough to whip a howling wind in all directions.
People who love comfortable homes are always thinking about ways to make them better. Art, rugs, furniture, artifacts from traveling, and above all, lighting. For me, lighting is, and always will be, the most important feature when creating a magnificent atmosphere for a comfortable and warm home. This home is one for the record books and when you say that to a happy client you get a broad smile and an affirmative nod. She loves this home and her smile is the give-a-way.
