Natural Beauty

Story by Terri Glazer | Design by Lindsey Black Interiors | Photos by Sarah Voigt Photography

When planning a new lake house for her client, designer Lindsey Black knew just the feel the home needed. The family’s main residence in Memphis reflects the owner’s classic, polished sense of style. The Pickwick place needed to respect the traditional, but in a relaxed way that would blend with the beauty of its waterfront setting.

“She really wanted it to feel comfortable for her family, not like anything was too precious, but at the same time not so casual that it didn't feel like her,” recalls the designer, owner of Lindsey Black Interiors. 

Black achieved the goal by employing a mostly soft and subdued color palette paired with  plenty of wood and other natural materials. Her emphasis was not only on style, however. The client’s family includes four school-age children as well as a host of out-of-town relatives, so the lake house had to be beautiful, indestructible and able to hold a crowd.

The five-bedroom home built by RKA Construction coexists seamlessly with its gorgeous surroundings on the Alabama side of Pickwick Lake thanks to its charcoal gray facade with dark stained cedar and natural stone accents. Black reprised the saturated color and light neutral theme throughout the interior for continuity.

The large family room boasts a fabulous lake view which Black wanted to keep unobstructed. She chose low-profile seating for the space; two comfortable sofas in blue, one of her client’s favorite colors. She added a couple of dark rattan swivel chairs with a linear look that speaks to the room’s largest work of art, a painting of stacked logs commissioned for the house from Memphis artist Pam McDonnell.

The limestone fireplace’s simple, clean-lined design gives no hint of the construction challenge it presented. A wood-burning fireplace was a must-have for the homeowners, but with a basement underneath the family room the element required a lot of extra structural support. Black is quick to credit the RKA team for giving the clients their bucket-list item.

Filling graceful arched spaces on either side of the mantel are floating walnut shelves. The reeded treatment on the doors of the cabinets below speaks to the swivel chairs and painting. The rich walnut appears throughout the home, always with only a clear coat finish that allows the grain of the wood to take center stage. Dark stained white oak floors create a visual tie with the walnut’s natural beauty.

The family room opens to the kitchen, where Black created an ambiance that exudes relaxed elegance. “It's a little more modern but not so modern that it didn't feel like [my client],” explains Black. Custom cabinetry from BylerCraft in Whiteville, TN, features inset doors with soft rolled edges. “Doing the inset, and also panel-covered appliances, helps keep it feeling a bit traditional,” she adds. The designer chose Sherwin Williams Night Owl, a deep gray with a hint of green, for the perimeter cabinetry, and introduced a natural element with the stained-wood island. Caesarstone countertops in Black Temple top all the cabinets and provide a counterpoint to the marble backsplash that brightens the space without taking away from the moody character. The evolving patina of the Rohl unlacquered brass faucet brings another element of interest. 

“Natural gas wasn’t an option, and they didn’t want a traditional electric range, so we used an Aga, from Sweden. It’s induction and it’s just beautiful,” says Black. “There's definitely been a shift in general to people being more open to induction cooking because of concerns about health with natural gas. It’s great if you’re in a place where you don't have access to natural gas, and it’s really safe too because if you touch it, it’s not hot.”

Just off the kitchen, the fully-equipped scullery makes cooking for the large groups the family often hosts at the lake a breeze. The compact space packs a lot of bang per square foot, with an additional refrigerator and wall oven, plus a microwave. 

Plenty of dining space was a must and Black’s plan made sure there’s a place for everyone to enjoy a meal. Three separate dining areas—the dining room, the deck and the screen porch—can accommodate family and friends for anything from a breakfast al fresco to a large cookout. “The dining room feels polished, but not too formal,” says Black, noting that the overscale caning on the chairs creates a more casual look than a solid wood chair. Dual plaster and brass bowl fixtures provide panache, and an antique map of the homeowners’ native Canada, cut apart and hung as a grouping, adds a personal touch.

Just off the room, an expansive covered porch has room for everything. Guests can relax on one of two comfy sofas, help with cooking in the outdoor kitchen or admire the lake view from the dining table that seats 10. A coffee table with a built-in fire pit between the sofas allows the family to enjoy the deck even when a chill is in the air. 

To the side of the covered porch an open deck is just right for morning coffee or an afternoon beverage. The spot is also accessible from the primary bedroom by a wall of window doors that spill light into the bedroom and provide more of the water views the homeowners love. Black kept the mood relaxed in the owners’ suite, again employing natural and textural elements. A cotton ticking stripe on the upholstered headboard and footboard feels at home in the rustic setting; polish and bold color come from accent pillows. An inviting chaise lounge offers an ideal place to relax after a day of fun on the water.

With four children, Black’s clients knew their lake house would often be full of young people, and they outfitted it to welcome them warmly. Two bunk rooms, one for girls and one for boys, are equipped with two sets of twin-over-queen bunks apiece. Built to handle a crowd, the rooms aren’t lacking in style. The designer chose dramatic Benjamin Moore Storm Cloud Gray paint for the girls’ area, punched up with pillows and a Roman shade in a cute Schumacher block print. Each bunk room has its own bath, as do two other guest bedrooms in the home.

While the main-floor living room is a more sophisticated spot for adults, the basement is designed as the kids’ hangout. A large sectional lets everyone pile on to watch TV, and a bar-height table and stools behind the sofa mean no one has to miss out while having a snack. Fierce competition comes at the air hockey table; the winners can pose for Polaroid pictures that will add to the growing collection of snapshots on the nearby grid wall.

Because a lake house is meant for relaxing, Black saw to it that the materials used in it are as carefree as possible. From the composite decking used on the outdoor areas, to the performance upholstery on the indoor and outdoor furniture, to painted vertical wood planks instead of sheetrock in areas most likely to be wet, to stained concrete floors in the basement, she made choices with both style and durability in mind. All that’s left is for the family to relax and enjoy their guests, the lovely home and the beauty of its natural surroundings.