Custom Dutch Colonial Home, Summit (Lower Nemahbin Lake), WI
Architecture, Interior Design & Furnishings
A young family sought their forever home where they would grow together and create lasting memories. The spacious 4.5-acre waterfront lot provided the perfect setting to design a Shingle Style custom home with openness in mind for spaces every member of the family would enjoy.
Lifestyle Considerations
The primary goal was to maximize the lake views and include separate special spaces for various uses and activities with an open concept for connection between rooms. They wanted a home that would stand the test of time and grow with their family. From the expansive great room, bright sunroom, accessible playroom and calming morning room, the challenges were to make these spaces durable for an active family lifestyle. Offering flexible areas for the children while maintaining sight lines and allowing for an easy flow from room to room supports the staying power for the classic traditional style.
Design Vision
Traditional with a classic sensibility led to the design theme. A happy color palette of soft tones in blues, pinks, and turquoises, and a nod to lake living through patterns, and natural elements, provides a lived in and welcoming sense. Its eclectic flair of polished sparkle finds balance with rustic detailing that gives it a curated presentation with classic styling for the sense of a home that has always been there.
Upon entry to the home, the exterior Dutch Colonial style welcomes visitors with an arched, covered entry, which sets the rhythm for the arched, cased openings throughout the house that define and connect the spaces in an open floorplan. The foyer sets a formal tone with traditional wainscot and shimmery wallcovering, balanced with natural stone flooring for a sensible family lifestyle.
This family is loving their new home and has plans set to do more. The unfinished lower level offers opportunity for future home theater and entertaining space, with a walk out covered pavilion beneath the existing screen porch above. The vision connects here to a future pool and boat house. The separate space over the garage has served well as an office suite during a time of work from home. Its kitchenette and bath (roughed for a future shower) may serve as an in-law space someday as they lovingly look to evolve with their home into the future.
Lower Level
The lower level of this lake home was designed to extend daily living and create a welcoming retreat for family and guests. At its center, the entertaining kitchen combines function with comfort, featuring Sub-Zero refrigeration for food and wine storage. A built-in banquette replaces traditional barstools for a more comfortable seating arrangement, offering a more relaxed and versatile setting for dining, games, and conversation. Two built in cabinets with hideaway doors conceal a coffee bar and beverage service.
Adjacent to the beverage area, the sitting room provides a quiet, TV-free space for reading and conversation. Bright colors and patterns give the room a lively yet refined character, and French doors connect it directly to the terrace for outdoor dining and access to the lake. The Art Deco-inspired theater evokes the atmosphere of a classic cinema, complete with tiered reclining luxury loungers, Dolby Atmos surround sound, and a large projection screen. A fiber optic star ceiling enhances the immersive environment, while a hidden door preserves the seamless design. Designed to comfortably host extended family and friends, the bunk room offers private accommodations with dual built-in bunks—queens below and twins above—each outfitted with individual reading lights, charging stations, and convenient storage. A large-screen TV and constellation wallpaper ceiling make the space as entertaining as it is functional.
Recognition
- Design Excellence Awards | American Society of Interior Designers – Wisconsin Chapter | Silver Award
