This Midwest Lakeside Cottage Was Built with Family in Mind

This Midwest Lakeside Cottage Was Built with Family in Mind
Photography by Werner Straube, Interior designs by Elizabeth Drake

Text by Katie Ellis

llinois-based interior designer Elizabeth Drake is renowned for her colorful, layered, and luxurious interiors. Naturally, she was the perfect match to help give this cottage-style stunner on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, an elevated, family-focused design scheme.

Entryway
Photography by Werner Straube, Interior designs by Elizabeth Drake

The goal for this project was to create a multigenerational home for the family to enjoy. With a glistening backdrop of gorgeous Lake Geneva, the location is a sentimental place for the homeowners and filled with many happy childhood memories, so Elizabeth utilized her talents to help bring the home’s interiors to life in a unique and meaningful way that felt just as extraordinary. Throughout the design, Elizabeth used the homeowners’ favorite colors—blue and red—and drew from inspiration found in the natural surroundings.

Fireplace
Photography by Werner Straube, Interior designs by Elizabeth Drake

Family and friends are welcomed into the sitting room just off the entry, where a rich indigo grass cloth wall covering exudes a luxurious warmth and an immediate visual interest. The crackling flames in the fireplace create a cozy atmosphere that beckons you to stay for a while and enjoy a quick game of cards or a family puzzle on a nearby table.

Couch
Photography by Werner Straube, Interior designs by Elizabeth Drake

To encourage intimate conversations, Elizabeth created an additional seating area in the study using a blue Schumacher sofa and a plaid wingback chair from Hickory Chair anchored by a striking Rouzati rug.

Living Room
Photography by Werner Straube, Interior designs by Elizabeth Drake

The family room boasts a warm coral accent wall that can’t help but radiate a summertime glow all winter long. A grouping of four swivel chairs seated opposite each other sets the scene for relaxed family time by the lake, and the concrete coffee table that connects the setup is both durable and chic.

Kitchen
Photography by Werner Straube, Interior designs by Elizabeth Drake

The rich red color scheme continues in a delightfully unexpected way through the connected kitchen and dining area just off the main living room, and it’s one of Elizabeth’s favorite spaces in the home. The mosaic tile backsplash from Ann Sacks commands attention, and every other design element in the room—from the Urban Electric Company pendant lights above the island to the barstools upholstered in Quadrille fabric—displays a matching vibrant red color in playful patterns that work seamlessly together.

Dining Room
Photography by Werner Straube, Interior designs by Elizabeth Drake

A grand stacked-stone fireplace on one wall, complete with a built-in wet bar on one side, brings a warm, natural element into the peaceful dining area. A long table surrounded by plush upholstered chairs from Minton-Spidell creates an ideal place to gather for meals during the cold winter months.

Bedroom
Photography by Werner Straube, Interior designs by Elizabeth Drake

The master bedroom is a tranquil retreat. Between the pair of benches from Charles Stewart and a sofa from Paul Ferrante, the master suite has plenty of seating options where the homeowners can unwind after a long day on the lake. The four-poster bed, layered in crisp blue-and-white bedding, summons sweet dreams beneath the statement lantern overhead.

Bedroom
Photography by Werner Straube, Interior designs by Elizabeth Drake

Upstairs, the guest rooms are dressed in classic striped Pendleton wool blankets and provide a happy haven for family stays. Elizabeth’s goal for this home was to create a place that combined gracious space for all members of the family, wrapped in a feeling of warmth and coziness. She wanted the home to inspire each member to drop his or her shoulders, take a deep breath, and yearn to stay there “just one more day.”

 

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