Lake of Bays Lake House with Lovely Sunsets

This Lake of Bays lake house brings contemporary touches to an otherwise traditional and  rustic  Muskoka great room.

It is also unique because it veers away from the traditional blue or green accent colours of a summer lake house and embraces red orange as the accent colour in order to reflect the summer sunsets and in effect,  pulls the sunset colours  indoors. Incorporated into the room are contemporary elements such as white slip covers and white accessories, red-orange modern pillows and red-orange abstract wall art along with rustic architecture and classic Canadiana furniture which makes the great room a perfect marriage between new and old.

 

The lodge-like great room in greens and reds are a decorating favourite for us but in the summer and fall the room can be changed up with a more modern, bright, light and refreshing look with white slipcovers and red-orange pillows and wall art that reflect the gorgeous summer sunsets over the lake and the wonderful autumn colours. Here is our great room refresh.

I am a home stager as well as a decorator so I appreciate a more contemporary style but I also like a rustic Canadiana feel as does my husband. My husband does not like the idea of a cold austere  look for his lake house so it has to have warmth built into it. He also likes the stability that history and memories provides and so do I so we left the cathedral ceiling and rustic beams as it was when originally built. Cherished memories are also captured in the pieces of wood furniture in the room so we kept the honey-hued pine tables without painting them but toned down the honey-hued palette by adding white slip covers.

 The white slipcovers and white accessories offset the honey-hued tables giving them an almost sculptural artsy appearance and the warm hued wood in turn adds warmth to the white slip covers.

In order to modernize the look, I first added white slip covers to lighten and quiet the visuals. White also creates a crisp, fresh, look to furniture and lends a cool airy feel to counter the summer heat. Furthermore, the slip covers speaks casual living and speak lakehouse style.

 The heavy forest green and red striped sofa was refreshed with airy white slip covers which saved time and money because new furniture did not need to be ordered. It also means we can go back to the more traditional look in the winter and at Christmas if we want.

The white pillar candles of varying heights bring a touch of elegance to the room.

We helped bring the room into the 21st century further, with contemporary accessories such as white pillar candles and the modern scandi off white vase on the coffee table as well as the concrete orbs in a silver bowl on the side table that all speak to a more modern  aesthetic.

 

Nowadays glass is molded into sophisticated and elegant and exquisite forms like the sliver grey vase also on the side table and dry sink which also speaks modern and fresh.

 The turned brushed nickel lamps are fairly simple and speak both modern, since light metals tend to lighten a room and are trendy now, but the turned classic silhuette shape echoes the turned table legs and thus speak classic too.

The vibrant red-orange accent colour also adds a contemporary layering and feel to the room and this striking colour makes a bold statement in the room. These are brighter colours found in nature. The intense red-orange  pillow and wall art  energizes the room and adds pops of colour.

The red/orange sunsets inspired the colour scheme and was used to pull the outdoor sunsets in.  The red/orange accessories blend with these summer sunsets. The colours in the abstract wall art in particular, reflects the sunset colours.

When comparing the enlarged and cropped sunset photo with the wall art it can be seen that the colours are similar.

This abstract piece of art captures the memory,  feeling, experience and colour of sunsets at this lake house for me.

Sitting on the comfortable casual couches with family and friends enjoying the spectacular sunset over the hills of Lake of Bays speaks of a retreat lifestyle that we as homeowners want and buyers also dream of. Furthermore, orange has a happy and friendly  quality that encourage socializing which is what one wants happening in a great room.

This lake house also reflects the Canadian spirit because it juxtapositions our connection to the past and our Canadian history with who we are and what we like in the present as revealed through the contemporary accessories and colour scheme already discussed.

This vibrant story of our history is told in the antique pieces found in the room such as the Canadiana English country style antique pie corner cupboard.  Now it stores modern white vases and candles which lightens and refreshes it. This room also houses locally made replicas of this Canadiana furniture such as the English country and Canadiana style tables with turned legs. These are unique pieces with a back story. For example my husband was born in England and I was born in Canada so these English country and Canadiana pieces reflect what we like and who we are.  After all decorating is meant to reflect the owner’ tastes and personalities. Plus, the honey-hued corner cupboard was found during an anniversary trip to the Port Carling antique show. It has romantic memories attached to it.

We incorporated cherished honey-hued Canadian tables with a family history into a fresh contemporary design. They were made by a local furniture company in Huntsville when our children were young so they have family history and memories we do not want to part with.

When the lakehouse was built it borrowed the rustic elements of the local Bigwin Inn and lodge namely, the rustic rough hewn beams and tongue and groove cathedral ceiling. Rustic spaces by definition revolves around natural materials such as wood and stone. Creating the rustic contemporary style is all about blending traditional rugged earthy materials and textures and contemporary touches. Incorporating modern elements with classic rustic Canadiana elements makes it a perfect marriage between new and old.

The beams of the cathedral ceiling captures the old Bigwin architecture and history. It  echos the Bigwin Rotunda but in a smaller scale. As a result the ceiling beams nods to the areas history.

The honey stained tables, floor and ceiling beams keep the great room from looking too contemporary and the white and beige slip covers and white, beige and grey modern accessories and dramatic pop of red-orange abstract art refresh and lighten the room  bringing it into the 21^st century and so it does not look too country cute. It is a current take on a classic style which is becoming more popular to do each day.

 We balanced modern accessories with traditional Canadiana furniture and balanced rustic ceiling architecture with slipcovers that have a more contemporary hue of white so it is safe to say that this is  a  rustic  contemporary lake house too. Lynteriors can help you with your decorating and help tell your unique story through decorating too. Contact Lynteriors at asburylynn@gmail.com

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