Style Director Heather Chadduck opens up her decorator's notebook and shares the process she used to transform a mid-century lake house in Arkansas from dark and dated to cool and casual.
Living Room
Essential Upgrade: Painted the dark-stained cedar ceiling pale gray to open up the space
Comfort Zone: Furnished with a pair of comfortable bench-cushion sofas and slipcovered chairs
Custom Detail: Fashioned a one-of-a-kind coffee table from a salvaged steel propeller and a 5- by 5-foot glass top
Worthy Splurge: Rolled out a barefoot-friendly gray sisal rug that matches the shade of the concrete floors so well it almost completely disappears
Get the Look: (L to R) Pillow fabrics: Cliffside in Sky and Goldeneye in Soft Grey by Lulu DK. Sofa fabric: Vintage Linen in Cement by Verellen. Wall paint: Agreeable Gray (top) by Sherwin-Williams
Kitchen
Essential Upgrade: Brightened up the space with a new backsplash of 3- by 6-inch honed Carrara marble tiles
Comfort Zone: Installed a grid of 16 flush-mount light fixtures controlled by a dimmer switch to cast even light throughout the space
Dining Room
Essential Upgrade: Removed beams to bring in more light from above
Custom Detail: Designed a slender, 12-foot-long wooden table with a beveled zinc top to fit the narrow room
Master Suite Bedroom
Custom Detail: Designed a linen-upholstered king-size bed with intricate tufting that extends from the headboard to the rails
Get the Look: (clockwise) Pillow fabric: Punch Linen in Pewter by David Hicks for Lee Jofa. Bureaus: by Chelsea Textiles in Antique White. Bed fabric: 250-605 from King Cotton. Rug: Custom Brooke Rug in Cream and Platinum by Madeline Weinrib. Wall paint: Toque White (bottom) by Sherwin-Williams
Master Bath
Comfort Zone: Swathed the windows in what seems like miles of linen draperies for softness, privacy, and light filtration
Essential Upgrade: Opened up the entry from the bedroom to the bath and then hung sliding doors on an industrial rolling track to frame the outside view perfectly
Worthy Splurge: Floated a freestanding soaking tub in the middle of the room, centered on the giant window
Vanity
Essential Upgrade: Inspired by the house's mid-century architectural origins, Heather worked with the homeowners to choose furniture like this vanity with a streamlined profile
Lakeside Deck
Comfort Zone: Paired a wood table with iron chairs (in lieu of having a matching set) on the deck for lakeside dining
Screened Porch
Essential Upgrade: Built a stone fireplace to create a focal point, add a heat source, and visually link the porch with the rock columns inside
Comfort Zone: Furnished the outdoor living room just like you would an indoor one—only with pieces made of weather-resistant materials (teak, indoor/outdoor textiles, and water-resistant cushion fill)
Custom Detail: Stitched together ready-made rugs for a less pricey custom-size floor covering
Get the Look: (L to R) Wall paint: Chatroom (top) and ceiling paint: Topsail (top) by Sherwin-Williams. Pillow fabric: Spring Garden in Robins Egg by Galbraith & Paul. Rug: Gunnison by Dash & Albert Rug Company
Guesthouse
Essential Upgrade: Built in three bunk beds that stack all the way to the nearly 20-foot ceiling
Comfort Zone: Arranged four chairs in a space-saving circle to facilitate conversation better than a traditional sofa-and-chair grouping
Custom Detail: Used only indoor/outdoor fabrics—from the upholstery to the curtains to the rug—so the interior would be bulletproof (kid-proof!)
Worthy Splurge: Clad doors with paneling for a seamless match to the reverse board-and-batten walls
Exterior
Essential Upgrade: Replaced the old, leaky roof with cedar shakes that have weathered to a silver gray
Worthy Splurge: Installed French drains around the perimeter of the home to redirect water away from it
