Serene Lakefront Hideaway

Our former editor-in-chief shaped a tiny Southern Living house plan into a serene lakefront hideaway. 

Former Southern Living editor-in-chief Lindsay Bierman originally pictured a 2,500-square-foot, rustic-modern lake house rising from the rocks above Alabama's Lewis Smith Lake. He faced a tough choice: value-engineer the project to keep the quantity of space or downsize the plans to maintain the quality of space. If the home was built more true to size, around 1,000 square feet, he could have the upgrades he wanted, and honor his belief that the quality of our space improves the quality of our life. Bierman landed on an easy-to-build SL house plan with a classic cabin vibe that needed only minor modifications to take it from spec to spectacular. 

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The Exterior

Laurey W. Glenn

The 1,000 square foot structure stands atop a jagged rock cliff, 75 feet above the water's edge. Bierman limited his paint selection to Benjamin Moore's Bronzetone (60) for the exterior and the screened porch to contrast the greenery.

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The Porch

Laurey W. Glenn

"Let plants be your pop of color," says Bierman. Dark paint blends nicely into wooded settings. 

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The Kitchen

Laurey W. Glenn

This palette feels light, but not too stark for a relaxing lake retreat. The walls and cabinets are Benjamin Moore Gentle Cream and Cream Froth. The Ann Sacks backsplash adds a whisper of pattern to the room.

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The Living Room

Laurey W. Glenn

"Promise you'll never do popcorn ceilings," says Bierman. He sprang for real V-groove, but beaded board is cheaper and looks great too. It adds historic charm to any brand-new house. Ditto for chunky window casings.

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The Bedroom

Laurey W. Glenn

Besides investing in quality Marvin windows, Bierman also shifted the placement of some. In each bedroom, a pair of slim windows—rather than a single one—creates wall space for a bed.

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The Bathroom

Laurey W.Glenn

Because it's such a small space, it cost only $250 more to install marble herringbone tile, adding color and texture. If that exceeds your budget, you will never, ever go wrong with plain white 1-inch hexagonal floor tiles. Use dark gray grout to conceal dirt.

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The House Plan

Laurey W. Glenn

Bierman made minor tweaks to The Bunkhouse, plan #1237, to create The New Bunkhouse, plan #1948. 

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