With a distinctive A-frame silhouette and sweeping water views, this Lake Sinclair vacation house has always had much to offer. “It has incredible architecture, but the decor was dated, and the color felt heavy,” says Lesley Myrick, the Macon-based interior designer tasked with updating the home’s living and dining rooms. “The inside wasn’t looking as good as the outside, and you really don’t want that.”
The homeowner has enjoyed the property since the 1990s, and it was time to make a change. “He was ready for a new phase of life going into retirement, planning to stay in this home at least five more years, if not longer, and was ready for a refresh,” she says. “He wanted something that wouldn’t alter the beautiful bones of the home, but a design that would make it feel more current while reflecting his personality, interests, and taste.”
Initially, Lesley was hired to revamp only the living room. However, in the open-concept layout, it soon became clear that the living and dining areas needed to harmonize while still maintaining their own personalities. “It was important to me that nothing feel matchy-matchy, but that it all related and had a good flow,” she says. “Part of what wasn’t working was furniture that blocked off the room. Things were also visually heavy with the walls broken up with dark paint colors.”
The designer drew inspiration from the outdoors, including colors found just beyond the windows. “I don’t like themes, but I wanted the space to include a lot of natural elements – woods and beautiful textures and colors that made sense,” she says. “For example, the walls used to be reddish orange, which didn’t feel right to me. So, I brought a lot of blues, greens, and earth tones into the design.”
Lesley anchored the living room with a soft velvet couch—which she custom-designed with Kravet—and two leather recliners. “Velvet is a great sofa material, and I love it paired with leather,” she says. The designer also used performance materials on most of the upholstered pieces. “I like to make things easy for my clients especially when they’re living
on the water. You don’t want materials that are too precious. Leather is really easy to wipe down and keep clean.”
The couch features a unique wooden base that brings the outdoors into the space. Other earthy elements in the room are a bleached teak root coffee table and the existing stone
fireplace. In the dining room, Lesley added distinctive details such as an Uttermost chandelier made of iron and glass. “It’s a highly textured glass that reminds me of rocks and natural elements you would find outdoors,” she says.
Hanging the chandelier presented a challenge. “Positioning a down rod on an angled ceiling required some finagling, but it was worth the effort. The room has a soft, pretty glow. There’s so much natural light that the chandelier doesn’t need to illuminate the space.”
Rounding out the decor are the client’s own personal pieces. Pottery and artifacts from his travels line the shelves, and his late wife’s art graces the walls. “It was such a gift to work with those pieces,” says Lesley. “They’re not like anything you would find around here, so it’s fun.”
Now, with a refreshed look, the lake house is ready for its next chapter. It’s a place where the homeowner can enjoy his retirement while welcoming family. Most of all, it’s a home that balances personal history and a renewed sense of comfort, where he can create new memories in the years ahead.
