If you love that perfectly-imperfect, casual-yet-modern-without-the-kitsch lake house aesthetic, this blog is for you! Curating a timeless lake house vibe in your interior involves finding the right balance between overly kitschy and modern elements to create a cozy and cool vibe for this distinct style. Before you go out and buy every plaid pillow you can find, let’s take a closer look at how to curate the lake house look in a thoughtful and modern way. With the right colors, finishes, furniture, and lighting, you can achieve a lake house aesthetic that is comfortable, unique, and stylish. 

Color

Let’s start with color. Neutrals are a timeless classic for multi-functional common areas that require versatility. To create a calming lakeside atmosphere, I recommend selecting neutrals with cool undertones. You are probably thinking, “White is white,” right? Well, you might be surprised to learn just how many different white paints exist! Many of them are mixed with underlying colors to create tints that lean slightly toward another hue. For this project, whites, tans, grays, and browns with underlying green and blue tones are excellent choices.

Don’t be afraid to sprinkle in some more saturated colors, too! Cool colors, such as blue, green, and teal, can be used sparingly as accents. They will create interest and coordinate with the cool neutrals you have already selected. These colors are also a thoughtful representation of the natural world just beyond your windows. It is a great way to bring a little bit of the outdoors inside! You should determine your color palette before you jump into the finer details, like finishes and furniture, so that you can coordinate those elements with an overall color theme for the room.

Finishes

To truly embrace the lake house aesthetic, you want to bring nature into your design. Bring the outdoors into your home through creative finish selection. You can mix and match found materials, such as weathered wood, with new finishes, like marble, for an updated look that still aligns with the coastal vibes of a lake house aesthetic. Try incorporating a variety of different textures and organic shapes that are found in nature to create a sense of rhythm and balance. 

In one of my recent projects, my clients’ home featured live edge wood and a stump that created the existing kitchen peninsula. My goal was to mix natural wood with modern elements and repurpose the kitchen peninsula into a vanity and countertop for the half bathroom.

I chose mostly neutral finishes to keep the focus on texture. The deep grooves and worn look of the wood that I selected become even more apparent next to the crisp white elegance of the marble and hexagon tiles. I added a splash of color as well, with a blue tile that emulates the shapes of waves. The differences between these materials make each selection noteworthy, and together, they contribute to a harmonious interior space.

Furniture & Accessories

While color and finishes inspire emotion and anchor details, furniture and accessories play a major role in determining the primary style and function of a space. Repurposed furniture works well for a lake house aesthetic because it often has a handcrafted look with a laidback style. Here are some ideas on how to repurpose furniture for this aesthetic:

• Add caning to the front panels on a desk or nightstand to introduce texture and natural materials. I love adding rattan when repurposing furniture, too! The piece shown below is currently a work in progress. Stay tuned for the final results!

• Repaint a dark piece of furniture white to brighten a room 
• Add a natural wood finish to worn furniture (to learn how to do this, check out this blog about a DIY project with Retique It paint!)
• Add doors or panels to cover open shelving and bookcases for a cozy, traditional feel

For new and repurposed pieces, look for lines and shapes that are simple and modest. This allows you to emphasize texture, color, and interesting details instead. Eclectic accessories, such as the pineapple lamp in the mood board below, make for fun and unique conversation starters that give a room personality. You can also use rugs and artwork to add more texture, color, and pattern. Abstract patterns in cool colors work well to complement the organic shapes in your finish selections. 

Lighting

Last but not least, we can’t forget about lighting. I like to use fixtures with dark metal finishes and glass because they stand out against the light color palette and furniture selections. Some glass also creates a stunning effect that reminds me of the reflective surface of water. It’s the perfect nod to lake life!  

Exposed bulbs are also a popular choice for a lake house aesthetic. They create additional warmth in a space with their soft yellow glow. Their industrial charm resembles the inner workings of a boat and boating equipment. It ties into the homespun look of the rustic materials and repurposed furniture in the design as well. 

Now that you have some inspiration, it’s time to get started on your own project! Transform your home into a peaceful getaway with colors, finishes, furniture, and lighting solutions that convey a beautiful lake house aesthetic. When curated thoughtfully, this aesthetic is a classic look that you can enjoy for many years to come. Let me know how you recreate this look in your home! And, if you need help with the details during the design process, feel free to reach out!