House Tour: A Turquoise Lakeside Gem

Take a tour of this bright lakeside home brimming with color and charm.

Name: Tanya, of Dans Le Lakehouse
Rent or own: Own
Time in home: Just over two years

This formerly rustic home now bursts with cheery, super-saturated color. Turquoise and emerald green flood the space, but Tanya's love of color is balanced by the bright openness of the layout. Take a peek at Tanya's lakeside oasis, and learn how she went from from dark and drab to modern and fab.

What is your favorite room in the house?

I love our kitchen! It’s small, but the U-shape is convenient and it opens into the dining room and living room. It looks onto the lake, and it’s such a joy to cook in there. We plan to renovate it soon, but for now I painted the cabinets bright aqua, added open shelving, and put in DIY solid maple counters (stained white). It’s a cheery, happy place to hang out, even though we didn’t spend a lot of money.

Photo: Dans Le Lakehouse

What was the inspiration for your home?

I’ve long favored mid-century modern decor and I’ve stayed somewhat loyal to this inspiration, but recently my environment has really shaped my style. Living lakeside, ensconced in the forest, I have found myself increasingly drawn to watery hues punctuated by rich greens. I’ve incorporated a touch of pale grey wood to echo the driftwood that piles up on the shore and glossy surfaces that remind me of beach glass. Traditional cottage or nautical decor just doesn’t feel like “me,” but I’ve still been inspired by where I live and have added subtle coastal touches here and there.

Photo: Dans Le Lakehouse

How would you describe your decor style?

Since moving from a townhouse to a bungalow on the shores of Lake Superior, my style has evolved to what I call “coastal mid-century.”

Photo: Dans Le Lakehouse

What did you decide to splurge vs. save on?

When my hubby and I moved in, we came up with a rough plan for what we would renovate and when. We’re updating the home in phases, and while we save for major renovations in the kitchen, laundry room, and living room, we’ve relied on paint, textiles, and cheery art to update these spaces on a budget. But we’ve started to splurge as we commit to updates. In our main bathroom (currently in progress), we chose Kohler fixtures, walnut cabinetry, and stone counters in the hopes that these quality materials will mean that our bathroom will stay gorgeous for a long time. In our dining room, we splurged on a statement-making light that showcases the height of our ceiling. In other rooms, affordable Ikea flush mount fixtures did the trick! Over the years I’ve splurged on custom upholstery for two beautiful, mid-century accent chairs—the teal velvet and the mint floral. Our cream leather sofa was scored from the classifieds, and our dining chairs were found at a big box home decor store. I figure out what I really want—like the gorgeous dining room lighting—and then work backward figuring out where in the budget I can save to make it happen.

Photo: Dans Le Lakehouse

What do you hide when company comes over?

I close the curtains in our laundry room to hide the washer, dryer, and my clothes drying rack. It’s on the way to the guest powder room, so I love that we came up with a budget-friendly solution to hide the mess!

Photo: Dans Le Lakehouse

What advice do you have for those that want to achieve your style?

Be patient! My look has evolved over time and it’s still taking shape. I favor slow decorating—taking the time to find the perfect pieces and just being happy with the progress I’ve made, even if it’s not perfect and I have a huge to-do list! I use paint and quick fixes to tide me over, which helps me pace myself when it comes to tackling projects. For example, had I lived with the original oak kitchen for two years, I’d have already been itching to renovate it, and I know I would have had regrets. Now that I’ve lived with the space, I have a much better understanding of what I need and want, so when the time comes to renovate I know I’ll make really good choices. In the living room, I really wanted to tear out the concrete faux stone and install slate tile, but painting the concrete a deep charcoal grey made such a difference—for only the cost of a can of paint. It’s helped me update the space on a budget, but also helped me decide if I’ll like a darker stone tile when it comes time for a more expensive renovation. (I think I will!)

Photo: Dans Le Lakehouse

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