Contemporary Accents + Rustic Finishes Converge In This Alabama Lake House
Encountering his clients’ Lake Martin, Alabama, retreat for the first time, designer Sean Anderson discovered an idyllic setting. Possessing both water frontage and forested seclusion, the spacious wood-clad structure was, in Anderson’s view, “a quintessential lake house,” one which had been enjoyed by its owners and their children for years. But with grandchildren now in the picture, the couple felt the time was right to update its interior. Wowed by the designer’s work on a neighboring house, specifically its moody aesthetic, the clients asked Anderson to refresh their home with his signature soulfulness. “I love a dark space and a moody nature,” he admits.
Home Details
Interior Design: Sean Anderson, Sean Anderson
Home Builder: John Bryant, Francis Bryant Construction
Given the residence’s picture-perfect architecture and location, finding a starting point for the overhaul came easy. “It was the outdoors that drove the design,” Anderson says. Working closely with general contractor John Bryant, the designer implemented a multitude of dark wood finishes that envelop nearly every room from top to bottom and, in some cases, even span ceilings. “I wanted the interior to speak to the outside, so I brought the texture of the surrounding trees and wood cladding inside,” Anderson explains. A prime example is the cozy kitchen, which he summarizes as “wood on wood on wood,” but the designer is quick to point out that the effect is anything but monotonous. “There is dimensionality because of the different stain colors,” he says, highlighting both the ebony-hued island and caramel-toned walls. “I find it more interesting when there’s variation.”
Anderson’s color selections also reflect the landscape. The lake water seen from the upstairs primary bedroom inspired the walls’ green Roman clay finish, a hue the designer describes as “somewhere between olive and sage.” Earthy neutrals ranging from dark brown and copper to sandy beige are also widespread, appearing on floor coverings and fabrics. For the latter, Anderson employed a favorite strategy: enriching spaces with tactile fabrics like mohair and feel-good shearling. “I don’t use a lot of loud colors, so texture provides that interest,” he shares.
Although his design may hew to the home’s woodsy environment, it also has a sophistication not always found in lakeside dwellings. The contemporary lighting that illuminates many spaces is one such distinction. “It was important to inject some modernity to keep the interior from looking too rustic,” the designer notes. Take the living area, for example, where a curved settee, statement chairs, and a wood coffee table carved to look like stone are modern counterweights to the room’s architectural rusticity. At the same time, “I didn’t want the space to feel too new,” Anderson says. To achieve a sense of balance, he introduced a few midcentury pieces and antiques, such as the landscape painting that hangs above the fireplace. Now an “eclectic conversation pit,” as the designer calls it, the fireside setting is well-suited for relaxed gatherings.
In fact, creating comfortable spots for spending time together was at the top of Anderson’s mind as he reimagined the home. Family feasts are held in the slender dining room, where a lengthy wood trestle table, designed by Anderson, can easily seat three generations. There is also a recreation room that, according to the designer, “ticks all the boxes.” Equipped with a gaming area for the children, wet bar for the adults and multigenerational pool table, the room offers fun for the whole family. And when it is time to sleep, there are plenty of bedrooms for everybody—nine in total. “The crux of the project was that this is a house for family and grandchildren,” Anderson reflects. “I wanted to give them spaces to make memories.”
