Rusticity and Refinement
Fond childhood memories of summers spent in the Finger Lakes region of New York led to the construction of this waterfront home on Keuka Lake. The homeowners are looking forward to creating new memories with their children, in an area as rich in history as it is in promise for the future.
A Bygone Era Reborn
At the conceptual stage, the couple envisioned the home to look as though it had welcomed in family and friends for a hundred years, and would continue to do so for another hundred years. They also wanted to incorporate wood and stone elements native to the area, as early settlers would have done.
Working in grand scale, and with rough materials sourced locally, are indicative qualities of both early 20th century Adirondack and mid-to-late 20th century Tahoe architectural styles. Other telltale elements are the use of exposed timber frames, gabled roofing, elaborate stonework, projected entrance bays, and intricate, decorative ironwork.
Design firm MossCreek, of Knoxville, Tennessee, and builder Pennwood Development LLC, of Corning, New York, successfully combined all of these elements to create a perfect blend of rusticity and refinement.
This is quite a feat, considering the builder, clients, and home designers were never in the same state at the same time. Pennwood Development LLC owner Bill Duell said, “The customers and [MossCreek] were a dream to work with. We had weekly ‘go to meeting’ conferences, which kept everyone in the loop and the project moving along smoothly.”
Rustic On the Outside
A spectacular drive along the east side of Keuka Lake brings you to the front of the home, where masculine stone pillars, supporting a gabled roof with an open queen post, lead you onto a wraparound porch framed with round river rock and covered with standing seam rustic steel. The house façade is a combination of reclaimed logs, dark stained cypress boards, and poplar bark siding. The main house roof is vertical grain cedar shingles.
Around back, a spectacular view of the lake can be taken in from the blue stone terrace, which runs the length of the home. An outdoor kitchen and dining area flows seamlessly from the indoor kitchen and dining area.
A sliding glass window between the two kitchens facilitates food preparation and serving. A stainless steel spa and stone fireplace further extend the use of the terrace and add to the enjoyment of the great outdoors.
Refined On the Inside
Rustic elements on a somewhat smaller and more refined scale continue indoors with exposed timber trusses of 100-year-old reclaimed wood wrapped in iron straps and wide plank, walnut-stained, oak floorboards.
In more contemporary fashion, the kitchen and dining area are open to the great room, which proudly features a grand, two-story, stone fireplace. To give you some perspective: The firebox is 6 feet wide and the mantle is 7 feet high. “We pulled the firebox closer to the floor to create more of an old-school look, rather than the more modern raised hearth look,” explained MossCreek President Allen Halcomb.
Vying for attention in the great room are a two-story wall of windows that provides a clear view of the lake, and a wrought iron chandelier crafted by the same local blacksmith who made the iron straps for the beams and other iron features in the home.
Brick accent walls define the kitchen and dining area. The cream-colored cabinetry is from Downsview Kitchens’ Old World Traditions collection. The countertop is Absolute Black granite with a leathered finish. A La Cornue French range and hood is nestled behind the island in an arched stone niche.
Sleeping Quarters
Pocket doors divide the main living space from a private den that leads to the master bedroom. The décor is simple, with a continuation of iron accents. The master bathroom features a copper soaking tub, his and her vanities, a steam shower, and French doors leading out to the terrace.
Upstairs, there are three more bedrooms and a large bunk room. Two of the bedrooms each have a fireplace and bathroom. The third bedroom and the bunk room share a bathroom, which features a large tile shower, a clawfoot soaking tub, and a three-spigot washbasin.
The bunk room is especially charming, decorated in Bohemian style, with painted iron bed frames, colorful bedding and area rugs, soft and fuzzy chairs, and a tassel chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling. For a bit more childhood whimsy, the bathroom is accessed through a hidden door in a bookshelf.
In such a lovely setting, in such a grand home, treasured family traditions will surely continue for generations to come.