A Lakeside Black Pearl
SETTLED ALONG A FINGER LAKE’S SHOREFRONT SITS AN EYE-CATCHING GEM OF DESIGN PERFECTION. THE APPROXIMATELY 2,500-SQUARE-FOOT ABODE HAS NO NEED FOR GRANDEUR.
Instead, drop-dead gorgeous design asserts a confident sense of distinct style. Outfitted in black paint offset with rich, natural wood timbers and a sultry outdoor living area, it’s an inviting scene for languid, summer afternoons.
Interior designer and owner of Manieri Design, Ann Marie Manieri, shares that when her client purchased the home it was not appealing — it was in rough shape, lacked upkeep, and was a bit funky in its setup. Like a pearl hunter eyeing an oyster, Manieri focused her trained eye on potential.
“The creative mind in me said, ‘Let’s see what I can come up with,’” Manieri says. “We rehabilitated it!”
Rearranging The Challenge
One of the home’s unique attributes is a massive brick fireplace shooting up through the center of the entire house. But the original interior layout around the fireplace was dated and wonky. A sunken living room was centered around the fireplace and stepped up to a strange seating area near the entryway with an awkward half wall.
“Rather than take the house down and throw it away, I wanted to bring it back to life,” Manieri says.
Manieri relocated the seating into the existing kitchen along with a beautiful working pantry complete with a coffee nook, second stovetop, and fridge. When entertaining, Manieri’s client could make a mess then close the pocket door and hide it. In the original layout, there was no kitchen island and an odd sunroom. Manieri removed the sunroom. In its place she added a great room addition with a soaring vaulted ceiling and wine room. She also installed a handcrafted island.
Wonderful Wood
The home has a gorgeous presentation inside and out. Manieri credits an Amish woodworker who handdesignedand crafted the kitchen cabinets. These organically led to the solid, rustic white oak beams throughout the home that add tremendous elegance and character. These timbers are Manieri’s favorite part of the house.
“All the woodwork is his,” Manieri says. “He built our vision. He’s the MVP of this project.”
The beams determine various specific spaces. Simultaneously, they bring a flow from one room to another. This is especially important with the great room addition. Manieri didn’t want anything to feel like an afterthought or carry a sense of new on one side and old on the other. While the interior beams aren’t structural, their careful placement mimics that of a post and beam timber home. This carries out to the new decks and posts. The covered deck features a cedar, tongue-and-groove ceiling like what would be found on a timber frame.
Be careful not to reduce the home to a specific genre. It’s a true blend of rustic, modern and traditional components, and different home styles. Interior details, such as the basket light chandeliers constructed by Manieri, bring down-to-earth texture, and balance the modern globe lights and contemporary gold fixtures. Island chairs with their faux leather wrap play off the great room’s Western feel.
Outstanding Outside
The home’s spectacular design is elevated even more by its unique lakefront property. A creek separates the property from the neighbor. Many stately old trees give the property a natural yet majestic appearance. A darling, century old outbuilding that started as a rickety shed with plumbing has been fancied up into a cool bunkhouse. Even better, Manieri did it using all the shed’s original materials. An old sliding barn door became an interior dividing wall, and old interior doors were refurbished for the exterior. You can open the window and listen to the creek.
Manieri’s client absolutely loves her home. Manieri says, “I knew she made the right choice. Other parties who were interested wanted to take it down and build new. You’d lose the uniqueness of the home and the lot. It’s so much more spectacular than we ever imagined.”