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Building
character
Waterville
Lake home is a labor of love integrating reclaimed items into new
construction |
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| By AMY
SIEWERT |
September 2012 |
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Reclaimed
wood from the original barn gained new life on the walls, beams
and floors in the bar area. "The biggest concern was the
smell because they had bats living in the barn," says
homeowner Cindy Gear. No one was sure if they could get the
smell out, but the man who dismantled it had the wood cleaned
and treated to get rid of orders and bugs. The Gears had a
custom bar built surrounding the center back bar, which was
reclaimed from an 1810 townhouse in Chicago. Cindy found it at
an Elkhorn flea market. "It was trashed, chipped and
painted, with a number of coats of red and white peeling
paint," says Gear. The storage units on either side are new
and were blended into the original piece to make it look like
one unit. "We wanted the room to be dark so it felt like a
bar," says Gear.
Photos by Doug Edmunds
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Ken and Cindy
Gear saw the potential when they pulled into the four-acre property on
Waterville Lake. The decrepit home and barn, constructed in 1850,
would have to go — but not without salvaging everything they could
and giving it away. The couple kept a few things for themselves,
including the four front columns and hardwood floors.
The Gears were
not in a rush to build their dream home. They purchased the property
in 2003 and moved into their new 4,600-square-foot home, built by
Moore Designs, in 2008. They took their time collecting architectural
antique items and integrating them into the design and style of the
interior of their new home.
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Custom
cabinets in painted cream with a chocolate glaze brighten the
kitchen and blend nicely with the Juperano Persia granite
countertops. Hardwood floors are handscraped hickory stained a
dark brown to accent the countertops and Tatami Tan colored
walls. "The great thing about the kitchen is that it’s
really functional and I do a lot of cooking," says Cindy
Gear. The center island is her prep area with sink and large
granite countertop. She has close to 25 people in her family, so
it’s large enough for everyone to socialize and help out. A
walk-in pantry and baking center are located to the right.
Photos by Doug
Edmunds
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"My
intention was to have a house that you would feel was from the 1920s,
1930s or 1940s on Lake Drive. It has a timeless, classic feel,"
says Cindy Gear, who owns her own interior design firm, Gear Interiors
LLC.
"We wanted
to have a lake view, but it wasn’t our one and only focus,"
says Gear. "It was executed so well and so seamless, it feels so
well put together. I could not have done this without Moore
Designs."
The attention to
detail is also evident outdoors. LandWorks Landscape Services designed
and planted the yard, creating an inviting atmosphere for family and
guests.
Gear’s love
for reclaiming and reusing items is evident throughout their house.
She also gets her weekly fix through volunteer work she does at
Habitat for Humanity ReStore on 114 and Burleigh streets.
Trees near
the lake provide plenty of shade. The bluestone terrace carries
the color scheme from the indoors to the outside. "The
bluestone in the terrace was picked up from the gray slate in
the house," says Robert Diel, landscape architect/project
manager at LandWorks Landscape Services. The green plants with
yellow flowers called coreopsis adds a soft texture on the edge
of the patio and sways in the wind. "I like movement in the
landscape," Diel says.
Photos by Doug
Edmunds
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Antique
pillars provide a unique entrance to the terrace. "We
wanted to create some kind of entryway to the backyard,"
says Amee Lapke of LandWorks Landscape Services. Cindy Gear and
Bob Diel suggested saving the columns from the original home and
using them on the terrace. Kevin Enright of K2 Structures
erected the pillars and built four boxes, one for each pillar,
to add height to the structure. The terrace is designed with two
seating areas — one for entertaining, one for grilling. A
water feature provides soothing sounds.
Photos by Doug
Edmunds
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A
"soft wall" filled with living plants was installed to
meet the lake code that restricts solid walls to no more than 2
feet in height. The Lannon outcrop steps were curved to give a
softer look and to guide people to the lower patio and into the
home. Perennial shrubs and plants, sprinkled with some annuals,
add interest from the upper and lower terraces.
Photos by Doug
Edmunds
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The
three doorways leading onto the back patio give the feel of an
older home and a great view of the lake. Hardwood floors are
throughout the first floor and a large Persian rug (from
Shabahang Rugs) gives a warm feel to the space. Cindy Gear
designed the concept of the bookcase that contains shelves that
move around to reveal a flatscreen behind.
Photos by Doug
Edmunds
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Ken and
Cindy Gear found the antique wood pillars and archway in the
foyer at I Love Funkies in Fort Atkinson. The hand-carved
quarter-sawn oak pillars came from a home on Lake Drive in
Milwaukee built in 1842. "They were in pretty good shape,
but I had them striped and redone," says Cindy Gear. The
arched design carries from the doorway through the entrance into
the living room.
Photos by Doug
Edmunds
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This story ran in the September 2012 issue of:
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