Clinton Ross Smith Erica George Dines

The search for the ever-elusive second home takes time and, frankly, sheer determination. Skyrocketing home prices have done nothing to deter potential buyers - multiple offers on million-dollar teardowns is commonplace all across the Southeast. For Atlantans Wade and Celine Stribling, patience was on their side. Wade grew up in the Gainesville area and wanted a second home retreat at a lake in either North Georgia or North Carolina. "We feared that if our second home were too far away we wouldn't enjoy it as often," says Celine.

So Wade spent a lot of time on the Internet - every single day for five years, to be exact - searching for the perfect place. Aesthetics aside, the couple searched for a home with three bedrooms and three full bathrooms. Once that requirement was met, Celine says, she and Wade felt they could make any property what they wanted it to be for their family, which includes three children: Sam, 15; Mary Sloane, 14; and Addie, 9.

Next month marks the Striblings' second anniversary of finding their current vacation home at Lake Burton in North Georgia, and even now they say the lure of the lake is undeniable. "We're still in the honeymoon stage," says Celine with a laugh. "If we have 15 minutes to spare, we go up there!"

And while the home fit their three-bedroom, three-bathroom requirement, it was in need of an update. That's where Lakemont designer Craig Kettles entered the picture. A former software consultant turned designer, Kettles offered them one-stop designer and construction management services - and handled the project from beginning to end. In an area where Adirondack-style interiors are de rigueur, Kettles provided them with a fresh perspective on weekend living: a farmhouse look that is clean and uncluttered. Painted floors, whitewashed paneling and simple materials are hallmarks of the home's design.

"I wouldn't have known to go in any other direction than your typical lake cabin," says Celine. "Craig was perfect for the ideas I had in my mind. I always felt like I could trust him."

For Kettles, the collaboration was equally rewarding. "The best part of working with Celine and Wade was how much freedom they gave me," he says. "They weren't conventional. In the design world, many clients often want you to validate what they want to do. Celine and Wade truly wanted to hear someone else's ideas. That is very rare."