A Lakefront Home’s Primary Bathroom Becomes the Ultimate Retreat
Meriwether Design Group transforms the bathroom of a mid-aughts spec house into a bright sanctuary
For seasoned designers, there can be a special joy in collaborating with repeat clients. Just ask Kathryn McAdams of Meriwether Design Group.
After completing two other homes for the same family, she began reimagining a 2000s-era lake house into their future retirement home. “They were very generous with just letting me run with it,” she says of the three-year project.
With her client’s long-term future in mind, McAdams’ goal for the bathroom was a redesign that would feel timeless. To achieve this, she created a story where there wasn’t one. “I wanted to infuse some heritage into the house that it didn’t have naturally. I wanted it to feel like they had found pieces over time.”
For instance, trim details infuse architectural character. In lieu of a closet, they opted for functional storage via freestanding armoire and custom vanities—inspired by antique French commodes for an heirloom look. “I wasn’t finding exactly what I wanted and felt too guilty cutting up an antique piece.” So, she created a scale model and commissioned a local cabinetmaker to make a piece to meet her specifications, complete with a repurposed piece of marble and old hardware.
Windows overlooking the lake increased in size to align with historical proportions, and in the center of the bathroom, the shower was enlarged and enclosed in metal with marble edging. “We tried to make the shower light and bright,” she adds. In turn, the bathroom’s layout shifted from a perimeter design to one with drama and reveal.
Now, after finishing three primary baths for these clients, McAdams feels confident this lake house’s timeless charm will only get better with age. “The homeowner can add different things over time or change the art to make this theirs in a different season as they move forward—it can grow with them.”
Resources INTERIOR DESIGNER Meriwether Design Group CONTRACTOR Watkins Builders CABINETRY Design by Kathryn McAdams, built by Thompson Installation FAUCETRY Kallista LIGHTING The Urban Electric Co. BATHTUB MTI Baths