While the shelter-in-place order during the COVID-19 pandemic might’ve urged people to stay in, Rachel Axelrod was itching to expand her social distancing circle. So much so that during Memorial Day weekend in 2020, when camps were closed and there was not much else to do, she turned to real estate. “I said to my husband, ‘We’re buying a lake house in Michigan, whether you like it or not,’” recalls Axelrod, who is the co-founder of TEDx Chicago. She swiftly contacted a real-estate agent, looked at four homes, and quickly fell in love with a residence in New Buffalo, Michigan, an area many nickname “the Hamptons of Chicago.” “We saw the house at noon, made an offer at two o’clock, and closed on the house seven days later,” Axelrod explains.
The family wasted no time securing the home — and didn’t want to dilly dally on the décor, either. Axelrod says that while the home has “great bones,” she wanted to update the 20-year-old interiors. Enter Jennifer Kole of Jenami Designs, who took a more unexpected approach on the traditional lake home. “Just because it’s a lake home doesn’t mean it needs to have big anchors on the wall,” the Chicago designer explains. “It doesn’t have to be that quintessential lake vibe.”
Instead, Kole wanted to create a “sophisticated lake house.” A space with the durability of a vacation home, but the stylish, soothing sensibility of a high-end hotel. For an equal mix of form and function, Kole imbued a balanced color palette into the 8,000-square-foot residence. While a base of neutrals offers a serene foundation — Kole credits high-grade performance fabrics for keeping it that way — strategic pops of color offer a whimsical wink.
“It’s like a little sprinkle of fairy dust,” Kole says of the artwork. “As much as we wanted to have some sophistication, it’s still a lake house. We’re going to have fun here. We’re not taking anything too serious—even our artwork.”
Designer Jennifer Kole bridged the gap between pared-back and playful with bold photographs from artist Xan Padrón. Meanwhile, a Romo fabric-upholstered sofa, coffee table from Made Goods, and an Arteriors chair create a neutral backdrop.
That juxtaposition of serenity and joy is on full display in the living room. While a curvy, custom-made couch upholstered in Romo fabric and a barely-there ceiling pendant from RH have a dainty, weightless quality to them, two works from photographer Xan Padrón bring on the boldness. A similar balance is also seen in the dining area, where colorful wall pegs from Samantha Sandbrook contrast a reclaimed wooden table from Urban Craft and a mixture of chairs sourced from One Kings Lane.
While Kole shares her client was initially nervous about incorporating color into the lake house, Axelrod says the designer gave her a well-received nudge outside of her comfort zone. “What I love so much about Jen is she pushes me to do things I wouldn’t otherwise do,” Axelrod explains. “But she also knows what my style is.”
“Keeping the kitchen minimal in design also really helps bring that pop of the sitting room,” Kole says. She brought a well-appointed — yet pared-back — approach with a neutral palette, Wolf appliances, and a backsplash from Artistic Tile.
Kole knew Axelrod’s design preferences skewed more minimalist, so she transformed the kitchen into an “open, clean space.” Since the family wasn’t going to do much cooking on vacation, she removed the upper cabinets to create more negative space and accessorized with an Artistic Tile backsplash and Wolf appliances. Though her clients aren’t making any five-course meals here, she notes the kitchen, which is next to the sitting area, remains the heart of the home.
“Whenever we’re there and she’s entertaining, I notice a lot of people are sitting at the stools at the lower breakfast bar area, having cocktails, and talking to people in the sitting area,” Kole explains. “It became more of a conversational pit than just a kitchen and sitting room.”
An indoor-outdoor kitchen — complete with a row of appliances, a wooden table, and chairs that match the formal dining area — unite the home’s interiors and exteriors.
Though the property’s interior strikes a balance between serene and spunky, remember this is a lake house, so an emphasis on the great outdoors was non-negotiable. So, Kole demolished the home’s original screened-in porch and opted for an indoor-outdoor kitchen. “It can become an extension of the house with those doors that disappear and fold away,” she explains.
The transformative space has the same wishbone-style chairs as the dining room, so the family can pull up a few extra seats when guests stop by. Meanwhile, a slim row of cabinets and appliances make preparing an al fresco meal a breeze. It’s that healthy mix of convenience and contemporary style that makes the indoor-outdoor kitchen a go-to spot for the family—and one of Kole’s favorite spaces. “It was just a great idea, and it came out beautifully,” Kole adds. “Before, it was literally a screened-in, old porch with rocking chairs on it.”
Kole drew inspiration for the home’s bolder moments from Samantha Sandbrook’s sculptural peg seen here. Rounding out the room is a reclaimed wooden table from Urban Craft, chairs from One Kings Lane, and lighting from Rejuvenation.
As for Axelrod? The entire home has become the dream respite for her and her family. “We literally call it ‘the Happy Place,’” she says. “Jen is so much fun to work with and has become a close friend throughout this experience. I wish I could buy 20 houses so I could work with her.” Whether it’s buying a house or forging a creative partnership, Axelrod is certain of one thing: When she knows, she knows.
Photography by Heather Talbert Photography.
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