At one time, the shores of Kentucky Lake were lined with dwellings of every description, from fishermen’s shacks to modest vacation and weekend retreats. You rarely find the shacks these days, though, as people desiring lakefront property with amazing views buy up the dwellings just for the land they rest on. These older houses are torn down, to be replaced by updated and upscale buildings.
The house Tedra and Michael Miller purchased could have turned out to be one of those wrecking ball targets had it not been for the integrity of the previous owner. He had turned down offers from potential buyers when he learned of their plans to tear down or remodel.
Located on a peninsula providing unobstructed views of the lake and barely noticeable by the road, the house has an unusual crescent-shaped roof line. That roof and the house beneath it has a history that intrigued the Millers as much as it had the seller. All the building materials had been recycled from other structures by its first owner, who was an engineer with a passion for creating new from old in the days when “green” meant the color of grass, trees and leafy vegetables. The strange looking roof came from an old pottery kiln, the woodwork and bricks from old torn-down buildings. Marble window sills in the dining area of the house were once bank teller counters. Even a bird house in the yard was constructed from old barn wood. Who would want to destroy that interesting history of recycling?
The Millers, who live and work in Herrin, Ill., hunted for lakefront property for several years. Helping them was a friend, Laurie McWilliams, owner of So Cool in Grand Rivers. She guided them to the property and arranged for them to meet the owner. He had no immediate plans to sell but agreed to meet the Millers. Satisfied that they would meet his expectations for responsible owners, he agreed to notify them when time came to sell.
The time came two years later.
With respect for preservation of the original building materials, the Millers remodeled the interiors, with special attention to upgrading and modernizing the baths and kitchen.
“The house was taken down to bare concrete,” Michael said. “We began with the plumbing and wiring.” He added that the remodeling lasted one year, with great care taken to retain original construction materials.
“We left as much of the original brick as we could,” his wife said. “Anything we could leave, we did.”
As preservationists who undertake restoration will tell you, the process is costly.
“But it was worth it,” Michael said.
The Millers purchased all the tile work in their house from Flooring America of Paducah. Using the same colors and designs throughout the house was practical in that it eliminated the headache and stress of decision making.
Tedra took charge of the interior design, choosing black, brown, copper and bronze colors for every room on the house, with just minimal accents of other brighter colors. The choice of colors might seem unusual for a lakefront house, but Tedra wanted a change from the lighter, brighter colors of her Illinois home.
She embarked on a buying trip to Chicago’s Merchandise Mart, where she selected all the furnishings. Talk about a kid in a candy store!
Tedra has chosen jungle animal prints — some quite bold — in upholstery, rugs and accents. These blend with the earthy browns, black, tan and taupe fabrics on the dark furniture. Even the kitchen floor boasts a leopard print rug.
The sleeping areas of the house are on the second floor, the living quarters below. All areas face Kentucky Lake, and all open to a wrap-around open deck. Views of the lake are enjoyed from windows in every room of the house, even closets. Glass-paneled doors to the deck provide even more light.
The master suite and two en suite guest rooms are up a flight of stairs. The walls of the stairwell are of particular interest because they were covered with a process called Venetian plaster, then faux painted to resemble cinnamon colored suede. The artist, Denise Cripps of Herrin, has enhanced other areas with faux techniques and stenciling.
Wanting to draw attention to the walls of the master bedroom, the Millers commissioned Cripps to apply stencil art on each one. The room is richly furnished with a gilt-trimmed king-size bed with decorative chests serving as night stands, and a mirrored lady’s writing table. A pair of chairs flanks a leather-topped table in front of a window.
The master bath is tiled floor to ceiling in black and brown marble. The same marble encloses the spacious shower. A wall in this room is covered in mosaic tiles shaded in bronze and copper. Above the brown quartz countertop are paired vessel sinks. Cripps applied gold leaf to the ceiling.
The smaller, but equally luxurious guest baths are decorated with the same colors and materials of marble, quartz and ceramic tile.
At the foot of the stairs a suite of richly upholstered sofa and chairs faces a wood-burning fireplace with a black marble insert built into the mantle. Behind this group is a portable bar with bar stools on either side creating a conversation area.
“It’s portable,” joked Michael, “but it took 17 guys to move it.”
In the dining area, 12 chairs upholstered in a leopard print are arranged around a massive dining table. At one end is a two-way glass-fronted cabinet displaying several sets of colored wine goblets. The doors behind the goblets open into the kitchen, modern and efficient, with the same quartz counter tops as the bathroom and glass tile walls. A powder room in this area features an agate vessel sink on a quartz countertop. Mosaic tilework covers the walls; the ceiling is gold-leafed.
Posh visited Tedra and Michael on an overcast April afternoon, when Kentucky Lake was calm except for an occasional ski boat and fishing boat. The latter are not a noise pollution issue but the ski boats would increase in noisy numbers later in the season. Michael stoically pointed out that the noise does not linger because the boats pass very quickly. The best time of day for him is when the lake is emptied of its recreational boats and he can enjoy peace, quiet, and a glass on wine as he sits on the deck of his house.
Tedra finds it hard to curb her enthusiasm when she proudly shows visitors around her lake home.
“I just love it,” she repeated many times.
For now, it is a weekend retreat that will eventually be a retirement home.
The Millers hope that their progeny — four children and 11 grandchildren — will share their love for their lake retreat, not only for its idyllic location but for its interesting history.