3 Tips for Hosting This Holiday Season
We blinked and somehow it’s November! Before the hustle and bustle of the season officially gets rolling, let’s take a moment to pause, breathe and prepare for the holiday cheer to come.
Brighten Your Space (and your mood!) With Our Favorite Lighting Tips
Nothing spells fall like dark, cozy nights at home… preferably with a candle twinkling, a good book to read and something warm and soothing to drink! Unfortunately, lighting is often an afterthought when it comes to household decor, even though lighting can do so much more than just brighten a space.
Learn How & Why to Personalize your Space with Custom Upholstery
At Lakeside Living, finding the perfect fabric for your custom upholstery piece has never been easier (or more fun!). Our in-house design experts can help you browse our curated selection of high-quality fabrics to personalize bedding, curtains, furniture or pillows.
3 Ways to Take Your Backyard Get-Together to the Next Level
Before you wrap up another summer at the lake, don’t miss your chance to host friends, family and neighbors at your abode. While the most important thing in hosting guests is the enjoyment of all, you can take the experience to the next level by following these three pro-tips and tricks.
Refresh Your Outdoor Summer Space
Summer is flying by, like it always seems to do in northern Wisconsin. As we hit the halfway mark on the season, there’s never been a better time to get inspired about refreshing your outdoor space.
Get Your Cabin Ready for Summertime
Is there anything better than the anticipation of a brand-new summer in lake country? The soft breeze coming from the water’s edge? The birds chirping and sun pouring in your windows as you wake each morning? Fishing, boating, hiking and making the most of each precious day?
Summer Cocktails & Mock-tails for Independence Day & Beyond
Say farewell to cabin fever — summer is here! The long weekends on the lake. Family cookouts by sunset. We know you are itching to get out onto the incredible lake and enjoy all this season has to offer!
Whether you are celebrating the 4th of July or any other summer day with family and friends, we bet you will be craving some much-needed refreshments. That’s where we come in with the best cocktails or mocktails to get the party started…
This month’s featured cocktails are from Camp Craft Cocktails (you may remember the winter cocktails we featured here). What makes these cocktails unique is that this company is all about building community. They want you to share these cocktails with your friends and family, tell stories, and make memories.
Each cocktail has the same simple 4-step prep. Here’s how it works:
1. Add 12 oz. of alcohol or another mixer of choice
2. Refrigerate for 3 days.
3. Shake before serving.
4. Share this delicious and oh-so-easy-to-make cocktail with your family and friends.
Let’s get the ball rolling with the 3 Camp Craft Cocktail recipes you need this summer.
Sweet, Spicy and Floral: Hibiscus Ginger Lemon
Perfect for…
This beverage is perfect for a playful afternoon on the lake! The Hibiscus Ginger Lemon is a fresh, fruity, and fun beverage. The best part about these cocktails is that these drinks can also be made with boiling water and chilled to mix into iced tea or lemonade for an alcohol-free refresher.
Includes…
This cocktail mix includes hibiscus calyx, ginger root, lemon, and hibiscus tea-infused non-GMO vegan sugar. (Alcohol not included.) And yes, the cozy mason jar is included!
To Make…
1. Infuse your Hibiscus Ginger Lemon Camp Craft Cocktail kit with 12 oz of vodka (hot water for zero-proof).
2. After 3 days, strain 3 oz of the infused vodka on the rocks.
3. Splash in 1 oz of lemon juice.
4. Add 1 oz of soda.
5. Clink your mason jars in cheers.
Indulgently Sweet and Fruity: Sangria Summer Camp
Perfect for…
This drink is perfect for sharing after an adventurous day hiking with friends or sipping while enjoying a summer read in the sun … all we know is that this tasty, summer spin on red wine is the perfect pairing for your next potluck in the sun.
Includes…
These mason jars come filled with orange, lemon, cherry, and citrus-infused non-GMO vegan cane sugar. Alcohol is not included, but a good time sure is!
To Make…
1. Infuse your Camp Craft Cocktail Sangria kit with 12 oz of rum (hot water for zero-proof).
2. After 3 days, strain 3 oz of the infused rum on the rocks.
3. Combine 1 oz of dry red wine or unsweetened red grape juice.
4. Add a dash of orange juice.
5. Sip and enjoy the lake’s summer sounds.
Summer Tropical and Tart: Flo’rita
Perfect for…
Maybe it’s Taco Tuesday, or perhaps you’re just craving a spread of tapas… The Flo’rita is a twist on the classic margarita.
Includes…
This specialty cocktail comes in a mason jar packed with flavors including lime, pineapple, orange, hibiscus calyx, citrus-infused non-GMO vegan sugar. Alcohol isn’t included and is optional.
To Make…
1. Infuse your Camp Craft Cocktail Sangria kit with 12 oz of tequila (hot water for zero-proof).
2. After 3 days, strain 3 oz of the infused rum on the rocks.
3. Add a splash of fresh orange, lime, or pineapple juice
4. Enjoy the fresh cocktail in the warm sun!
What are you waiting for? Head down to our showroom and pick up these craft cocktail kits before you hit the road to the lake this weekend. Of course, only mix them up after you arrive. We’re all about summer fun done responsibly. 😉
If you’re looking to freshen up your cabin’s summer decor, you can also pick up some of these beauties that arrived at our showroom in time for summer!
Until Next Month,
The Lakeside Living Team
Summer Arrivals: Accessories and Cabin Decor at Lakeside Living
Summer is finally here, and we are ready to leave the hustle and bustle of daily living behind! We are traveling up those winding roads of the Northwoods to get to the lake and escape the hot and sticky Wisconsin air. Who’s with us?
You’ve probably done some spring cleaning already and taken time to freshen up your outdoor living area. (If you need an outdoor furniture refresh, check out this blog post.) But have you thought about freshening up the inside? Adding decor and accessories to your lakeside cabin can create a cozy, homey feeling with fresh new life. The kind of feeling that renews your spirit for making memories in this new season.
As your interior design guides, we like to highlight a few pieces each season that will help you transform your cabin into a place where old and new come together in a welcoming and cozy way. Which elements are perfect for updating your cabin for summer?
You’re in luck, because today we are sharing our new summer arrivals…
Iron Candlesticks
Iron Candlesticks made by Texture
These hammered iron candlesticks are effortless and beautiful. You can add instant interest to your space by decorating with a grouping of three candlesticks at varying heights. We particularly love how their rustic yet timeless feel help set an intimate mood.
Floating Shelves
We love these newly arrived and unique floating shelves. Lakeside decorating is all about bringing the outdoors in, and these live edge floating shelves are the perfect way to do so. We also have a reclaimed wood option, perfect for displaying decorative accessories, your Old Fashioned-mixing essentials, or even photos of past summer memories.
Pro Tip: Use floating shelves as a night table in tight bedrooms!
Feather Vase
Made by Laura Zindel
This nature-inspired feather vase is simple yet lovely. Perfect for holding a fresh bouquet of wildflowers, a large candle, or some colorfully wrapped sweets to tempt your grandchildren. This hand-crafted ceramic vase is available in a variety of designs to fit your unique cabin’s style.
Feather Print
Collective Feathers color print by Barloga Studios
Celebrate the beautiful natural birdlife that surrounds our lakeside with a print depicting various feathers. Hanging in a unique metal and leather frame, this print will pull in the warm tones and textures in the room around it. It’s also a great gift for the birdwatcher in your family! Read more about how to liven up your cabin with wall art in this post.
Decorative Pillows
Decorative Pillows by Ryan Studio
These gorgeous decorative pillows are the perfect addition to a sofa that’s ready for some summer freshness. They are comfortable and made of beautiful fabrics, adding color, sophisticated textures, and filled with high-quality down inserts. You can’t go wrong with a well-made pillow to freshen up a neutral space.
Bicycle Statue
Bicycle Statue by Uttermost.
This bicycle statue expresses the joy of summer! The figure is aptly named Freedom Rider. We love that you can sense the liveliness and life this statue brings to a space. It’s the perfect piece to add to an end table or one of those reclaimed wood floating shelves we shared above. 😉
Bed and Bedding
Bed by Four Hands and bedding by Lakeside Living Design.
Refresh your bedroom with this unique headboard with leather accents and an upholstered frame. It pairs perfectly with these custom pillows in leather and patterned fabric for a touch of luxury and tranquility while you sleep. Read about bedding basics in this blog post.
Oars
The lake is calling! These oars make for great lake home wall decor. They add personality, a sense of adventure, and may even inspire the younger generation to get out and enjoy the lake with you!
Which piece is calling your name? Come to our store, see them in person, and we’ll help you pick the perfect piece for your home!
Yours,
The Lakeside Living Team
4 Ways to Enjoy Outdoor Fire Tables & How to Select the Right One
Imagine watching the summer sunset on the lake. As a cool breeze picks up, you contemplate heading inside for the chilly evening. But wouldn’t it be a shame to end the night while it’s still young? Instead, extend your outdoor living time and keep the party going with a fire table!
Summer evenings around a fire builds memories… lasting, homey, cozy memories where family stories are swapped and family game night competitions heat up. Believe it or not, the best memories are yet to be made, and they can happen around a warm fire table on the lake after a day of cornhole and fishing. Now that’s lakeside living.
Sounds picture perfect, right? Here are more great reasons to get a fire table, plus some tips for picking the right one for you and your family…
4 Great Ways to Enjoy a Fire Table
1. Fire tables create warmth on a chilly day or night
After the sun goes down and the warmth of the day fades, you may be tempted to snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie. But you are living your lakeside dreams, so why not stick around for stargazing? Better yet, tell the grandkids embarrassing stories of their parents growing up in the glow of a hearty fire. (Those kinds of stories stick with them!)
Selection Tip: Speaking of grandkids, if you know they will occasionally or frequently be around the fire table, be sure to select one with a glass surround for safety. You wouldn’t want those chubby and cute little fingers to get caught near the flames.
2. Fire tables set an unforgettable ambiance
Adding a fire table to a screened porch or enclosed four-season porch with ventilation is a perfect way to transform your space right before your eyes. The shadows dancing on the walls and the cozy atmosphere creates the ideal memory-making conditions.
Selection Tip: Fire tables are versatile in shape size and height. They can be round, square or rectangular. Their heights may vary from chat height (coffee table height), or dining and bar height. BUT — don’t just select the first one you see!
If you know how you want your fire table to be used, and where, you can select the height that best creates a cozy ambiance and invites family, friends, and guests to linger longer. For style, choose a fire table that fits well with the style of your home. This could be wood, stone, tile or metal.
3. No need to buy, store, tote or burn wood
Do you hear the words “fire table” and already smell the smoke stuck in your clothes and hair? Or what about the daunting task of hauling up a cord of firewood for the weekend? The best part about a fire table is that you don’t have to worry about those things!
Fire tables use a propane tank or natural gas to fuel the flames. Simply turn the fire on or off whenever you choose, for as long as you choose, without the firewood hassle or the smoke smell. What a relief!
Selection Tip: Propane is a better option if you would like the ability to move your fire table from place to place. If you choose a gas fire table, it will need to remain at the source.
4. Fire tables can become a gathering feature
A fire table doesn’t have to stand on its own. The best ones are a focal point that invite people to gather. To do so, we suggest decorating the area around it! Add comfortable outdoor furniture and stylish pillows for people to enjoy. Here are 5 Simple Steps to Prepare Your Outdoor Patio Space. A great outdoor living space is the epitome of lake house luxury and relaxation, and a fire table is just one beautiful piece of that.
Selection Tip: One of the joys of gathering grandchildren around the fire is… s’more-making! However, fire tables are decorative gas appliances, not meant for cooking, so you’ll want to do your marshmallow toasting elsewhere.
How to select the right fire table for you
1. Decide on the function first. This will help you determine the height and shape your fire table needs to be. Look at your outdoor space and decide where it will be going and the size of the space you have to work with. Other considerations include safety (will there be children around?) and how you will use it (dining around the fire or relaxing nearby?).
2. Select a style that you love and that matches your home. What is the current style of your space? Fire tables are usually made from wood, stone, tile or metal. What styles do you like? Decide if you want it to blend into the space or stand out as a feature.
3. Do you prefer to use propane or natural gas? This question may be a simple yes or no based on the availability of natural gas. Propane is an inexpensive option that does require you to run and get a refill. The more you use the fire table the more you have to refill the tank. If natural gas is available, it alleviates having to run and get a new tank like propane would, and the cost isn’t bad either.
Once you have these questions answered, you can find the perfect fit for you, your family, and your home. Let the memories commence!
Whether you are planning a family game night tradition or quiet evenings reading a book by firelight, a fire table will add that extra cozy ambiance to your outdoor living space and an unforgettable summer (and spring and fall) by the lake. It doesn’t get much better than that.
We can’t wait to help you get your outdoor space ready to host your first cookout! Visit our store to pick up all the outdoor essentials you need or get advice on how to create an outdoor space you will love.
Until next month,
The Lakeside Living Team
Ready to Beautify Your Windows? Our Team is Here to Help!
Over the years, we have noticed that there are two seasons our clients really show an increased interest in beautifying their windows…
- Early fall…when they are looking to bring a warmth into their homes that will make the many cool days spent indoors feel more comfortable and enjoyable, and…
- Mid spring…when they are daydreaming of sunshine and the indescribable beauty that comes with summer days at the lake.
During the autumn months, we are often asked to fabricate and install window treatments that will enhance the coziness of the home as clients look toward winter.
But in the springtime, clients come to us ready to accentuate their views with window treatments that frame the picturesque landscape beyond the walls.
And since we find ourselves in the middle of this latter “window treatment season”, it seems fitting to chat about all things windows…the styles of treatments available, our process for fabrication, and how these custom creations can enhance a home’s beauty and bring joy not only this season, but for many years to come.
Let’s jump right in…
Types of Treatments We Fabricate
While we’ve been known to branch out beyond this list, our workroom focuses on five main types of treatments:
1. Roman Shades
These stunning treatments are both trendy and timeless. Made of the fabric of your choosing, they are flat when fully lowered, and when drawn up, appear as graceful horizontal folds…equally pretty in either position.
With many options to choose from, including either inside or outside mounts, and the possibility of a stack when the shades are lifted, these shades are incredibly versatile and fully customizable.
2. Draperies
One of our most commonly requested window treatments, draperies are available in a wide range of styles…
- Pinch Pleat Draperies: These functional drapes use more fabric and require more space to the sides of each window or door in order to stack off of the glass, but they add an elegance to the space that simply can’t be beat.
- Ripplefold Draperies: These drapes use less fabric and require less space, giving them a bit more of a casual look, and making them the perfect option for many rooms of the home.
- Stationary Draperies: This style doesn’t open and close, but the aesthetic they bring to a space enhances the view outside the windows without taking up any glass real estate. Plus, these make fabulous side panels when paired with shades of any kind.
Even within these many styles, there are a variety of other choices to make as well…
- Lining: Standard and blackout linings are available for any style and are often designated based on the drapery’s desired usage.
- Hanging: The two most commonly used hanging styles are traversing rods made of either wood or metal, or rods that hold the rings of hand drawn hung draperies.
3. Cornice Boards
Upholstered wooden top treatments, otherwise known as cornice boards, are gorgeous alone, but even more visually pleasing when used over any kind of shade. The layered look provides an unparalleled designer quality that instantly elevates the look of any home.
4. Valances
Similar to the cornice board, valances are often used to hide curtain hardware and add a decorative touch to the top of your windows. Made of fabric, these are a bit more “flowy” than their cornice board counterparts.
5. Cafe Curtains
Best described as small draperies hung halfway up any window, these adorable curtains are most often used in the kitchen or bathroom for partial privacy while also allowing for light to stream in. They require minimal hardware and add a very cozy (yet light and airy) quality.
Types of Treatments We Source
While we don’t generally fabricate them ourselves, it is worth mentioning that there are a couple other options available out there if the above categories don’t quite meet your needs, and we would be happy to source and order them for you, if they are the right choice for your home…
Other Shades
- Roller Shades: Very popular at this moment in time, the roller shade is a low-profile treatment that has clean lines when in use, and rolls up with minimal visibility when not needed. These can be made with a variety of materials that vary in opacity, and can be crafted using either inside or outside mounts.
- Honeycomb or Cellular Shades: This treatment has been around for ages, but over the years, the technology has changed to allow for inside or outside mounts, nearly invisible hardware (as hardly seen on each window in the dining area above), and a wide range of opacity depending on the materials they are made from.
Shadeless Sun Protection
And one final option that is worth noting for those of you who might want sun protection without the look of window coverings…window films! We have worked closely with Mike Peterson at Window Enhancements, LLC in the past and highly recommend him if you are considering window films to protect your interiors from sun damage. Learn more and reach out to him via his website.
Our Process for Creating Window Treatments
No matter the style that you choose, we follow the same procedure for creating or sourcing your custom window treatments…
Step 1: Measurements and Client Needs
A member of our team will conduct a site visit to measure your windows. At that time, we will also discuss your needs (blackout lining vs. standard, inside mount vs. outside, etc.).
Example: Recently, a client came to us with an arched and rounded window in their loft that needed to be covered in order to better protect the inside of their home and the furnishings they had invested in. We went out to their home to measure the window, assess their needs, and get to know the family.
Step 2: Treatment Styles and Specs
With your needs in mind, we will sift through the treatments available and determine the best window solution for your home. From there, we will specify the fabric to be used, operating system or drapery rod, and any accessories for the windows that will help them look and work exactly as you envision.
Example: Knowing that sun protection and a custom look were the top priorities, the experts on our team (along with the client, of course) decided that pinch pleat stationary drapes with a substantial easy-to-use tie-back would be the right choice for this home. Together we selected a fabric they loved, the lining they needed, and the accessories that would take this custom project from good to great.
Step 3: Estimate and Contract
With the exact specifications in mind, we will provide an estimate for your project. With your agreement, we draft up a contract, have all parties sign, and we get to work.
Example: With the selections made, we provided an estimate and contract for our clients and began fabricating their draperies.
Step 4: Fabrication and Installation
At this point, either our team will fabricate your custom window treatment, or we will place the order for you from a company we know and trust (if the treatment you select is not one we create in our workroom).
Once the treatment is complete, our team will install the finished product, address any concerns you might have, and leave you to enjoy your newly enhanced home.
Drapes closed to fully protect the room from the sun…
Drapes tied back to review that incredible lake view…
Example: Upon completion of fabrication, we installed these pinch pleat stationary drapes in the client’s loft, made sure they knew how to easily tie them back each day, and verified they were in love with the look…which they were! The end result is an interior protected from the damaging rays of the sun and a window beautified by custom treatments that frame the stunning lake view outside.
If all of this talk of window treatments has you inspired to beautify your own windows this spring, please stop by or give us a call to make an appointment to meet one of our window treatment experts.
We would be delighted to enhance your views, elevate your interiors, and help you love your home as we head into another spectacular summer of lakeside living.
Until next month,
The Lakeside Living Team
Lakeside Living Design
5191 S. Hwy. 51
Manitowish Waters, WI 54545
(715) 543-8131
Fax: (715) 543-8793
