Lakeside Living Design
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7 Easy Ways to Make Your Lake House Extra Cozy this Fall

It’s no secret… fall is coming! This time of year is always a little bittersweet. It’s hard to see summer end and the grandkids going back to school, but at the same time… fall in Wisconsin is GORGEOUS.

There’s nothing better than watching the leaves change colors and cozying up by the fire with cocoa or tea and a good book. 

This time of year is also one of our favorites because changing out your decor is equally as fun! This month, we’re sharing our top 7 tips for making your lake house extra warm, cozy, and oh-so-perfectly fall.

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1. Decorate your fireplace mantle.

You don’t need lights and Santas to style your mantle for the fall season! Instead, use natural wood, birch, pine cones, etc. Your home will also benefit from the herbal scent of these fresh beauties.

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2. Make your fireplace the focus of the room.

Move your furniture around and assemble it so your fireplace becomes the focus of your living room. With a mantle that’s decorated for the season, and seating that keeps you huddled around the fire, you and your loved ones will feel extra snuggly!

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3. Add cozy, soft textures to your living room.

A cozy living space would be nothing without, well, the cozy factor! Throw cozy blankets over the edges of your sofa or chairs, so they’re ready for those bundled up moments. Add a few alpaca, wool or flannel pillows. You can even add pillows and throws to porch chairs!

4. Layer rugs for extra comfort.

Layering rugs is a great way to get a cozy look with added comfort. Place a cowhide over a thick shag or pattern over a solid. Place your furniture either entirely on the outermost rug, or with two feet off the edges to frame the space and keep it feeling together.

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5. Add some spicy candles for a fall aroma.

Candles bring warmth and comfort to our eyes, but they can also bring the same feelings to more of our senses! Scents like cinnamon, pine or pumpkin are perfect for the fall season, and will have you sinking into that cozy living room arrangement, feeling inspired to bake in the kitchen, or eager to sip some hot cocoa. (More on scents here!)

 

6. Update your bedding.

A cozy home doesn’t stop at the living room and fireplace… make your bedroom a place for good time snuggles, too. Add a fake fur rug or throw, flannel sheets, a comfy duvet and soft blankets. When the weather turns chilly, you’ll have the perfect haven for some cozy beauty sleep.

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7. Refresh your stock of entertainment.

When brisk temperatures have us retreating indoors, we’ll want some entertainment! (Especially if the kids or grandkids are around…) Nobody wants to keep doing the same puzzles!! Check your puzzle, game and book selection, and add a few new faces for some extra fun this autumn.

Well, now that we’ve shared these tips, it’s safe to say we’re pretty excited about the coming season!

If you’re looking for the perfect cozy accessories to transition your cabin from summer to fall, come stop by — we’re just as delighted to help you as if we were decorating our own homes. 🙂

Our best wishes,
Lakeside Living Design

Which Fragrance Best Fits Your Personality?

Do you have candles, oils, or any other kind of fragrance in your home? If not, we have to ask… what are you waiting for?!

The right scent can transport you to your happy place, get the party going, or put you instantly at peace. 

We use ALL of our five senses when we’re at home. So unless you’re baking fresh cookies 24/7, shouldn’t you play up your sense of smell to the fullest?

You betcha!

This month, we thought we’d have a little fun with scents and personality. Which one sounds the most like you? Then head into our store to put it to the test!

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Which Scent are You?

The Wanderer

You’re a natural adventurer who loves to travel and sees the world through rose-colored glasses. People are attracted to your positive outlook on life and sweet temperament.

Scent: Layers of jasmine, vanilla and citrus infused with softness and warmth

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The Nostalgic

You love to reminisce with friends and family and are no stranger to long, pensive walks down Memory Lane. You’re also a known storyteller, with a gift for embellishment and attracting listening ears.

Scent: Blend of fresh pine needles, cedar notes, and just a hint of sun-warmed earth

The Mystique

You are an enigma of the best kind — and likely to have a wardrobe of mostly black! Your charm is mysterious (even to you), yet you have an undeniably magnetic personality that draws people closer.

Scent: Blends of wood smoke, rich leather, and notes of golden saffron

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The Life of the Party

You don’t go to parties… you are the party! You thrive in social situations and attract others with your sunny personality and love of fun. You’re also a natural connector, bringing together people from all walks of life. 

Scent: Musk with clean, crisp fragrance and just a hint of spice

The Child at Heart

Whether you’re with friends or flying solo, you always keep moving and are easily entertained. You love to laugh and see magic in the simple things in life. It’s also likely that summer is your favorite season!

Scent: Fresh cucumber with touches of honey and freesia

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The Mediator

You’re a lover of peace and friendship and bring these values with you wherever you go. Your calm, stress-free approach to life is contagious to those around you.

Scent: Notes of blossoming lavender and sweet jojoba

The Realist

Not one to have your head in the clouds, you’re always sharp and see the best course of action in any situation. People appreciate your decisiveness, cool logic, and unerring tact.

Scent: Stimulating blend of peppermint and cool aloe

 

So, which one sounds like you? We’d love for you to tell us or come into the store to put it to the test! 😉

— Lakeside Living

Lakeside Living’s Guide to Packing a Perfect Wisconsin Picnic

When it’s summer in the Northwoods, we hardly need an excuse to pack a gorgeous picnic and enjoy it by (or on!) the lake. With the 4th of July coming up, we’ll take the excuse anyway!

Here’s a fun guide and quick checklist to the perfect Wisconsin picnic, for the upcoming holiday or any other beautiful day this season…

1. Best Picnic Blanket for a Dry, Comfy, and Colorful Seat

A wet backside can ruin a picnic nearly as quickly as bugs, so you’ll want a blanket that’s up to the task. (And some high-quality insect repellent, too.) 

We Love… Textillery Weavers Sunbrella High Performance Indoor Outdoor Blankets. They’re great at preventing soak-through. Plus, they’re machine washable (three cheers!) and resist sun and mildew damage. What more could we ask for?

2. Virtually Indestructible Outdoor Dishware Options

When you’re dining outdoors, using glass dishware can be a risk, BUT opting for paper plates is a good way to squeeze in an afternoon run… chasing your dishware all the way down the shore. We have a better solution.

We Love… melamine picnic plates and unbreakable wine glasses from Le Cadeaux! Not only are these options heavy enough to defy most winds, they’re also easy to clean and come in many lakeside picnic-worthy styles!

3. Classy & Creative Cleanup

When it comes to cleanup, not having a kitchen sink handy can require a little creativity. The solution: cloth napkins. They’re less likely to blow away in the wind or shred in your hands, and they’re much better at keeping those hands and faces clean. Plus, they add to the look.

We Love… any cloth napkin will do, but sometimes a colorful cotton kitchen towel works best.

Quick note: A travel-sized bottle of hand-sanitizer won’t go amiss here either, especially if you apply insect repellent or take a dip in the lake pre-picnic… two things you probably don’t want to ingest!

4. Best Food and Wine Ideas for Your Lakeside Picnic

Some things you probably do want to ingest…

  • Fresh fruits
  • Variety of cheeses (no shortage of great options in this beautiful state)
  • Artisan breads from a local bakery
  • Assorted crackers
  • Smoked meats or salmon
  • Wine!

We Love… the Wine Barn in Manitowish Waters. Fantastic options, and they can help you pair your wine selection with the cheeses you’re bringing!

5. A Final Touch to Create Your Picnic’s Ambiance

Part of the fun of a picnic is having it look like a picnic. You have the blanket and cloth napkins, the dishware, the food… Now you just need a mason jar to display some fresh flowers! 

Trust us, whoever is accompanying you on this picnic will be more than impressed by this simple but creative touch! Enjoy. 🙂

 

Lakeside Living’s Printable Checklist of Picnic Essentials

  • Blanket in high-performance fabric
  • Melamine plates and/or bowls
  • Plastic or metal silverware
  • Unbreakable wine glasses
  • Cloth napkins
  • Hand-sanitizer
  • Insect repellent
  • Fruits
  • Cheeses
  • Artisan breads
  • Assorted crackers
  • Smoked fish or meat
  • Wine!
  • Mason jar(s)
  • Wildflowers

Looking to find some picnic essentials? Stop by Lakeside Living today or give us a call!

 

Our Favorite American-Made Furniture & Decor for Your Home

With the 4th of July right around the corner here, I thought we’d say Happy Birthday to the good ol’ USA! 

This month we’re featuring some of our favorite products and some fun facts about their American makers. 

Ready to see what the folks of our great nation have been up to over the last 100 years? Here we go!

American-Made Furniture

The beautiful handcrafted bed, dining table, chairs, and porch swing below come from Old Hickory Furniture. They were established in 1899 (!) in Central Indiana and use only sustainable resources. Good for the country and the planet!

Norwalk Furniture, established in 1902 in Norwalk, Ohio manufactured this timeless sofa, swivel tub chair, and cocktail ottoman. 

Fun fact: This company halted production during WWII, instead using their manufacturing facility to create jungle hammocks, foot lockers, and grenade boxes!

Lloyd Flanders is a quality name in outdoor woven furniture… and they got their start not too far away, in Menominee, MI in 1909! Their furniture is still to this day produced in the same facility where they first started. That’s 110 years of history!

 

Glassware Made in the U.S.A.

These precious pieces were made by Rolf Glassware, a company established in 1981 by an immigrant family who moved from Germany to Western Pennsylvania!

Soaps & Lotions Made in America

Relaxing and invigorating soaps and shea butter lotions from Greenwich Bay Trading Company, founded in 1962 in Raleigh, NC.

Shea butter soaps and soothing candles, compliments of Michel Design Works… mmmm….

Which brings me to…

 

Designed & Manufactured by Lakeside Living!

That’s right, we design and manufacture our own furniture and accessories right here in Manitowish Waters! 

We gave new life to an old favorite with this reupholstered armchair.

 

Custom-designed fish for the sportsman in your home!

If you have time to stop by before or after your lakeside festivities, we’d be delighted to meet you and show you around!

Until then, have a Happy 4th and we’ll see you on the lake!

— Lakeside Living Design 

Leather Pillow One

5 Lake Home Trends We’ve Brought Back to WI

We just returned from another trip to market! This one was in Atlanta, and yes, we got up to our usual shenanigans while on the road—uncontrollable laughter, plenty of oohs and ahhs, and of course, bringing items back to our store for you!