Lakestone Love, my personal home, is a full remodel of a Georgian home. Challenging? Yes. Rewarding? Absolutely. Designing for myself and my family is ten times harder than my pickiest client. As a designer, I’m exposed to so many design styles, past and present, and trends and industry changes, that it makes it difficult to narrow down the field for myself. There are things from every corn that I love. I totally value the comforts of home and think that home should tell the story of its people. I have added so much detail in this project just to weave in a dialogue that reflects a story. My family’s dialogue includes working with natural materials. I lean towards using natural stone. I view it as a forever piece of the home due to its durability and how well it wears. There is a strong connection between your home and sense of wellbeing, I think part of that is why I prefer natural materials. It connects you to the earth and nature. This value I place on natural materials drew me to Polycor’s granite and marble. Their focus on sustainability fuses with our initiatives to build, lead, and give back to our communities, making us a perfect fit for this very personal project. I always value working with a community-focuses company with an emphasis on excellence and a commitment to sustainability. From a lifestyle perspective, raising a family with growing kids means health and wellness is at the top of my mind.
It’s hard to narrow down to just a few basics, but classic materials, architectural history, and a maximalist style has always been the goal of Lakestone Love. I take pride in the use of natural yet functional materials. For me, every detail matters which is why I say to never underestimate the power of a well planned template, I never skip the opportunity to go out to the stone yard and place our countertop template on the actual slab. By connecting my space to some aspects of the earth, my home becomes more than just a place I eat and sleep – it brings value to my family and our overall well-being. Throughout Lakestone, you’ll find Polycor in the scullery, laundry and all of my children’s bathrooms.
The scullery, a small prep kitchen situated off the mud room and garage entry, has been the perfect design for the “new normal.” When anything enters the house, it can stop on the White Cherokee Marble counter with a polished finish to be washed and sanitized before making it to the kitchen.
Initially I design more with entertaining and food prep, including juicing in mind, it’s nice to see how flexible this space is. Adding a full height backsplash was a decision based on function and aesthetic. As anyone who uses a juicer well knows, things have a tendency to go flying. As I’ve mentioned previously, it’s important for me to fuel my body with healthy foods. I have found some of my most favorite juice recipes that help me keep up with my busy lifestyle.
For the laundry room, I had my mind set on classic black and white, a theme initiated in the foyer of the home. With white cabinets our American Black granite was the perfect contrast for the countertops. I love the natural look and warm feel of the honed American Black granite – it has just enough movement with white being but not overwhelming. The finishes pf this space continue to the adjacent mudroom and scullery through the green basalt herringbone pattern and backsplash tile. American Black granite has the look of a black marble, with the benefits of durability and resilience that come with it being granite. The functionality of this space provides not only a laundry room, but can also be used for entertaining prep and as a gift wrapping station when I’m in a hurry. I love bringing nature indoors whether that be clippings or countertops, it immediately brightens the space and lifts the mood!
In most homes, bathrooms are among the most heavy hitters of spaces. And that’s doubly true of children’s bathrooms, where you need to create a space that works for them now and will continue to function and appeal to them as they grow. It’ about achieving a balance of practical necessity combines with lasting aesthetic appeal. My three children – Lil, Lula, and Fisher – each have their own bathroom, so I got to meet this challenge three times, with three unique solutions that utilize the same White Cherokee Markell countertop materials. Each of the kid’s bathrooms allow for a simple aesthetic that can adapt to a unique palette reflective of their individual personalities, evolving with them as they grow and mature.
Details make the difference in any design. It is important to balance the aesthetic needs of the space without sacrificing function and durability. Polycor’s products allow our design team to give client’s beautiful stone in their projects while trusting that the integrity of the piece will not be compromised over time.
