Excelsior Shore is the story of a modest 1950s cottage transformed into a year-round family home without losing the spirit that made it worth saving. When Lake Street Design Co. was engaged, the clients were clear: they had fallen in love with the property's relationship to the water, its mature tree canopy, and its unpretentious character. Our job was to expand the footprint and elevate the execution while honoring everything that already worked.
The architectural strategy was additive rather than transformative. Two wings were extended, one to accommodate a new primary suite and one to create a four-season screened porch that serves as the home's social center from April through October. The original cottage volume was preserved and renovated rather than demolished, maintaining the home's connection to its history while integrating seamlessly with the new construction. From the water, the home reads as a single, settled composition rather than a visible addition and original.
Inside, Lake Street Design Co. developed interiors that play to the property's casual, lakeside character while delivering finishes that perform at a high level over time. Painted shiplap walls, wide-plank pine floors sealed with a natural oil finish, and furniture in performance fabrics and natural rattan create a palette that is both genuinely relaxed and genuinely refined. Every upholstered piece was selected with the knowledge that it will be used by wet swimmers and sandy children, beauty without anxiety is the operating principle.
The kitchen, expanded as part of the renovation, is now the home's functional hub: a large prep island, a six-burner range, and a pass-through to the screened porch that makes the two spaces feel continuous during the summer months. Excelsior Shore is a project that Lake Street Design Co. holds close, a reminder that the most satisfying work often comes from respecting what already exists and knowing when to stop adding.
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The Bay Renewal