Tour this 8-bedroom lakeside retreat on Barren River Lake
A Lake House Designed for Comfort and Style
After completing a successful renovation with Robin Cole of Robin’s Nest Interiors, a Louisville family turned to the local interior designer to help design and furnish their new lake house. The family had been visiting Barren River Lake every year, and they finally decided to purchase a lot there and build a house. The goal of this brand-new build was to embody lowcountry style, a mix of coastal comfort and southern charm popular in South Carolina.
With the help of Amlung Construction, Erskine Concepts, and Robin’s Nest Interiors, the homeowners were able to achieve their vision. They now have a 5,000-square-foot abode that highlights everything lake life has to offer.
Airy, Open-Concept Living
The home features white oak flooring crafted from milled trees on the property and boasts a main space that includes an open-concept kitchen, dining area, and great room with 22-foot ceilings.
Two wood beams run across the midpoint of the great room, featuring barely-there track lighting that accentuates the pecky cypress ceiling. The focal point of the space, however, is the custom metal fireplace facade that runs from floor to ceiling.
“One thing that was a lot of discussion was what we were going to do with the fireplace,” Cole recalled, adding that the homeowners knew they didn’t want stone or brick, but couldn’t quite figure out the best fit.
Once Cole showed them a picture of a metal fireplace, they knew that was the way to go. With the help of Randall Erskine of Erskine Concepts in Bowling Green, they installed acid-washed metal with nailhead detailing to create a paneled look. A large ship light, centered in the upper part of the facade, is complemented by two smaller, boat-lantern-style sconces on either side, above floating shelves.
The fireplace is complemented by the kitchen vent hood, another piece by Erskine that boasts a similar look and sits opposite the facade.
Entertaining on Every Level
A brick backsplash sits below the vent hood, offering a bit of southern charm in a primarily coastal kitchen.
“We did shiplap throughout the house,” Cole said, adding that though shiplap was in peak popularity when the house was built, its use here was thoughtful and deliberate. “We weren’t just jumping on the shiplap bandwagon. This was truly what you would have found in (a low country-style) house.”
The kitchen features white cabinetry and is anchored by an extra-large island, painted Sherwin-Williams Needlepoint Navy and sized to comfortably seat six. Off to one side of the island, a built-in bar features another sink, ample storage space, and a wall-mounted TV. On the other side, the dining area boasts a live-edge table that seats 12, adjacent to multiple windows offering sweeping views of the surrounding woods.
Outside, a full outdoor kitchen — featuring another metal, Erskine Concepts vent hood — provides an additional spot to cook and entertain. Below the outdoor kitchen on the lower level, a custom bar offers yet another spot to relax, unwind, and enjoy access to Barren River Lake via a private dock.
“We found an old rowboat, and (Erskine) made it into this bar,” Cole explained. “It’s really cool; (it’s) sitting on a metal piece, and he (made) a little footrest underneath it.”
Restful Retreats
The house features eight bedrooms and offers enough space to accommodate about two dozen people.
“They have a large family, and a large extended family, and a lot of friends,” Cole said, “so the house was built to sleep a lot of people.”
Built-in bunk beds were incorporated to help support this, including in what Cole says is one of her favorite rooms.
“We call it the upstairs bunk room,” she explained. “We did bunks because they were thinking they’d have a lot of young families (stay with them).”
The room features a queen-sized bed directly across from a set of bunks, flanked by closets on either side. It also features its own en suite, providing guests with privacy and space away from the rest of the home.
The primary suite features high ceilings, accent beams that mirror those in the great room, and a private balcony. Cole furnished the space with a four-poster bed that offers a rustic, lakeside vibe, as well as blackout curtains on a traverse rod so the owners can easily choose between ample natural light or complete darkness for a serene start to a day by the lake.
“We wanted it to be very earthy, and just really like part of the setting,” Cole said of the home. “They just love the lake so much, and they love lake life.”
Nuts & Bolts
This is an eight-bedroom, eight-bathroom, 5,000-square-foot low-country style home on Barren River Lake. It was built in 2020.
Distinctive Elements
White oak flooring crafted out of milled trees on the property; pecky cypress ceiling in the great room; custom metalwork throughout, including fireplace facade, vent hoods in the kitchen and outdoor kitchen, railings, and a fishing boat bar on the basement patio; authentic nautical lighting throughout.
Applause! Applause!
Metal worker Randall Erskine of Erskine Concepts; builder Doug Amlung of Almlung Construction; Robin Cole of Robin’s Nest Interiors for furniture, artwork, accessories, and lighting; Abby Tappendorf and Robin’s Nest Interiors for photography; Kelly Sisler of Creative Finishes by Kelly for faux painting of primary bath cabinetry.
