TRUE TREASURE

BBoBo Gilpin grew up coming to Lake Martin, and when he married Sherry, she was happy to become part of a family that loved the peacefulness of the lake and the fun it has to offer. In 1991, the Gilpins bought a cabin on a perfect lot, but as their two girls grew up, the family longed for a little more space and a lot more privacy than 900 square feet allowed. So in 2000, they tore down the cabin and built a new home that could accommodate their own family plus extended family and friends. “We considered moving to a different area of the lake, but we loved our lot. It’s large and level, and the wooded area across from us will remain wooded for many years, so we just couldn’t leave. We have a great street, and we all look out for each other. Another tremendous advantage is that the water is so calm and peaceful where we are. We hardly have any boats or large waves in our slough,” Sherry Gilpin said. During their brief search for another house, the Gilpins met their future builder, Lock Hunter, who is known for a nonsymmetrical, Adirondack style. They found a basic floor plan that they loved in Southern Living, and between the three of them, they tweaked the plans until they had exactly what they wanted. “There were lots of design ideas on napkins. Lock is very talented, very hands on. BoBo and Lock spent many hours planning the house. We also had the help of Bev Hunter King and Joan MacDowell on what was the first phase of building and decorating,” Gilpin said.

Reminiscent of old cabins on the lake, a gravel driveway leads guests onto the beautiful, wooded lot where the home sits. Tremendous pieces of flagstone create the walkway and front porch of the home. Cedar shake siding on the house is stained Shag Bark with Navajo White trim – both Sherwin Williams colors. Throughout

The outdoor cooking porch is a favorite spot year round

The stream added beauty and peaceful sounds near the porch

A quilt of presidential silhouettes graces the rail of a bridge that leads to a game area

Gilpin built the pizza oven that is used for all types of meals

A warm, inviting kitchen opens onto the screened porch

the years since the home was built, the couple added landscaping that enhances the already wooded, shady lot – a Japanese maple, boulders and ferns, among others. Also, after the first phase of building, they finished the upstairs interior of their boathouse with three bedrooms and added flagstone paths and patios. Hunter built a timber framed cooking porch with a stream and surrounding landscaping, which were installed by Eric Brown at Hilltop Landscaping.

Natural pine floors, cedar tongueand-groove walls and beadboard ceilings define the interior, and fabulous natural light is allowed in through windows perfectly placed in every location possible. The focal point in the main room is a tremendous stone fireplace built by Ben Newman with stones handpicked from a friend’s farm in Coosa County. Comfortable, sectional seating and chairs in the main living area invite family and friends to gather near the fire or to watch the big game. Oars are hung above the sofa on a bridge that runs overhead from the top of the staircase to a table that stands ready for working puzzles or working from home.

A dining table with a distressed top and six ladderback chairs divides the living area from the kitchen. An antique table serves as the island in the kitchen, providing additional counter or serving space. Deep green cabinets, painted Sherwin Williams’ Leather Leaf, add to the warmth of the kitchen. Six windows offer lake views beyond the corner apron-front sink. A tall hutch with glass doors on the top half and a cabinet below offers additional storage for dinnerware and serving pieces. Near the table, green cabinets are above a natural wood base cabinet, offering flexibility in usage.

Lake Martin designer Phil Spraggins has worked with the Gilpins over the last few years to update window treatments and décor.

“I just love the Gilpins’ home. It is so unique, and it is perfect for entertaining. One of the first things I suggested was to use a creamy color to paint the ceiling in the kitchen, the foyer and under the bridge walkway. The change really added a nice contrast and lightened the main rooms

Guests can relax on the boat house porch

The boat house sleeps eight upstairs

Lots of natural light helps to create tranquility in the master bedroom

The cedar shake home is perfectly positioned on the wooded lake lot

since all the walls and ceilings were one color before,” Spraggins said.

The screened porch is located outside the kitchen on the lake side of the house. A red dining table and a casual sitting area add space to dine and enjoy the view.

The Gilpins called in Taylor Dawson to help them add space to their pantry, just off the kitchen, an addition that made hosting large family gatherings easier, Gilpin said. With the Gilpins’ ideas and Dawson’s expertise, two areas – a small pantry with shelves and a laundry closet with a stacked washer and dryer – were transformed by a bump-out addition into an L-shaped working pantry with an ice maker, a sink, a wine refrigerator, shelves on one wall and cabinets with countertops. The renovation doubled the cabinet and countertop space in the kitchen. A full-sized washer and dryer now have plenty of space. A unique feature of the addition was the inclusion of a section of bottom cabinets

Art filled with bugs and botanicals are one focus in the boat house living area that could be rolled out of the pantry, allowing more food service as needed in the main room or tucked right back into its space alongside the installed cabinets, an idea of the homeowners. Birmingham designer, Tish Fuller, helped with the pantry renovation. Entry into the pantry is through either the old laundry closet double doors or through a screen door with copper mesh in the kitchen. Just down the hall from the kitchen is a small room, perfectly fitted with bunks and a twin trundle bed. A half-bath across the hall is situated conveniently by a side door that provides easy access from the cooking porch.

The master bedroom is just off the living area. Again, lots of windows provide natural light, and a window seat under one set of windows provides a soft focal point from the door. The walls have beadboard wainscoting and lake inspired artwork. The master bath has white

The family likes to gather around the tremendous fireplace

Four bunks added to a boathouse hallway made great use of the space Adirondack chairs and flowers on the front porch make a welcoming entrance

The master bathroom, with a deep soaker tub, is flooded with natural light from high windows

ship-lap and a beadboard ceiling. A small antique clawfoot tub and separate shower, plus two vanities, complete the space. The windows are high, allowing them to provide light without the need for window treatments. Spraggins and Fuller sourced drapes, blinds and Roman shades in the home.

Two bedrooms and baths are upstairs. One has a queen-sized iron bed and a crib, while the other has two twin-sized beds and a window seat that serves as additional sleeping space. Both rooms offer lake views. While all of the other ceilings are bead board, the upstairs bedrooms have a tin ceiling look.

The roadside boathouse provides storage and a workshop space downstairs. Upstairs, two bedrooms mirror each other with bunk beds, twin on top and full on the bottom, plus built-in cubbies for storage. In a separate bunk hall, there are two twin bunk beds. The main room provides a great living area with big screen television and a coffee bar ready for guests. Fuller selected the décor for these areas.

Outside living space is a priority for the Gilpins, and the addition of the cooking porch provides a beautiful space to entertain, which has been the most used addition, Gilpin said. BoBo built the interior of a brick pizza oven, a perfect addition for entertaining family and friends. A Big Green

A small room in the main house made a perfect bunk room Egg is another necessary piece of equipment on the cooking porch. On the back of the cooking porch, he built an outdoor shower that everyone loves. “BoBo enjoys cooking, his specialty is barbecue, and he also enjoys cooking Thanksgiving turkeys in the wood-fired oven. During holidays and football Saturdays, the cooking porch is really where we live, ” she said.

The Gilpins plan to split their time between Pikes Road and Lake Martin. Surrounded by woods, on the shore of the lake they love, family and friends are always welcomed.

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