LIVE THE DREAM

Trusses were built on the property to accentuate the newly vaulted ceilings

The cabin exterior was transformed by raising the roof, painting the house and enlarging the front porch

STORY BY LONNA UPTON & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE

David and Amanda Simpson met in Auburn during their college years. While Amanda Simpson grew up in Auburn and visited Lake Martin in the summer, David has always dreamed of having a home on a lake, so after they got married, they began looking for the perfect place. In 2018, they found a cabin they thought just might work for them to purchase, renovate and enjoy with their two children. A great lot, massive oak trees and good bones in the house lined up perfectly, and they were ready to go.

“I grew up coming to the Dadeville side of the lake with my family since we were coming from Auburn, and this cabin was in Alexander City but before the River Bridge. I wasn’t sure about that location, but we love it. We are not on big water, so we don’t have a lot of boat traffic, and we are so close to Winn Dixie. That is a plus,” Amanda Simpson said.

The Simpsons thought they might just update

Dthe kitchen to begin with but decided to go all the way with a full renovation at the end of 2020. The footprint of just over 2,000 square feet, plus a basement with almost 600 square feet, gave them the space they needed, but a couple of walls obstructed lake views and ease of movement in the main rooms. Also, the ceiling was only 8 feet high, and the basement was unusable. They also wanted to update bathrooms, the kitchen, windows and doors. The renovation process began by hiring J. Manifold Construction, a design and build firm in Auburn that does custom builds but specializes in renovations. The old cabin is no longer recognizable after the renovation. The green siding was replaced with brick and painted White Duck. Other exterior walls were replaced with HardiPlank. Gray shutters and a metal roof, along with clad windows and doors, updated the entire house. Now, gas lanterns flank double glass doors to welcome guests on a flag-

The sun porch offers year round living space with windows on three sides for perfect lake views LAKE 41

Simpson selected a dark green Retreat to pop against creamy colors throughout the home The renovation included new decking, stone steps and paths leading to the water

Neutral colors anchor the peaceful family room

stone porch.

Pre-renovation, an island with cabinets above it separated the main living room and kitchen, and walls on both sides of the kitchen area allowed only small entryways. So the Simpsons removed the cabinets and walls to allow an open concept.

“Jack has 35 years in structural experience, and he was pleased to discover that this roof could be raised. We vaulted the ceiling to 22 feet in the living room and master bedroom, and the space just seemed to double. Amanda has great taste and natural talent, so she was very easy to work with. She knew exactly what she wanted,” said Melissa Manifold, who works with her husband, Jack, in the construction company.

Van Nostrand Cabinets in Opelika designed the floor-to-ceiling kitchen cabinets, and Simpson selected Sherwin Williams’ Retreat for the cabinet color, which pops against her Swiss Coffee shiplap walls and trim. The backsplash is a white brick tile by Arto Brick, and the stove hood was overlaid with shiplap to match the walls. Countertops were replaced with quartz, and new appliances were selected from the General Electric Café series. The island is white oak with pop-open cabinets all the way around for extra storage. Simpson chose brass fixtures for all the cabinets and large brass pendants over the island. Gabby acrylic barstools provide seating at the island.

The pine floors in the living area were installed to match the pine floors in the sunroom, which just needed to be refinished. The ceiling was whitewashed. The brick fireplace was updated with stone in both the living room and sunroom, and the Simpsons opted to leave the old cabin’s fireplace insert for its nod toward the original house. Beams from a tobacco barn in Tennessee were built into architectural trusses for the main room.

Furnishings in the living room are neutral with a creamy, sectional sofa and a heavy, concrete coffee table from Arhaus anchoring the space. Simpson found many of her accessories and design ideas from Joy Easley at Affirmation Interiors in Auburn.

“I love to look for things in stores and online. I have prints I found on Etsy that I had framed at The Gallery in Auburn. I have original art from

A cane bed from Arhaus was a new addition to the master bedroom

The old dock and pier were resurfaced and a bar with beer taps was added upstairs

Wetumpka and antiques from Angel’s Attic in Opelika. I might have linens from Pottery Barn mixed with something else from Target. I just know it when I see it,” Simpson said.

The glass sunroom is an additional living space with beautiful views of the boat house and water. Again, neutral colors keep the space open and airy. Beams are mirrored from the living room. Old sliding doors were updated to French doors. The deck areas on each end of the sunroom were completely replaced, including the addition of a walkway to connect the two areas.

The master bedroom ceiling was vaulted, from 8 feet to 22 feet, and then stained. Two windows were added to the room, and sliders were replaced with French doors that open onto the deck. The cane bed is from Arhaus, and the side tables are from Painted Fox Home online. The blinds in all the bedrooms are rattan, installed by Phil Lynn at Blinds and Designs in Auburn.

The master bath was reconfigured with a new vanity and large shower with white subway tile. Custom cabinets with a bamboo finish added a bright, modern look.

For the two upstairs guest rooms, Simpson selected light colored, plaid carpet and khaki and cream linens accented with colorful throw pillows. An old wicker chair from the original cabin adds a pop of pink to one of the rooms. Simpson hung antlers, oars and turtle shells in the rooms for a whimsical lake look.

The staircase leading to the basement has the refinished pine floors and a heavy iron pipe handrail. Flooring in the basement is a wood-look

porcelain tile for easy care, as the room opens to the lake level. An original brick wall was left as an accent to new shiplap in the now functional basement. Three bunk beds were built on the long wall, with two sets of steps dividing them. Full-sized beds on the bottom and twin-sized on top are covered in navy and white gingham check linens. A small bathroom was reconfigured to take in a bit of the garage space next door to allow a larger, more functional bathroom with a shower room.

The basement opens into a large garage, which also holds lake toys and a boat with space to spare.

Outside, a screened porch was added under the deck above. A gas grill and Big Green Egg are downstairs for cooking fun. The two-story dock was resurfaced, and a roof was added to the top. The couple added a bar with beer taps on the top level. The walkway to the dock now has hog-wire fencing for safety.

“The old boat ramp only allowed the boat to be pulled up by a winch from the water into the garage. We added the driveway to make the ramp usable from the street. Our children love to jump off the top of the dock, but they also like to play on the boat ramp, especially in the winter when they can walk out into the lake a little bit. They love to be here,” Simpson said.

Creative Habitat planned and installed the landscaping, plants and sod, as well as adding a river rock flume for drainage and flagstone pathways to the lake.

“I love seeing the transformation of old to new, to take a home that is tired and doesn’t meet the function of the family and make it exactly what they need. It is possible to find a small house on the lake and transform it to be yours, like the Simpsons did,” Manifold said.

The previously unusable basement was repurposed into a bunk room for six and a bathroom

White subway tile and bamboo cabinets updated the master bathroom