My home state is the Great Lake state and with that it says a lot about what life is like growing up in Michigan!
Every Summer I was fortunate enough to spend seemingly endless weeks at Higgins Lake with my extended family. It’s a heritage tale; my great grandparents bought this tiny wooden cottage by the lake many moons ago and kept it in the family, my grandparents used the same little cottage for their honeymoon in their twenties!
Lake life became a part of my family, for the generations that came before me so that by the time I came along my childhood was spent in the clear, fresh water with its’ sandy shores and an abundance of pine trees. It was summers of no makeup, shoes optional and being with all the family.
How did you fill your days at the lakes?
It’s honestly as wholesome as it sounds; learning to swim, catching minnows, boating, playing games with my cousins and literally throwing caution to the wind with all the water sports. I rarely got to see my cousins during the school year, but over time my family added more cottages to house more of us and we'd spend all day together all summer, being so close in ages we were rarely apart. We were always hopping between houses (normally looking for the best breakfast or lunch!) and just had so much freedom, running so free until dark.
What were the lake cottages like? Did they influence your current style at all?
Oh my, no not really! Every cottage went through so many renovations, each reflecting the different style of the head of that household.
How did they vary?
Well, my fathers’ looked so nineties! Like an all white film set in the 1990’s, all gloss block walls, whereas our great grandma’s house was this amazing two bed A-frame that looked like a 1960’s authentic cabin with an Austin Powers twist! It was wood panelling and faux turf carpet, the lounge had low bamboo sofa frames and seriously retro green and orange cushions. And then each bedroom had a different colour theme; sunshine yellow and carnation pink, even down to the furniture and bedding. She did colour drenching the right way! My favourite part was the guest house, it was such a time capsule left totally intact!
I think style wise I have taken one principal for sure; if you buy everything in one swoop from all one look it dates very fast! Eclectic style will always have my heart because it creates more authentic spaces that evolve with you over time unlike the guest house which felt like a time capsule or film set! Be like my Great Grandma and commit to it! It’ll make so much more of a stylistic impact over playing cautious, and you’ll feel far more engaged with a space if it feels purposeful, confident and interesting.
Do you think your childhood on the lakes has shaped you as a person?
Probably more than I even think. Freedom from a routine and the ability to explore independently helped me gain confidence. I learned who I was and I know that nature is my grounding resource and it needs to be prioritised in life. When I feel lost in life i push myself to go outside, retreat to a nature getaway and immerse Make time for it, go barefoot, take in the fresh air and restore yourself.