Lake homes come in all shapes and sizes, with some fit for year-round dwelling, others the perfect size for a weekend summer retreat. For this mid-century cottage built in the 1950s, Max and Erin Mann found a perfect opportunity for their family to create memories on the water.
This marked the first time this Beaver Lake home turned hands from the Sawyer family, and the Manns loved its original structure enough that they knew they only wanted to modernize it. They’ve done so by artfully honoring the original integrity of design, and customizing it as they embark on creating a legacy of their own.
The sale was particularly special to Karen because the Sawyers are neighbors and friends, and the Manns have a connection to her family in Whitefish Bay. Bringing the two parties together in this off-market sale was so rewarding as she loved helping with a hand-off from one legacy of lake living to the next!
We often bump into the Manns & their sweet kids as they entertain and play on the lake, and can even smell Max grilling up new recipes on the regs. Now that their renovation is complete and they’ve settled in, we decided we wanted to tell their story, as it’s quite special that these older cottages retain their place on the lake amongst the larger rebuilds.
You live on the East side, what prompted you to look in Lake Country for a lake home vs. Up North? Or want a lake home in general?
During the pandemic, we started to talk more about our kids getting older and how we wanted to spend our time and have more opportunities for extended family to gather. We kept coming back to the idea of a lake home, that if nearby, could be epic! With both Max & Erin having fond childhood memories around water, we knew it could be a great way for our family to create new memories.
What were you looking for in a lake home?
When we started looking, our 2 main criteria where proximity to our home in Whitefish Bay, WI and the quality of the water. Beaver Lake immediately checked those boxes.
When you saw the original home, what was your first reaction?
When we saw the original home, we really fell in love. Built in the 1950’s by the previous owner’s father, the home had so much modern character that made it feel like a cozy cottage on the lake. We love the front, lake facing windows that make you feel like you’re already outside and we have a spectacular view of the sunset. You literally can’t build a home with 12 in red wood anymore!
How long did the renovation take – were there any hiccups or happy surprises?
We trusted our renovation with Carmel Builders/Alair Homes and it took about 6 months to complete. We are so in love with the result. We feel as though we’ve been able to keep the original cozy cottage feeling while making some modern updates. We would not have been able to complete our overall vision without our amazing interior designer, Jessica Forston, who owns and operates Fringe Interior Design and Home Furnishings in Whitefish Bay, WI.
Can you remember the first time you enjoyed it post-renovation – what did you do and how did it feel!
Even through the renovations, we’ve been able to host countless friends & family to enjoy our happy place here on Beaver Lake. We feel very lucky to have such a beautiful home on the best lake! Needless to say, we have no shortage of visitors!
Anything else you want to share about the project?
Our goal was to breath life back into a historical home and we are thrilled with the outcome. We also want to thank Karen Trimble for her help with our home search…no chance we could have found this home without her!
