Date: June 25, 2009 | Story: Allison Cook |
When the cabin’s roof needed replacing, Kris and Bob agreed that the views from the third floor could be increased if they added dormers. “We had used the finished attic as a kind of dorm room for our kids and their friends and filled it with bunk beds,” Kris says. “Once the roof had to come off, we figured raising the roof line with dormers would be a great improvement. I really had no idea we would continue the renovation from there.”
“We’ve always been lake people,” says Ft. Smith resident Kris Klein. “We never thought we would be able to pick just one to visit, but when we came across this cabin on Beaver Lake in 1999, we had a change of heart.”
Kris’ husband, Bob, grew up coming down from Chicago to visit his grandmother’s cabin on Bull Shoals, and Kris and Bob have spent their married life vacationing on many of Arkansas’ lakes; however, after having four children and eventually buying a boat and other water-sports gear, the family was forced to haul two cars for each trip. It was then that Kris looked into Beaver Lake. “We really just stumbled across it,” she says. “The cabin had a view of the water and property that would allow us to build our own dock and leave all our water toys here.”
Initially the Kleins invested in the outside of the home, building walkways to the water, a dock and landscaping. “The cabin was built in 1978, and the interior was filled with many of the original avocado-green appliances and gold finishes,” Kris says. “We didn’t worry about updating it the first ten years because we saw it all fitting for a lakefront vacation home.” But over the years, Kris accumulated an idea book filled with magazine pages and photographs of décor and design that inspired her. “I never knew what I was going to do with that book until it came time to replace the roof,” she says.
When the cabin’s roof needed replacing, Kris and Bob agreed that the views from the third floor could be increased if they added dormers. “We had used the finished attic as a kind of dorm room for our kids and their friends and filled it with bunk beds,” Kris says. “Once the roof had to come off, we figured raising the roof line with dormers would be a great improvement. I really had no idea we would continue the renovation from there.”
Working with local builder Carroll Evans and Ft. Smith-based architect Sarah Howe, the Kleins ended up expanding the home’s footprint ten feet toward the water, which accentuated their lakefront views. They added two bathrooms, one on the third level for the kids, and since it was not unlike the Kleins to host 20 people over a weekend, they also expanded the kitchen, living and dining areas. The old shag carpet was replaced with wood planks salvaged from barns in the area, and the team created several custom pieces using local materials, including a staircase with hand-hewn logs. “Throughout the process, I would think out loud, and Carroll and his team would make my dreams a reality,” Kris says. “It was so easy and rewarding working with them.”
To take in the water views, a deck was added to the top floor, while the original decks on the bottom and main level were expanded along with the home’s footprint. One of the final touches, designed to allow the Kleins to further enjoy the cabin’s natural setting, was an outdoor fireplace. “We visited Carroll’s home, and he had a free-form outdoor fireplace that we really liked,” Kris says. “For our 30th wedding anniversary, which occurred when the house was being finished, I asked Carroll to build us one as a surprise for Bob and to incorporate his grill into the space.” The finished area has become a favorite spot for entertaining and cooking, thanks to the built-in grill and cabinetry. Evans even incorporated a leftover slab of granite from the kitchen remodel as a counter top for a prep and serving area. “The granite piece came from cutting the hole for the kitchen sink,” Kris says. “They didn’t waste anything, and it made for such a usable and beautiful outdoor room.”
Throughout the renovation, Kris and Bob’s children were away at college or pursuing their careers, and hadn’t seen the work in progress. The big reveal came that Thanksgiving with a large gathering for family and friends. “We had everyone up for the holiday, and that was the first time they had seen the finished project,” Kris says. “Looking back, I don’t know how we managed in the smaller, out-dated home, but now we can really spend a lot of time on the lake with family and friends and enjoy all aspects of our stay.”
Resources
Builder/contractor: Carroll Evans, Evans & Evans, Huntsville
Architectural planning and interiors: Sara Howe Interior Design, Ft. Smith
Stonework: Johnson Landscape and Construction, Berryville
Plumbing and lighting fixtures: J & B Supply, Ft. Smith
Tile: Acme Brick, Ft. Smith
Dining room chandelier: Now and Then Shoppe, Ft. Smith
Furnishings: Vintage Cargo, Eureka Springs
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