Photos by Marta Xochilt Perez
Design—like life!—often sees projects that start one way but evolve into something new or unexpected. For interior designer Christine Markatos Lowe, this turned out to be just the case when it came to creating a cozy new cabin in Detroit Lakes for one of her longtime clients.
While the owner’s existing childhood summer lake home was lovely, she now had four children of her own and was looking for more space to accommodate her growing family and friends. Lowe worked with her to add a spacious sunroom to the original home, as well as a brand-new 1,447-square-foot cabin, built from the ground up and situated just across from the core residence.
While the new building began as a place intended for the kids or visiting guests to stay, it soon transformed into the client’s own private getaway—even turning out a bit larger than the main house. “As we worked on it, she said, ‘You know what? I think this is actually going to be my house,’” Lowe recalls, laughing.
While the existing structure featured a more traditional lake cabin style, with shades of nautical blue, painted shiplap, and warm paneled wood, the new guest house is lighter and airier, highlighting soft colors and playful patterns throughout. “We wanted to keep existing elements in mind but do what we could to freshen and brighten them,” Lowe explains.
On the main level, the kitchen and living room are awash in serene shades of blue and green, while an adorable bedroom features a pair of custom bunks complete with built-in pewter sconces. The loft-like upper level—inspired by Parisian apartments—houses the primary bedroom, with a European-style bathroom set within. “We wanted to create an open, elegant experience because the space was really becoming a retreat for the client,” says Lowe, who blended vintage furniture such as the rattan sofa and 19th-century blanket chest with modern touches like a floral wallpaper that echoes the wildflower fields outside.
“The main house, having been in the family for a couple generations, had a lot of knickknacks and things collected from over the years, so we didn’t want the new one to look too empty or overly polished in comparison,” explains Lowe. “We wanted the new home to feel just as ‘found’ and imperfect as well.”
