How to Create a Timeless, Year-Round Vacation Home

Along the coast of Lake Erie, you can still find plenty of true summer homes. But you’ll also find more people who are committed to being there long past Labor Day —  and to hosting others throughout the year.

“Some people are still being snowbirds, but a lot of people want to spend their holidays with their family on the lake,” says Clare Opfer of S&H Blinds & Floors in Sandusky, Ohio. 

“People want to spend more time there.”

Jeremy Parish, director of sales for Wayne Homes in Sandusky, says that every home the company builds is designed to be lived in full time.

“We work really hard to provide efficient homes that are going to work year-round, no matter the environment,” he says. “We do have people who might want additional insulation. There’s spray foam, but we also have composite siding that comes backed with insulation. People are a little more cognizant of energy costs these days.”

Opfer encourages homeowners and decorators not to limit themselves. “A lot of people think a ‘summer’ home has to be nautical or very specific,” she says. “There’s a lot of carpet that’s more of a herringbone look, which looks like roping on a boat, but it’s not necessarily an anchor.” 

Opfer also includes the use of textures for an all-seasons look, mixing and matching furniture and accents. And wallpaper is back in a big way, she says. 

“Textured walls and ceilings are becoming more popular,” she says. “We’re even seeing wallpaper on ceilings. It’s a statement. It’s a piece of artwork. You want to look timeless, not trendy.”

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