Chattanooga: Getaway lake house has family legacy

Aimee Lurey grew up visiting her grandparents’ cabin on Chickamauga Lake. When the cabin had to be torn down 10 years ago, Mrs. Lurey and her husband, Stephen, bought out her siblings and built a vacation home on the property.

The Lureys, who live in Nashville with their children, Ellyn, 18, and Kevin, 16, enlisted the help of architect Louis Wamp and builder Ethan Collier to create a low-key family oasis.

Mr. Wamp had designed a home for Mrs. Lurey’s cousin on Lookout Mountain, and she admired the way his design complemented the land.

“I wanted it to be a getaway, without being a log cabin,” Mrs. Lurey said in a telephone interview, “but I wanted it to be a cabin. A cabin’s a state of mind. I wanted it to be as low-maintenance as possible.”

Mr. Collier, of Collier Construction in Chattanooga, called the 2007 house a prairie Craftsman-style home.

The 2800-square foot house is designed to maximize views of Chickamauga Lake and let natural light in.

“Because the house is so narrow, it’s got a lot of natural light,” Mr. Collier said.

The house is truly a vacation home, designed and furnished for pure enjoyment. An outdoor shower and a dock encourage lake swimming, while stylish outdoor furniture in the living room forgives water and allows for daylong bathing suit wear.

“I didn’t want to worry about people coming in and making sure they were dry before they sat down,” Mrs. Lurey said.

All the furnishings are simple, the floors are hardwood. Upstairs, a “bonus room,” as Mr. Collier called it, over the garage provides extra space for guests or recreation.

Both of the children’s rooms have twin beds and minimal clutter. On the stairwell, the balusters are stained. Mr. Collier said most people would have had them painted white, but he prefers the classier stained look.

The deck is stained to match the house. The wide eaves on the exterior help keep rainwater off the house.

Mr. Collier also built wide eaves into the master bathroom to allow a lot of natural light to seep into the room but to stop the harsh glare of direct sunlight. A six foot by six foot steam shower and a soaking tub welcomes relaxation.

“It’s about as peaceful a place as you can get, and that’s what we wanted,” Mrs. Lurey said.

In the kitchen, which expands from the living room, a large granite island is the focal point. The tile backsplash accents the wall with ceramic simplicity.

A screened-in stamped concrete porch comes off the master bedroom and the living room, for an airy, relaxing view of the lake without the bugginess of outside.

Mrs. Lurey said the house is equally comfortable in summer and winter. “It is about as airtight as you can get,” she said, “It’s thoroughly comfortable.”

Mr. and Mrs. Lurey, who own one Party City franchise in Chattanooga and two in Nashville, relish the time spent in their second home.

“It’s such a huge part of my childhood,” Mrs. Lurey said. “The feeling out here hasn’t changed much. “It’s just low-key, laid back.”