On one of the last remaining pieces of property in this upscale community this shingle style home was the inspiration of architect Erich Dillar. The desire of the family was to maximize the first floor living spaces with high cathedral ceilings throughout. To accomplish this design, it would necessitate that most of the bedrooms would need to be placed on the lower level. Using classic details both inside and out and modern building practices this home a prime example of what can be accomplished when thinking outside of the box.
The driveway to the home has a gentle downhill leading to the front door. The entry porch frames to 8-foot front door. Once inside the entry the formal living room with the high ceilings and stone fireplace let you know this is not the typical lake house. The wall of windows across the room floods the space with light. Just off the living room the dining area and kitchen with high ceilings and classic details set up the modern entertainment space most people have come to enjoy. Just beyond the large sliding patio door the outdoor dining and kitchen area define the idea of outdoor living.
The real work in the design was to make the bedrooms on the lower level not feel like a basement. The entire back of the home would need to have walk-out access to the patio, swimming pool and backyard. The patio on the lower level located under the deck provides a comfortable place to get out of the sun and rain. When sitting on the patio looking past the pool the fencing was hidden below the visible horizon to allow for unobstructed views of the lake.
On one of the last remaining pieces of property in this upscale community this shingle style home was the inspiration of architect Erich Dillar. The desire of the family was to maximize the first floor living spaces with high cathedral ceilings throughout. To accomplish this design, it would necessitate that most of the bedrooms would need to be placed on the lower level. Using classic details both inside and out and modern building practices this home a prime example of what can be accomplished when thinking outside of the box.
The driveway to the home has a gentle downhill leading to the front door. The entry porch frames to 8-foot front door. Once inside the entry the formal living room with the high ceilings and stone fireplace let you know this is not the typical lake house. The wall of windows across the room floods the space with light. Just off the living room the dining area and kitchen with high ceilings and classic details set up the modern entertainment space most people have come to enjoy. Just beyond the large sliding patio door the outdoor dining and kitchen area define the idea of outdoor living.
The real work in the design was to make the bedrooms on the lower level not feel like a basement. The entire back of the home would need to have walk-out access to the patio, swimming pool and backyard. The patio on the lower level located under the deck provides a comfortable place to get out of the sun and rain. When sitting on the patio looking past the pool the fencing was hidden below the visible horizon to allow for unobstructed views of the lake.
We hired Lou to build the dream house we designed together with our architect, Erich Diller, on an empty lot on Candlewood Lake in 2018.
His bid was the most thorough I’ve ever seen. He clearly put so much thought into it and included everything down to the last nail. If he doesn’t use it, you’re not charged for it, but he likes to include everything he can think of, because he “doesn’t like surprises”. So while his bid may seem high at the beginning, I am very confident that his final price wouldn’t be higher than anyone else’s because he doesn’t hit you with constant change orders for things that should have been included in the first place. I never felt like there was a money grab. More than once I asked about some pricey change or addition that he actually talked me out of, because he genuinely didn’t think they were worth the additional cost.
Lou had very insightful input during the design process and helped us avoid a few pitfalls we wouldn’t have thought of based on his years of experience. He has a great eye, and often came up with ideas or solutions that were not only practical but visually appealing. The few times when things didn’t come out as we had envisioned, he made the necessary changes in the blink of an eye – and never charged us for the additional work. He took as much pride in the house as we do because if it was going to have his name on it, it had to be perfect.
I think the thing that surprises anyone who’s ever built a house or done a major renovation was that he actually finished it on time. He built the entire 5,800 square foot house including excavating and pouring the concrete foundation in the dead of winter, and handed us the Certificate of Occupancy almost a year to the day from the date he broke ground. He was always either on site or on call, and I never had to wait for him to get back to me on anything. He was incredibly responsive and made what could have been a stressful process, actually enjoyable.
I am a Serial Renovator, and have done many major projects and gut renovations over the years, and by the end of the job I generally never wanted to see that contractor again! Not so with Lou. He probably wanted to throw me in the lake more than once – I’m a very hands on client and am often not easy, but he knew how to handle me, and did it with grace and good humor.
My house is a showplace, thanks in no small to Lou’s professionalism, wide range of skills, and his great taste.
He is simply The Best.
Meredith Blair
