A Stunning Showpiece on Geneva Lake

When Doomis Custom Builders was tapped to remodel a home on Black Point on Geneva Lake, the project’s scope initially was small — the homeowners wanted some of the bathrooms and the kitchen refreshed. But the job quickly morphed into an extensive remodel of the entire home and grounds, resulting in one of the most spectacular residences currently on the lake.

“We pride ourselves with [having] repeat clients, so we were delighted when our former client approached us about … this home,” explains Tom Doomis of Doomis Custom Builders.

Doomis Custom Builders also brought in team members that had worked on previous projects with the client, including Addis Architectural and Pinnacle Landscaping, to transform the home’s entire design, inside and out. In addition to the renewed interiors, the home’s landscape, hardscapes and outdoor spaces are breathtaking as well.

“The level of upper-echelon detail in this home is unmatched in any home I’ve done to date on Geneva Lake,” says Philip Sassano, founder and principal at The Design Coach, an interior design firm based in Harvard, Illinois.

“This project was one-of-a-kind,” agrees Jon Doomis. “It was one of our top three projects ever, and we’ll never see anything like this again.”

What makes this particular remodel so impressive? The many luxe details, folded into its design. New, enlarged windows allow more light — and more of the lake — to spill into the home. A wealth of stunning millwork graces the walls and ceilings — something Doomis Custom Builders has extensive experience in. The company’s partners, Tom, Mike and Jon, pride themselves on being true carpenters by trade, and Mike says the home is an example of the craftsmanship that comes with decades of experience.

The homeowners and Sassano also incorporated many unexpected, delightful details. A good example of the latter is the home’s boat bar, named The Gilded Lady.

The handsome piece was crafted by Larry Lange, head of Lange Custom Woodworking in Lake Geneva. Lange specializes in both restoring old boats and creating boat bars, using pieces from old vessels.

“The boat bar is patterned after the historic Gage Marine tour boats on Geneva Lake,” Sassano says, pointing out the storage closet behind the bar features an old porthole-turned-mirror.

Another of the home’s exceptional elements is in the dining room, which features intriguing rope lighting from Visual Comfort & Co. “We wanted the dining room to have some ‘shock and awe’ through a special lighting element,” Sassano says. “The rope lighting emulates nautical rope in the most luxurious way possible. Its soft glow makes for a jaw-dropping dining experience, and it’s one of the home’s showstoppers.”

Sassano, who began his career as an artist, grabbed his design team to help him stencil and detail Byzantine stars on the dome above the stairwell.

The stars, which glow at night via lights hidden in cove molding, are a nod to the way in which old mariners navigated at night.

“Every room, wall and ceiling in a home is a canvas,” says Sassano.

One thing Sassano and his team really appreciated about the project was the homeowners’ resolve to finish every detail, including furniture, artwork and accessories. So many homeowners bail on these final elements, he says, convinced they will complete them over time. Yet often, they never do.

He and his team also cheered the homeowners’ commitment to making each guest room memorable.

“Guest rooms are often where furniture goes to die,” Sassano says — but not in this home.

One guest room, for example, is decorated with several dozen vintage baskets, an idea that came from Sassano’s lead designer, Brittany Davis. (Artwork doesn’t always mean a framed picture, Sassano notes.) Another guest room makes a splash through a wood veneer wallcovering from Phillip Jeffries.

“There is so much detail in this house, it’s unbelievable,” Jon Doomis says.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus | Photography by Shanna Wolf

MORE ABOUT THIS HOME

10,800 SQUARE FEET | 5 BEDROOMS | 7 FULL BATHROOMS | 2 HALF BATHROOMS

To help create a classic, timeless look for the kitchen, Philip Sassano, founder and principal at The Design Coach, paired white subway tile and a massive enamel range hood from CopperSmith with eye-catching Ralph Lauren globe lights, courtesy of Visual Comfort & Co.
A full-grain leather hospitality ottoman, reminiscent of those found in a New Orleans hotel, seats four and is a focal point in the foyer. It also helps ground the expansive space.
While compact, the first-floor powder room is stunning with wavy chevron wallpaper, a vanity retrofitted from a reclaimed piece of furniture and linear sconces.
Vintage baskets serve as artwork in a guest bedroom.
Kravet kitchen chairs (covered with Cowtan & Towt upholstery) and lovely window treatments by Schumacher round out the kitchen’s blue-and-white theme.
Rope lighting in the dining room, which mimics seafaring ropes to continue the home’s nautical theme, makes for a unique dining experience, says Sassano.
The bright morning room is a cheery space.
Burlwood-framed pages pulled from a 1920s etiquette book add a traditional vibe to the home’s lake room.
The main sitting area is softened by the ceiling’s wood veneer wallcovering.
Hand-painted stars above the stairwell are an homage to old seafaring navigation methods.
A sitting room adjacent to the primary suite gives the homeowners a private space to relax before engaging with their guests. The room’s tall, blue draperies are a striking focal point. “So many people bail on window treatments, but they really matter,” says Sassano.
This lower-level kitchen, situated near the guest rooms, allow visitors to serve themselves. “It’s unbelievably functional,” Sassano says. The cabinetry is painted with Benjamin Moore’s Nautical Blue and Dove White.
The home’s auxiliary bar provides a self-serving space for guests to grab their own food and drink. “Easy service is a must,” says Sassano. “You can’t enjoy your lake home if you’re always waiting on your guests.”
The homeowners kept the original, arched windows, which afford amazing views of Geneva Lake and the property’s pond.
A blue wood-veneer wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries makes this guest room memorable.