Progress Lighting Blog

Living the Lake Life

Written by Progress Lighting | Apr 22, 2021 4:00:00 AM

Summer fun can often include leisurely days at a local lake. If you're lucky, like design influencer Melissa Tyler of Instagram's @lakeandlumber, you might even be able to pick up a lake house in an estate sale!

Melissa started @lakeandlumber just about a year ago. She already has 20,000+ followers, who are captivated with her look that blends modern and classic in a way that ensures her home will look fresh for years to come.

But furnishing a second home can be a challenge. "When we closed on this place almost four years ago, we were thrilled to be given hand me downs and garage sale decor pieces to get us started," she said.
I always knew we would upgrade spaces when we could."

She began by renovating the main bedroom. Inspired by another Instagrammer, she peeked under the carpet and found beautiful hardwood floors underneath. That, along with her penchant for accent walls and a desire for an upholstered headboard, gave Melissa her design direction. She knew she wanted to replace the ceiling fan, and she chose Farris three-blade carved wood fan.

"I was looking for a ceiling fan that would feel modern, yet still, give me that coastal/lake house' feel that I was looking for," said Melissa. "I absolutely loved the three-blade style and how the blade shape lends itself to the look of a propeller, without being overtly nautical. I also learned that a three-blade fan would move more air (and therefore keep you cooler) than a traditional 5-blade fan, making the choice of Farris even easier."

Next, Melissa tackled the small bunk room. She chose the Gulliver fandelier, opting for its smaller size, and the fact that the blades were enclosed within the cage frame, which she felt was safer for her children who would be occupying the room.

"Gulliver's coastal style is perfect for the bunk room," she said. When I decided to go with a more modern color block wall in the kid's bunkroom, I felt that the Gulliver would pull it back a bit and help to mix in the lake house look without overpowering the space. The room is more functional with the ceiling fan, yet I don't feel that I had to compromise on style."

Love Melissa's look? Here are her tips to get her modern traditional style.

  • Choose your statement piece first. For me, this is usually lighting. Often, we have a vision of how we want a space to look. You don't want to build out your space and then struggle to find your statement piece.
  • Don't forget about the details, especially lightbulbs. Choose the proper bulbs for your fixtures. Now that clear glass globes and candelabra-style chandeliers are popular, try LED Edison-style bulbs, which are energy-efficient, last for years, and will take the design to the next level. And with so many shapes and sizes available, you can change the look of a single fixture dramatically just by changing the bulb.

Shop all ceiling fans here.