Home Of The Month: A Modern Sanctuary

September 7, 2023

EMILY LACHMANN and her husband Peter sit at their large, wood-topped kitchen island looking out of the glass front door of their house to the pond where they exchanged wedding vows last fall. It was this view, and the rest of the 3.5 acres of property, that sold the couple on the ’70s-style home with a less-than-ideal floor plan.

When the house, which is less than a mile from downtown Zionsville, hit the market in 2020, Peter got it under contract in less than 48 hours. Even though he had just settled into a freshly renovated home in another part of town, this purchase was a no-brainer. “Both Emily and I grew up with a lot of land, so that was important to us,” he says. “We wanted privacy and room to stretch.”

Shortly after acquiring the keys, Peter had interior designer Jenni Egger, founder of Jenni Egger Designs, at the ready to transform the closed-off, trilevel layout into a balanced, open concept home fit for a growing family. Peter and Emily trusted Egger to help them see past the existing design of the house and envision the future of what it could be. “The land was magnificent,” Egger says. “But the house was just ordinary.”

Staying true to her remodeling roots, Egger and her team of contractors reimagined the entire first floor. Walls came down, the kitchen was gutted, rooms were rearranged, and new sight lines were created where there were once doors. The demo resulted in a clear view from the dining area, through the kitchen, and into the sunken living room.

After six months of renovations, Peter and Emily fell in love with more than just the outside of their new home. It went from basic digs to a dwelling so dialed into the couple’s personalities that they wanted to tie the knot there. With a backyard tent, wooden arbor, and an exterior paint job, they outfitted the site to host their friends and family for the wedding of their dreams. “We love where we live, and getting married here makes the house even more special,” Emily says.

They’ve since experienced more memorable events in their abode with an ease the home’s former state wouldn’t have allowed. For example, it’s become tradition for dinner party guests to filter from the formal dining area to the expansive island in the kitchen area for late-night drinks. Before, the dining room and kitchen were closed off from each other.

The espresso-colored island serves as the kitchen’s centerpiece, taking up most of the space’s floor plan lengthwise. A half-dozen stools scoot up to the counter, with a view of the tile-covered back wall. This is where Egger’s influence shines, highlighting lighter, brighter tones. To tie the whole space together, the stove hood and floating shelves are wrapped in walnut to match the island counter. The custom cabinets were designed by Egger and made in Southern Indiana.

The main dining area occupies the other side of the expansive hybrid room, taking on some of the darker hues noticeable in the neighboring kitchen. Instead of paint, every inch of wall is covered in a dark gray, textured paper. Egger transplanted the dining set from Peter’s previous home because, as Egger says, it’s “the kind of thing they like to have around.” Dark trim ties in with the color scheme, but a salmon-hued rug adds just the right pop of brightness.

After dinner, the homeowners often find themselves spending quality time in the “listening room,” or as Peter likes to call it, the “vibey room.” The space, with its cozy spots to entertain or relax, is coated in an olive green color and houses a record player and select bottles from Peter’s bourbon collection. The eclectic, moody decor—mounted ducks, black and white photos of socialites, and Western-themed wool throws—captures a mix of the couple’s personalities. A faux-fur couch and deep leather barrel chairs mimic the feel of a ski lodge the couple once visited together. While Egger established the basis for the room’s design, friends Whitney Heglie and Brooke Kopp with WB Designs in Arizona helped source the finishing pieces to bring a little slice of Colorado to the Lachmanns’ Indiana home.

The woodwork in this room and throughout the house is an example of modern sensibilities used to make the split-level architecture feel less divided and dated, Egger says. In some spaces, the details are subtle, like the thin trim that adds dimension to one wall of the listening room. You almost don’t notice it’s laid in a near-interlocking pattern. In other areas, the treatments are more substantial. For instance, the stone-covered fireplace wall in the main living room was refinished with walnut-stained planks. Laid in a diagonal direction, the woodwork directs the eye to the hearth, the focal point of the room. Peter and Emily remodeled the step-down entrance into the living room to center the staircase and achieve a better spatial flow. Built-in cabinets in this area are filled with objects representing the couple’s history, such as family photos, a vintage typewriter, and pieces of pottery.

“So much character, customization, balance, and interest can be achieved in any design style with the addition of millwork and moldings,” Egger says.

Besides the designer’s affinity for this type of craftsmanship, the woodwork fits with the homeowners’ style goals. They like the look of mixed finishes, from natural wood tones to stone and metal. And they don’t discriminate between painted or stained materials. Coincidentally, the woodwork also accentuates the architecture of the ’70s-built house. You can see the original bones, but the new finishes update the look.

Other unique touches help round out the couple’s vision for a mountain retreat–like home, mixing modern and rustic elements. Peter really wanted to go funky with light fixtures that stand out rather than blend in with the background. Egger agrees with this approach and notes that statement lighting is especially crucial in homes with lower ceilings. A row of globe-shaped pendants made of metal and clear glass hang above the kitchen island. Long, slender wall sconces on either side of the fireplace add low, warm illumination. And the entryway fixture showcases Edison bulbs sandwiched between translucent, cymbal-shaped coverings.

If you ask Peter, it’s not the modern lighting or revised flow that make the space. It’s the “underrated upgrades” like the all-glass front door that make the most impact. Switching from a solid door allows light to flow into the home, and he and his wife can enjoy an unobstructed view of the land they love so much. It’s where they started their marriage, where they hope to grow their family, and where they plan to call home for many years to come. “I think when you get married at your home, you also have to be buried there,” jokes Emily. Peter adds, “We’re locked in.”

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