Downsizing doesn’t have to signify a reduced lifestyle.

Soft furnishings add the elements of color, pattern, and texture to a space while softening the hard lines of case goods, tile, cabinetry, and flooring.

It was a transformation of the very best kind when a client turned to designer Carol Schaper after purchasing a century-old caretakers cottage that once was part of a lakeside estate.

Like a crescendo, Canandaigua Lake’s presence along this shoreline home is modest at first, but when the front door opens, the lake’s sapphire beauty bursts into prominence.

Inspired by their travels to mountainous regions near and far, a Western New York family decided to bring back a piece of the landscapes they love by constructing a one-of-a-kind house that blends nature's raw beauty with modern living.