Milwaukee Lifestyle Magazine October 2014

” The attention to detail in the cottage designed by Bill Koehnlein of Collaborative Design elevates this space far beyond the expected.

Koehnlein designed the fireplace, which includes Gothic arches, stone, brick, quarter-sawn white oak, and plaster, incorporating a corner detail in the plasterwork that was commonly used at the turn of the 20th century.

Koehnlein picked up the zebra rug at auction, and the ottoman in the seating area is upholstered with a Tibetan rug and inspired the color palette. “I like to mix old and new pieces,” Koehnlein says. “It gives it a special, well-traveled look.”

HOMEOWNER: “When you go Up North, you leave your daily duties behind. I can come here for an hour to clear my head, and when I return to the house, I feel like I just had a vacation.”