When Carly and Brady Skjervem bought their Lake Waukomis home in 2022, they knew it had the bones to become something special. As seasoned renovators, they’d gutted and overhauled homes together before, but this time was different.
“This was our first house that hasn’t been a full reno,” Carly says. “The base of the home was so great.”
The Lake Waukomis home was actually the seventh renovation under the Skjervem’s belt. Carly’s style usually trends more classic and modern farmhouse, but she wanted to honor the home’s Spanish style, which was a refreshing change.
“With this house, especially, I’ve tried to really — it sounds cheesy, but — let it speak to me as we’ve lived here,” says Carly. “I feel like with every house, it's a process. And for almost the first year, it was like, okay, let's just feel out the space and figure out as we're living here what is going to work the best.”
On top of working with the Spanish style in the home — incorporating darker woods, tile and lots of rugs and plants — Carly was also mindful that their home was practical for their children.
Balancing a home that’s kid-friendly while also being well-designed and aesthetically pleasing is a daunting task, with the potential for sticky handprints and toys everywhere. But Carly has been especially considerate when making sure that their two children, Brynn, 5, and Elias, 1.5, can do what kids do, so there’s plenty of storage for toys and easy-to-clean surfaces while also balancing style.
“We do have kids that live here,” Carly says. “We want to make it a useful and also a fun space for them.”
Nowhere is that philosophy more evident than in the creative storage solutions Brady built himself. A former office just off the garage was transformed into a stylish and practical mudroom, and Carly says sneaky storage has been incorporated throughout the home.
“I’m such a fan of hidden storage,” says Carly. “Anywhere I can put hidden storage that I can just throw kid’s stuff in and have it out of sight, I’m a fan.”
A walnut banquette Brady also built in the dining space has become a favorite spot for their daughter, Brynn.
“It’s like a kid’s dream for her, especially since she’s starting school,” says Carly. “We wanted a cozy space where she can do schoolwork and can double as the artwork table and also [a place to eat.]”
Storage isn’t just about keeping things tidy, either — it’s about functionality and teaching responsibility.
“We have toys in all of our main spaces, but everything has a home,” says Carly. “All of our ottomans are storage ottomans. Just having a really easy space to throw toys back into their home, like having those easy clean-up options, is helpful for us as adults, but also helpful for our kids because we want them to grow up learning how to put their toys away. And if you make that really hard, it’s harder for them.”
Another spot that Carly knew needed to be especially kid-friendly was the kid’s bathroom, which doubles as the guest bath. Carly was set on a wetroom style for the space, which meant floor-to-ceiling tile. It also has a zero-entry shower with a freestanding tub. Here, everything can get wet — and isn’t bathtime more fun with more splashing?
“I wanted it to be fun, I wanted it to match the aesthetic of the home, and I also wanted it to be beautiful for our guests,” she says.
For Carly, the house has been shaped not just by her eye for design but by a commitment to flexibility. She says it’s been important to remind herself not to be afraid to change their space to accommodate the season of life they’re in.
“Creating a really welcoming space — a peaceful welcoming home — is really important to us,” she says.
And ultimately, the Skjervems’ home is just that —a place where family life and thoughtful design can coexist.