Ten years ago, Kaaryn and Roger Cagann bought a house near the UW Campus to be close to their daughter during college, thinking it would be their forever home. The Caganns quickly had their favorite architect, with whom they previously worked, come up with plans to turn this single home into a twin. “The two of us worked diligently for nearly nine months,” says Kaaryn,” I was still touching up paint when the kids moved in.”
Fast forward to their daughters’ graduation, they no longer needed a home near the university. The couple sold the house quicker than expected, thinking they would invest the profits into a new home in the area.
“The first piece of property we looked at was about six acres—five on wetlands and a large shoreline on Powers Lake—was right in Genoa City,” Kaaryn explains. “We immediately saw a vision and we called our trusty architects and informed them of our purchase. We were going to build a staycation home!”

The rest soon fell into place.
The property did have a few issues. It was overgrown, they could not see the lake from the homesite, and the lot was an odd, long shape, unusual for lakefront homes. Thankfully, their architect and a plant management service tackled the issue.
“We gave [our (architect)] Bob and his staff a punch list of ideas and pictures, and they went to town,” Kaaryn says. “We have traveled much and have gathered ideas from our travels, from a castle in Scotland to a large winter home in Jackson Hole.”



The company presented three different concepts inspired by the family, and the Caganns took a little from each design to come up with their very unique home. Kaaryn calls herself non-traditional, which is evident in both the exterior design and interior furnishings. Inside, a four-sided fireplace anchors the living spaces. A floating staircase rises on an invisible plane to the apex of the home, affectionately nicknamed ‘the tower’. The couple can pull up a bistro chair and peer through some of the home’s 99 windows to gaze at a panoramic view of the property and its surroundings.
The house has also incorporated an ADA designed layout for their son.

“In our previous house,” Kaaryn notes, “I could hardly push his wheelchair through the doors.” The new home has wider doorways and an elevator which leads directly out toward the lake, allowing them to navigate the home without any steps.
And what about the interior décor? Stickley furniture from Kaaryn’s previous home is upholstered in rich warm tones, and area rugs of teal and red cover the floors. In other parts of the home, there are neutral, contemporary splashes of design pieces and fabrics. Intimate seating niches and a great big bunkhouse allow for both intimate conversations and pillow fights.

Having spent time living lakeside, Kaaryn’s husband Roger was well-versed in the ins and outs of lake-living, including pulling in piers for the winter. Not here. Everything was designed with attention to the utmost detail. The pier is stationary, allowing access to the lake at virtually any time.
Indeed, the home was designed with an amazing amount of foresight. The kitchen, for example, has no wall cabinets nor window treatments. A mother-in-law suite allows for complete and total independence. “It made sense to have us live together [with my mom],” Kaaryn explains. Rather than having to drive a distance to help her mother, everyone is now all in one place, and life is easier. It’s also a bit sweeter, as Mom is known for her delicious baked goods.
The House that Lowell Envisioned
Making life easier and more beautiful was certainly in Scott Lowell’s mind. It was an easy decision to bring him in as the custom home builder. “We interviewed several firms, and it was important to us that we felt a connection to the team, as well as the team accepting of our architect,” Kaaryn says. “Lowell fit that mold immediately. We both knew it and went with it.”
Lowell Custom Homes has been building and managing the home-building process for 40 years. The Caganns were inspired to come to them because of their outstanding reputation. “The architect took the lead,” says owner Scott Lowell. “We worked with them on the interior and exterior finishes.” Lowell refers to the home’s style as ‘transitional contemporary,’ with a lot of personal characteristics, such as a barn quality.
Building on marshland is always a challenge. The builders had to deal with setback requirements, protection from the lake, and working within county and town regulations. Thankfully, Lowell was up to the task. “Our entire process is designed to give clients an enjoyable and stress-free building experience,” said the firm. That means that communication and owner involvement is key, including written communication. “We don’t want any balls to get dropped,” said Lowell.
The Caganns couldn’t have been happier with Lowell Custom Homes.
“They had a very good designer,” he said.” Lowell had a superintendent there for up to five hours a day. The four-sided fireplace needed some engineering, so they brought in a vendor from Minnesota. And for the floating stairs? An Amish company from Ohio stepped up to the task. Lowell advises anyone looking to do such a project to interview builders and gather ideas from them. “We give out a hundred names of clients we built for,” said Lowell. ”It’s like a marriage. With a build time between nine and twelve months, you have to be comfortable going in.”
A Peaceful Dwelling Place
Now, when life gets hectic, the lake manages to wash away any stress. Just a little southeast of Lake Geneva, things run a bit quieter. When Kaaryn isn’t teaching and Roger not working, you can find them doing what many here do: paddleboarding, kayaking, or swimming. In fact, on a nice afternoon, you might find Kaaryn with knitting needles in hand, floating peacefully on the lake.