Owners of a vintage summer camp with a long and varied history acquired an adjoining parcel complete with a derelict fishing cabin, ripe for a new chapter. With its geographic perch on the hill above and its bird’s-eye view of the camp compound below, the hill house was a perfect setting for a slightly different treatment than those used on the other historic structures in the original camp.

In addition to adding another short-term accommodation option, the new cabin would host location photography for a growing list of content creators, e.g., clothing companies, tabletop manufacturers, and home accessory companies. Consequently, the finishes were kept intentionally restrained, offering chameleon-like backdrops for a large range of product lines. Although simple in their palettes, they tap into the collective memory of childhood summer camps and rural escapes: at once familiar but not exactly recognizable.

The original attached garage was converted into a large catering kitchen with ample room for multiple cooks and comfortable lounge areas for culinary spectators. Vintage apothecary cabinets house a custom line of Homer Laughlin ironstone—another hat tip to Wisconsin diners and roadside supper clubs.