“Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Hidden deep in the woods of Lafayette County exists a heavenly retreat known as Splinter Creek. Ellen and Eason Leake purchased the almost 650-acre property in the 1990s with the intention of it being a timber investment. But as the couple began spending more time exploring and getting to know the acreage, they realized that they were in a unique position to create a blueprint for a remarkable private family retreat.
In 2012, their weekend home dubbed The Boathouse was complete. The modern structure hovers effortlessly above a crystal-clear lake. Eason noted that it was perfect except for one thing—he lacked neighbors and a sense of community. Thus, the concept of Splinter Creek was born. The Leakes collaborated with Texas-based architectural firm Lake|Flato to design their home and the overall strategy of Splinter Creek. “The firm has a reputation as a national leader in master planning and design of eco-conservation projects,” Ellen notes. “Their design process started with a comprehensive understanding of the environmental and cultural context and employed sustainable strategies unique to our region.” Lang Architecture, based in New York, was hired to design the East Cove Concept House, the turn-key alternative to building at Splinter Creek.
The gated development is a conservation community with a modern aesthetic. Approximately 250 acres of the land is being formed into a lakeside neighborhood with an estimated 32 homesites. The remainder of the property is in a natural preserve for turkey and deer. “We see future owners designing homes that will integrate with the natural features of the land, preserving mature trees and native plants and complementing the distinctive topography of the area,” Ellen states. She adds that the development has been called an “agri-hood,” which she describes as a community where eco-friendly methods are the norm, and your neighbors are your friends.
Residents can create their personal design plans with their respective architectural teams or select a concept home, which is specifically designed to complement and integrate with the natural landscape. The East Cove Concept Home is situated directly across the lake from the Leakes’ Boathouse and offers the most magnificent sunset views. The 2,200-square-foot home offers three bedrooms and two and a half baths. With its clean contemporary lines and large expanses of windows, East Cove Home is a modern version of the classic dogtrot-style house. Materials are simple and informal, and the structure is designed to incorporate into the surrounding terrain. A screened-in porch with an outdoor kitchen serves as both a corridor and partition between the main house and the guest quarters. Each room throughout the home takes advantage of the gorgeous natural light and the reflection of the lake that changes the mood of the house throughout the day.
Ellen called upon Memphis designer Sean Anderson to create an interior style that is utterly relaxing yet perfectly refined. “The house has clean, contemporary lines, and Sean’s aesthetic accentuated the choice of whites and greys so the blues from the lake and greens from the outdoors could be the focus,” Ellen adds. The goal was to bring the outdoors in and have the natural landscape be the focus. The sizeable windows allow nature to be the home’s principal artwork.
The design team did include impeccably thoughtful artworks into the home to bring an added textural layer. A pair of graphite drawings by Oxford artist Carlyle Wolfe Lee hangs in the entrance hall. Lee notes that nature is the most significant influence on her artistic aesthetic, which spoke to the focus of the house. The home also highlights paintings by Kit Reuther and Maysey Craddock, photographs by Birney Imes, and a freeform wire sculpture by Los Angeles artist D’Lisa Creager. Several furnishings and finishes also stand as sheer works of art. The unique steel and stone kitchen island was handcrafted by Andrew Becker Design. The piece is functional and sleek yet perfectly blends seamlessly into the galley kitchen. The dimensional backsplash utilizes Heath Ceramics tiles that are made exclusively from American soil and are produced sustainably. Handcrafted light fixtures in the bath, master bedroom, and dining space are the ultimate jewels of their rooms, each meticulously constructed from metal and glass. Ellen was clear that though they were designing a space without specific homeowners in mind, the goal was to create a calm home that others would love to relax into and decompress.
While East Cove Home’s interiors are flawless, it is continually the lure of the outdoors that makes Splinter Creek so distinctive. The property features miles of connected hiking trails where wildlife is abundant and beautiful. The three lakes offer swimming, paddleboarding, and boating options and are managed by American Sport Fish, one of the top wetland management companies in the Southeast. The Community Porch, a pavilion with a lakeside porch, grill, and firepit, is a simple hike or boat ride away and is the ideal spot to gather with family and neighbors to enjoy the sunset. The Leakes have also commissioned several sculptures in common areas for all to enjoy, including “Victory Dance” by Mississippi artist Earl Dismuke and “Closer Separation” by Navy veteran and Missouri sculptor Ben Pierce.
The Leakes are developing and nurturing Splinter Creek with the hope that it will be a multi-generational gathering place where children can build memories of being outdoors. Residents can choose from home sites that sit atop a ridge looking down at the lake below or one just on the water’s edge. The goal of establishing an environmentally sensitive place with lots of opportunities to leisurely and deliberately enjoy nature has been primarily an ideal objective in the last year. “We have seen families want to be closer to each other and to have the space to enjoy the outdoors together,” Ellen adds. Splinter Creek unquestionably is the ideal haven to do so.
