What began as a small, dilapidated walkway around the house became a stunning outside lake view retreat. This extensive renovation completed the vision of a classical lakehouse with hidden amenities and attention to all the details.
The Challenge: Seamlessly Blending the Old and New in a Classic Fashion
The homeowner wanted the restoration to appear seamless with the classical design of the home, but they also wanted something spectacular and unique that would not require a lot of maintenance. The original design of the remodel wasn’t set, so our design team jumped in to finish the design plans. We worked together to create the vision our clients hoped for and more.
Our remodeling goals:
- Create a new design for exterior siding – a seamless design with the home yet unique to the area
- Update the entry way to match the new look and feel of the common wall
- Build a new deck and patio across the deck and along the side of the house
- Create a safe and design consistent walkway to the lake and boat launch
The Solution: An Innovative Design Plan and Team to Surpass Previous Expectations
Yes, the Home Owners Association approved!
The homeowner had terrible experiences with contractors in the past, and they didn’t want to have to micromanage the project. They were comforted by the fact that Steve was onsite. He always makes sure that no detail is overlooked or under-considered. This project took about five months to complete, which is typical for an extensive project like this. The Homeowners Association needed to approve the plans before we could get started. Once approved, we began by demolishing the brick enclosure at the front of the house and refacing the stucco wall between the properties. It was essential to the HOA for the common wall to be seamless with their standards, and we ensured it was.
The original deck of the home, unfortunately, was not built properly. It had an extensive amount of mold and water damage to abate. We removed the entire previous deck from the house to the boat launch. After we removed the demolition and debris, we were ready to frame out the project.
We reinforced the posts in the frame out of the new deck and created a new storage area beneath the deck. The design of the door makes the storage area appear to disappear, which the homeowners love for both the aesthetics and the sense of security it creates.
Due to zero lot line areas, material delivery required a workaround. We solved this problem by using a barge to bring materials over the lake. But we needed to make the boat launch safe first, which we did.
An enclosed entry way leads to a spectacular outdoor kitchen area and lounge
In the front of the house, we installed a custom gate in the entryway that matches entirely with the new fence and common wall. Again, design consistency is a critical element to keep this look seamless. We reinforced this look with a unique front door that is both inviting and aesthetically appealing.
We introduced concrete shingles to set the design apart from the rest of the houses in the neighborhood. In the patio area, we leveled the ground, installed the bluestone tiles, and built the custom grilling area. The outdoor cabinets are powder-coated stainless steel with a marble top that works well with the new grill. We connected this to the new deck that would continue around the sides, the back of the house, and down to the lake.
The small details do make a big difference
When the homeowner could not find a lamp for the walkway, we designed one for them. Cleverly hidden in the handrail design is all the electricity used to power the lights. The railing is angled to allow water to slide off. This solution keeps water from pooling up and creating mold. All the glass used in the rail siding is coated with industrial Rainex, which reduces maintenance on the glass, and provides a stellar view of the lake.
One of the unique details of this renovation is the netting on the handrail to the dock. The materials had to be custom engineered to fit the project. First, we stretched out the net for 3-4 days. Then we cut it to fit the custom guard rail and burned the ends to keep it from fraying. This feature enhances the classical lake house distinction and provides increased safety to and from the water.
