Creating A “Forever Home” on the Lake
Posted By Dwight on January 11, 2009
Creating A “Forever Home” on the Lake
Building a house to live happily ever after on the water
opens a world of possibilities, involves special considerations—
and requires a builder who knows how to turn your vision into reality.
Lakeside living can be dreamlike: the water works its magic day and night, season to season, appealing to each of the senses in extraordinary ways. Sometimes looking into the lake is akin to gazing into a firepot: hypnotic, ever-changing, transporting. Every element in nature is enhanced. The air seems cleaner, the sun is brighter; the clouds more voluminous; the wind, rain and snow are liberated from the snags of hills and buildings.
You want it, right?
Okay, let’s do it right! It starts by working with a builder who understands two overarching issues:
· What you want in a home, and
· How to fully realize this within the parameters of the lakeside environment.
Step One: Dream a Little
When you envision your lake house, what do you see? A cottage with a sleeping porch and flower boxes? A Mediterranean palace? A Pacific Northwest version of Walden Pond? If you are drawing a blank, think about a childhood vacation spot that holds special memories. Dream a little.
Then incorporate reality. How do you live? Are you going to be an empty-nester in the near future, or should the home be child-friendly and a place where teens can gather? What do you love about your current house—and what do you wish you had?
All of these issues are compounded by the fact that your location is sure to become a destination: you don’t know how many friends you have until you have a lake house. Consider what kinds of entertaining you might do and how it will impact your kitchen and pantry needs. Perhaps you want to incorporate a wine cellar and party fridge. What kind of guest accommodations should you have? How about an outdoor shower? Beach access to a bathroom will keep your floors cleaner longer.
Now that you’re getting some ideas together, let’s talk about where your lake home will go.
Step Two: Best use of the Site
Perhaps you are one of the lucky people who already has lakefront property. But maybe you need to go lot shopping, or have spotted a parcel that looks like it has potential. Then it is wise to retain a builder who has waterfront expertise—and access to experts who can verify if the land is viable—so that you know what you’re getting into before ground is broken.
There are a number of special considerations when building on a lake lot, including:
· They are often narrow, so careful thought has to be given to the size of the rooms and which ones will take the greatest advantage of the view;
· The entrance on the shore side is the front door—but there is also a front door that faces the road—so both elevations are treated as portals;
· Side elevations face your neighbors and should be attractive while giving you privacy.
The house should be sited to take full advantage of the lot size and lake view—and we mean every single inch of it. So, this might involve a sunken family room that opens to the view and is positioned in front of a dining room, which is not used as often. Or “view” priority might be given to the master suite rather than a child’s bedroom.
We give especially careful consideration to how you live, and how the structure can be used with maximum efficiency to accommodate your lifestyle. Lake lots may have footprint constraints, so efficiently designed rooms work twice as hard to handle your household needs.
When the house is well-sited, the exposure will dictate how light plays in the house—a big concern during our rainy season, when daylight is at a premium. How the house is sited will also necessitate special design features, like opaque shades that automatically lower to soften western sunsets—yet are transparent from the interior.
There are additional concerns in a lake home’s design and construction. For instance, the structure needs protection from the weather and be able to stand up to storms; good overhangs, first-rate windows and top-quality paint are essential.
Storage needs on the lake are different, too—do you want to keep your water toys, like air mattresses and rowing shells near the shoreline, or should there be a special area in the garage?
Step Three: Design for Outdoor Living
Lakeside living is a celebration of nature, and how you build can both preserve and enhance the shoreline environment.
When you and your builder look at the trees and plant materials that are growing on the parcel, discuss which should or can be saved. Think about how you will interface with the water and what kind of water sports are in your future. Are there rockeries or a bulkhead at the shoreline shoreline; can you install a dock, or should you go with a soft shoreline?
A landscape plan can help you fully enjoy the natural surroundings of your lakeside environment by creating outdoor “rooms” that extend your living space. If you have an eastern exposure with afternoon shade, a firepot will make the being outside more comfortable in the afternoon and evening; if you have a western exposure, you’re likely to need shade. We work with landscape planners who are familiar with local microclimates and indigenous plant needs—in addition to being superbly adept at creating exteriors that are a natural extension of your new home.
Step Four: Estimating Time and Money
Here is the nice surprise: you don’t have to pay top price to build on Lake Sammamish, Lake Washington or any other lake in Metropolitan Seattle. That’s because “Homecrafting” is a dedication to using cost-effective materials that are of timeless design and made to last—as well as being energy-efficient.
If you’d like to get a working idea of a budget, let us know and we can help you develop a budget that takes into account what you want in a home, as well as things like design, permits, construction and sales tax.
Whether you are in the dream stage, have your eye on a lot, or are ready to move forward with your wish list in hand, give us a call. You should have a builder that will create your home on the lake with care and quality at its core. One that will envelop you in comfortable luxury that is authentic—not ostentatious—and delight you and your family for years to come.
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