Add value to your lake house with home renovation projects that reflect its surroundings. From light fixtures to wall art, these ideas make it easy to upgrade your cabin or cottage to a more modern lake-inspired aesthetic.

Redesign your entranceway to create a cozy spot to stow away sunglasses and beach bags. Adding a console table to hold keys and a floor mat to dry wet shoes also helps create a welcoming entryway.

Kitchen

Adding storage in your kitchen is a great way to make the space more functional. In this lake home’s kitchen, open shelving keeps frequently-used items at arm’s length and acts as stylish decor. The shelving is a clever solution to this Green Lake kitchen’s slanted ceiling where upper cabinets wouldn’t fit. The kitchen’s nature-inspired palette is carried throughout with subtle touches like the mirrored toe-kick and 3form Current Porcelain backsplash tile, which has a wavy pattern that suggests movement of water and sky. A new deck railing maximizes guests’ visual connection to the lake.

Benjamin Moore’s Galapagos Green on walls, trim and cabinetry complements the surrounding nature in this lake home kitchen. Hammered metal pendant lights complete the natural look.

Bedroom

A bunk bedroom is a fun addition to a lake house that will provide sleeping space for kids and adults alike. Keep things simple and neutral by adding earth-toned linens, pillows, and throws to the space. To make the room feel more spacious, install skylights to open up the ceiling and flood the room with natural light.

Rope is a common component of lake life, so it’s an easy way to blend the lake theme into the interior decor. Look for rope details like a mirror with braided rope or a lamp that features woven rope to add a nautical touch to the room.

A lake house is a perfect place to enjoy the outdoors, so create a window seat where you can sit and relax. This DIY from apopofprettystyle offers an easy way to incorporate seating into the home without taking up too much valuable floor space.

Outdoor Living Spaces

Seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor living spaces is a hot home design trend. Adding a deck, screened porch or patio provides you and your family with an additional area to enjoy the outdoors and your lake view. It can also boost your home’s value by increasing its entertainment and comfort factors.

Consider your neighborhood and what type of activities you or your family members like to engage in when designing an outdoor living space. For example, if your community has large bug problems you might want to include screens so you can sit and relax without worrying about mosquitoes or other pests.

If you are a fan of the Frank Lloyd Wright style of architecture, incorporating his principles into your outdoor space can give it a unique look. The best way to do this is by adding curved elements into the design of your space. This may be achieved with a rounded ceiling, a curving bench or wall art.

Mixing modern materials into your design is another great lake remodel idea. Use composites for decking and rail caps but choose wood for the balusters to create a beautiful contrast in textures. You can also add greenery to your outdoor space by using rail planters. Fill them with flowers or herbs to make your space smell great and be even more relaxing.

Four-Season Room

Adding a four season sunroom to a lake house, like this one from thepinesonrestlake, helps maintain a connection with nature all year round. This sunroom features a vinyl frame, glass knee walls and shingled roof.

A sunroom can also double as a living room with a view. To make this space more cozy and inviting, add plenty of furniture with a casual feel, such as this lake home’s pair of slipcovered swivel chairs, two built-in bookshelves flanking the fireplace and coordinating table lamps.

To brighten up a dark lake home, add varying textures in the form of natural fabrics and plants. Use earth tones in the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms. To tie a modern lake house aesthetic together, hang freestyle chandeliers or wall scones that showcase a lake’s natural beauty or local wildlife.

JAG can build you a custom four season sunroom that includes things like stamped concrete, travertine tile and a repurposed coffee table with plenty of comfortable seating for everyone to sit back and relax in. We can also add LG or Mitsubishi mini split HVAC systems, a solid soffit ceiling, outdoor TV, Atrium windows, EZE Breeze Quad sliders and accent rope lighting.

Accessories

Accessories can provide an easy, inexpensive way to amplify your lake theme. For example, a weathered treasure chest carries the look to a deck or interior room while also serving a useful purpose. Tongue-and-groove planks on ceilings can draw attention up and emphasize a lake view or highlight architectural features like floor-to-ceiling windows or dove gray walls. Bringing in beach textures like rope, bamboo stalks and seagrass is another way to add subtle visual interest to your lake house.