Soak Up Every Lakeside Moment: 5 Ways to Enhance Your Lake House

Vacation time is precious time. You want to maximize every moment at your lakeside retreat, and with a carefully crafted natural stone exterior it starts with the sigh of relief as you pull into the driveway.

There are ways to expertly blend with the beauty of nature all around inside and outside your home. While you’re inside, make it feel rustic with dark, woodsy hues. Use natural stone to bring warmth and charm to your home.

Now, we can make some other suggestions for what you can do to your home’s interior; however, we’re going to shift the focus towards all the amazing things you can do outside (where you’ll probably be spending most of your time, anyway).

We’ve come up with five ways to enhance the outside of your lake house, and soak up every lakeside moment.

MAXIMIZE THE VIEW before building

How’s this for a sunset spot? Caledonia pavers, custom railings and natural stone pillars with Woodbury Gray pillar capsmake this elevated porch feel like a true vacation retreat.

The best place to hang out at your lake house is obviously by the lake. And you certainly don’t want the lake to be hidden. So make the most of the landscape beyond your backyard by clearing some of the trees and shrubs that block your view. Place your patio furniture in a spot that offers the best view.

Consider where the sun rises and sets as you trim your landscape and site your patio. Spend a day following the light at the house. Notice how it falls and where you will most enjoy sitting, cooking and entertaining at various times.

Create a base for entertainment

This irregular bluestone patio was created by custom cutting each piece of bluestone on-site. The organic look of irregular bluestone patios fits with natural surroundings to create a harmonious environment.

Now that you have a clear view of the lake, you definitely need an area to enjoy it! A spacious patio will provide you with enough room to lounge, as well as dine and entertain.

A great outdoor area starts with a solid foundation. Not only are bluestone, granite and natural stones durable and strong, they will transform a grassy yard into a desirable hangout. Bluestone irregular pavers, natural flagstone and Saratoga granite all blend very nicely with nature and make beautiful, rustic patios.

Laying a wide stone patio will also help fight those lakeside mosquitos by providing a buffer between you and the wetlands.

BLEND LIVING AND HARDSCAPE ELEMENTS

The Large Old Chester granite irregular natural flagstone walkway blends in beautifully with the natural surroundings.

Lake house living calls for outdoor spaces in harmony with their natural surroundings. The basic concept behind natural design is simply to incorporate the outside environment into the designed landscape. Natural stone has a more organic look and feel than poured concrete pads or uniform pavers.

With no cutting or shaping, flagstones can make a dramatic impact in their completely natural shape. Large Old Chester granite irregular natural flagstones are ideal for creating a naturalistic walkway. These large stepping stones integrate beautifully with the landscape, giving a rustic appearance. Flagstone pavers are an excellent choice for walkways because of their nonslip textured surface. They also work well for patios because they cover a wide surface area and are relatively flat and smooth.

The irregular shapes and varying natural colors of Corinthian granite square and rectangular veneer integrate beautifully with lakeside surroundings.

Make it a vacation right from the curb

This timeless Maine residence has head-turning curb appeal. Woodbury Gray granite lampposts line the driveway.

Natural wallstone will enhance your property with stunning walls around the front entrance steps to your house. This stone combines beauty and functionality, offering a low-maintenance material for constructing retaining walls and decorative walls. Rustic light post lanterns are a nice addition to complete the welcoming entry.

Add easy curb appeal to your home with a Woodbury Gray granite post. Rough, hand-hewn or precisely machined, beautiful granite posts will add character, charm and strength to any landscape application. From lighting your driveway or creating a rustic fence line, to grand entrance pillars, granite posts elevate the look of a property. You can also upgrade your mailbox with a granite post.

Use rustic cobblestones to edge your driveway for a naturalistic border. A beautiful front garden edged with Woodbury Gray granite or gray cobblestone will boost your curb appeal.

Read more about ways to add curb appeal to your home with natural stone.

Set your lake house apart and make a distinctive statement with Woodbury Gray thermal top, rock face steps with address engraving.

USE worry free MATERIALs

The boulder-like veneer on this Lake Winnipesaukee residence are Old Redding Rounds offering a timeless statement. Woodbury Gray granite steps lead down to the bluestone pavers. Woodbury Gray granite caps are used around the exterior of the house.

As a homeowner of lakefront property, you must pay attention to what materials tolerate the exposure of living in this particular environment. Flooding and erosion are especially things to take into account. (And no one wants to spend vacation time keeping up the place.)

Nothing compares to natural stone for strength, durability and beauty.

If you’re looking for the most durable product, go with granite. Granite steps outperform wood, brick and concrete in harsh elements. They won’t chip or degrade, they’re virtually maintenance free and last for generations. Naturally durable, granite will withstand the freeze-thaw cycle. Swenson’s granite and natural stone steps are, offering an affordable way to add lasting value to your home.

Bluestone is ideal for the outdoors due to its durability and hard wearing qualities. Just like granite, it handles temperature changes very well, resisting any damage from freeze-thaw cycle. Homeowners can expect bluestone to add warmth to your landscape design and last for decades.

Your local Swenson Granite store can help you enhance the outside of your lake house by working with you to choose your features and plan the project from start to finish. We can help you with choosing your stone, custom one-of-a-kind projects, and give you tips for DIY projects.