They say that you are never more than six miles away from a body of water in Michigan.  With that many rivers, ponds, and lakes, there are countless opportunities in the Great Lakes State for waterfront living. Here at DeShano Companies Inc. we have built scores of waterfronts over the years and have many designs that are uniquely suited for waterfront locations. 

 

Tips for designing a waterfront home.

 

There are two “fronts”.

Lakeside homes should be designed to look great from both the water and the roadside.  It’s essential to keep this in mind when designing the elevations and layout of your home.  Many of our standard plans can be modified to better suit a waterfront location, so don’t get discouraged if the plan you like wasn’t intentionally set up for a lakeside view.

Make the most of that view!

Be sure to position your windows and living spaces to take the most advantage of that beachfront view.  Keep rooms like bathrooms and utility rooms to the roadside of the house, and put your key living spaces like the dining and living rooms on the waterside.

Consider a screened-in deck.

Screened decks are a popular way to enjoy the view from outside of your home without having to contend with the bugs or rain.

Let’s talk basements.

Basements are the most cost-effective way to add living or storage space to a new house.  Many waterfront sites have steep grades making them perfectly suited for a walk-out basement design.  Plus, with today’s building science, basements are staying dryer than ever, meaning you can safely finish that walkout without worries of water or moisture damage.