Lakefront living

When we first put an offer on this house in 1999, I described the domicile as a “roof and a deck.” The image (photo taken at 7:20 this morning; click to enlarge) shows how the lake side looks now and The Todd’s design for the renovation, which includes two decks.

There will be a screen porch off the dining area, the living area will be bumped out slightly and we’ll reduce by 18 the 20 skylights in the great room. In the master bedroom, we’ll replace the code violating, non-functioning bay window with a sliding glass door to give us access to the deck—a feature we’ve enjoyed at many a vacation spot.

The non-level concrete patio at the lower level will remain under a new, larger deck. The back door will no longer be below floor level (currently a tricky trip hazard). The hot tub will be placed nearby. “Hanging out” steps will provide a transition to the back yard and less obtrusive bracing will stabilize the upper deck.

We have rationalized the design from what it was about a year ago. It now focuses on what is important: the decks and the roof.