How to Make a Dream House by the Lake

Having a house by the lake is such a dream come true for a lot of people who see themselves building a house in a spot like this. There is always a flow of ideas and a lot of sources of inspiration to achieve that home that is both dreamy and realistic at the same time. Everything is so idealistic at first where you just take things from pictures and plan to incorporate them into your house. Even though there is nothing wrong with this, achieving your dream house is certainly much more complicated than this. 

What your dream house needs are plenty of time to plan and execute with a group of hands that will work together to achieve your goal. What you also need is a lot of preparation in terms of the budgeting, designing, procuring of materials, and even the incorporation of the finishing touches among others. It definitely is a tedious, long, and stressful process to see a project to fruition but when you can already step foot in the house you have been wanting for so long, it is going to be worth it. There is one thing you have to remember to motivate you all throughout, your dream home by a lake is totally achievable. 

Select the Perfect Location

After some time, you would be able to do modifications to a house through renovations and alterations. This is actually very common especially for homeowners who seek expansion or for older homes that need modern and new facilities. Everything you want to be changed in your house can be done but one thing you won’t be able to do is to move it to another and better location. Hence, the very crucial start you would need for your dream home is to look for a spot around the lake where you can have the best views, easiest accessibility, and most suitable land. This may take some time especially if there are various properties on the listing. Prices will also vary because it is expected that the prime locations would demand a higher price. There are also other options where you buy a lot with existing property for renovation or you look for an undeveloped property so you can start from the ground up.  Whatever it is you prefer and chance upon, the important thing is to settle for only the best thing and not rush into buying something you are not fully convinced of. 

If you already have an existing property by the lake, then it is time to turn a magic wand and convert it to the home you have been wanting for so long. A lot of the pressure will be off your shoulder since you are not starting from the ground up but you already have something solid to work on. The initial stage for you is to look for the specific areas you want to be changed, removed, or replaced. It could be an addition of a pool or an entertainment studio, upgrade of existing facilities, or a total remodeling of existing rooms. Your years of living in the house would have given you plenty of ideas on what you exactly want to do so before you even start looking for people who can do it for you, start writing everything down on paper and gather some resources for your inspiration and visual aid. 

Start with a Plan

Planning is the very first blueprint where you lay down everything you need to follow during the whole project. Initial plans can be totally different from the final outcome but it is important in order to initiate everything. It can start from brainstorming with your family first about your goals including the facilities you would need, what style and design you would go after, the theme of your home, and other general details. You would also need to decide on the builders, partners, and suppliers you want to work with for the project. If you have no prior experience with this, you should do your initial research to find the best ones in the industry. 

One content of the plan should be a timeline of when you want to start with the project exactly or when you want it to be finished. It could differ per family because some would want to start right away while others target to finish their dream home in time for a special occasion. The other small details can be plotted as subheadings to the general ideas. These are most likely going to change as new inspiration sets in or as obstacles and challenges are faced. It includes the color palette combination you would want to paint the different areas with, the plans for interior design, or even the types of fixtures and furniture you want to add. You should be firm in what you want while being flexible so you can adjust accordingly and have a smooth flowing project overall. 

Set a Realistic Budget

The budget sets the dream into reality. A lot of people take a lot of time in building their dream home because they spend a lot of time-saving up for it. In reality, most of the dream homes of people are very costly especially if it has not been treated with reality yet. You can save up for as much time as you like or you can already start with what you have and continue to renovate it over the years. What is important is that you are able to set a realistic budget that compliments the house you are looking to build. There are a lot of strategies to reconcile the project and the allotted budget but this can only reach an allowable limit. There are alternatives you can switch too which would be materials that are more affordable and environmentally friendly at the same time. 

In setting the budget, you should be putting into consideration the expenses that go to the professional fees of the contractors, designers, and builders. Aside from the price of the house itself, you have to take into consideration some miscellaneous fees that will fuel the project. The budget would clearly carve out the dream house for you.

Design

The ideas you have in mind of what the house would look like will become an actual plan if it is plotted onto a design on paper. That is why teaming up with a group of experts that will take care of the architectural and interior design is very important. This is where all your ideas will be reconciled and put into a realistic rendering. You would need to choose what kind of home you would want, whether you want something modern and contemporary, rustic and vintage, or classical. Aside from your preferences, this will also depend on the location of the house. You should consider something that will complement the surroundings to maximize its potential in contrast to the view of the lake and the immediate surroundings. The design you have in your vision is actually one of the very first things you will discuss with your partners. One of the processes as seen on Denver’s Margarita Bravo, an interior design studio in the city, is a brief description of the project is discussed upon initial phone call with a client. The details are further discussed in the succeeding meetings and this will always be a key point in most steps of the process. Even in the sourcing, procurement, and installation of the materials, the final word of how it will come together would require approval from the client.

 

The biggest change you can make in the design of the house is making some tweaks that will greatly improve the overall aesthetics. Since the lake provides a beautiful view, you can knock out some walls and install large windows to let natural light in. You should also opt for a lot of neutral color palettes because this lets the interior designer incorporate a lot of accents and pop of color. In terms of the design outdoors, you can either choose to stand out among other houses or complement the design to maintain aesthetic harmony in the community. For example, you can find a lot of contemporary and modern touches in a typical Denver home. This will go along with your plan so well if you choose this kind of theme. You can also choose something minimalist to avoid clutter and just focus on the installations and pieces of art you put in the home. 

Materials

This part of the project is exciting because of the various choices you will get exposed to from choosing the lighting fixture to what kind of material you want for the flooring. One great idea is to mix a lot of materials to give variety and value to the design. You can incorporate both metals and wood to form beautiful structures while adding fabric to soften and merge these two materials. You can have everything purchased or custom made, depending heavily on your budget and the availability of the exact material you want for your house. During this whole stage, you would need to have excellent decision-making skills because it would be difficult to turn back or replace an already installed material because you changed your mind. Open communication and firmness are the keys to only get the best. Also, do not sacrifice quality over affordability especially if the material is more beneficial in the long run. 

 

One of the advocacies promoted today in the world of construction is the use of sustainable materials that are food for nature and not harmful to the environment. You can also achieve this upcycling or recycling some materials from the old home and turning them into new things if possible. 

Execution

This is where the plans and all the earlier processes are helpful. There would be times when you are faced with choices that are difficult to make, hence, you need to refer back to your initial goals in order to be more guided. There would also be challenges along the way in terms of budget adjustments, material sourcing, conflict of schedule and so many others. Truly, the execution will really open up a lot of reality and it is also the most stressful part of the project but you have to proceed in order to complete the project. 

The great thing is, all will become lighter once everything is slowly coming together. One of the last stages of the renovation is fitting some fixtures in and putting the final colors of each area. There also needs to be a final quality check to ensure that everything has been installed properly. You can also ask for additions especially if you think there should be more cabinets or drawers. These should only be small and nothing major if the project is already at ninety percent finished. Look for areas to polish and run everything to make sure everything is working well. This includes the new light installations, fitted appliances, even the doors, and windows. Some people forget this and only get to see the deficiencies once the project is done and the designers have already left the house. Inspection is crucial in order to maintain the expectation of the outcome. 

Final Touches

The final touches that the interior designer will do for your home are to put in the small details including the coaches, decorations, beddings, and windows among others. This is actually fun because you can both work together on the final touches to finish your dream house. You can consult your choices in terms of color, function, and design in order to get a professional insight before making the final purchase. These can all be minor but they are important because it makes a lot of difference with the final outcome. 

Your dream house by the lake is something you can turn into a reality if you plan for it carefully. It is something achievable with vision and determination to only settle for the best and nothing less. After all, the final outcome should be worth it as it is the realization of something you have always wanted for a home.