Waterfront Property Design Ideas
By: Cassie McDowell
If you own waterfront property — whether it’s a vacation home or your full-time residence — and you’re considering making some updates to the exterior but aren’t sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. From beach houses overlooking the ocean to cozy cabins on a lake, we’ve designed all sorts of waterfront property exteriors for our clients. In this post, we’re sharing some of these designs and our top tips for elevating your waterfront property.
Keep reading to discover the many ways you can transform your waterfront house into a wow-worthy home.
From tropical homes on the water to rustic dwellings up in the mountains, our expert exterior designers have experience working with all sorts of house styles. Whether you want to make minor updates to your exterior or totally transform it, we can help. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services.
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Take inspiration from your surroundings
This Montana client desired a rustic modern aesthetic for their small cabin located on a lake. They also noted they wanted to ditch the red-brown exterior paint color. Instead, they wanted something that would help the home blend in with its natural surroundings.
With that context, we suggested using Sherwin Williams’ Pewter Green, an earthy, calming green, on the siding. Iron Ore, a charcoal color, is used on the trim to create contrast. We also incorporated some wood elements to add warmth and further connect the home to nature. We recommended a mahogany front door and also used wood on the porch columns, decking, and ceiling. Other natural elements include the stone steps and accent beneath the deck and the stone paver walkway.
Make it modern
The main goal of this Missouri lake house makeover was to give the exterior a more modern look and turn the backyard into an entertainer’s dream space. We started with a modern color palette — Benjamin Moore’s Shoreline on the stucco with Deep Creek on the trim and windows. Tall stone columns frame the entry and accentuate the height of the home. Additionally, they match the stone around the garage doors, tying the entrance and garage together.
We carried the color palette and stone through to the backside of the home and selected a patterned flagstone to surround the pool. To maximize the water view, we placed several swivel lounge chairs along the perimeter of the yard facing the lake. Our design also includes a covered outdoor dining area and a lounge space (also covered), plus a fire pit surrounded by more seating. The folding doors and large windows enhance the home’s indoor-outdoor flow and make it easy to enjoy the water views from inside too.
Optimize for outdoor entertaining
“Inviting and warm but modern” is how this Washington homeowner described their desired aesthetic. In addition to a cozy-but-modern vibe, this client also wanted a design that would make the most of their backyard, which extends right out to the water.
Our design for the front of the home features a modern color palette, a section of wood siding for warmth, industrial columns framing the front door, and lush landscaping.
We love the look we came up with for the front of this home. But, the back is where our designers really got to have some fun. This backyard oasis includes all the must-haves for outdoor entertaining. On the main floor, there’s a dining table and chairs, an outdoor kitchen, a plunge pool, a fire pit surrounded by comfy lounge chairs, and a lounge area covered by a wood pergola. A spiral staircase leads to the second story, where there’s another table and chairs, in addition to some fun hanging rattan chairs.
On both levels, we opted for a glass railing to ensure the stunning water view isn’t obstructed.
Utilize natural building materials
This Canadian client’s home sat on a lovely lot surrounded by nature. They felt their exterior looked out of place and enlisted our help. “We live in Canada in a beautiful area with forests, waterfront, farmland, and wildlife. The front of our home does not illustrate this,” they told us.
We leaned heavily on natural building materials in our design to make the home look like an authentic waterfront property. We suggested wood porch columns with stone bases, a wood front door and shutters, a small section of cedar siding, a wood and aluminum railing, and a stone walkway lined with plants. A porch swing, teak lounge chairs, and plenty of planters give the home lots of charm and character.
Play with texture
The owner of this Washington home felt its exterior was cold and dated. They enlisted our help to warm it up while also making it look more contemporary.
Sherwin Williams’ Alabaster, one of our go-to warm off-white hues, was a no brainer for the horizontal siding. Rather than using the same siding on the entirety of the home, we incorporated sections of vertical wood siding with a light brown stain and dark horizontal siding that mimics the look of charred wood. The combination of colors and textures on the siding creates lots of visual interest.
We carried the white and light wood siding through to the back of the home. Here, we also used wood on the lintels above the windows, on top of the glass railings, and on the flooring and ceiling of the balconies and deck. Multi-slide glass doors offer unobstructed views of the water. They also connect the interior of the home with its outdoor living spaces.
Keep it classy
This Ohio homeowner wanted their new build to be as beautiful as its mountain and water views. They asked for a high-end look that’s “very Cape Cod and classically elegant.” The cladding consists of James Hardie vertical siding, shingle siding, and ledgestone. We kept the color palette light and coastal-inspired. We used James Hardie’s Light Mist on the all the siding and Arctic White on the accents.
A screened-in porch and an open-air outdoor living area beneath it offer plenty of space for the homeowner to relax and soak in the property’s incredible view.
This view of the side of the home provides a closer look at the various textures and siding types used on the exterior.
On the garage side, we infused the exterior with some warmth via the wood garage doors and copper light fixtures. We also lined the driveway with plenty of greenery to connect the space to its natural surroundings.
Wonderful waterfront property exterior design ideas
Renovating your waterfront property shouldn’t cause you tons of stress. From painting and playing with texture to maximizing your outdoor space, there are plenty of ways to fix up your waterfront home. We hope this post has provided you with inspiration for your exterior design project.
Do these wonderful waterfront home designs have you eager to update your exterior? Great! Our team of talented designers is ready to assist you. Tell us what your design goals are and share your style and color preferences. Then, we’ll get to work reimagining your exterior. Begin your exterior design project today.
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