6 Perfect Lake Home Designs

From Small Cabins to Modern Luxury Lakefront Living  

There is nothing quite like spending quality time with your loved ones at the lake. Whether it’s for a long weekend with your spouse or the entire summer with your extended family, you can’t beat the memories you make out on the water.

When building a lake house, or other waterfront property, there are certain things to consider to make the most of it. Whether your view is a lake, a pond, or even a bay, you want to make sure you can enjoy the view from most places in the house. That’s why our plans emphasize wrap-around porches, open decks, and large windows.

Whether you have already purchased your land and are ready to break ground ASAP, or you are still just dreaming about the lake and browsing possibilities, we have lake house plans to inspire you.

So, if you are ready to build your hard-earned vacation home, retirement getaway, or just downsize while you work remotely, here is a look at a few of our favorite waterfront house plans.

Three Bedroom “A” Frame Home

This stunning A-Frame home is perfect for enjoying that lake view. With a large wrap-around deck and balcony off the master suite, you won’t miss any sunsets. It has three generously sized bedrooms, two on the second level and one on the main level.

In total, this home has 1,370 sq ft of living space, including a massive living room with vaulted ceilings that is perfect for family movie nights. In addition, there is an open kitchen with a peninsula-shaped eating bar and a large great room with a gas fireplace and french doors to the deck – perfect for entertaining.

This home is perfect as a primary residence, a retirement home, or as a place to get away from it all.

Two Bedroom Home with Covered Porch

This two-bedroom cottage is a perfect spot for a romantic weekend getaway, remote work retreat, or even a family vacation. While this house plan is on the smaller side at 480 sq ft, the home still has all the essentials and boasts a layout that just makes sense. Looking for a narrow-lot house plan? The home has a width of only 24 feet. The bedrooms are just across from each other and are designed as mirror images – so you can decide which one you’d like to be the master bedroom and which one would be the guest or kids' room. The second bedroom could also make a great home office for remote workers if you don’t want to use it as a bedroom. The living room is small and cozy, while the kitchen also allows for a small dining area for friends and family to enjoy comfortably. 

During nice weather, this lake house also has plenty of outdoor space to enjoy. A large porch stretches across the front of the home, which is the perfect place for a set of Adirondack chairs or even a porch swing to enjoy the sunrise over the water with a cup of coffee.

One Bedroom Cabin with Cathedral Ceiling

This one-bedroom cabin is a piece of paradise and perfect for singles or couples who like to spend time up at the lake, as well as business owners looking for the perfect romantic rental property. The overall space of the house is 576 square feet, which is more than enough for two people. In addition, the home’s large great room has a fireplace to cozy up by and a cathedral ceiling, creating even more space inside the well-designed home.  

This cottage’s exterior is charming, with plenty of space to relax on the home’s large, wraparound porch at any time of day to enjoy the surrounding views, like a sunset on the mountains, sunrise over the lake, or maybe even a visit from some curious local wildlife.

Luxurious Lake House with Fabulous Outdoor Space

This gorgeous luxury lake house has 2,105 square feet of living space on the main level with two bedrooms and 2.5 baths. If you choose to finish the optional basement, you will gain an additional 1,872 square feet, two more bedrooms, and a rec room. Like many popular lake house houses, this design includes options for daylight and walkout basement floor plans. This home is perfect for a couple who loves entertaining family and friends or a large family who loves to vacation together.

The interior of this home offers an open floor plan with a huge kitchen with an island, a great room with a fireplace, and a dining area. The master bedroom has a spacious walk-in closet and master bath.

The home's exterior is the star of the show, with multiple patios covered and uncovered, so you can enjoy that lake view from many areas of the home, including the master bedroom patio. Whether you are grilling or just enjoying a glass of wine, it’s easy to see the natural beauty surrounding your home. 

Two Bedroom Contemporary Cottage 

This contemporary cottage is sure to wow as a family getaway. The striking mix of wood, stucco, and stone gives this home a special quality and maximum curb appeal. Like some of our other lake house plans, this cottage also can be built into the side of a hill. So, it still works for you if you live on an uneven lot.

The optional lower level (a lovely daylight basement) offers a large game room, an additional bathroom, and a potential third bedroom which is designed with views and access at grade level. Without the optional basement, this home has 985 total sq ft across two bedrooms and bathrooms. There is a nice covered porch for some outdoor relaxation. Other notable features of this home include an expansive sundeck off the terrace and a trellis connecting the main home to the detached, one-car garage.

Inside, there is an impressive open floor plan. The first-floor master offers a walk-in closet with views to the terrace. To make holiday laundry a breeze, the washer and dryer are right outside the master bedroom. The second bedroom and bathroom are upstairs for maximum privacy.

Two Bedroom Home with Vaulted Great Room

If you want to build a lake house, but aren’t really interested in the classic rustic style, then this is the plan for you. This cottage-style home looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale, as it takes the best of the English countryside and brings it right to your waterfront property. It has all the classic features like a corner wrap-around porch, a stacked-stone chimney, and partial siding.

The home has a generous 1,922 sq ft of living area, but to create more space, the ceiling in the great room is vaulted, and there is also a large bay window. The atrium at the rear of the house also has large windows, offering an awesome view. There are stairs that lead down to the walkout/daylight basement. While the basement is unfinished, you can build it out to suit your preferences. Perhaps by adding another bedroom and bathroom combination or even a home office to work remotely while enjoying the lake life.

If you have any questions about finding lake house plans to suit your needs, please contact us. We can’t wait to hear from you!