Entries Tagged as 'Our lake'

A 3 hour tour (part 4)

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10.6.11

Hi there,

Thanks for stopping by. If you’re new around these parts it’s time for our series A 3 hour tour where you virtually join us on some of the houses that catch our eye when we’re out and about on our lake. It’s one of my favorite things to do on a warm summer afternoon driving around the lake.

This week I thought we’d do something a bit different and take a look at some of the unique and charming boat house we’ve noticed along the way. A lot of these go beyond your run of the mill boat storage totally integrating the style of their house, kicking it up a notch on this extreme patch of waterfront property. Many of these include rooms on the top floor of the charming structures. I wouldn’t mind staying a minute or two in one of those rooms, would you?

So let’s get going, shall we?

Here’s a cutie boat house, the different levels peaks and roof lines are so charming. The choice of siding and white trim provide lovely crisp contrast, not to mention the awesome boat and jet ski parked on the dock. I’ll take one of each please.

This charming little boat house with a balcony and cute decorative corbels coordinate seamlessly with the home it belongs to.

I’m really in love with the black trim accents and green roof and tons of deck space and a cool rooftop deck. Is that a tin roof over the dormers? I have a very special love for tin roofs. I always dream of one day redoing our roof in tin. I am also impressed by the lovely coordinating gazebo standing just off in the distance. My husband and I were engaged in a similar gazebo on a lake.

I’m digging this old style boat house, built out of the same charming field stone that is also on the house and the walls lining the property. It could arguably be Shangri La.

There’s a no frills approach to this boathouse with the classic columns lining the walks adding a nice architectural feature.

And finally a modern take on a boat house is presented in this eye catching A-frame. I’m always impressed by the extra attention to detail it requires a homeowner to coordinate all elements of their home into one seamless space. I think it’s particularly evident in something like a boathouse that people love their homes and I love looking!

So until next time, thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Psst, if you would like to check out all the posts in our 3 hour tour series be sure to click here!

Time for a yard update and a plan

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08.6.11

Since summer is here and we’ve been working diligently in our yard I thought it was high time to stop take a look around and see where our yard is today, where it was and where it’s going.

I updated this cute little (not to scale) drawing of our backyard that represents some notes of where we’re thinking we are heading with our yard overhaul.

Click on the image above view larger

Here’s an overhead view of how the yard looked when we first bought the house on the day of our home inspection. We had so many ideas from the day we laid eyes on this view.

Here’s an in-progress shot from the same angle as it looks today. It’s been a little bit of a construction zone over the past couple weeks, we’re working towards making it a really inviting retreat after a hard day at the office. It’s super sunny and aitch-oh-tee-tee. HOTT down there when the temperature rises above 60 degrees. I’m not kidding, you could fry an egg on the stones on a hot summer day.

We’re updating the pool deck platform to make it a cool inviting area. One where you can relax, get your toes wet and watch the kids floating the days away in the pool. We’re thinking that will probably include some sort of shady, relaxing, lounge area.

The deck platform will have a couple of steps to gradually transition from the lawn level to the pool level, and a fence and gate to keep curious little children safe and sound.

The path to below is currently being updated to include some natural stone steps (you can read all about how this surprise project started here).

As you head down the stone steps you can see that you just can’t get away from all that white stone that we inherited, in small doses those stone may be attractive but it doesn’t exactly lend itself to kids playing barefoot in the sprinklers the way it is now.

As you come down to the water’s edge we think this is an ideal spot for a small patio and an area to sit and relax, some shade maybe in the form of shade sails or a pergola and if we get really spunky an outdoor bar would be totally cool after all this is the money spot right here.

And then is this corner we’re thinking some really fun (think sherbert colored with a punch) Adirondack chairs would be lovely instead of the extra row boats (which are soon to be on Craigslist) that we somehow acquired.

We’ll also add a garden in front of the pool side that faces the lake with some flowing ornamental grasses that rustle in the breeze contrasted by rose bushes, camouflaging the less than stellar above ground pool look we’ve got going on.

And if you didn’t get enough of the before shots here’s a little video of the space as narrated by a 14 month old boy!

Needless to say we’ve been thinking about this for a little while and have come up with a preliminary collection of things we like.

Click on the image above view larger

The kind of things that are likely to change at least 1,000 times before we’re totally finished but for us part of the fun is in the journey, although the finish line is looking really good right now!

Psst: If you like any of the items in our inspiration board hop on over to our Our Lake Life’s Lakeside Inspiration Pinterest Board for all the details and sources along with tons more.

A 3 hour tour (part 3)

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03.6.11

It’s time again for another installment of our 3 hour tour series. Where we take you house crashing to some of our favorite homes on our lake, as seen only by boat. We love exploring and looking at all the gorgeous waterfront homes, camera in hand to capture all the delightfully delicious details.

I’m taking you back to a home we first featured on the last edition of the 3 hour tour series. Because, well, I’m in love with this house, the colors, the location, the yard, just about everything. What’s not to love?

If I were going to build a house I think I would build this one.

I’m a sucker for those round turret rooms and large expanses of lawn. I imagine being a kid a doing to “tootsie roll” down the grassy grassy hill.

The best part is it’s location. It’s on the most amazing water cul-de-sac. Nestled right into a cove that protects it from the harsh boat wakes of the main lake, right next to a home that has an equally extraordinary green grassy greatness. The two together are breathtaking.

The neighbor is an older brick style home. I’m really fond of areas where homes have organically grown together over time instead of being choreographed sometimes not so successfully by a team of developers. Especially on such a wonderfully organic setting on the lake. It lends itself to an overall feel of a home grown community.

Even the two lower buildings near the water are inviting. The right structure is the boathouse which let me tell you is an awesome luxury. Boathouses are basically a garage built over the water for your boat, now that would come in handy. The structure on the right I imagine is a wonderful guest house, many of the homes on the lake either feature and in-law suite or sometimes guest quarters. I wouldn’t mind being a guest there!

So what do you all think of the 2 fabulous homes? Are they not dream places?

Well thanks for joining us for another episode of our 3 hour tour. If you want to see more be sure to check out the 3 hour tour (part 1) and the 3 hour tour (part 2).

A 3 hour tour (part 2)

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16.5.11

Welcome to our lake and the 2nd installment of our 3 hour tour. We’re back as the Skipper, Gilligan and Maryann to show you some of our favorite sights around our lake and some of the beautiful homes we admire as we float along the lake. So sit back relax and read along as we take you on part 2 of our 3 hour tour.

First stop, this lovely beauty. I’m a sucker for round rooms, they create so much interest from the outside. I can’t resist resist 3 levels of decks to enjoy the views are to die for. What’s a lake house without a good deck to sit on? The detail of the stonework along the bottom portion of the house is just stunning.

The attention to detail in the stone really sets this house apart from many of the other beauties on the lake, the stone framed porthole opening and the keystone details are inspiring. I can see great summer BBQ’s ‘s taking place in this setting. I imagine a great outdoor kitchen tucked away behind that porthole, just calling my name to grill a big juicy burger.

I love the blue of this stunner, reflecting elements of the water onto the facade. Their use of stone is tastefully done and gives an elegant touch without the extreme expense of stoning the entire house. The shingle style siding always screams summer, sand and surf to me.

Even their boat house is cute. Sign me up to sleep in that room upstairs, imagine the views from that deck. My husband would love it, you could fish from the balcony!

I think the colors chosen for the exterior of this home is what sets it apart. The neutral coloring makes this house fit snugly into it’s surroundings, and that boat house, talk about charming! But check out that driveway, I wonder how they stop their cars from sliding into the lake during the icy season?

This has to be on my list of top 10 homes on the lake. It’s so gorgeous I was compelled to take pictures of it from every angle. I love it. I plan to post many more pictures of this beauty and it’s neighbors which are equally gorgeous in our next installment of our 3 hour tour. Until then I’ll be dreaming of that rolling lawn in this stunning estate.

For now we’re over and out,

Skipper, Gilligan and Maryann

A 3 hour tour (part 1)

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09.5.11

Now that spring is here and in full force and we’ve been released from the confines of the house we’ve been spending some warm spring afternoons touring our lake on the boat. It’s a lovely way to spend the afternoon drooling over the grander houses on the lake, gathering some inspiration for own own along the way. Even though we’ve lived in this area of NJ most of our lives you never really get to see the houses on the lake until you see them from the water’s edge. There’s something quirky about water front houses, they usually have their best side facing the water so you really can’t appreciate the size or the beauty of these homes on a Sunday drive in the car from the road. Many of the homes have their small detached garages facing the street, and if you’re able to walk around them they open up to beautiful large homes. Since we only just recently moved onto our lake and bought a boat it still knocks my socks off every time I come across these beauties that I’ve ony seen from the road only to reveal on the water their true beauty, it’s something like a secret treasure.

So we took the time on our last lazy Sunday afternoon boat drive to snap a few pictures to show off a few of our favorite houses and spots on our lake. Showing off that there may be something more to New Jersey than the “Situation’s abs” (although I am addicted to the “Jersey Shore”) the parkway and meatheads. Come take a look at part 1 of our 3 hour tour. Just call us the Skipper, Gilligan & Maryann.

I’m in love with this one with the multiple levels of decks , the arches on the ground floor, the large lawn and that round turret on the right. I imagine there is a master bedroom sitting area in the top floor round room with magnificent views. What a place to relax and read a book that would be! Or dream of a Sunday morning relaxing on the balcony eating breakfast and drinking a cup of coffee.

These three house together are amazing. What a gorgeous setting looking at them together. I love how they have organically grown together over time. You can tell that each one is unique, a builder hasn’t come along and just plopped three identical houses side by side. Check out those pink flowering trees on the water’s edge, and the white flowering trees behind the houses.

Check out this sprawling beauty! Look at all the rooflines and peaks. I love those retaining walls, a great, beautiful way to tame a sloped yard. If you look closely at the top retaining wall there’s a glass fence, I bet there is a gorgeous inground pool just calling your name. Lake too cold? Come take a dip in the marvelous heated in-ground pool complete with a glass fence so as not to obstruct your view.

This has to be one of the most majestic old mansions on the lake. Look at all that stonework. I love the meandering path down to the water. It looks like you should have afternoon tea with the ladys on the veranda in your summer dress and sun hat. Could you imagine the bathing beauties about 100 years ago frolicking on that lawn. They say this was a happening place to “summer” for the rich at one time.

This is my husbands favorite, He’s a sucker for A-Frame style homes and this one is his perfect idea of A-Frame meets log cabin rustic. tucked away in the trees you can feel like you’re the only one around for miles. Or hop in your boat and go to one of the boat-up restaurants or bars on the lake enjoy the night away!

Now that you’ve seen just a few of our favorites be sure to check back for more as we boat on our lake this summer and take you along for the ride in our 3 hour tour series. We’re looking forward to it, should be a blast!

For now we’re over and out!

Skipper, Gilligan and Maryann