When designing our lake house, we had one major objective: making life easier.   We work really hard during the week so having a place to unwind and recharge is super important.  A few weeks ago, I shared the products we chose for our remodel.  Today I am sharing the features of many of those products and how by adding them, we have made all of our lives easier.

making life easier: features of our remodel

If you are thinking about remodeling, now is the time to be researching all of the features available on the market.  Once you understand what features you want, you will be able to easily identify the products needed to turn your dreams into a reality.  It’s so much better to plan ahead for the things that you want so you don’t miss out on an opportunity you may regret later.

Disclaimer:  We were fortunate enough to receive free product from some of the companies mentioned in this post. We did not receive any financial compensation and as always, my opinions are 100% my own. 

Making Life Easier:  The Outside 

We opted for vinyl siding for our lake house because the last thing we wanted was the maintenance of painting it every 5 years.  Now don’t get me wrong…you all know I love to paint but come on…NOT AT THE LAKE!  

BTW…since this picture was taken, I have painted the foundation to match the siding.

 

making life easier: features we chose for our remodel

We installed CableRail from Feeney Inc. on all of the exterior railings.  Feeney cables and fittings are made from high grade 316 stainless steel (also referred to as “marine grade”). This high quality stainless steel offers beauty, superior weather durability, high strength, and low-maintenance characteristics that far exceed other traditional railing materials.

 

 

To help with drainage, we incorporated french drains into the patio.  Notice the gutter that is attached to the pipe in the patio tiles?  That pipe travels underground and dumps the rainwater back into the lake.  This does two things:  1)  it keeps the water away from the house and 2) it keeps our covered patio area nice and dry, even when it rains.

 

making life easier: features we chose for our remodel

We installed our new Rheem AC units on brackets that keep them off of the ground.  This makes it easy to mow and weed eat and keeps grass, weeds and debris from collecting in the unit.

On cool summer nights, this wood burning fireplace hits the spot.  It  allows us to stretch our outdoor entertaining months long past Labor Day weekend.

We installed maintenance-free deck tiles on our master bedroom deck.  These tiles promise no defects, splits, splinters, or structural damage from termites or fungus for 25 years.

making life easier: features we chose for our remodel
We installed this glass garage door to separate the game room/man cave/bar area from the patio. When open, it creates one large space for entertaining that unites the amenities of the indoor space with the breathtaking views of the lake.