Your Favorite Room
on The Lake
4th of July fireworks. Sunday football. Sunset drinks.
Quiet mornings with coffee. Kids swimming off the pier.
The best lake houses have a room that isn't in the house at all. It's the boathouse — where everyone ends up, where the drinks are cold, and where the view is better than anything inside. A place built for gathering, not just storage.
These are dry boathouses built as entertainment spaces with storage below. Your boat stays on a lift at the pier — the boathouse is where people actually hang out.
Successful boathouse projects start with the site, not the structure. How you get there, what holds it up, and where the water goes are all part of a complete lakefront plan.
What Makes a Great Boathouse
Three things to think about before you break ground — each one shapes how much you'll actually use the space.
Interior Hangout Space
The inside of a good boathouse feels like a sports bar on the water. A counter with stools, a TV where everyone can see it, flexible seating that works for poker night and Sunday football. No plumbing by code — so it's a dry bar setup with a mini fridge, and it works perfectly.
Key elements:
- Bar / counter layout
- TV placement & sightlines
- Bar stools & lounge seating
- Power, outlets & lighting
- Heaters for shoulder seasons
- Dry bar design (no plumbing)
Upper Deck & Views
This is the room with the best seat in the house. A concrete roof doubles as your deck — big enough for a table, lounge chairs, and 10–20 guests watching fireworks or a sunset without anyone standing in each other's way.
Design considerations:
- Concrete roof/deck construction
- Railing style & sightlines
- Furniture layout for gatherings
- Shade vs. sun exposure
- Wind protection
- Capacity for 10–20+ guests
Exterior Look & Materials
A boathouse should look like it belongs — tied into the house style, the retaining walls, and the shoreline plantings around it. Siding, stone accents, roof pitch, and trim details all connect it visually to the rest of the property so it feels intentional, not dropped in.
Design decisions include:
- Siding vs. stone finishes
- Tying into house architecture
- Roof style & trim details
- Visual connection to retaining walls
- Coordinating with pier & plantings
- Material durability for lakefront conditions
Featured Projects
Recent project highlights showcasing our work.
.jpeg)
Related Articles
Planning guides and insights for boathouse projects in southeastern Wisconsin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Build Your Favorite Room on The Lake
Start with a conversation about your waterfront. We'll walk the site, talk through what's possible, and coordinate the whole plan from the ground up.
We respond within 1 business day.