Built in different landscapes, lake house designs connect living spaces to water views, in one way or another. On this page, you can admire and take inspiration from a series of architectural and interior design projects we have put together for you. Designed by established architecture firms or completed by young designers on a low budget, all of these projects are stunning and creative as well as thoughtfully anchored to their specific context. Nestled in nature, these houses offer a glimpse into the tranquility and calm atmosphere of lakeside living.

Lake house designs vary widely, and it takes just a cursory glance to see this in our selection of projects. Here you can find sprawling family homes as well as compact cottages. Mountain chalets with lake views that feature a more classic design appear alongside sleek and contemporary houses with clean geometric forms and cantilevered volumes. Whether barn-like or brutalist, these lake houses open to gorgeous views. Every project, from large-scale to DIY, features cozy living spaces that immerse the residents into nature. For example, a two-story family house with large openings that overlook an expanse of water. Or a glass-lined cottage with a bed placed on a wooden floor; this transparent volume is specially designed to connect its inhabitants to the nearby lake, during the day and at night.

Architecture and design studios used a varied selection of materials to create these lake house designs. More often than not, wood. Light or charred wood and reclaimed timber lines the exterior walls of many of these dwellings and lake retreats. Other projects feature a creative use of dark metal and steel, or translucent panels that offer privacy and soften the light at the same time.