Yours, Mine and Ours: A Beach House for Two Families

Any lingering concerns long-time pals Dawn McKenna and Judy Floodstrand had about mixing friendship with finances flew out the U-Haul window on moving day. Could they really share a vacation home on Lake Michigan? they wondered. Then Dawn (arms full of decorative pillows and scented oils) and Judy (loaded down with napkins, toilet tissue and paper towels) spotted each other in the driveway and knew the partnership was a winner. "We laugh about that day," Judy says. "I tend to be on the practical side, Dawn's on the fluff-and-image side, and you need both to make it all work."

Click ahead to read more about Judy's and Dawn's shared vacation home. Pictured: Dawn chose clear Lucite chairs to preserve lake views.