15 Midwest Lake Getaway Homes
Budget-savvy dream cottage [1]
When Midwest Living's former home editor retired and built a barn-inspired home in Wisconsin's Door County, she used all the tricks she had learned on the job to create low-cost high style in her home.
Lake house spirit [5]
Sparkling water, sunshine and kids splashing set the tone for the Michigan home of Kelly and Dan Rinzema and their two children. Kelly, who spent every summer vacationing nearby as a child, uses DIY, flea-market finds and water-inspired colors to pull the lake spirit indoors. “With how fast-paced and busy today’s world is, it’s nice that we have our own little place where we can slow things down a bit,” Kelly says.
Fresh airs [9]
Seeking space to exhale, a Chicago family heads to Indiana’s countryside, where Amish neighbors remind them to focus on extended family, simplicity and nature.
Ship shape [13]
Nautical details and kid-friendly design put the focus on family fun at this busy Nantucket-style lake home in northern Michigan.
Indiana cabin makeover [17]
A quirky 1930s craftsman-built Indiana cabin becomes an enchanting cottage getaway after a thorough, true-to-its-roots makeover.
Lake Michigan dream home [21]
Water-inspired colors and durable materials set the tone outside and inside for an easy-care home—built for empty-nesters who wanted enough space for their three adult children to visit.
Instant classic [25]
This cheerful green cottage high on a Wisconsin bluff overlooking Green Bay was built in 2005—but looks much like one that the owner's grandparents once lived in nearby. The homeowners looked to the 1920s to give their new lake home vintage charm.
Beach home for two families [29]
Two Illinois families learn sharing doubles the fun when they split the purchase of a 1928 Indiana beach house.
Reinventing history [33]
Three century-old log cabins join together to become a one-of-a-kind lakefront getaway in northern Wisconsin.
Modern ranch getaway [37]
This Door County vacation home used to be a one-story, 2,000-square-foot art gallery. The wide-open feeling of the gallery inspired new owners to head straight into the 21st century with a renovation that's light, open and minimal.
Light and bright [41]
A color palette that's light, bright and mostly white fills this Wisconsin home with a serene vibe.
Full of vintage charm [45]
Uncommon vintage pieces take on new life and purpose in a Minnesota summer home for an energetic family of seven.
A-frame redo [49]
Door County, Wisconsin, homeowners turned an aging A-frame into a bright, woodsy cabin with low-budget updates and casual decorating.
Cheerful cottage [53]
The owners of this fire-engine-red home, tucked in the trees above northern Michigan's Walloon Lake, wanted a low-maintenance, cheerful cottage style when they renovated the 100-year-old house.
Little big house [57]
Clever decorating tricks and budget-friendly ideas turned a small-footprint space into a fresh and functional family home.