The 25 Coolest Lake Houses

Fresh off of The 25 Coolest Beach Houses, we compiled stunning lake houses from around the world that challenge the elegance, isolation, and proximity to nature of any house. Lake houses provide unparalleled luxury, whether cabin-like, contemporary, or classic. A virtual tour of any one of these will have you finding one to kick it in this summer, guaranteed.

The 25 Coolest Lake Houses

Architects: Min | Day – E.B. Min, Jeffrey L. Day.

Location: West Lake Okoboji, Iowa, USA

This super contemporary lake house resides in rural Iowa of all places, and its design revolves around the lake and a dichotomy of spatial and interior areas. It uses intense colors inside and out to make space and add complexity.

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Architects: Alejandro Beals, Christian Beals

Location: Lago Rupanco, Region de los Lagos, Chile

This south of Chile abode is awesome for many reasons, not least of which is its consideration of fishing and fishing supplies in its construction. Its two parallel volumes align and orient with the landscape in a way that maximizes the view of nature, the mountains, and the lake.

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Architects: Markus Wespi Jérôme de Meuron architects

Location: Scaiano, Switzerland

The House in Scaiano is the definition of secluded. Basically, it's only possible to reach the house by foot, but the privacy, view, and isolation are totally worth the trek.

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Architects: John Pardey Architects

Location: Wargrave, Berkshire, England

The Hind House is literally on the water. It's the result of a remodel that took a quaint brick structure and turned it into an impressive, centralized space home that embraces and celebrates nature.

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Architects: Hsu Office of Architecture

Location: Austin, Texas, USA

The two-story Lake Travis Residence has not one but two balconies, and sits on a slope with a butterfly roof and expansive windows to capture the amazing views. If it seems like paradise, it's because it is.

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Architects: Unknown

Location: Gloucestershire, England

The England Lake House in Gloucestershire's photographs pretty much speak for itself. It's modern, expansive, and secluded, with an awesome deck that spans the width of the home.

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Architects: Daniele Claudio Taddei

Location: Brissago, Switzerland

Casa Larga is awesome because it's actually in the middle of a vineyard. The house was built to look and feel like it's floating, through traditional division of volume and its location on a slope.

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Architects: Lake|Flato Architects

Location: Austin, Texas, USA

The Lake Austin House feels like it's on the lake itself thanks to a man-made canal extension. It has a a 200-foot long boardwalk, a large fireplace, and a public space that doubles as an art gallery.

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Architects: Hutchison & Maul Architecture

Location: Mercer Island, Washington, USA

Like many of the lake houses on this list, this one was built as close to the water as legally permitted. Its highlights are concrete retaining walls, a roof deck, and a small guest house.

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Architects: Glamuzina Paterson Architects

Location: Lake Hawea, South Island, New Zealand

While the Lake Hawea Courtyard House has a lower form and was built with simpler materials, it pays homage to New Zealand's architectural and environmental history.

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Architects: Pfeiffer Architects

Location: Schrampe on Arendsee, Saxony-Anhalt

The shingles on the Schrampe Lake House give it natural character and allow it to blend in with the environment.

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Architects: RES4

Location: Bloomingdale, New Jersey

While this house was originally designed as a second home for a Manhattan family, it's clearly a place you could live in full time. Zoned as close to the lake as possible, it transmits sunlight during the day and becomes a backlit constellation using motion sensors at night.

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Architects: OpenBox Studio

Location: Kaoyai, Nakornratchasima, Thailand

The Kaoyai Lake House's unobstructed lake view, paired with its concrete, brick, and plaster construction, make it an undeniably excellent place to live and relax. It doesn't hurt that it's in the beautiful Nakornratchasima, Thailand.

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Architects: JM Architecture

Location: Lake Lugano, Italy

The Lake Lugano house brings the outside in and vice versa, using a polygonal shape made of glass. It has two views - one of the mountain and one overlooking the lake. The bedrooms face an enclosed garden for privacy.

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Architects: Gh3

Location: Stony Lake, Ontario, Canada

The 1,000 square foot Williams Studio was built as a photographer live/work studio, and as such, the construction prioritized natural, diffused lighting. The house sits on the water's edge and is an excellent blend of sustainability and luxury.

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Architects: Mark Dziewulski Architects

Location: Incline Village, Crystal Bay, Nevada

This 8,694 square foot home is worth $43 million, and was built with mostly concrete, steal, and glass. With views of Lake Tahoe and excellent natural light, it's a perfect contemporary getaway or home.

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Architects: Scale Studio

Location: N/A

This lake house doesn't exist yet, but when it does, it'll be amazing. This 3D visualization shows the beautiful interiors and exteriors, ideally on an isolated landscape.

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Architects: MOS

Location: Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada

The floating house is a getaway for the Worple family, and it's located on a rocky island 20 minutes from the mainland. Its temperatures range from below zero to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the house's height fluctuates with the varying water level.

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Architects: Unknown

Location: Arnissa, Greece

This lake house in Arnissa, Greece, resembles the Over-Water Bungalow we featured on The 25 Coolest Beach Houses in its simplicity and location directly over water. It's either really scary or really awesome that the fog rolls over the lake like that.

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Architects: Ungertreina

Location: Lake Lucerne, The Alps, Switzerland

The Villa Am See lake house overlooking Lake Lucerne in Switzerland was built trying to mimic a “James Bond atmosphere,” with exposed concrete walls and dramatic lighting. The entire house is essentially three stacked concrete “boxes” turned in different directions to focus on separate views of the panorama.

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Architects: Richard Meier & Partners

Location: Gardone Riviera, Italy

The southern-facing Villa Gardone has extensive views of the water and gets flooded with natural light, making it a dream lake house. The architects say it best - it's a “continuous exploration of solid and void, transparency and opaqueness, light and texture, and the interrelation between the ephemeral with the physical world.”

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Architects: km Architektur

Location: Lake Walensee, Switzerland

This modern lake house sits atop a grassy hill overlooking Lake Walensee. It was built with open living areas and rooftop photovoltaic panels in order to be both sustainable and comfortable.

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Architects: Olson Kundig Architects

Location: Northern Idaho

Attempting to be a lakeside shelter in the woods, the Chicken Point cabin features a 30 ft. x 20 ft. window wall opening out onto the forest and lake. The construction of the house left certain materials unfinished so they could naturally age over time.

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Architects: Olson Kundig Architects

Location: Seattle, Washington

This Lake Washington house was designed with nature, art, science, and sustainability in mind. The architects focused on the sun's path, existing trees, wind patterns, and lake views in its construction.

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Architects: Unknown

Location: Skaneateles, New York

This 3-bedroom 1930s lake front bungalow was created by interior designer Thom Filicia for himself. The Skaneateles, New York abode comes with a 2 bedroom guest house and definitely has a rustic yet contemporary vibe.

source (via Domino Magazine)