Many of us dream of having a vacation home. All over America you can find ski cabins to rent, A-frame lodges for a weekend, or a cottage to rent on the water. Renting someone else’s home through Air BNB or VRBO is a popular option as well.

I had the pleasure of staying with a good friend at her family’s place in the finger lake region of New York state over a Fourth of July weekend. As I enjoyed the quiet, and the cool breezes coming off the water that weekend, I got a chuckle from a plaque on the wall. It read “If you are lucky enough to have a place on the lake, you are lucky enough.”

So here are a few of the beautiful lake homes that I saw. If you are lucky enough to be considering a vacation home, perhaps these will provide some inspiration.

This lakeside cottage caught my eye with its pleasing design. I found it a perfect mix of tradition and function. The scale of the living quarters is smaller than it appears on the outside due to the wall of windows that provide a panoramic lake view. But this was one of the best features of the design. When you have an amazing view, every possible effort should be made to appreciate the scenery from the inside of the house while still harmonizing with the exterior landscape.

All the benefits of the view, with perfect protection from the elements.

There were several grandiose places that offered a luxury home experience while still nodding to the design traditions of the Northeastern part of the United States. This one was a particular favorite of mine with its stonework of smooth river rock. Note the drive-in boat dock that would provide all-season storage of a boat

I couldn’t picture a more perfect setting for an Independence Day picnic.

My host’s favorite lake cabin was a Swiss Chalet design that took in the beauty of simple wood architecture and provided both living space and boat storage on a modest budget.

Heidi couldn’t have asked for more.

The one that appealed to me was more of a mountain cabin design built on to a small point on the lake. The two stories and large open wrap around porch offered stunning views, and the lawn offered an outdoor living space and access to the water. A favorite feature was the large stone fireplace that had both an inside and an outside hearth for summer or winter fires. I was told that the porch was actually a later addition to the house, but it was done with such quality workmanship, that it blended seamlessly into the older parts of the house.

This seemed the perfect mix to me of mountain and lake design, pulling the best of both environments.