The best part of this lake cabin, Out Back, is the spectacular view.

The lake can be seen from the upper and lower porches which are both covered and span the width of the dwelling. 

On the upper porch there is a wicker loveseat, wicker couch and chair, a dining table, and two wood chairs with a round table between, perfect for morning coffee. 

For the dining table we ordered the metal table base online and my husband, Daryl, made the top out of old dock planks found in the yard.  I wanted each of the dining chairs to be different for a casual eclectic vibe.  I scored the red lantern  for $5 at a garage sale when out for a Minnetonka walk with my friend, Anne.

The cabin is very close to the neighbors on one side.  While sitting in our ‘coffee drinking chairs’ we looked directly onto their porch.  After much thought, we decided to angle wood slats along the upper half.  It not only added privacy for both homes but still maintained airflow on hot summer days.  ‘

The lower porch has a picnic table and two lounge chairs which I have dubbed the Titanic chaises.  They are entirely made of wood and look like they came straight off the deck of a turn of the century cruise liner.  

The back yard slopes to the lake and I always wondered about the round concrete patches peeking beneath the grass.  I decided to make them into a feature.  Once I cleared the grass and dirt I built a small retaining wall with pavers on the upslope and covered the pads with small stone. 

I added whiskey barrels and planted a very exotic grass called King Tut.  It grows 4-6 feet tall and the green flower spikelets can measure 1 foot across.  Just the statement I was looking for.

The fire pit came with outdoor log chairs.  I loved the authentic look, but the logs were rotting and close to collapsing and  dumping a guest onto the ground.  

Originally I thought I only needed to replace the legs, but after taking them apart we ended up saving only 2 pieces per chair.  I am grateful for my husband’s patience and skill with a saw as I soon realized I was way over my head.  After much work and a total rebuild I now enjoy sturdy authentic looking fire pit chairs.

Another dilemma was what to do with the two kayaks.  Once again Daryl came up with the answer.  He built a rack that easily stores the kayaks and oars off the ground.  I love it when form meets function.

This is the 6th and final Post on our Lake Cabin.  To view the other five go to the top of this article and choose “Posts”.