Walker left the site in its natural state, but added grasses along the path to the entrance. For more ways to use grass in your home.

Milwaukee studio Vetter Denk Architects designed this eye-catching prefab on the banks of Moose Lake, Wisconsin, as a weekend retreat. The home was based on an idea presented by the home's owner, who was inspired by a screw-top jug of $9.99 red wine.

Reflection by Dana Miller

One of the early challenges of building the house was defining the property lines of the lot, which had come to be known as "the floating acre" among the local fishermen.

The home’s reflection is seen in the lake at dusk. The white aluminum sleeves dramatically break through the timber, creating visual portals to the surrounding scenery.

Subtle features incorporated into the design, including an elevated terrace and jetty, help the home float above the island.

“The unique site-plan includes the main house, a two-story dog run, and a guest cabin,” Flato says. “All are seamlessly stitched together by a grand boardwalk, making an arrival by boat or by car an equally engaging experience.” Vertical grain Western red cedar acts as the exterior siding.

Eskayel's Reflection Amarynth print: This almost-Ikat print manages to exude serenity without feeling like waiting room. $595 per roll.

The fireplace that Lake|Flato designed for the deck is the compound’s focal point. “People can go tuck their small kids into bed and then creep back to the fire pit area and be gregarious late into the night,” Wallace says.

Reflection Range by London-based designer Kim Thome is a curious combination of semi-reflective glass mirrors and graphically bold pattern, resulting in the object's constantly shifting show of light and line.

The Aperture House, facing Moose Lake.

Rough-sawn plywood and standing-seam metal siding clad the house. “In cabins, we like to use undressed materials, which lend themselves to the simplicity of the structure,” says architect Tom Lenchek.

Originally meant as a Pakistani government building, Kahn's monumental design became the seat of the government of Bangladesh when the country split in two. It's as bold and commanding a symbol of young democracy as the world has ever seen; eight concrete modules envelop a center space cloaked in white marble, while the surrounding artificial lake provides natural cooling and a dramatic backdrop.

The clients intend to retire to the house. They asked that rooms be constructed flexibly on a non-domestic scale. This one, with an Eames lounge and floor-to-ceiling glass windows, frames a serene mountain vista like a painting.

Backless picnic-style benches stand in for chairs at the refinished Milwaukee Public Library table where the family eats their meals. The sofa and armchair are from Luminaire.

Large aluminum windows by Alumilex offer striking views while taking advantage of the sun’s orientation. In the summer, the leafy trees help shield the house from heat. During cooler months, sunlight filters through bare tree branches to flood the home with warmth and light.

This colorful floating home eschews maritime themes in favor of a clean and contemporary aesthetic. The interior pulls in views of Lake Union through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, USA-At just under 24 miles, this one goes deep into water world.Photo: Joe Shlabotnik

Another beautiful design from Haptic Lab and by Emily Fischer, the Great Lakes Quilt features light blue, poly-silk, hand-appliqued shapes against a navy background.

BDDW's Lake bureau is customizable in size, material, and finishes. This configuration has hand-carved ebony handles, a sturdy steel base, and oxidized maple front.

Natural wooden walls clad the dining room corner, while a marigold lantern hangs above.

“The transparency of the house is really quite wonderful,” says Grace Kim of the residence, now open to the lake view.

Reflection San Francisco, California Basile Kuo

Cedar slats mark the facade of the Worple's lakefront vacation home in Ontario.

The Basecamp Hotel, South Lake Tahoe Rooms from $125 The Basecamp Hotel, located in South Lake Tahoe, brings boutique-style accommodations to the Sierras. Inside, find a rustic vibe complemented by brightly hued furniture and vintage ephemera. Amenities include a rooftop hot tub, coffee and hot chocolate bar, and places to store ski gear.

A small box atop the home looks out onto a green roof, designed by local landscaping firm Toits Vertige.

Joussard, Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta, 2011

The house that Dake-Wells Architecture designed for Cory and Kerry Watts in the Ozarks in southwestern Missouri is defined by subtle nods to its lakeside setting, such as an elevated wooden plank that carries visitors over a bed of river rock to the north entrance.

A desk inside of the the hotel's spacious rooms.

“Our central challenge was to add a home to the forest without undermining nature,” architect Paul Bernier says. “We allowed the house’s function and relationship with its site to shape the design.”

The original design did not exploit the lower part of the house, so Carle added a bar and lounge area facing the lake at the ground level. He also installed water-based geothermal heating in the basement. “It allows the concrete floor to be heated and to generate most of the heating of the house, while a second smaller air pump assures a supplement of air on the ground floor and air conditioning for summer.”

The kitchen, the heart of the house, has a direct view of the adjacent lake. Quartz countertops are paired with lacquered MDF cabinets.

The skylight boxes are clad in lap-seam metal panels, which Wheeler describes as an economical material choice.

The knotty-grade tongue-and-groove cedar siding was an aesthetic touch as well as a cost-saving one, architect Mark Wheeler says. "Higher grades wtihout knots doubled the price," he says. In the end he and his team decided that the knots "fit the existing context more accurately."