RENOVATING OUR LAKE ARROWHEAD DOCK HOUSE

Hello and thank you for stopping in. Today I thought I’d take a break from sharing The House On Victoria Court and instead, tell you about another project we’ve been tackling. We’ve also been hard at work renovating our Lake Arrowhead dock house. So today I’d like to share with you the Before, During and After of our dock reno project.

The BEFORE

As you can see in the photo below, the paint on the landing was in disrepair, weeds had overgrown the beach, and I disliked the green and yellow paint. The only thing in good repair was the green canvas awning, which I decided to keep because to replace it would be a big, unnecessary expense.

The BEFORE

The gangplank was constructed of gray Trex and it was also in good shape.

The BEFORE

So by keeping the gray Trex and the green canvas awning I would be left with two colors I couldn’t change, Green & Gray, neither of which I would not have chosen. And I certainly would not have put those two colors together. But I was stuck with them. So, I decided I would paint every painted surface that was yellow or green pure white. That would mean my new color scheme would be Green, Gray & White. I couldn’t really visualize those 3 colors as a pleasing combo until I received the BEST birthday/dock warming gift from my really smart and creative son.

Look what he got me…

A set of melamine dishes with matching placemats made with those very colors: Green, Gray & White! All of a sudden I could see my dock renovation coming together. Those 3 colors really could work together!

All On Sale Now At Crate & Barrel

• Dahlia Melamine Salad Plates Crate & Barrel $20.97/4
• Lunea Melamine Dinner Plates Crate & Barrel $3.47 ea.
• Arbor Green Stripe Placemat Crate & Barrel $4.97 ea.
• Lunea Melamine Bowl Crate & Barrel $2.77 ea.

Our Lake Association does not allow owners to increase the size of their original dock houses so I was stuck with its current footprint. But I could increase the size of the small dock-house window and turn the door into a Dutch Door.

The BEFORE

So my talented carpenter did just that. I also had him add a small shelf so that when the window and Dutch doors were open we would have a little bar area.

The DURING

We painted the inside of the dock house white.

And despite the fact that the exterior had not yet been painted, I was anxious to get moved in. My husband assembled some wire shelving units to accommodate our dock house supplies.

Our home is not located on the lake, but rather a few blocks away on a hill above the lake. So, I consider my little dock house my “Lake House”. Really, it’s like a grownup Play House, a Doll House for big girls where I go to hangout and play. I like to entertain at the lake too, so I’ve stocked my little home-away-from-home with all the things necessary for BBQ’s and informal dinner parties. But, as you can see, it’s very rustic and is very much like camping. Nothing fancy.

But, getting back to the renovation…

I also had my gardener come down and clear our beach of all the overgrown weeds.

Beach BEFORE                                      Beach AFTER

And by the following week the exterior of the dock house had been painted, and we sanded and painted the landing gray to match the gray Trex gangplank and dock. I purchased a couple of white 24″ metal counter stools from Target. A set of 2 are currently on sale for $71.99, and they come in a variety of colors.

The AFTER

The wooden steps leading down to the gangplank got a coat of fresh gray paint as well.

All the handrails that used to be green were painted white.

We also decided to continue to use our existing teak furniture. But the cushions were old and needed new slipcovers.

After shopping around unsuccessfully for inexpensive outdoor fabric in the right color, I decided to sew new slipcovers using canvas painter’s drop-cloths. I purchased 2 for $26.98 each at Home Depot. I’ll admit, this material is not the easiest to sew with, as it frays terribly, which required me to zig-zag every piece of cut fabric.

But, after sewing my fingers to the bone for about a week I had successfully produced 9 slipcovers, costing me a total of about $54.00. Can’t beat that, even if they aren’t the most professional sewing job! 

Now all I need are some pretty throw pillows to complete the look.

We have since had 2 dinners on the dock. We began one of them with a cocktail cruise where I served my recipe for delicious grilled mini peppers stuffed with herb cheese. Have you tried this recipe yet? It’s a winner!

Next we hosted a little Birthday Dinner for our bestie Dave.

We are looking forward to a wonderful summer, enjoying Lake Arrowhead and our newly renovated little dock house. Maybe this week I’ll find time to clean up all those pine cones!

So there you have it: RENOVATING OUR LAKE ARROWHEAD DOCK HOUSE

You might also like: MY LIFE AT THE LAKE

Thanks so much for dropping in! 

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All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission. This post contains affiliate links which help to make this blog possible. Thanks for your support!