When you envision your dream lake home, chances are the view isn’t complete without a beautiful dock stretching out over the water. Whether it’s your launchpad for early morning kayaking, the ideal spot for afternoon sunbathing, or the perfect perch for sunset wine with friends, the dock is more than just a structure—it’s an extension of your home and lifestyle.
At Dotty Brothers Construction, we know the outdoor experience is just as important as your custom home’s interior. That’s why we’re sharing expert tips for creating the perfect dock to match your lakeside paradise.
Before you start choosing materials or mapping out walkways, think carefully about how you envision using your dock. Your lifestyle and lake activities should drive every design decision. Here are a few dock options:
If your idea of lake life centers around socializing, lounging in the sun, or hosting family gatherings, a platform dock (also known as a sundeck dock) is ideal. These docks offer large, stable areas perfect for:
They act almost like an outdoor living room, creating a welcoming hub right at the shoreline.
For homeowners who want quick and easy lake access without taking up too much waterfront space, a straight, narrow dock is a classic choice. These straightforward designs are perfect if your primary goal is:
When you need a little more flexibility, an L-shaped or T-shaped dock design offers more usable space without a large footprint. These configurations are great for:
This type of dock creates an enclosed slip for one or more boats, making it easier to protect and access watercraft. These are ideal if you’re a boating enthusiast and want:
On lakes with significant water level changes throughout the season, a floating dock might be your best option. Floating docks adjust to fluctuating water heights, so you always have a level, usable surface. They’re also relatively easy to install and remove seasonally, which is helpful for homeowners looking for flexibility and convenience.
When you match your dock design to your favorite activities and lifestyle, you create a lakeside space that feels as inviting and personalized as the rest of your custom home.
Just like your home, your dock should be built to last. Choose materials and finishes that resist UV rays, water damage, and mildew. Look for non-slip surfaces to keep things safe, especially when wet.
We recommend using materials that complement the finishes of your lake home and landscaping for a seamless visual flow from indoors to out. Pressure-treated lumber is traditional and cost-effective but requires regular maintenance. In contrast, composite decking offers a sleek look with low upkeep and great weather resistance, while aluminum framing ensures long-term strength (especially for floating docks).
And be sure to consider that ‘other season’—winter. Will you need to remove part of the dock? Should it be modular for easier seasonal care? A little planning now saves a lot of hassle later.
And don’t forget to check with the DNR and/or local municipalities to ensure compliance regarding dock sike, materials and placement.
Your dock is more than a utility—it’s a key part of your lakeside lifestyle. Whether it’s coffee with the loons or a jump into the water with the grandkids, those dockside moments are where memories are made.
Ready to dream bigger? At Dotty Brothers, we design and build lake homes where every detail—right down to the dock—is a reflection of your lifestyle, your land, and your legacy.
Let’s build your dream, from the shoreline in!
Your lake home isn’t just a house—it’s a retreat, a statement, and a lifestyle. Whether you’re perched along a peaceful shoreline or nestled in a forested cove, the landscaping around your lakefront property plays a major role in setting the tone.
When you’ve invested in a high-end custom home, the outdoor space should be just as breathtaking as the interior. Here are some landscaping ideas to take your dream home to the next level.
Bringing the Vision to Life
Custom homes like those built by Dotty Brothers deserve landscaping that matches their craftsmanship and character. Whether you’re designing from scratch or enhancing an existing property, working with a professional landscape designer ensures every detail complements your home’s architecture, your lifestyle, and the natural beauty of the lakefront.
Because at the end of the day, your lake home isn’t just about the view—it’s about how it feels to live there.
When you think about building your dream home, it’s easy to get hyper focused on the inside: the various rooms, potential layouts, surface finishes, interior design, all that good stuff. But spare some space in your imagination for the outdoors as well. Modern custom homes--especially here in the Brainerd Lakes Area--are as much about outdoor life as indoor, letting you be as comfortable living, cooking, dining, and entertaining outside as you are inside your home.
Planning for the outdoors spaces begins early in the design/build process, with the lot assessment. Broadly, this is the part of the process where we figure out where to place the home on the lot. We consider the views of and from the lot, where the sun will be during what parts of the year, the natural landscape of the lot, and the best practical spot to build. But this is also when we start planning for those outdoor spaces: patios, decks, and firepits, for sure. But also outdoor living rooms, places for a TV or other entertainment, an outdoor kitchen, maybe even a pizza oven.
The same way kitchens have come to be the center of home design, lifestyle, and entertainment, outdoor kitchens are taking a similar role outside of the house. These kitchens can be created in a wide range. They can be somewhat humble and modular, maybe a grill and a smoker with some tables between them for prep and staging. But they can also be full-on kitchens, with a sink, ovens, built-in chopping block--basically just as elaborate as an indoor kitchen, but al fresco. Even pizza ovens, which used to be expensive luxury items, can be replaced by a smaller, propane-fueled version. But there is something showstopping and remarkable about a large, Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza oven, and once you get it started you can crank pies out like a pro.
You can’t go wrong with a cozy patio, a deck with an amazing view, or both. These are outdoor living spaces that can really showcase your lot and its natural beauty. We regularly build dream homes on any of the wonderful lakes in the Brainerd Lakes Area, so it makes sense to showcase the lake. No matter what, you want to have plenty of places to sit. This can range from a bunch of outdoor furniture to something as simple and easy as a section of tree trunk that serves as a stool. For low decks that don’t require a railing, a bench that runs continuously along the outer edge can accommodate a whole bunch of people while still blending perfectly into the deck itself.
Patios and decks are often centered around a focal point, and it seems like nine times out of ten that focal point is fire of some kind. This could be a built-in firepit surrounded by durable adirondack chairs, a free-standing fireplace that anchors a corner of the deck, a field-stone statement fireplace ready for a mountain lodge, or anything you can imagine. But there’s nothing quite like sitting with friends and family around a fire while the stars come out on a warm summer night.
It’s worth thinking about outdoor spaces that aren’t strictly a part of the house, too. A stand-alone pergola or gazebo can be a great solution when you have several great views and want to embrace them all. For instance, you might want your home and deck to be up on elevation, and a patio nearby for dining, snacks, drinks, and access to the house. But if you have a great spot that overlooks the lake, and is much closer to it, a separate pergola or gazebo might be a great solution. Including mosquito netting in the design will help keep Minnesota’s state bird away, too.
Do you want to host movie nights without giving up the fresh air? The right mix of AV equipment can make for magical gatherings outside. This can be a space designed to accommodate a big screen for a projector, or a place to hang or set a TV. There are outdoor TVs made to stand up to being outside, but given how much lighter TVs are than they used to be, the easier method might just be to designate a place to mount or set the TV in your outdoor living space, with enough seating for your watch party. Given Minnesota’s usually frigid winters, moving the TV in for the season is probably going to extend its life, even if it’s in a sheltered location.
Minnesota’s lakes, landscapes, and seasons offer beautiful surroundings. Your custom dream home should work so you can find the same enjoyment outdoors as you do indoors. Dotty Brothers can help you get the most out of your home and your lot. Contact us to get the design/build process started on your dream home.
