Ιnto the Woods

On the shores of Michigan, a family of five opts for authenticity over lakeside grandeur with a quiet vacation cabin to pass through generations.

- By Stephanie Hunt

First to-do item upon lake house arrival: Stack firewood. First rule for interiors: No coasters allowed. "If furniture couldn't handle a water ring, my clients didn't want it," says Amy Meier of California-based Amy Meier Design. First rule for site plan and building design: Keep all the trees and wherever possible, opt for off-kilter over square and plumb.

Oh, and for the husband, there was this other little "first": Buy property (before setting foot on it); tell wife later.

To be fair, the owners were familiar with the property before the husband surprised his wife with its purchase. "We have owned a small cabin a few lots over for 15 years," says the husband, whose career has entailed frequent moves for the couple and their three sons (they currently reside in Florida).

"The lake has been our one constant." The boys, now 18, 17, and 13, spend significantly less time on their phones, play capture the flag until midnight, and go fishing and boating. There's only one television, intentionally tucked out of the way. The husband and wife enjoy sunset floats on the lake with a glass of wine-which is what he was doing one evening when he looked up and noted this prime peninsula property with a great beach and "270-degree views of the lake," he says.