Some time ago on Remodelista, we took a tour of A Low-Maintenance Lake House on Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula, a new-build project by two Mainers: Jocelyn O. Dickson Architecture and Heidi LaChapelle Interiors. Today we’re zeroing in on the outdoor living spaces—the wide cedar deck and custom outdoor kitchen—designed by Jocie for one of the homeowners, an avid cook. Here’s a breakdown of the elements (and where to find lookalikes).
Photography by Marta Xochilt Perez.
![The house is clad in shou sugi ban and nestled beside a small lake. “The lot is extremely long and narrow,\2\2\1; says Jocie, \2\20;and the building site was only possible thanks to a variance granted by the town, which allowed us to build up to about 40 feet from the lake (typically the setback is 75 feet). So this made for a very special condition: to be literally right on the lake.”](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/jocelyn-dickson-michigan-project-exterior-2-marta-xochilt-perez-733x489.jpg)
The homeowners worked with a close friend, a landscape designer, to create a “minimal and low-maintenance” planting plan, says Jocie. “Because of our proximity to the lake, we were limited with our hardscape and plantings on the water side of the house, so this area was left mostly natural.” A wide cedar deck along one side of the house creates multiple outdoor living spaces: a lounge area, an outdoor kitchen and dining area, and a fire pit. Fortunately, Jocie notes, the deck was completed before the price of cedar skyrocketed during the pandemic.
![The custom outdoor kitchen was designed by Jocie and built by Shugart Builders.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/jocelyn-dickson-michigan-outdoor-kitchen-marta-perez-733x489.jpg)
Furnishings
![The outdoor table, ideal for summer meals by the lake, is Hay\2\17;s Palissade Dining Table and Chairs Set in Olive (\$3,445).](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/palissade-dining-table-and-chairs-set-hay-733x488.jpg)
![The concrete counters and shelves were custom-designed by Jocie, but Netherlands-based WWOO Outdoor Kitchens offers customizable designs of their own. Shop their Concrete Outdoor Kitchens department for more. Photograph by Matthew Williams from Gardenista: The Definitive Guide to Stylish Outdoor Spaces from Steal This Look: The Ultimate Summery Outdoor Kitchen.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/wwoo-amsterdam-outdoor-kitchen-matthew-williams-1-733x933.jpg)
Appliances
![The Blaze Prelude LBM \25-Inch Three-Burner Built-In Propane Gas Grill is a close lookalike (\$\1,359.99).](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/blaze-prelude-lbm-25-inch-three-burner-built-in-grill-733x489.jpg)
![Big Green Eggs come in a variety of sizes, though the Large (\$\1,\100) is the most popular and can cook up to eight steaks or \1\2 burgers at once.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/big-green-egg-733x489.jpg)
Lighting
![The prep space is flanked by two Thorburn Wide Wall Sconces from Rejuvenation (\$489 each).](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/thoburn-wide-wall-sconce-733x489.jpg)
Accessories
![The Brice Medium Planter is \$99 from Rejuvenation.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/brice-medium-planter-rejuvenation-733x489.jpg)
![DeVOL\2\17;s Iron Hook Rack, \$\153, is suitable for hanging gardening tools and kitchen essentials alike.](https://media.gardenista.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/devol-iron-hook-rack-733x517.jpg)
For more Steal This Look posts, see:
- Steal This Look: A Small Container Garden Balcony in San Francisco
- Steal This Look: An Artful and Eclectic San Francisco Garden
- Steal This Look: Summery Curb Appeal in Martha’s Vineyard
- Steal This Look: A Big Green Egg, at Home in an English Garden
N.B.: This post has been updated with new prices, products, and links. It was first published April 2022.
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