somehow cover the foundation and stain the whole thing a lighter color

Rebuild that deck- maybe something like this

Boathouse · More Info

The lake cabin has me thinking maybe I can wrap the existing posts to make them look more beefy and add some 45* braces... Thanks!

Looks like you have a siding issue and a deck issue to tackle.

The upper deck is a hodgepodge of railings. Two ideas :

1) You have vertical railing which provides for more view and then you have horizontal railing that blocks the view. Get rid of the horizontal railing and complete out the deck with vertical railing.

2) Get rid of the current wood railing and install an updated wire railing (first photo) or galvanized pipe (second photo). This will expand the view, 'unhide' the house and update the look.

Greenfield Elevated Deck and Pergola · More Info

Spencer Lake Cabin · More Info

For the lower part of the deck, suggest wrapping the lower deck beams to beef them up. This will add more appeal to the lower half of the house and then you could consider adding a patio with outside seating to expand access to the outside.

Two Level Covered Deck · More Info

For the siding, its muddy and needs a power wash and its two-tone, which breaks up the lines. Consider repainting the deck and deck siding in a light cedar semitransparent stain and painting the full body of the house in one semitransparent stain color.

And that metal fireplace venting.......its crying out to be painted in the same color as the roof.

The firewood should be stacked at least 30 feet from the house, preferably uphill, to reduce fire danger.

Anything you can do with the dirt slope would be a plus.

If you will be using this area as a potential entertaining yard, then you should make the deck more friendly & open up the area. Also move the wood pile. I love the idea of bulking up your lower deck beams. Add some patio furniture, maybe an outside fire pit. Plant some annuals now for color in the Spring.

Also noted is the hodgepodge of windows. Pane window on the upper and aluminum sliders on the lower. Suggest continuing the pane windows down to the lower for a consistent feel. The lower windows are crying for a change out.

I have never heard anywhere that firewood should be 30' from buildings, nor uphill. I did google around a bit to try to find that recommendation and came up with nothing. I have never seen any wood pile that far from a house, and I have never heard of a wood pile spontaneously combusting and causing a house fire. And just to add credibility to all those I statements, my dad is a retired logger and fire wood seller. I grew up in northern MN and spent a heck of a lot of time as a kid piling, delivering, and stacking wood both for our own use and for our customers.

That being said, the insect issue is an important one as is air flow. Certainly don't have your pile covered with a tarp if it's also covered by a roof.

Lindsey, it's not a question of the wood pile spontaneously combusting - it's about protecting your home in the event of a forest fire. I attended a lecture last year by a volunteer firefighter on the Gunflint Trail - there have been numerous forest fires in the BWCA. Keeping combustible away from the house is just one way to protect homes in the forest. Many homes around Gunflint Lake have sprinkler systems on their homes (spraying the outside, not the inside, like commercial buildings). He said they recommend a water supply and generator to run pumps for 2 days after you evacuate.


Forest home fire safety

I appreciate that a firefighter could have a more cautious approach. It's not necessarily practical though. There are so many other factors. Should someone also clear trees and brush at a distance of 30'? Have no landscaping with plantings and mulch next to the house? What about a garage or shed; those are combustible and also store combustible and explosive materials. They are certainly usually closer than 30' from a home. 30' radius is a huge area! A sprinkler system is a reasonable precaution as is a metal roof but there have to be some limits to the amount of anxiety we put ourselves through to mitigate risk.

The home pictured has trees and brush surrounding it, wood siding and porches, if it's going up in flames it isn't because of the wood pile.

The wood pile might not be a fire hazard but they sure do become snake pits and hideouts for spiders and scorpions. I will never have another wood pile after our last one that drew all scary creatures!

Fire Zone 1 extends up to 30 feet (or your property line, whichever is closer) from every structure on your property which calls for relocating woodpiles well away from your home. Keep the area under your deck or balcony free of combustible material. Never store your firewood under your deck.

I live in a rural part of Santa Clara County and our 5 acre property is regularly inspected by the State and we are subject to warnings and then fines if we don't clear up things that would make it impossible for the fire department to access the property, save lives and try to defend the house in the event of a fire.

Fuel to add to a fire under the house would earn us a warning and a fine if we didn't get with the program and clear the wood away.

Maybe the homeowner lives in a county with no budget for fire inspections or a viable fire department. No matter....HOMEOWNER, please move that wood pile.

You could have a multiple level deck so you don't see underneath the upper deck. Take the levels all the way to the ground with seating areas or planters maybe. I like the medium dark color since you are in a wooded area.