Photos by Laurie Edwards

Charlotte and Harald Collonia

Harald and Charlotte Collonia's 2,500-square-foot dock near R28 was designed to match their Beechwood Shores house.

The Collonia's dock is entirely shaded except for a small area with a grill near the cabana.

The shade provides for seating at two tables and the cabana bar for large groups.

For the first time in their lives, Harald and Charlotte Collonia are living the easy life. The German couple moved to the United States in 1991 and became naturalized about 10 years ago. For most of their time in the States, they lived and toiled on a 100-plus-acre property in Concord.

"We had to be out there every Saturday," said Harald.

There was the mowing, the bushhogging, not to mention having to repaint the fence along the river every few years.

So when they moved to Beechwood Shores in September, they were determined to relax. Because the house was dockless, they hired Michael Dillon Custom Docks to build one, and went full-tilt with composite materials.

"We spent rather a little bit more and have it right and maintenance-free because we didn't want to be slaves to it," said Harald.

The only part of the dock that will require any future elbow grease is the pilings, which are painted white. Every few years, they'll have to be repainted, but the Collonias have entertained the idea of having them enclosed with maintenance-free columns.

The 2,500-square-foot dock features Monarch railings, Evergrain flooring and SmartLab siding. When the Collonias are on their dock, they're enjoying it, not working on it.

Charlotte said one of their favorite things to do is to sit and watch the boats go by.

"I just almost wait for them," she said. "I love it."

Charlotte doesn't have to wait long. Their dock is located at R28, about 3,000 feet from Hales Ford Bridge. Boats pass their dock constantly. Occasionally, the Collonias see conservation police officers from Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries pull over boaters for infarctions.

The proximity to the bridge also puts them close to Bridgewater Plaza, a hub of activity during the summer with tourists and locals congregating and live music floating across the lake a few times a week from Mango's Bar & Grill.

"It's just far enough away that we hear it a little bit," said Charlotte. "Every night, there's so much life, you never feel lonely."

Harald said they enjoy the noise of boats and personal watercraft roaring by, children screaming aboard inflatables and boaters laughing as they enjoy a day on the water.

"All the sounds here are never annoying," he said. "They're just full of life."

Charlotte said it's a far cry from the sounds they heard on their farm in Concord. Four-wheeler engines roaring and hunters shooting wild game made her uneasy because she feared an accident.

The Collonias stir up a little noise themselves with family and friends almost every weekend while sitting on the dock enjoying a cookout. Harald cooks steaks, chicken and bratwurst on the dock's grill, which sits in the only unshaded part of the dock by the cabana. Guests enjoy food from the cabana's bar stools or one of two tables.

Harald said their guests, and even passing boaters, have heaped praise on the dock's design. Its beauty is in the simplicity of the design and the combination of mellow taupe and striking white.

The colors match the house, as does a half window on the south-facing side of the dock. Mirroring the window design was Charlotte's brainchild. She enjoys architecture and design, and one day pointed the window out to Michael Dillon.

"I showed him this part of the house and I said: I just want to have that," said Charlotte. "It's just really nicely matching it."

The Collonias said they entertained offers from three dock-building companies before deciding on Michael Dillon Custom Docks.

"What impressed us most about Michael Dillon was he was more of a craftsman," said Harald. "Michael and Reba Dillon, they are just two people that really take pride in what they do."

The Collonias watched the dock being built every morning from their Florida room while eating breakfast. They said they're pleased with the end result.

"We use it every day," said Charlotte. "We just love the atmosphere of being on vacation every day."