Can you post photos of the area?

How about you throw some photos our way?? It's pretty hard making suggestions in a vacuum.

Sorry about that. i just added 3.

Hard to suggest anything without a better idea of the entire lakefront property and where the house is situated...

Why not extend a wooden/TREX deck back from the water vs. a concrete strip. It could be a nice big square. Then, you could have steps down and a short path to a lower paver patio with your furniture and fire pit, etc. Then, I would add a landscape boulder or two in the transition area, perhaps some River Rocks contained in an edged bed, and some low shrubs, perennials, etc. Think of ways to bring the water to your house (which is behind you, I assume?). What is its landscaping like? How do you get from one space to the other? A path, paving stones, etc.? Perhaps show the back of your home so that people can see how the two areas relate, Melissa.