Home & Design

Ask the Pros Architecture What guidance can you give homeowners on how to select windows and doors for a waterfront home? 

Selecting exterior doors and windows is an important decision a homeowner has to make, and choosing solely based on price is a recipe for disaster. First, look for a manufacturer with a minimum 20-year track record. If you need a part 15 years from now, you want to be able to call them up and say, “This handle broke.”

Also, check the DP (design pressure) rating and material. We do work in the Outer Banks, where windows have to be rated for hurricane-force winds. We don’t need to meet those codes up here, but if the wind blows at 70 miles per hour during a storm, it’s nice to know your windows are not going to leak.

Not all windows are created equal. Vinyl windows are not the best application for waterfront homes; fiberglass and composite are the minima you should use. Vinyl-clad and aluminum-clad wood are the best choices. —David Miles, AIA, NCARB, The Drawing Board, Annapolis, Maryland. 

Ask the Pros Landscape Design What advice can you offer homeowners who are embarking on a landscaping project on the water? 

When beginning a landscape project on the water, homeowners should take into account the plant material in the surrounding area, changes in elevation and, of course, sight lines to the water. The natural beauty of a water view is the main reason most people buy a waterfront home, so it’s crucial that the landscape plan should embrace those views.

Selecting plants that have a history of doing well on the property and surrounding properties is always a wise choice, as these plants will be most likely to thrive without difficulty. While choosing your plantings, it’s important to keep in mind elevation changes and sight lines to ensure that none of your plants will end up blocking your water views once they mature. —Jeff Crandell, Scapes, Inc., Lothian, Maryland

HOME&DESIGN, published bi-monthly by Homestyles Media Inc., is the premier magazine of architecture and fine interiors for the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia region.

The company also publishes an annual H&D Sourcebook of ideas and resources for homeowners and professionals alike. H&D Chesapeake Views is published bi-annually and showcases fine home design and luxury living in and around the Chesapeake Bay.

The H&D Portfolio of 100 Top Designers spotlights the superior work of selected architects, interior designers and landscape architects in major regions of the US.

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