Before: rear yard
This waterfront home was completely remodeled inside and out,” says McHale’s Sandra Moffatt, who spearheaded the project. She and her team transformed all exterior spaces—including the area beneath the new deck, which now boasts a sea-glass mosaic path bordered by plantings.
| Then | Now |
| The house and its landscape lacked character and interest. An underwhelming entry portico greeted visitors. A small second-floor deck on the back of the house was the only space from which to enjoy the water views. | A stylish portico topped with a balcony conveys a sense of arrival. In lieu of the small rear balcony, a new ipe deck overlooking the water wraps around the house and accesses the side yard via a curved, wrought-iron stair. |
| The under-utilized yard was empty of hardscaping, with no place to gather at ground level. | A stone garden wall defines a circular side patio of irregular Pennsylvania flagstone and crushed granite. An adjacent spa is surrounded by travertine. |
| There was no landscaping, either around the house or by the water. Invasive phragmites and baccharis dominated the shoreline. | Limelight hydrangea, hibiscus and astilbe bloom around the patio, while a mix of ornamental and native perennials and grasses now graces the shoreline. |
Landscape Design & Contracting: Sandra Moffatt, McHale Landscape Design, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.