Designing a home is akin to building a puzzle. When it’s all put together properly it can be a thing of intricate beauty. When developing a waterfront home there is an additional level of complexity that, when executed properly, can be magical. Views, outdoor spaces, outdoor rooms, prevailing winds, shading, and other details should combine to create a wonderful experience that incorporates the water as an amenity. Often what is really important to a successful waterfront home is what is not seen. These are the details that can be the most significant and enhance the quality of a waterfront experience.
Tips and Tricks
- Phantom screens should be used to allow waterfront breezes to infiltrate the home.
- Blur the lines between indoors and outdoors with folding, sliding or frameless glass walls.
- Maintain views all day long by specifying technology that uses the sun’s energy to tint windows, eliminating shades where possible.
- Where window tinting is not enough, use solar shades that diffuse light while preserving views
- Ensure prevailing winds will not allow smoke into the living areas by placing grills or firepits wisely.
- Provide outdoor access to a bath or changing room to keep wet feet and swimsuits out of the home.
- Pathways to the water should use stones set flush within the grass so mowers can move directly over them.
