5 Keys to Enjoying the Coastal Breeze, Views and Easy Living

 

Sweeping vistas of the horizon, inspiring ocean sunrises, light-filled rooms and the intoxicating aroma of salt air. New Englanders love their coastal homes and whether that means a condo on the harbor, cottage on a cove or beachfront shingle-style home, selecting appropriate windows and doors is key to creating the lifestyle you imagine and providing a seamless connection with the magnificent water views beyond your walls. With so many great coastal window and door options today, New Englanders can have that west coast feel of living outside year-round.

It’s inspiring to look at magazines, Pinterest and Houzz, and see walls of glass overlooking the dramatic beauty of waves that meet a watercolor sky. Who wouldn’t delight in that open, uninterrupted vista? Here are some tips on how to achieve the look you imagine while protecting your biggest asset, your home.

 

Consider This Before Your Design Professional Starts Your Plan

According to Vin Andrews, a Marvin Coastal Window and Door Expert in New England, one of the first things you should do is talk to your architect or design/build professional about any codes or restrictions existing in the town where you are building a new home or remodeling an existing one. While some regulations are easing in certain states, some locations still require you to use windows and doors that pass impact ratings, meaning they can withstand flying debris during a storm. In addition to investigating town regulations, you are also wise to advise your insurance company of any new home building or major renovations along the coast. Some insurance companies have stricter requirements than the local building inspectors, so you’ll want to know that up front before you plan construction that impacts your insurance. This is less likely on replacement windows going into existing window openings in your current property, however, may be a consideration with any new construction or additions.

Good to know: Marvin offers an entire portfolio of windows and doors to address coastal building requirements.

 

Create a Big Expanse of Glass to Frame Your Coastal View

One of the most popular coastal living trends is evident in two words: more glass. Imagine sipping your morning coffee and glancing up from your kitchen counter to see the orange-pink glow of the sun rising on the horizon. You can take in the scene from the relaxation of your great room, as the entire back wall of your home is glass. This glass not only provides a breathtaking view, it slides aside effortlessly to allow you to feel the warm morning breeze.

You no longer need to sacrifice beauty for performance. There are now many options that meet coastal requirements when it comes to “big glass.” Think about how you want your room to feel, the quality of light you’re inviting into your home and how you want to connect your indoor and outdoor spaces. There are sliding, swinging and bi-fold doors on the market with glass to help you achieve that spectacular seamless transition between your comfortable interior and the fresh coastal breezes beyond.

Barry Sturgis, another long-time Marvin Coastal Windows and Doors Expert in New England loves the Marvin Ultimate Multi-Slide Doors for their ability to achieve the look that so many homeowners on the coast crave. With this option, you can actually create up to a 56-foot-wide sliding glass wall, install a sill with proper drainage that is flush to the floor and enjoy a smooth easy slide of your expansive door.

Good to know: Marvin’s Ultimate Multi-Slide Doors can even be equipped with the Marvin Lock Status Sensor that is ready for wired or wireless connectivity in your smart home automation system.

 

Never Sacrifice Energy Efficiency

You crave that magnificent view, but you don’t want your heating and cooling bills to go through the roof, right? While it seems to defy logic, there are beautiful window and door options engineered for both coastal performance and superior energy efficiency. According to Sturgis, you can choose from thousands of dual-pane and triple-pane Marvin products and couple them with options that help you achieve optimal energy efficiency. In fact, Marvin’s Ultimate Bi-Fold, Multi-Slide, Sliding and Swinging French Doors are all energy certified and still offer that spectacular connection to coastal living when open or closed.

Good to know: Marvin offers more than 150,000 Energy Star-qualified options that help homeowners keep heating and cooling costs low, many of which are perfect on the seacoast.

 

Achieve Uncomplicated, Easy Coastal Living

While sun, salt, humidity and temperature changes inevitably impact your windows, doors, and hardware along the coast, you can easily make selections that are proven to stand up to these elements over a lifetime. Marvin has researched and curated the highest quality materials and finishes to resist fading, discoloration and deterioration along the Northeast coast. According to Andrews, when you select the right materials for coastal living, you can feel confident in enjoying them for a very long time.

Easy living also means low maintenance. Sturgis likes to think of coastal windows and doors as you would a fine automobile. If you park an expensive car at your coastal home, you will want to care for it to lessen the impact of sun, salt air, and humidity. It’s the same with your windows and doors. They are part of one of your largest investments, so you’ll want them to have a superior paint finish to provide the first line of defense. Then you will want to wash them one or two times each year to remove salt deposits and dirt. This will maximize the look and performance of your coastal windows and doors for a long time and preserve your home’s beauty and value.

Good to know: Coastal window and door maintenance is sometimes done by the homeowner and often done by maintenance companies. Either way, there are many products on the market, like Salt-Away, that help break down any salt crystallization that might have a corrosive effect on your windows and doors.

 

Explore. Select. Enjoy.

Above all, coastal building experts agree that this is not the place to skimp on the budget when building or remodeling near the coast. Windows and doors are not only an exciting design element but also a key ingredient in protecting your home, making it energy efficient and enjoying the lifestyle that you imagine for you and your family. Research, planning and educated investment upfront will pay off for years to come in beauty, low-maintenance and joyful living.

Explore coastal window options by visiting online at Marvin.com, making an appointment at the country’s first Marvin Experience Center right in Boston Seaport or by finding your nearest Marvin retailer.