LittleJohn Island Tower House Yarmouth, ME

It’s not every day an architectural designer creates a home for himself or his family, but that is exactly what Joe Waltman, of Waltman Architectural Design, did with the Littlejohn Tower House in Yarmouth, Maine. Decades ago, he bought the narrow lot on the island, the same year his daughter was born, in 1981. Then, he and his wife waited for another lot to open up or perhaps the set back codes to change.

In the early 2000s the set back rules did change, and suddenly, there was more room to build the cottage that Waltman had imagined. He started drawing up what is part English Shaker cottage and part Alpine cabin on the treed lot. The project had its challenges, of course, and the first was the footprint. Waltman had to figure out how to create a home that didn’t feel out of scale or proportion for the island environment. He designed the Tower House to maximize every single physical dimension, creating an open space with grand views in every direction.

All throughout his career Waltman has designed homes across the country, but he is perhaps best known for his coastal cottages. Each dwelling is superbly and uniquely designed on axis points to give natural flow and open sightlines for various focal points such as a fireplace, staircase, entryway or windowscape.

Waltman expertly applied taller vistas and wide windows to create a balanced and open feel that is so desirable in today’s spaces. He stacked large casements to accentuate the height of the home using various trim and mulls adding visual strength to the interior design.

The second issue that Waltman tackled was the brutal sea air that pounds coastline structures, quickly deteriorating everything but the highest quality materials. He looked to Weather Shield® Windows and Doors for not only the quality of their products and the style he needed, but also for the service they could provide throughout his project.

The Solution

The great success of the property’s appeal can be found in the 70-plus windows placed symmetrically and artfully around the home. Walking to the front door, the Weather Shield® special shape oval windows are a nod to the seaside style that is so popular in the area.

The Signature Series® Casement Windows were chosen for their quality of course because nothing is tougher on buildings than the northeastern sea climate. With energy efficiency and excellent thermal performance, the Signature Series® aluminum clad wood windows are built to withstand the Maine weather extremes. Ask Waltman his primary reasons for selecting these windows and doors and he will tell you that it is because he could create the exact design he desired in the exact location he needed. He wanted beautiful wood windows where the consistency of the interior frames and mullions created views no one could forget.

Weather Shield® windows and doors offer so many options in functionality, style, and color. There are limitless combinations to create truly individualized spaces and views. For example, Waltman commented about how much he loves the Push out Casement windows that open without a center stationary mullion blocking the view.

In another example, the Gothic-style arched windows soar to the top of the tower itself. Each window was designed with a certain slope that fits the particularly steep roofline. These Premium Series® Windows feature a simulated sash so that the Gothic windows match the other window sash in the tower. Simulated sash windows are another reason that Waltman specifies Weather Shield® Windows and Doors over and over again.

One of the most incredible features of the Tower House is at the top of the Bavarian staircase. On either side of the landing, there are large twin windows that frame the north view to one side and the south view to the other side. This brilliant idea made the tapered roofline open to stunning landscapes of the treetops beyond.

These casements were specified with pine interiors. They were factory finished in a Fruitwood stain and sealed to match the staircase area with the living room, dining room and front entryway windows and doors.

Weather Shield’s® continuous product improvement means that the Waltman Littlejohn Tower House windows and doors will last longer because of their Tricor™ Frame Technology. In addition to low maintenance, the Signature and Premium Series® Windows are ENERGY STAR® rated.

More than ever, window and door designs are creating a lifestyle and emotional ambiance for properties, and with Weather Shield®, quality and innovation are a part of the view.

Weather Shield Products Used in the Home

Premium Series Windows & Doors

Signature Series Windows & Door

About Waltman Architectural Design

Joseph Waltman started his own firm over a decade ago after his architectural design clients asked him not only to design their homes, but also build them as well. Waltman Architectural Design is a full service firm specializing in design, consultation and construction. Known for his coastal cottage residential projects, Waltman works out of his Yarmouth, Maine office.