Timeless Craftsmanship on the Potomac
Overview
A custom new build situated on a premier waterfront lot, this residence presented a unique mandate: deliver the meticulous craftsmanship and enduring character of a large-scale Northern Virginia home in a remote coastal setting. Our team began with careful site engineering to ensure the foundation’s long-term performance against the Potomac’s dense shoreline soils. We then guided the client's vision toward a classic Craftsman aesthetic, featuring deep roof overhangs and rich trim details that anchor the home visually. Inside, discerning features like a custom spiral staircase and a seamless, screened outdoor living space create a luxurious, open layout designed for large-scale entertaining and maximizing waterfront views. This is an expertly coordinated build that stands as a lasting reflection of precise execution and sophisticated taste.
Project Overview
This project presented several unique challenges and opportunities.
Waterfront Lot
Located in Cole’s Point, Virginia, this new home was built on a vacant waterfront lot overlooking the Potomac River. The setting offered exceptional views, but the dense, compacted soils near the shoreline required careful engineering and preparation to ensure a stable foundation and long-term performance.
Distance and Scale
Constructing a large home well outside of our typical Northern Virginia working area added logistical complexity. Deliveries, subcontractor coordination, and scheduling required meticulous planning to maintain efficiency and quality. Despite the remote location, Horizon delivered the same precision and attention to detail found in our closer-to-home builds.
Design Solutions and Features
Craftsman Character
The clients envisioned a timeless Craftsman-style home that blended classic detailing with a waterfront lifestyle. We incorporated a stone veneer water table, deep roof overhangs, and rich trim details that anchor the home visually while harmonizing with its natural surroundings.
Spacious and Entertaining Layout
The interior features 10-foot ceilings and open living spaces designed for hosting large gatherings. A screened porch with automated Phantom screens extends the living area outdoors, creating a seamless connection to the waterfront views. Inside, a custom spiral staircase serves as a central design feature, connecting the home’s levels with both function and elegance.
Client Collaboration
The homeowners were deeply involved in every design decision—from the overall layout and exterior detailing to trim profiles, finishes, and fixtures. Horizon’s role was to bring their vision to life through precise execution, craftsmanship, and careful coordination across all phases of construction.
Final Impression
This Cole’s Point residence combines the craftsmanship and proportion typical of Northern Virginia architecture with the easy elegance of a waterfront retreat. The result is a spacious, finely detailed home—built to host gatherings, capture views, and serve as a lasting reflection of its owners’ taste and lifestyle.
We were mid-build with a contractor on a major sun room addition and unfortunately had nothing but problems. Issues included things like constantly missed deadline, people not showing up, shoddy workmanship, roof leaks and the site not being kept clean. We heard lots of promises and nothing but excuses. Worst of all the contractor had money problems, and, having front loaded milestone payments, was unable to procure a major set of windows for the project. To make matters worse the contractor lied about what the true situation was. At that point we fired the contractor and had to figure out how to pick up the pieces. Thank goodness a good realtor friend of ours recommended Mike and the Horizon Building team. They were the ultimate professionals and quickly got the situation under control. The difference between the two contractors was night and day. Mike gave a fair estimate and timeline and met every milestone in our contract. His team took care of all licensing and inspections and It became apparent that one of Mike’s competitive advantages was that he had a cadre of highly skilled craftsman that were loyal to him and outstanding performers based upon 30 years of working together. Every one of the important trades were fully licensed and highly skilled. Not only did Mike build a great addition but also fixed the many errors the previous contractor made, some of which were major issues. We are extremely happy with the final result and with the great business professionalism Mike and his team displayed. He made the whole process so easy. We would unequivocally recommend Horizon to any of our friends. After a great experience building our sun room addition in Annandale, VA with Mike and the team at Horizon, we contracted them to build a brand new 5,000 square foot custom home in Westmoreland County on the Potomac River featuring a spiral staircase, three car garage, full-width porch, a dock, and so much more. We couldn’t be happier with our experience with the Horizon team and are proud to have them as our go-to contractor for our custom home building needs.
Visit Other Homes
Don’t be shy—we’d love to show you around! Explore the homes we’ve built and see how we’ve brought families’ dreams to life.
Greenfield - Annandale Virginia
We crafted a truly personal retreat for our clients, blending thoughtful design with practical living—all on a single level. This custom home features carefully tailored spaces, abundant natural light, and quiet outdoor areas, offering the perfect sanctuary while honoring the unique character of its surroundings. The result is an inviting residence that feels both spacious and intimately connected to the landscape.
9th Street - Arlington Virginia
We built a modern and stylish new build for our customer's unique desires. This custom home combines sleek design with functional living spaces, making it the ideal place to call home while flaunting an attractive curb appeal.
Do You Have a Project in Mind?
Let us help you design your dream house.
