The weather in the Washington, DC area has been absolutely beautiful, so it's the perfect time to enjoy an outdoor fireplace!

Curious about your own outdoor oasis? Call East Coast Landscape Design to learn what we can do to accentuate the landscaping at your home!      

Spring is on it's way back to the Washington, DC metro area, meaning your outdoor kitchen is ready to be used again! Perfect for entertaining guests or spending time with family, an outdoor kitchen allows you to conveniently enjoy the outdoors.

At East Coast Landscape Design we have one goal: making our clients’ outdoor spaces beautiful and functional.

Whether you're interested in creating a sophisticated landscape, a peaceful outdoor space, a garden bursting with color, or you simply want to update your existing outdoor space, call East Coast Landscape Design (301) 421-4141. We invite you to browse our portfolios featuring landscape design, hardscapes, and water features. When you're ready to learn more about us, we can provide you with an estimate and references.

Changing the front elevation of a home in Bethesda and installing Eagle replacement windows makes a huge difference to a home in Bethesda, MD. 

Its not too difficult to imagine summer temperatures with winter and the drizzley, damp and chilling freeze during the winters in Washington, DC.  Working from October through March allows for swimming when the warm temperatures of spring and summer arrive.  In this project, Natelli Homes installed a kidney-shaped pool, with a screened porch, a great room with vaulted ceilings and kitchen space for summer outings.  We used JeldWen SiteLine clad windows and slate roofing to match the original custom home that was also built by Natelli.

Porch & Lanai in Potomac

Adding a covered porch with dining space, kitchen, full bathroom and laundry area makes for complete summertime enjoyment around a pool.  A storage room adds a convenient location to keep the furniture off-season. This simple addition in Potomac adds lifestyle as well as architecture to the back of the home.

For more information, visit Natelli Homes.

Changing a home from old Andersen windows to new energy-efficient Eagle windows makes a huge difference to a home in Rockville, MD. Removing the aluminum siding and installing HardiePlank lap siding by James Hardie combined with the Eagle window replacements makes an even larger energy tranformation for the homeowner.  After removing the old aluminum siding, Natelli installed Tyvek house wrap and Vikor window flashing making for a weaterproof and long-lasting installation.  It is easy to justify investing in energy efficient renovations with new windows, Tyvek house wrap and long-lasting HardiePlank siding.

 

Climate change has created the need to adjust the plant zone hardiness map for the DC area. Click here for a recent Washington Post article to learn more..

Visit Johnson's Landscaping has provided the highest quality landscape design and service to Northwest D.C., Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Kensington, Silver Spring, Rockville, Potomac, and Olney since 1960. Call us at 301-740-8850 to learn more!

Don’t wait for Spring to enjoy the Cherry Blossoms. You can see Cherry Autumnalis blooming now in the DC and Montgomery County area! Check out this link for more information…… http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/st518

Need more information about planting or landscaping? Call the experts at Johnson’s Landscaping, Inc at 301-740-8850 to start planning your new landscape in Northwest, Washington, DC and Montgomery County, MD!

By now everyone has done their winter heating maintenance and cleaned or replaced their furnace filters. But do you know that one of the biggest impacts on your comfort at home is not the temperature of the air but the level of humidity in the air? Experts tell us that relative humidity levels inside your home during the winter months should be kept between 30% and 40%. Maintaining winter humidity levels within that range will make the inside air feel warmer, can reduce dry, itchy skin and static shocks and will lessen the damaging effect of excessively dry air on hardwood floors, wood furniture and interior wood trim.

Many modern heating and cooling systems include a built in humidifier. It is important to keep this part of the system properly maintained. Maintenance should occur at the beginning of the heating season since that is when it is most needed and used. There are two major types of built-in humidifiers, power humidifiers and steam humidifiers. Both types require maintenance. Power humidifiers have an internal fabric element that water runs over and a fan that atomizes the water and pushes it into the air as it is flows through the ductwork. The humidifier element in a power humidifier should be replaced at the beginning of the heating system and depending on the quality of the water, again half way through the season. Steam humidifiers heat water to create steam that is introduced to air in the ducts. Steam humidifiers have a water filter that should be replaced one or two times per season, again depending on the quality of the water.

You can search on-line for do-it-yourself replacement elements and filters by looking up the manufacturer and model number on your humidifier. Even better, have your heating and cooling service mechanic replace the element or filter during their regular checkups.

If your built-in humidifier was installed more than five years ago, it’s a good idea to trace the copper water supply line back to where the water valve is. Some older water valves are of a type known as a saddle valve and are prone to leaking and clogging. You can tell a saddle valve by the style of handle it has and that it will be clamped around a water pipe. A saddle valve will have a small “T” shaped handle that will take several rotations to fully open or close. If this valve is fully open and your humidifier does not seem to be getting enough water or if the supply valve is leaking, you should have a plumber replace the valve with a new “gate” type valve.

Stay warm and comfortable all winter long by maintaining the indoor air humidity level and the humidifier that does that job.

At Visnic Homes we care about the continuing care of your home. If you have questions about anything else, feel free to ask. You can like our Facebook Page - Visnic Homes to stay up on our latest tips!

This heavily wooded custom home lot in Bethesda Maryland needed several trees to be removed.  Patrick Musser Tree Service did a great job and managed a clean and safe site within a residential neighborhood   http://youtu.be/79z9d7RvuD4

We know our customers are faced with a variety of choices in the Maryland and Washington, DC regions. This is why it’s important that customers look for home improvement companies with good reputations, backed by a commitment to deliver the best products and service possible. At Hammer and Nail Exteriors, we’ve been around for a while – 50 years. Our family started this business back in 1954, and ever since we’ve been known as the go-to window, door and home exterior experts. As a matter of fact, we’ve had more positive reviews (check our Angies’s List ratings) and serviced more customers in the Washington, DC area than any other exterior home remodeling company in the region.

Our Here-to-Help Promise is just one example of our commitment to making our customers happy. When you work with Hammer and Nail Exteriors, you can rest assured that we have quality assurance processes in place to ensure our customers are completely satisfied with their new windows, doors, siding and gutters. 

How are we Here-to-Help?

• Right Look. Right Budget.We offer an extensive line of preferred products to choose from to meet your personal style and individual budget. With more choices, you don’t have to compromise service or value.  Get what you want, for the price you want.

• Pro Know-How – Our service and professional standards exceed expectations and are backed by expertly trained design consultants and product installation specialists. 

• Hassle-Free – We believe great service and superior products are what sell us. So we don’t believe in hard sells. We take pride in the fact that we don’t engage in a hard sell sales process. It simply doesn’t meet our standard of professionalism. Our customers are busy, so we’ve created our entire business around making it easy for you. Enjoy a no-hassle experience and more confidence in knowing we are always here-to-help.

• Final Finish Check – After every installation, our team returns to your home to do a complete walkthrough to make sure everything was done right and that the product meets your expectations. This is one final check to make sure you’re completely satisfied

• Lifetime Limited Installation Warranty – Enjoy extra protection for your peace of mind. We work hard to make sure your project is done right, and if it’s not right, we’ll fix it. 

When you’re choosing a company to work on your home, consider their commitment to you, their quality of work and the performance of the products they carry.  With Marvin Windows and Doors, ProVia doors, James Hardie siding and WataGutter gutter systems, we offer the best set of exterior solutions. We’re happy to say we’re always here-to-help and we have more products to choose from.

Visit Natelli Homes for more information about architectural design and custom homes.

Read the following story in the Washington Post about the life of the legendary and local landscape architect, Wolfgang Oehme, who died December 15, 2011 in Towson, MD. His work inspired many.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/wolfgang-oehme-innovative-landscape-architect-dies-at-81/2011/12/16/gIQA9ssv2O_story.html

Original post from the Johnson's Lanscaping, Inc. blog.

Sam Nelson of Johnson’s Landscaping Service was called to help a local homeowner for the “House Calls” feature of The Washington Post Home & Garden section.

The homeowner said, "We'd like to use landscaping that will help minimize our end-of-season cleanup. It's been unbearable!"

Sam provided some tips, as well as a beautiful new design, for this homeowner! Some of Sam’s tips included:

Install a flagstone patio. Overestimate its size because when entertaining, people and seating will take up space. Also, this will cut down on the amount of grass to mow.

Add a low stone wall around the maple tree. This creates a raised, shaded flower bed; its ledge can be used as extra seating. To view Sam’s design and the rest of the tips provided from Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc., click here.

Johnson’s Landscaping Service has been serving the greater Washington, DC area since 1960, providing quality service to the communities of Northwest D.C., Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Kensington, Silver Spring, Rockville, Potomac, and Olney.

East Coast Landscape Design’s team of plant and hardscape installation professionals has brought beauty and functionality to neighborhoods in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C. for almost 30 years. We specialize in all aspects of landscape design and planting, including perennials, theme gardens, water gardens, water features and yards bursting with color. We will work with you to develop a plan that fits your dream and your budget.
Landscaping’s nicest, most honest landscapers transformed this home in Gaithersburg, Maryland
“Just wanted to let tell you how incredibly pleased we are with the landscaping you have done for us... We are proudly displaying your sign out front and received numerous compliments from our neighbors... We are enjoying watching everything grown and how much you have changed the curb appeal of our home!” Clients in Gaithersburg, Maryland

Our design and installation service has one goal in mind – making our clients’ outdoor spaces beautiful and functional. Whether you're interested in creating a sophisticated landscape, a peaceful outdoor space, a garden bursting with color, or you simply want to update your existing outdoor space, call East Coast Landscape Design (301) 421-4141. We invite you to browse our portfolios featuring landscape design, hardscapes, and water features. When you're ready to learn more about us, we can provide you with an estimate and references.