The Trim Detail That Helps One Architect Create Truly Timeless Waterfront Retreats

Architect Jim Smiros is no stranger to designing for coastal climates. With a professional career spanning three decades, he has designed custom homes for clients locally and abroad—from the Hamptons to South Florida, and beyond. Whether traditional or contemporary, Smiros’ approach to designing timeless homes begins with balance and proportion. "There are certain architectural rules that apply throughout history," he says. "If you apply the proportion and rhythm of classical architecture to modern work, it becomes much stronger because of it."

With a studio based in Glen Cove, New York, the regional context and rich architectural history of the Gold Coast have a strong hand in the form and detailing of Smiros’ own coastal homes—especially in new construction. "You want a project to feel rooted in its place, like it truly belongs," he shares. For a recently completed residence in Lloyd Harbor, New York, the team at Smiros & Smiros Architects built a sprawling shingle-style home to take advantage of the site and views. "We wanted the house to feel as though it dates to the 1920s," he says. "You approach the house at the end of a long road, and it feels like it was the original house on the water."

One of the keys to designing a traditional, regionally-sensitive home, is the mastery of intricate and elegant ornamentation at the facade. Shingle-style homes, like the Lloyd Harbor residence, represent a historically coastal style born out of the New England area. The shingle roof, which wraps around the entire house, "is really treated like a skin," says Smiros. "It’s these wonderful folded planes that look like one large unit," he explains. "It almost looks like origami."

Complementing the signature shingle walls and roof, intricate white trim accents the facade’s architectural features—a crucial component Smiros relies on from AZEK Exteriors to execute his ornate designs. "Most of these shingle-style homes are going to have this white skeletal system," says Smiros. "The shingle is that skin that hangs on that skeletal system—the skeletal system is the AZEK." Historically, the trim would have been rendered in wood, which presents practical challenges in coastal climates. "Many of these homes are seaside," Smiros says. "The problem with that was that the wood would deteriorate." AZEK trim offered Smiros a way to replicate the look of real wood with custom forms and intricate details, while outperforming natural wood in durability and watertightness. "We were able to shape and really mimic wood, but do it in a way that is largely maintenance-free," he says. "It’s given us the ability to really maintain authentic original details, but do it in a way that is user-friendly."

Smiros now incorporates AZEK into the architectural trim on his traditional coastal projects—from beams to window frames; fascias to frieze boards. Its versatility caught Smiros’ attention when he was in search of a durable, rot-free alternative to wood that would also meet the architectural needs of his intricate designs. "Our projects utilize moldings and shaped elements to define its character," says Jim Smiros. "When it became possible to form and shape them, it gave us what we needed to execute those details more reliably," he adds of AZEK trim, which can be heat formed to create curved profiles. "Looking back, it has consistently given us the flexibility and reliability we need."

In Sands Point, New York, Smiros & Smiros Architects was enlisted to renovate a historic home with a rich history. Built in 1928, the family residence has housed five continuous generations—and even served as a place of refuge for British seamen during World War II. "It had a history to it that ran from the ’30s to today, and the house evolved," says Smiros. The renovation of the family compound was treated with sensitivity and care—honoring the past, while preserving the cherished home for future generations. The home was expanded, requiring that new windows and architectural trim be incorporated along with the old. "All of these new wings are done with AZEK trim, which seamlessly blends right into the woodwork," shares Smiros. 

Building in harsh coastal climates necessitates careful consideration of exterior materials, in order to ensure a weathertight building envelope. "In New York, we have tremendous temperature swings," says Smiros. "Those extremes cause a lot of movement in natural materials, whereas AZEK doesn’t expand [when installed properly]—so we don’t get the same damage that we would get with wood."

For Smiros’ clients, the ability to enjoy their waterfront homes without constant maintenance is essential. In one of Smiros’ new construction projects in the Hamptons, the home serves as a part-time residence for a couple based in New Jersey. When the clients are at their Quogue home, they want to spend their time going to the beach, hiking, playing tennis, and enjoying the company of friends and family, not worrying about the upkeep. "When they come out, they don’t want to think about maintenance. They want a home that's going to look good and consistent every time they go," says Smiros. "The house looks as good in year ten as it did in year one." 

For the waterfront home in Quogue, Smiros and team went to great lengths to design the home as an inviting hub to bring together the couple’s adult children, along with other friends and family. "It works," says Smiros. "It’s a great gathering point." The success of the design is in no small part due to the careful attention given to the home’s exterior form and detailing. "I think building something with these rich details imparts a history to it and people feel good about it," Smiros reflects. "They feel like they’re someplace significant."

Learn more about AZEK Trim at AZEKexteriors.com. 

Explore more work from Smiros & Smiros Architects at smiros.com.