The Location

Located in Casco Bay, off the coast of Maine, is the relaxing Chebeague Island. On the southeast shore, the Mill’s family established their tranquil island retreat. The 2,600 square foot home set on two acres features a collection of main-floor living spaces that include an accommodating kitchen, dining, and master bedroom, all with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing a 180-degree view of natural seascape. Extending the overall living space is an inviting screened patio with impressive views of nearby Portland. This outdoor living area is well-appointed with a gas fireplace, ipe decking, and stainless steel railing system from AGS Stainless – elegant finishes which, differentiate this home as the recipient of the 2014 AIA-Maine Design Honor Award.

The Railing Choice

Choosing an AGS Stainless steel railing system added a luxurious, clean finish to the patio area. This nearly invisible railing system allows the surrounding natural beauty to be highlighted without distraction providing deck dwellers an ideal spot to enjoy the oceanfront views.

"The home has a very beautiful yet delicate overall feel to it," explains Gavin Engler, AIA, Associate with the award-winning office of Carol A. Wilson Architect. "Very thin structural columns of the glazed façade help define its overall lightness, further accentuated by the fine material choices and minimalistic detailing throughout…including the railing system." While the design team had never utilized an AGS Stainless railing system before this project, their initial apprehension quickly turned to delight as the Rainier® cable railing, featuring a flat stainless steel top rail, started coming together within the porch area.

"The railing was a very important design element so the screened-in porch felt as if it was an extension of the home’s gentle aesthetic," adds Engler. Also it was essential to the homeowners and designers to optimize the views as seen while actually seated in the patio area. The thin cabling infill was the key. Engler stated, "It’s remarkable how they elegantly accented the thin vertical structural columns – then slyly fade into transparency when focus goes towards the breathtaking views." Additionally, the sleek post profile blended in front of the porch-screen partitions perfectly. Sometimes considered a secondary design element, this project nicely exemplifies how railing systems should be anything but an afterthought as they quietly yet beautifully accent major design elements and bring spaces together into a overall cohesive look.

AGS Stainless, a highly respected company within the industry offers the Rainier® as one of its various stainless steel railing systems. These systems can be accompanied with wide array of options including: top hand railing and mounting post, powder coating and tempered glass infill – for a fully-customized railing system at an affordable cost.

With AGS Stainless, the overall design process is straightforward and simple: sketches and approximate dimensions are submitted; CAD drawings and all details of the railing system are created by a member of the AGS design team. Then an AGS railing expert works directly with the homeowner/contractor to make certain every detail is just right and to ensure prompt delivery with attentive service.

The Result

Both the homeowners and the design community were thrilled with the home’s appearance resulting in the coveted 2014 AIA-Maine Design Honor Award. As noted from the AIA-Maine award jury: "The project is very delicate and beautiful. It shows great control in the detailing without resorting to ornament, excess in materials, or overdesign…it is a pleasure to see."

"Every AGS Stainless customer essentially has their own outsourced railing factory, complete with world-class welders and state-of-the-art fabrication machines ready to create a beautiful railing system specific for their project," explains Kevin T. Harris, Director of Sales & Marketing at AGS Stainless. "Each railing system is prefabricated at our factory located in the Pacific Northwest ensuring that every individual nut, bolt and handrail fitting is just right! This allows the homeowner the opportunity to include the luxurious look of custom stainless steel railings at an overall expense lower than traditional custom-fabricated railing systems."