A view is lovely. A life by the water is something else.

The photograph usually arrives at sunset. The terrace is immaculate, the water obligingly still, and nobody appears to own a wet coat. It is a compelling opening argument.

But a waterfront home is more interesting when you imagine the rest of the day. Where do you take your coffee when the wind changes? Can you reach the shore easily? Is there a place to leave sandy shoes without conducting a small renovation?

Start by deciding what the water means to you. A distant outlook, direct frontage and a useful place to launch a boat are different briefs. So are a lively beach neighbourhood and a quiet stretch of coast. None needs to be the superior choice; it needs to be your choice.

Our waterfront collection is about that distinction. We want to explore the architecture and the setting, but also the routine a home makes possible. For a particular purchase, access, boundaries and local conditions belong in a professional property review. For the daydream, begin with the morning after the sunset photograph.