The nucleus of St. Michaels’ town plan began in the 18th century with the individual land speculator, James Braddock, who was an agent employed by the firm Gildart and Gaywith of Liverpool. Braddock soon ventured out on his own to acquire property that grew to thirty six lots grouped around a central square, now known as St. Mary’s Square. Its boundaries were Market (now Talbot)St., Mulberry, Chestnut and Water St. Today’s feature is located on one of these original streets and the lot was purchased in 1845 by Mary Thomas. She built a “single story frame dwelling with back buildings in good repair”, according to the book, Historic St. Michaels, An Architectural History by Elizabeth Hughes. Ms. Hughes surmised that the current house may have incorporated part of that original single story structure. 

This classic 19th-century two-story, three-bay house is one room wide and three rooms deep at the main floor. The third room is a one-story previous addition at the rear of the house. The cream-colored siding and deep green shutters are a classic color palette and the white fence along the border between the Town sidewalk and the front yard is part of fencing that fully encloses the property.

A brick –sidewalk and steps lead up to a brick stoop at the front door below a pitched roof supported by brackets. The long 6/6 windows at the front and the side corner of the house offer a panoramic view of the streetscape from the first and second floor rooms. 

The warm weather months can bring amusing interactions between tourists and residents of this street that is a pedestrian link to the waterside restaurants.  A friend of mine who is a resident but whose lot is not fenced looked out her window one summer day to see a man sitting on her front porch talking on his cell phone. When she came outside, he was startled to see she was not in period dress. He told her he thought St. Michaels was like Williamsburg, where tourists could visit homes!  

The one-story addition has a center French door between full sidelights for access to  the deck with steps to the deep rear yard. The umbrella that shades the dining area is a welcome reminder that in a few months it will be spring when we can once again enjoy our outdoor spaces. The strings of light add a festive look in any season’s twilight.

The deep lot extends to the edge of the parking lot at Muskrat Park. The shed for lawn and garden maintenance blends into the tall wooden fence at the property’s rear and side lines. Next to the shed are two off-street parking spaces with access from Church Street; a coveted bonus on this street where not all houses have driveways. The snow covering the ground that contrasts with the fencing and trees accentuates how wide and deep the rear yard is and the privacy it offers. The elevated deck’s table and chairs under the shade of the umbrella or the picnic table farther in the yard offer al-fresco dining options. 

The location of the entry door at the house’s side wall creates a spacious dining area at the front of the open plan living-dining area. The large Oriental rug defines the dining area’s wood table and chairs and I admired how the chairs’ upholstered seats pick up the colors of the rug. I also admired the Asian touches of the armoire’s textured door and the base of the lamp at the side table. The large clear glass globe light fixture above the dining table reminded me of an upside down oversized brandy glass and its transparency discretely disappears into the room’s volume. 

The open plan living-dining area has abundant sunlight from the two front windows and single windows at each side wall of the house. I loved the exposed massive wood beam that may have been the front wall of the original one-story house. Here it cleverly delineates the dining area from the living area. The living area’s large colorful Oriental rug, mix of antiques and comfortable upholstered pieces grouped around the wood stove insert in the brick chimney created a welcoming space. I admired the window treatments’ combination of plantation shutters over the lower half of the double-hung windows that provide seated privacy and the fabric valances at the underside of the ceiling.   

The focal point of the living area is the chimney with a wood stove insert and a 19th-century wood mantel. The wood pieces add warmth and the large painting adds perspective to the wall. I could well imagine spending a quiet evening relaxing by the fire in this charming space. 

The stairs to the second floor are on axis with the front door so the living-dining area has minimal circulation space for flexible furniture arrangements. The circular coffee table makes it easy to move though the room. I imagine the Owners’ dog Tater is especially fond of napping on the long sofa in this lovely room!

 

The wall opening at the end of the living area leads to a large kitchen with its R/F wall next to the stairs. I love the quirky details that have been preserved in historic houses-here the powder room is tucked under the stairs so the door and trim have chamfered corners. The kitchen has a mix of closed cabinets and open shelves for ample storage with accents of the dark quartz countertops and the stainless steel appliances. The Craftsman style cabinet fronts with their minimal grain compliment the beautiful pine flooring’s knots and color variation. 

The current Owners added the stainless steel appliances and the colorful touches of the backsplash above the gourmet stove and the rug. Former Owners added the addition and fully removed the wall between the kitchen and the adjacent family room to create an open plan area.

The open plan kitchen-family room has a wide double window above the sofa that creates an inviting space to lean back against the colorful accent pillows and relax at the end of the day. Like the living room’s round coffee table, this round coffee table over the oval rag rug makes circulation easy to and from the adjacent rear deck. The kitchen counter overhang creates space for a breakfast bar. 

This vista of the family room showcases its bead board ceiling’s geometry created by the low-sloped hipped roof. The double unit window and the triple unit’s French door between full glass sidelights gives a sunroom feel to this delightful space. From the sofa, one can enjoy the expansive view of the rear yard.

Opposite the sofa is ample wall space for a large screen TV. Next to the TV wall is a door leading to the laundry/mud room with an exterior door leading to the side yard. 

 

The stairs to the second floor end at a single loaded hall and the windows at each end of the hall provide daylight. The interior walls become a gallery and I especially admired the artwork at the top of the stairs that depicted a boat and its reflection in the water. The vertical boards create a wainscot may have been part of the original house.

The spacious primary bedroom spans the full width of the house and the front wall’s trio of windows and the side walls’ single windows flood the space with light. The pale neutral colors and the wood furnishings create a serene space.

The current Owners transformed the hall bath beautifully. The heated flooring in a tile pattern I have specified for many of my architectural clients is a perfect vintage look for this historic house.  The accents of the slate blue door and window trim complement the neutral cabinetry and the glass shower door both expands the space and also highlights the shower’s other tiled walls.  Next to the lavatory cabinet are recessed open shelves for towels and other storage.

It is unusual to find a large walk-in closet with one, much less two, windows for daylight in an historic house and this “bonus” room is organized with California Closet accessories so every item has its place.

The guest bedroom’s window overlooks the side yard and its soft blue and gray color scheme is very soothing. I especially liked the framed mirrors over each nightstand that become interior “windows”. The closet’s penetration into the room creates a natural alcove so I would be tempted to add a cushioned seat below the window with either a drawer for storage or a shelf for a child’s favorite bedtime story books.

Another flight of stairs leads to the partial third floor’s two bonus rooms tucked under the ridge of the roof with windows at each side wall. One room is furnished as an office and another is this guest bedroom. 

This charming historic house that dates from the beginning of St. Michaels urban plan has both a very deep lot and off street parking, quite unusual for the original part of the Historic District. The fully fenced property has a central location offering close proximity to shops, restaurants, museums, the Rails to Trails, boat ramps and the summer concert series in Muskrat Park. 

This house has been meticulously maintained and enhanced by the current Owners’ renovation and tasteful interiors. The house has undergone many upgrades without compromising the details of its historic character and the new antique heart-pine floors in the TV room complement the beautiful wood floors throughout the house. To me, this is a great example of a “Goldilocks” house-not too big and not too small,  with stylish upgrades that make it move-in ready. This historic gem is a very appealing starter home, retirement home, or weekend getaway-showings begin this Saturday!

---

For more information about this property, contact Tom Crouch with Benson and Mangold Real Estate at 410-745-0415 (o), 410-310-8916 (c) or  [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing, visit www.thomascrouch.bensonandmangold.com,  “Equal Housing Opportunity”. 

Photography by Janelle Stroop, Thru the Lens Photography, 410-310-6838, [email protected]
Window treatments by Higgins and Spencer, 902 S. Talbot St., St. Michaels, 410-745-5192
“Historic St. Michaels, An Architectural History” by Elizabeth Hughes, published by Historic St. Michaels-Bay Hundred, 1996

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

This street is one of my fave cross streets through Easton’s District and it has been the location of several Houses of the Week. On my trips, I have watched the transformation of this gem on its corner lot so I am thrilled to feature it this week. The three-bay house has very appealing massing from its hipped front porch, the gable over the box-bay that projects over the porch roof and the two-story angled bay projection at one side. I admired the Owners’ color choices of butter yellow siding, mint green shutters and the red front entry door. The white picket fence with its arched arbor was built by the Owners and is a preamble to this duo’s creativity found throughout the gardens and the house.

As I started to open the gate to explore the gardens, two plaques caught my eye. One was from Bay Wise for the Owner’s landscape practices of conservation for the health of the Chesapeake Bay; the other designates the gardens are the creations of a Master Gardener.  Since this property is a corner lot, there is no house next door to block sunlight, making this a perfect space for this kitchen garden to thrive. Steps lead up to the kitchen area for easy gathering of veggies or herbs for meal prep. On the day of my visit, the veggies were nestled in their raised beds under a blanket of snow but a few carrots and onions peeked out as if to say they were ready for picking!  

Setting the barn at the back of the kitchen garden also enables it to become part of the rear flower garden’s perimeter fencing for privacy from the side street and rear alley. I loved how the barn’s red board and batten siding contrasts with the main house’s yellow lap siding. 

The flower garden truly shines in the springtime with a colorful  profusion of plants and flowers. Linking the flower beds are meandering paths of brick and random sized concrete pavers. The latter were recycled by cutting up the existing concrete sidewalk that once led from the alley parking to the house. As I walked through the garden with the Master Gardener Owner, we came to a point where several paths met at a “roundabout” with its inner circle infilled with multi-colored marbles.  In their excavation of the garden, the Owners discovered the marbles throughout the yard that previous owners’ children used in play. I loved the vista from the garden to the house and the barn with their juxtaposition of position, texture and color.  Since all of our gardens are covered with snow, I am very grateful to the Owner for sharing this photograph with all of us!

The brick terrace next to the side wall of the barn is a charming spot for al-fresco dining. The space is partially enclosed by a one-story wall extension of the barn with a high window overlooking the garden and a pergola supported by turned columns. The nearby steps to the kitchen area make serving easy and the string of lights adds a festive touch. 

At the rear of the garden, a massive crape myrtle with branches hovers protectively over the delightful outdoor room that is currently a working greenhouse, complete with shelving, fans, and a rain barrel. The simple roof form with a low slope porch and the vintage metal chairs beckoned me within since diminutive spaces are so irresistible to me.  The Owner told me the space has also set the scene for many cozy candlelit dinner parties. Behind the rear fence are three parking spaces off the alley. 

Nocturnal lighting is so important to one’s enjoyment of a garden and this massive crape myrtle, festooned with lights, creates a focal point for relaxing in either the three-sided enclosure, created by “found” materials or in the red chairs under the shade of an umbrella.

After strolling through the gardens, I was eager to explore the house. The Owners greeted me at the front door that opens into a hall between the living room and the library. At the end of the hall is a door marked “Le Bain,” that opens into a full bath. I admired the texture of the painted bead board cladding on the underside of the upper stair run and the layers of molding below the balustrade. The hall’s furnishings of a runner, antiques and a mirror between two sconces fit the period of the house and introduce the other treasures I soon discovered.

Being a bibliophile and writer, I always enjoy seeing someone’s else library. I learned from one of the Owners that a chest of drawers inspired the layout of this space. The husband took the drawers out and arranged them as the base for the millwork he built around the window. The two drawers below the window seat become flat files for maps, etc. I admired the deep teal hue that envelops this room and the three windows keep the room sunny throughout the day. I could well imagine a family pet perched on the window seat cushion to keep the Owner company.

Having a full bath next to the library offers the possibility of a main floor ensuite with the library becoming the bedroom. The light teal base of the claw-foot tub echoes the library’s walls and adding tile around the tub and a hand held shower head would be relatively easy. The side window overlooks the kitchen garden and the mirror over the pedestal sink reflects the view of the kitchen garden from the window.

One focal point of the living room is the angled bay projection that offers panoramic views of the landscape and streetscape. The large Oriental rug over the beautiful wood floors and the neutral colors of the mix of furnishings create an inviting space for relaxing. It was very cold on the day of my tour but I was quite comfortable from the radiators’ heat. Combined with high velocity AC, that is my choice for total comfort.

 

The other focal point of the living room is the fireplace angled at the corner opposite the seating. The wall above the fireplace is a mini gallery and the wall opening leads to the adjacent dining area and through the house. 

Like me, the Owners are devotees of Second Chance, the fab Baltimore store for architectural salvage. I have enjoyed shopping there with my architectural & design clients as you never know what you will find! These Owners shopped at just the right time and came away with a truckload of beadboard which now graces several rooms in the house, including the built-ins around the dining area’s windows and a pantry for wine storage built by the husband. Antique trim now adorns the frame around the window and I especially liked how the millwork’s side edge curves toward the window. The Windsor chairs and oval table set the scene for dinner and the cushioned seats in the millwork and the sofa on the opposite wall offer more seating for entertaining.  

The three windows at the rear wall of the kitchen overlook the rear flower garden. The flooring painted a creamy white, the white cabinets and open shelves gives this kitchen a spaciousness feel with the accent of the stainless steel appliances. I admired the island whose base and top were salvaged from two different pieces and how the top of wood planks compliments the other wood countertops.  The wall opening at the corner frames the breakfast nook.

I was enchanted by the cozy breakfast nook and I presumed the wood benches with their wavy tops and table were also from Second Chance. The wife proudly told me she and her father built them and applied a distressed look to give them the patina of age.  The corner windows offer panoramic views of the garden and the vintage arched window floating above one bench is a transparent definition of the edge between the nook and the adjacent mud room.  The floral pattern of the cushions and pillows portray some of the garden’s flowers. What a delightful space to linger over the second cup of breakfast coffee or an informal meal!

Every house needs a mud room, especially on snowy or rain days. The Owners cleverly solved the problem of the exterior French door being located closer to the corner of the room than the doorway to the kitchen. The wood cabinet next to the kitchen fills the full depth of the space and antique trim pieces the couple purchased were used to infill the narrower part of the mudroom wall with a bench (originally a stair tread), storage and hooks for jackets or totes. Next to the mud room is a laundry/pantry with repurposed shelves.

The stairs to the second floor blend into the upper hall’s box bay nook surrounded with windows that flood the space with light that filters through the back of the vintage bench. This space is a perfect spot for telling bedtime stories to wee ones before bedtime. The hall leads to the three bedrooms and the bath. 

The spacious primary bedroom has delightful interior architecture from the angled bay wall that is the focal point of the room. I loved the backdrop behind the bed of the wallpaper’s subtle color and pattern and the stylish oval mirror on a wood stand is an elegant accessory.  Instead of drywall and bi-fold doors, the frameless wall of closets in the primary bedroom were constructed of the Second Chance bead board that adds texture to the wall. The soft colors of this room and the antique furnishings create a serene retreat.

The second floor bath has a dresser that now has a second life from Second Chance as an elegant lavatory with a marble shelf that supports the wood framed mirror.  The white floor tiles with chamfered corners accented with black squares set on the diagonal are the perfect scale for this space with the deep red walls.  The room’s window is directly opposite the mirror so the image of the Roman shade with its gold and red filigree is captured in the mirror.

One guest bedroom is located over the library below so it also has windows on all its three exterior walls and a cushioned window seat overlooking the garden.  The closets match the workmanship of the primary bedroom’s closet wall. The iron bed faces the windows and the wood candlestick table is a stylish nightstand. Lucky is the guest who can claim this quiet corner during a visit!

The third bedroom also overlooks both the garden and the side yard for ample sunlight and bird’s eye views of the gardens. The spacious room could easily revert to a bedroom use with the addition of an armoire for clothes or a built-in closet.

Deep urban corner lots are highly desirable and this property maximizes its potential due to the vision, creativity, innate interior design, gardening and woodworking skills of the talented Owners.  The house and gardens complement each other so well and far exceeds my selection criteria of site, architecture, interiors and landscape.  Walking through the rooms, I was amazed to learn how much the Owners had accomplished in only a few years and how the repurposed wood pieces and the new breakfast room furnishings seemed original to the house. Bravo and Brava to  the Owners for an exquisite renovation of their charming house and gardens!

---

For more information about this property, contact Peter A. Stark with the  Chesapeake Bay Properties Team of Benson & Mangold Real Estate at 410 822-6665 (o), 410-253-2484 (c), or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing, visit www.peter.chesapeakebayproperties. com , “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by Jim McKee of Broadview Interactive LLC, 703-593-4392, www.broad-view.net.

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

Chestertown’s North and South Queen Streets streetscapes are uniquely different in their architectural character. Much of North Queen’s single family housing stock on tree-shaded blocks dates from the 1770’s to the mid-19th century. South Queen’s streetscapes have some more recent development, including this row of townhomes with a mix of façade treatments. From the front porch and the second and third floor windows, each unit’s views of the Chester River become more expansive. 

 

I appreciated the massing of the development with each pair of units being offset from the adjoining pair, instead of aligning the units in a row parallel to the street. The open spaces for each unit include both a front garden area and a fenced rear area. The architectural detailing of the building’s wide and steep gables that are broken by the center eave defines each house individually and the unit’s three-bay facade with a full front porch offers great curb appeal.

The front walkway for this unit is directly across from the sidewalk to the parking area for Wilmer Park. There is something for everyone in this park-“Aunt Sarah’s Playground”, kayak storage racks and launch, waterside walkways for daily exercise, pavilion and gazebo for picnics, and a wide and long open grass area for recreation, outdoor theater and festivals. I walked over to the park and wished it were warm enough to choose one of the waterside benches for a brief visit so I hope my next visit to Chestertown will be in warmer weather! 

The elevated deck at the rear of the townhouse overlooks a raised bed garden surrounded by a brick walkway. The perimeter fencing with a mix of solid panels topped with diagonal lattice and finials offers privacy. 

The front Craftsman style door in deep purple opens into a hall with a vista through the house’s rear glass doors to the deck. Since the front door has a storm door, daylight can penetrate deep into each end of the house. Artwork along the hall makes this space a gallery  and adding recessed wall washer lighting fixtures along the hall would highlight the art, wall hangings, etc. I admired how the Owner Artist added colorful runners in the hall and her choice of  two different designs instead of one runner makes the hall look shorter than it is.

The townhouse’s layout works very well with the front space either a  primary bedroom or office area as it currently furnished, the rear spaces of the open plan living-dining-kitchen area and the bathroom and laundry in between. I especially admired this office’s mola wall art between the two wide windows and the rug with its floral pattern.

Off the bedroom/office is a large bath, sized for a primary bedroom, with sleek green cabinetry and the earth toned tile flooring. Next to the bath is a large walk-in closet to complete an ensuite.

I always enjoy featuring interiors by an artist, for they understand color and are not afraid to use it. I loved the deep terra cotta accent wall of the dining area that  accentuates the painting on the wall far better than a white wall would.

The width of the stairs defines the dining area and the wood table and chairs complement the beautiful lighter oak flooring that flows through the house. The artful wall hanging on the stair wall adds texture to this very appealing dining area.

The kitchen’s light gray walls and the stainless steel appliances create a monochrome look for a spacious feeling and I especially liked the breakfast bar’s  contemporary pendant light fixtures. Since the kitchen has no window, my only suggestion would be to remove the two cabinets above the sink and that length of the backsplash so one could have a view of the living room.  Off the kitchen is a door to the laundry.

My fave room is the living room that spans the full width of the townhouse. This room has abundant sunlight from the glass door and full sidelight, the window next to the fireplace and the skylights. I loved the earth tones of the interior design with the mix of modern and traditional furnishings, colorful accents of the geometric rug, pillows and squares of fabric art. The simple design of the firebox recessed into the wall with the wood ledge mantel supporting personal treasures is a perfect finishing touch. 

The other side wall of the living room contains built-in millwork surrounding the TV and space for books, sculpture, and artifacts. I loved the diagonal vista from the corner of the living room to the accent wall in the dining area.

The deck off the living room is a delightful outdoor room that offers a long vista and panoramic view to the row of trees in the far background, instead of a typical narrow urban alley with outbuildings.  

 

So many townhouse designs have the stairs open directly into a single loaded hall. Here, the stairs end at an enlarged landing that becomes another room,  furnished with a wood corner cabinet, the texture of the baskets on top of the cabinet, another colorful geometric patterned rug and artwork. 

Having two primary ensuites is a plus for aging in place-this second floor primary bedroom with expansive views of the Chester River is currently furnished as an office. With its three windows and spacious size, the room would be a great primary bedroom for a couple with young children. When the parents moved to the downstairs ensuite, this space could become a family TV room with a sofa bed for guests.  I loved the color of the accent wall to the third floor studio that is the same color of the primary bath for this ensuite.

The second floor’s primary bath’s colorful wall and the mirror’s artisan frame create a stylish backdrop for accents of towels and accessories.  

Two guest bedrooms are located at the rear of the house. If I were a guest, I would choose this bedroom for its delightful eclectic look of the Craftsman style wood bedframe, coverlet of flowering vines, antique chair and sleek contemporary nightstands. The swivel sconces frees up the nightstands’ tops for books and photographs. I appreciated how the window treatments of drapes and sheers blend into the wall and make this room’s width seem larger than it is.

With my realtor hat on, I appreciated how the third floor bonus room was not finished in drywall or other material, since a buyer could see how well insulated this space is. Adding drywall would create dramatic interior architecture from the height variety of the knee walls, the sloped ceiling and leaving the wood cross beams exposed. I would place my writing desk under the front window for breaks from writing to enjoy the bird’s eye view of the Chester River. Having stairs instead of a pull-down unit is a plus!

Great location at the edge of downtown Chestertown with Wilmer Park as your front yard; one of only six townhome units; outdoor rooms of the front porch with views of the Chester River and rear deck overlooking the fenced yard with views of the urban landscape; great layout with primary ensuites on both the first and second floors for aging in place; open plan living-dining kitchen, updated kitchens and baths and the bonus of a third floor accessed by a stair with potential of an office, studio or easily accessible storage-great property. Brava to the Owner/Artist for her creative use of color and her very appealing and eclectic interiors! 

---

For more information about this property, contact Jennifer Mobley at Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Company, 410-778-0330 (o), 443-350-5917 (c), or [email protected]. For more pictures and pricing, visit https://cbchesapeake.com/directory/agents/jennifer-mobley

“Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Janelle Stroop, Thru the Lens, 410-310-6838, [email protected].       

---

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

Neavitt is one of my fave villages so I never pass up an opportunity to feature one of the houses that give this village its unique charm. Ironically, last week’s feature was a house transformed by architect Mark McInturff, FAIA, and today’s feature is the home of his sister, who is a good friend of mine. I am very pleased to showcase her innate interior design and gardening skills that makes this house a treasured home. 

As I did the first time I was a guest, I admired the three-bay massing of both the house and the wrap-around porch and the texture of the porch’s metal roofing. The side bay of the porch frames the location of the entry door with its full sidelights.  Since my last visit was in late summer, as I recently walked up the wide steps, I missed the pots of colorful flowers that adorn each edge of the steps during the warm months. 

The location of the front door maximizes the porch’s seating area and the half glass/half wood door with full sidelights and the full glass storm door provides daylight for the foyer. The side of the porch ends at an original door that my friend left intact. She added a closet to the room within but the closet could easily be removed to restore the room’s original use for easy indoor-outdoor flow. The light gray siding, white Doric columns, the long main floor 2/2 windows and the shorter units on the second floor with shutters creates a serene backdrop for the seasonal colors of the landscape and year round great curb appeal.

The original “L” form of the house is enhanced both by the long shed dormer at the side and the one-story kitchen area overlooking the fenced yard. Instead of shutters, trellises at each side of the kitchen windows patiently await climbing flowering vines in the spring. 

 

As a counterpoint to the semi-private front wrap-around porch, the brick terrace is fully private due to the rear yard’s perimeter fence of vertical slats of wood that have weathered to a lovely patina.  The layered plantings along the fence include pachysandra and white quince. The table and chairs offer a shady respite from the sun and create a cozy space for al-fresco dining or watching children at play. 

 

As I write this article, my rear yard’s landscaping is slumbering under a thick blanket of snow so I wanted to include this picture to remind us that warmer days will come! The shed at the side wall is well used by my gardener friend and the low bed of white azalea and peonies below the Lady Banks Roses against the fence creates a lovely vista from the terrace. My friend chose that flowering plant for its characteristic evergreen leaves and white flowers and its ability to spread out quickly. It is also a harbinger of spring as it is among the earliest flowering of all roses.   

My friend also sent me this picture of her flowering plants and I can almost smell the fragrance of these peonies and azaleas that I also enjoy  in my own planting beds.

The front door opens into an entry alcove off the living room. The entry alcove was created by the extension of an HVAC closet next to the stairs and a short hall leads to a full bathroom. The wooden rack on the alcove’s side wall holds a  collection of hats that add a splash of color to the white walls. Like me, my friend is a bibliophile, so she added new built-in millwork to display artwork, books, collectibles and family photographs.

The living room’s loveseat with side arms was carefully chosen to fit between the two front windows. The neutral colors and placement of the furnishings make the space seem larger than it is and the accents of the patterned rug, the curvilinear  Oriental style tray that has a new life as a stylish coffee table top, and simple window treatments give this room a sophisticated look. I especially liked how the white window treatments blend into the wall and rise to the underside of the ceiling to expand the spatial volume.

 

I coveted the two distinctive spindle chairs with high backs and fretwork sides in front of the porch side windows of the living room. Walking through the beautifully decorated rooms, I was reminded of how well the scale of the furnishings complemented the size of each room and how my friend’s lifelong interest in antiques and her discriminating eye carefully curated each room’s interior design. I also appreciated how the floor plan had not been “modernized” to create the ubiquitous “open concept” floor plan. Instead, the rooms maintain their original dimensions with very little alteration. 

The texture and color of the exposed brick chimney becomes a sculptural element. The wall opening between the living and dining rooms was widened to create a telescoping vista through the adjacent rooms to the rear wall of the house.

The dining room is located at the center of the house and the rear window overlooks the rear garden. The white wainscot below a subtle wallpaper pattern, the beautiful antique furnishings of the table, Queen Anne chairs, Grandfather’s clock, antique chest and Oriental rug add warmth to the space.

The delightful “bonus” room connected to both the  wrap-around porch and the dining room has the original wood slat porch ceiling. The room’s  bead board wainscot, easy care tile flooring, triple side windows and a rear window overlooking the garden has great potential for myriad uses.  Since it has a closet, it could be a bedroom or office. If it were my house, I would remove the closet, replace the wood door to the porch with a French door and make this room a sunroom/TV room. 

My fave room has always been the kitchen at the rear of the house. About two years ago, my friend’s “Mcinturff design DNA”  kicked in and she began her transformation of the kitchen. She first addressed the room’s volume by removing the ceiling, exposing the roof framing and adding a window above the double window unit overlooking the garden. The white color of the sloped ceiling reflects the sunlight and is accentuated by the contrast of the pale wall color. 

She next added two new floor to ceiling cabinets, changed the existing cabinet fronts from glass to solid wood to match the new ones, and added molding above the upper cabinets.  She replaced the Formica countertops with granite and replaced a dreary double sink with a much more workable single stainless sink and gooseneck  faucet.  Her finishing touches included the warmth of wood antique pieces including a distinctive armoire with upper glass fronts, another chest and a small piece between the doorway to the dining room. The adjacent pantry/laundry provides extra storage. 

Behind the kitchen was a bathroom that had deteriorated to the point that made demolition necessary. In its place is part of  the two-story addition with a first floor’s  spacious pantry/laundry and fridge next to the kitchen, and a bath with a shower off the entry hall.  

I am very lucky to have been a guest for several memorable meals and stimulating conversation in this corner of the kitchen’s delightful interior architecture. It was easy to linger after dinner on one of the Queen Anne chairs around the beautiful antique table and being surrounded by windows overlooking the garden.  The exterior door leads to the brick terrace.

The second floor contains two bedrooms and one full bath. The primary bedroom spans across the front of the house with three windows and one side window for ample sunlight. This serene bedroom with its light aqua walls, wood bedframe with low headboard and footboards, white quilted coverlet, striped bed skirt and patterned shams created a restful retreat.  Two small wooden tables with lamps serve as nightstands and behind the bed is a large walk-in closet. 

Like the living room, the primary bedroom’s window treatments on the wrap-around windows rise to the underside of the ceiling and the exposed brick chimney adds a touch of texture.

Part of the two-story shed roofed addition is this spacious full bath with a Jacuzzi tub/shower. The white pedestal sink and toilet blend into the white wainscot and contrasts with the pale yellow wall above.

The rear guest bedroom’s warm butter yellow walls are a backdrop for a vertical row of china plates and artful arrangements of art and memorabilia. A set of nesting tables serve as one nightstand and on the other side of the bed is an antique washstand.

“Little Giddings” is the sixth home my friend has renovated and illustrates so well  her innate design talent for both interiors and gardens. Her space planning and staging skills and her exquisite taste gives this house its distinctive personality. Classic historic Eastern Shore vernacular architecture, outdoor rooms of the front wrap-around porch and brick terrace overlooking beautiful plantings, great flow among the main floor rooms, “bonus” room that could become a main floor bedroom, updated kitchen and baths-all this in the charming village of Neavitt-Brava! For more information about this property, contact Joan Wetmore with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty at 410-673-3344 (o), 410-924-2432, or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing, visit , https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/associate/180-a-df220928172710858981/joan-wetmore, “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by Janelle Stroop, Thru the Lens Photography, 410-310-6838, [email protected]

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

It is always a pleasure to feature designs by my fellow architects and I am very pleased to kick off the new year to feature another design by architect Mark McInturff, FAIA. When the Owner purchased this property eight years ago, the cottage was a wreck caused by a broken frozen pipe on the second floor that was not discovered for over a month. Luckily, the property was within the Critical Area so the house’s close proximity to Lee Creek could remain as long as the original foundation footprint was not increased. 

The Owner retained Mark to modify the cottage and they first decided to leave the front façade as-is, in homage to the cottage having been built in the early part of the 20th century, the heyday of small cottage designs. 

The waterside original rear elevation had been somewhat updated previously with glass infill in the rear gable and longer windows.  McInturff’s transformation of the cottage from “plain vanilla” to “neapolitan” began with leaving the roofline intact, demolishing the one-story side room and organizing the placement of the windows and doors to create a cohesive composition. 

Now the rear elevation proudly claims its place along the shoreline of Lee Creek with a flat roofed screened porch/second floor deck that encompasses the footprint of the original one-story room. The triangular shaped screened expansion was carefully detailed to seamlessly blend into the flat roofed portion of the screened porch. The second floor deck’s thin cable railing maximizes views of the landscape and water. 

The first floor’s gray vertical siding contrasts with the second floor’s white horizontal siding that makes the cottage seem longer than it is. The masterful arrangement of wide picture windows and slender operable units opens up the cottage to the water. The gable window is now single pane of glass for maximum views. I especially admired both the break in the gray façade by the insertion of a glass unit and also the finishing touch of emphasizing the operable window units and doors by their red color. Bravo! 

The fixed glass panel’s break in the gray façade is on axis with the floating stairs inside the house. New wide steps lead from the cottage to the water for great indoor-outdoor flow.

The view of the foyer to the front door shows how this small space makes a big impact with its wall of floor to ceiling storage units clad in wood, the recessed wall niche for one’s keys, etc., the long bench for totes or unloading packages from one’s car, and shelves below for crocs, gloves, etc. The herringbone brick is an easy care choice for flooring throughout the first floor. 

From the foyer, the stairs with open risers offer a vista through the rear wall of windows and doors to the landscape and water. I admired the colors and texture of the  herringbone patterned brick floor and gray exposed ceiling framing against the white of the walls. 

I love diagonal vistas and this one from the foyer to the corner of the living area is very appealing. Its enclosure has transparency from both the vertical wood inserts in the stair wall and also the window units at the corner of the living room. 

 

Galley kitchens are my fave layout and this sleek and stylish kitchen gets high marks. The kitchen is part of the open plan kitchen-dining area with one side of the cabinetry’s countertop creating an overhang for stools below. The color scheme continues the foyer’s wood cabinets and black hardware with the addition of countertops in black granite with subtle white veining. I especially liked how both the tile backsplash that surrounds the window above the sink and also the cabinetry rise to the underside of the ceiling to maximize the room’s verticality.  

 

Doors from the kitchen slide along a track to the screened porch with its triangular shape of a boat’s bow that inspired the design of the custom wood table and benches by Mass Furniture Design.  Even though the wicker swing chair beckoned me, I continued my exploration of the cottage.

The detailing of the rear wall of windows in thin frames that rise from the brick floor to the beam above gives the dining area’s corner windows panoramic views of the landscape and water. Round tables are so conducive to conversation and there is ample floor space for a table that could be expanded for holidays or other special occasions. 

 

Moving through the cottage, I was impressed by the amount of sunlight that penetrates deep into the house from the rear wall of windows and doors that wrap around the corners of the open plan spaces defined by dropped beams. The stairs’ detail of the vertical wood slats adds to the vista’s total transparency and evokes a detail from the Arts & Crafts era. 

 

The living area accommodates all the basics-sofa, individual chairs with stylish handwoven textile throws, storage and a fireplace. I especially liked how the exposed chimney is set against the exterior wall of the house so a single window unit could be placed above the firebox to continue the wrap-around window design. 

The remainder of the first floor contains a full bath and a bedroom at the front corner of the cottage.

The stairs end at a landing with one additional step to each of the two areas of the second floor containing the primary bedroom opposite the office and bathroom. I liked how the landing defined these private areas and how the wall of windows becomes a mural of the landscape and water. 

 

The original roof framing of the cottage has been dramatically transformed by removing the lateral supports, cladding the underside of the roof rafters in drywall and creating partial walls at the top of the stairs to define each area. The vertical supports near the top of the stairs rise to the roof’s ridge beam for maximum spatial volume. The vertical wood slats at the tub area and the mint green wall of the “corner” office are very pleasing accents and the windows that wrap around each rear corner flood the spaces with sunlight throughout the day.

 

The side wall of the primary bedroom echoes the mint green wall of the office wall. The copper Japanese soaking tub was an unexpected discovery in a nook next to the office area and behind the tub wall is the rest of the full bath.

 

The nook’s Japanese copper soaking tub has views of the sky from the cottage’s rear wall of windows. After a day on the computer, it certainly offers one a unique option for relaxation!

 

From the primary bedroom, the wall of windows with the triangular transom provides views of the landscape and water. I admired the coverlet design of large leaves and fronds that creates a restful retreat.

 

The original dormer window in the roof has a new life as a deep nook in the front wall of the primary bedroom. I admired the earth tones of the space and I especially liked how the walls and ceiling were painted a deep gold to emphasize its cozy size. The pillow with the lady’s shoe pillow is by the artist Arin Waddell.

I am addicted to the BBC Home and Garden network’s Wednesday marathon with architect Gerald Clarke whose specialty is renovation projects. Seeing this nook reminded me of another deep nook in one of his segments where his recommendation was to have an artisan woodworker replace the front base of the nook with a deep drawer that could be fully extended to create a single bed, with the cushion stored in the drawer until needed. This is an inspired idea for a young child’s bed or a great spot for stretching out and reading!  

 

By now, if you are wishing  you could be a guest in this remarkably renovated cottage, you can! “Chesapeake Sunset Cottage” is also an Airbnb with access to the property’s in-ground pool, pier, and this outdoor area with a grouping of chairs for guests to await the sunset.  

Outstanding transformation of a simple cottage into a sophisticated retreat with walls of doors and a mix of fixed and operable windows that penetrate deep into the rooms, interiors featuring custom woodwork and furniture, artwork and many treasures from the Owner’s travels. Delightful waterside outdoor rooms of the screened porch and upper deck to enjoy nature; all this and a location equidistant from both Ocean City’s beach and  Easton’s amenities. Bravo to the Owner and Architect Mark McInturff for a great kick-off to this year’s House of the Week!

---

Architecture by Mark McInturff, FAIA, McInturff Architects, 301-229-3705,  www.mcinturffarchitects.com. 
“Chesapeake Sunset Cottage” Airbnb, https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/33012586?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=aaa672c4-80f2-4521-bc97-df781c5f0e54
Photography by Mark McInturff and Jenn Martella
Art of the Wall by Arin Waddell, arin-waddell.myshopifycom, 307-763-2501 
Woodworking by Fritz Mass, Maas Furniture Design, maasfunrinturedesign.com, 571-249-0861

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

I always enjoy being a volunteer for the Christmas in St. Michaels Tour of Homes.  Since this event is usually sold out, I am offering this Christmas card to my readers featuring my fave house in this year’s tour. Several years ago, I had seen this house with architectural clients when it was for sale, so I was eager to see the changes made by the current owners. 

As I walked up to this charming three-bay house in the Historic District, I admired again the massing with rear additions that telescope from the original two-story part of the house.  The current owners’ exterior color palette of light cream shake siding with deep slate blue shutters is very appealing. The wreaths at the side of the house and the gate to the fenced rear yard were harbingers of Christmas decorations that beckoned me within. 

This house, known as the Arthur K. Easter house, was built in 1889 on part of the Old Mill property; the house was moved to its current location in the 1940’s. The original house’s three-bay front elevation’s symmetry of the windows grouped around the front door and the side additions that are set back further in respect to the original façade creates great curb appeal. 

The current owners purchased the property in 2021 and began an extensive renovation/restoration of the both the house and grounds. Every surface of the house has been updated for modern living, while retaining the original details of the well-worn wood staircase, beautiful wood floors and the windows. The couple are avid gardeners and first designed a master plan for the front and rear gardens which is now being implemented with crape myrtles, weeping peach, dogwood, roses and arbor vitae sleeping that will awaken in the spring. The tall hedge of holly provides privacy from the adjacent property. 

Planters with seasonal greens mark the beginning and end of the brick walkway to the house and lead up the front stoop with its solid railing of taupe and slate blue with decorative cut-outs. The front entrance is dressed for the season with festive garlands of Magnolia leaves, other greens, pine cones for texture, red and silver balls, gold snowflakes and ribbon. I especially liked how the garland peaked above the door header instead of outlining the door and I made a note to inquire about the door color which was simply lovely. 

The rear elevation shows how the gable and shed-roofed additions have enhanced the architectural character. The brick terrace with its curvilinear edge blends into the lawn and the retractable awning provides shade when needed. Pairs of French doors lead to the original sunroom that I soon discovered has a more intriguing current use. 

Next to the accessory structure is a peaceful spot for warm weather relaxing in the hammock on its stand and being enveloped by the tall enclosure of the hedge of mature cedars.

The owners greeted me at the front door, and I immediately knew their interiors would be a special treat for me as mid-century modern is one of my favorite interior styles. I dearly coveted the pair of iconic Arne Jacobsen Egg Chairs in deep caramel leather opposite another chair upholstered in lamb’s wool.  The large Oriental rug flows under the transparent base of the Warren Platner coffee table design for Knoll. I love earth tones and the colors of the grass cloth wall covering, the silk drapes that rise to the underside of the ceiling and the Oriental rug over the beautiful pine floors create a serene space for welcoming guests. 

The charming portrait behind the baby grand piano identified the musician in the family and his parents will soon enjoy private concerts over the Christmas holiday. The large artwork behind the Jacobsen chairs was a clue of more Asian delights to come as I learned that before his retirement as a business executive with a worldwide portfolio, the husband brought home treasures from his travels.  

When I commented on the beautiful color of the front door, the Owners graciously told me it was a Farrow and Ball paint color. I also admired how well the shape of the Christmas tree was perfect for its spot by the grandfather clock and it did not completely cover the stair’s decorative railing.

Passing through the doorway in the living room, I discovered the open-plan dining and den opposite the kitchen. The Warren Platner table design with Mid-Century chairs anchors the dining area under the onion domed pendant light fixture. More Asian pieces, including the statuesque Garuda from Indonesia, are beautiful accents, and I especially liked how the wooden screen defines the two spaces without being a barrier. 

The den’s dark-colored walls create a cozy space for relaxing around the fire, and the tusk becomes a sculptural element.  The Mies van der Rohe chaise chairs in caramel leather that face the fireplace and other seating create a cozy space for relaxing.  The gingerbread house, “Santa’s Winter Sleigh Ride” on the millwork was the first prize winner in this year’s Christmas in St. Michaels Gingerbread contest. 

I admired the bay window seat’s seasonal tableau of crystal trees and hurricane lamps with candles on a bed of greenery. The potted greenery is strategically placed in front of the mullions so the view to the landscaping is unobstructed.

 

I was delighted to see the Eileen Gray table next to the chair opposite the bay window.  The reception area of my Knoxville architectural firm had two Corbusier chairs on either side of an Eileen Gray table. This clever table was originally designed for a clinic and the pin on a chain can be pulled out to adjust the table height from a side table to a bedside table.

 

Before I explored the kitchen, I was mesmerized by the exquisite quilt wall hanging created by the wife that tells this family’s story in an adaptation of a very old traditional quilt called “Civil War Bride.” The wife cleverly modified seven of the original 20 blocks to represent their family of three, adding she and her husband in their wedding finery, their initials in script and a mother bird watching over one egg in a nest that represents the birth of their son. She named her version “Willapa Wife” after the name of the bay where the family lived in Washington state. The work is all needle-turned appliqué and she used a technique called free-motion quilting where she  guides the fabric under the needle of the sewing machine to create shapes and texture and to hold the whole quilt together.

 

I prefer storage units like Welsh dressers or pie safes to upper cabinets, and this kitchen has minimal upper cabinets, and the Asian “tansu” wooden piece next to the R/F provides storage with great style. I admired how the gleaming copper pots stand out against the dark walls and how the island is actually a flat-file enhanced by flat knobs in an Asian design. The prep area’s upper cabinets rise to the ceiling to fill the spatial volume and the two windows provide daylight. The design of the window valances were also the handwork of the wife who used the same free-motion quilting technique of her  “Willapa Wife” quilt wall hanging in this pattern called “double wedding ring”.   

 

The sunroom has a dual use as both a dining room for large dinner parties and also the workroom for the wife’s quilting projects.  I loved this quilt’s floral pattern with the colors overlaid onto the black background. The quilt’s pattern is called “Auntie Green’s Garden”,  by Irene Blanck, an Australian quilter. The technique used for all the shapes is called needle-turned appliqué. The rear French doors and side windows make the sunroom a delightful space for dining or work.

 

The  sunroom/workroom credenza has seasonal touches grouped around the antique Singer sewing machine. The plantation shutters offer a view of the adjacent dining area and provides a view of the landscaping beyond the sunroom/workroom from the dining room and den.

 

Like the front door, the sunroom/workroom’s doorway, festooned with greenery, ribbons, dolls and beads, offers a  vista through the house. This space was the entrance for the Christmas in St. Michaels tour and the framed wall openings telescope through the house to the living room at the front of the house were wayfinders for the tour attendees.

 

The second floor contains the primary suite, a guest bedroom and a full bath. The primary bedroom’s sitting area is furnished with classic Charles and Ray Eames Lounge chairs and a “mushroom” table next to the side wall of millwork built around the window.  The chairs are positioned across from the TV on a chest and the TV can swing in a circle so it can be seen from either the sitting area and or from the bed.

 

I admired the tranquil landscape artwork over the bed and its colors inspired the wallpaper with its sepia tones which was an inspired choice of wall covering. The partial wall between the sleeping and sitting areas is covered in cork, which adds great texture as does the lamp base by the bed and the sisal rug. The high knee walls, sloped ceiling and earth tones create a restful setting conducive to sweet dreams.

The bath serves both bedrooms and I admired the staggered pattern of the tile flooring that expands the space and how the vintage porcelain lavatory with chrome legs does not interrupt the flooring as a wood cabinet would. The plantation shutters can be adjusted for privacy as needed.

In the eight years I have written these articles, this “headboard” in the son’s bedroom is the most creative I have seen. I believe every house should have a touch of whimsy and this artwork that was painted on wood made me smile. The red and green tulip patterned quilt is the perfect touch for the Christmas season.

I very reluctantly left my tour of this amazing house filled with treasures from the Far East, artisan quilts that are museum pieces, and other decorative items crafted by the wife and rooms of classic Mid-Century furniture that give this house its unique personality-Bravo and Brava to this couple who graciously shared their house on the Christmas in St. Michaels tour and who inspired this Christmas card from me to readers of my weekly column. As Tiny Tim wisely said, “God bless us every one”- Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Jenn Martella

---

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

One of my interests is cartography and after my move to the Eastern Shore, I was intrigued when I learned from my primary reference book for St. Michaels that only a few of Maryland’s eighteenth century town plans were laid out by an individual land speculator as  St. Michaels’s plan was.  James Braddock was an agent employed by the firm Gildart and Gaywith of Liverpool, England, and he had been trading in Talbot County since 1714. Braddock began to act independently and over time accumulated property near Christ’s Church. In only four years, his holdings totaled two hundred acres and Braddock turned out to be an imaginative urban planner. Rejecting the 18th century’s conventional town planning grid system, Braddock instead arranged thirty six lots around a central square, which later became known as St. Mary’s Square. Its boundaries were Market Street (now Talbot St.), Mulberry, Chestnut and Water St. Today’s feature is located on one of these original streets. 

The house is sited slightly above the Town’s brick sidewalk that seamlessly blends into the brick driveway for off -street parking. The tall row of hollies behind low ivy provides privacy from the neighboring house. I admired the house’s massing with front and side gables and a wrap-around porch, surrounded by rows of  nandina with red berries behind a row of liriope that provides privacy from the street.

Before I walked up the front steps, I paused to admire the front elevation’s arrangement of the front door and surrounding windows. Instead of a typical three-bay house, the middle windows on both the first and second floors are outliers for both their asymmetrical horizontal and vertical alignments below the centered attic window. Coupled with the eclectic mix of design elements of several architectural styles and the classic white façade with contrasting shutters, this house has a unique charm. The very deep front porch is a delightful outdoor room with wicker chairs for relaxing with family and friends.

The solid wood fence at the end of the drive is the boundary between public and private space. From the gate, the light colored gravel hardscape connects the screened porch with the accessory structure at the rear of the property. The seamless gable roofed addition includes a family room on the first floor and the primary bedroom on the second floor.

The accessory structure, fully finished, offers myriad uses-office, artist studio, teen hang-out, etc. From the Adirondack chairs, one can appreciate the verdant oasis of lawn and mature landscaping with privacy from both wood fencing and the trees. The view of the rear elevation in the background shows the gable of the original part of the house with the gable and shed roofed additions in the foreground.

The front door opens into a foyer with a direct vista through the house and the screened porch. The location of the stairs on the exterior wall maximizes the floor plan. The earth tones from the beautiful wood floors, stair newel post and balustrade and the period pendant fixture are reminders of another era. The side window brings sunlight into the hall and selecting the same color for the  wall and trim expands the space.  

Seeing the front room off the foyer with the fireplace fitted for gas, I understood the placement of the windows that creates a natural spot for the sofa directly across from the fireplace and space for artwork above the sofa. If this room became a bedroom, the wall could accommodate a high headboard. Sunlight filters inside through the wooden blinds and the French door leads to the side of the wrap-around porch for great indoor-outdoor flow.  Built-in millwork holds books, memorabilia and family photos.

At the end of the stair hall is the dining room, with two large windows for sunlight and built-in millwork for display of serving pieces. The round wood table and mix of wood chairs with cushions over rattan and upholstered chairs is conducive to lingering after dinner for conversation. The light wall color accented by the white chair rail and crown molding compliments the wood floors.

The living room is connected to both the dining and family rooms. The wood-burning fireplace and wood surround is flanked with wide and long windows and the side wall has built-in backlit millwork. Like the dining room, wood cornices offer the option for the addition of drapery. The door leads to a full bath but the bath could be rearranged so the door could open into the front room to create a first floor ensuite if needed.  

From the living room, a wide wall opening detailed with pilasters and layers of molding leads to the family room at the end of the house for a quiet space in which to relax at the end of the day for TV watching.

With its two side windows and a double-unit window overlooking the rear landscaping, this sunny and spacious family room accommodates both family or guests. The focal point of the room is the wide window seat below the double-unit window flanked by the full height built-in millwork. The soft colors and the subtle rug pattern create a restful pace for binge watching TV.

The kitchen’s sloped ceiling has skylights for added daylight and moonlight. The beautiful wood floors and the craftsmanship in the mix of wood species and color in the cabinets and the wood ceiling creates a unique look. The French door leads to the adjacent screened porch and windows that open into the porch for views of the landscape beyond.

Screened porches and sunrooms are two of my fave types of rooms and this screened porch gets high marks for its sloped ceiling finished with white wood and skylights that create patterns across the brick floor throughout the day as the sun passes over. The porch’s large size has ample room for both dining and sitting areas and is a perfect space for entertaining or small dinner parties. 

The stairs to the second floor pass the two front bedrooms and ends at this sitting room between the primary bedroom and the front bedrooms. The millwork full of books, the gas fireplace, a desk for checking emails or homework, a rattan chaise for settling in with a good book or reading a story to a wee one before bed creates a delightful space.  

From the sitting room, double door open into the sumptuous primary bedroom located at the rear corner of the house overlooking the landscaping. The light wall colors, beautiful wood pieces and light blue bed linens create a serene space for sleep. As a bibliophile, I appreciated the pair of sconces attached to the built-in millwork on either side of the bed that are the perfect height for reading. 

The primary bath has a shower and the hall bath serving the other two bedrooms has a soaking tub. I admired the hall bath’s wood floors and the white wainscot instead of tile and how the sea scape artwork adds perspective to the wall.  

The larger of the two guest bedrooms is located at the front corner of the house and has windows on two walls for sunlight throughout the day. The soft colors accented by the paisley bedspread creates a restful retreat.

My home office is an accessory structure on my property and I like separating work from home life. This stylish office would please anyone working from home with bright white walls and a seating area for breaks from computer work. Above the sofa are built-in shelves for storage.

I could easily imagine writing my Spy articles at this desk, surrounded by windows and the glass entry door. The stylish track light fixture offers both ambient and task lighting.  

This charming historic home in the earliest part of St. Michaels’ Historic District with its appealing traditional architecture, high ceilings, hardwood floors, and original architectural details that have been meticulously maintained offers timeless elegance of an earlier era with updates for today’s lifestyle. Easy flow between the main floor rooms and the spacious outdoor rooms of the front wrap-around porch and the rear screened porch overlooking the landscaped fenced yard expand your everyday living and entertaining space. The “bonus” room is the front main floor room that was probably the original parlor; minor reconfiguration of the full bath behind it could create a main floor ensuite. Other “bonus” spaces are the accessory structure that is finished as an office and the attic accessed by a stair for storage.

---

For more information about this property, contact Monica Penwell, Realtor with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty at 410-745-2596 (o), 410- 310-0225 (c), or [email protected] . For more pictures and pricing, visit monicapenwell.sothebysrealty.com “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Eve Fishell, Chesapeake Pro Photo LLC, 443-786-8025, www.chesapeakeprophoto.com, [email protected]

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

“Sol y Sombra”, (sun and shade) is aptly named for this unique property has just enough trees to shade the house in the summer and in the other months sunlight streams through many large windows, including bay window walls. The site’s 4.8 acres offers peace and privacy along Barrett Cove, off Edge Creek that leads to the Choptank River. The 500 linear feet of riprapped shoreline includes a deep water dock with an electric boat lift as well as a kayak launch. The property contains a main house and a guest house and both offer one-level living for a multi-generational compound or for extended stays by family members. 

The house’s footprint is set high above and parallel to the water which gives it the added advantage of being slightly angled to the road for privacy. The cottage-style architecture mixes gabled and hipped roofs and hints of French design elements in the arched doorway and dormer. The house was built in 2004 by the current owners and has been meticulously maintained. The owners happen to be treasured friends of mine and on the day of my visit for The Spy, the white brick façade stood out from the tall trees festooned with their golden leaves of fall. 

The main house is surrounded by water on two sides, and the rear elevation reaches out to the water with bay-wall projections containing wide and tall windows at each corner of the house. Between the bays is a covered porch, accessed by both the living room and the family room. Brick steps lead down from the covered porch to a brick terrace for unobstructed panoramic southeast water views. Before I went inside, I relaxed on the terrace and marveled that across the expanse of water, only one house was visible.   

Walking out to the dock, I appreciated the sloped riprapped shoreline and the house’s setting in a cluster of tall deciduous and evergreen trees that do not obstruct the water views from inside the house. To the left of the main house, the guest house is angled away from the main house for privacy.  

The pair of French doors with a half-moon transom in the recessed front porch opens into the spacious foyer with its very high ceiling and gleaming white oak floors that flow throughout the main rooms.  The foyer blends into the hall that connects the bedroom wing from the main living areas. Slender white columns are spaced along the high wall that separates the foyer/hall from the living room. 

Just as I did  the first time I saw this room; my eye was immediately drawn to the niches in the chimney wall of the gas fireplace that display an artful arrangement of backlit pottery. I was also again enchanted by the crafts, wall hangings and art that reflects the wife’s upbringing in South America that give this house its unique personality.

The vista from the front door through the living room’s wall of sliding doors to the porch and to the lawn and water beyond is hard to resist.  At the side wall, other slender white columns define the edge of the adjacent dining room. The focal point of the dining room is the built-in millwork containing more enchanting artifacts from South America.  

The dining room table is centered on a wide double unit window for views through the porch to the lawn and water. If one preferred a larger living room, the perhaps decorative columns could be removed and the living room would double in size.  Seating could then be grouped around the fireplace and another seating group around the built-in millwork full of books would please this bibliophile very much. I could well imagine two loveseats flanking the fireplace and another sofa facing the dining room window with ottomans for putting one’s feet up for an afternoon of reading.

On the day of my being a hostess for an open house, during breaks I relished the serene water view from the rear covered porch. The living room’s sliding doors to the porch divide the porch into two areas for relaxation. As the sun angle changed, I moved down to the brick terrace that was bathed in sunlight. 

I returned to the house by the door that leads to the open plan family-breakfast-kitchen area. The family room has always been my fave room for its combination of the bay wall’s tall and wide windows with the side windows that offer panoramic water views. This spacious room is ideal for entertaining or for relaxing with family and friends. 

The ceiling plane from the family room to the office area, breakfast area and kitchen changes from the segmented roof line of the family room’s bay wall to a flat ceiling over the other areas. The breakfast and office areas could be combined to create a dining area and the table would be centered on the wide double unit window at the side wall. 

The custom kitchen design has corner-angled base cabinets with the sink cabinet below the windows for landscape and water views. I usually prefer upper cabinets to end below the ceiling but with the high ceiling, my friends’ display of colorful ceramics parades above the upper cabinets. There is also a walk-in pantry for additional storage.

The hall between the kitchen and the foyer contains this well-stocked bar set into the wall next to the door to the dining room. Its location is easily accessible from the kitchen, family room, dining room and living room. As the Weekend  Wine Woman at Piazza, I was happy to see several bottles from Piazza in the wine rack! Opposite the bar is the powder room and utility/laundry room with the latter having a door to the oversized double-car garage.

I continued my tour by crossing the foyer part of the hall to reach the bedroom wing. Another short hall with a linen closet leads to this waterside primary suite. The ceiling plane has a perimeter soffit for HVAC and then becomes a tray ceiling from the segments of the bay wall. I loved the artful and slim iron bedframe whose transparency doesn’t compete spatially with the room’s volume and the deep blue wall color creates a restful space. 

A pair of double doors leads to the primary bath from the primary bedroom.  The corner jet tub below a wide picture window with an up/down pleated shade privacy when needed. The mirrored walls above the separate lavatory cabinets enlarge the space and the heated tile floors are a plus now that winter is fast approaching. There is also a toilet compartment and a separate shower. The large walk-in closet completes the primary suite.

There are two other guest bedrooms that share a “Jack and Jill” bath. This bedroom at the front of the house has an alcove created by the box bay window with a picture plane between operable units and transoms above. The focal point of this room is the colorful wall hanging above the bed instead of a headboard.

This guest bedroom/office has two windows overlooking the lawn to the guest house and the blue and yellow color scheme is restful. Any guest would appreciate the ergonomic chair and computer table for checking emails before turning in for the night. The adjacent bath is compartmentalized which makes sharing easy when there are guests in both bedrooms.

Shortly after my friends bought the property and built their main house, they added this two-bedroom, two bath modular home for a guest house. The guest house is a plus for three-generation living or as accommodations for extended stays of family or friends during the summers or holidays.

The spacious guest house family room accommodates two sitting areas and the rear windows have landscape and water views.

The eat-in kitchen easily accommodates a table that could be expanded as needed for special occasions. The side door leads to the laundry and an exterior door. From the sliding door, steps lead down to the lawn and to the water. 

When the open house ended, I relaxed in one of the Adirondack chairs near the large willow tree and admired the serene, long view across the water as I basked in the late afternoon sunlight before heading home. 

“Sol y Sombra” offers a rare opportunity to own a large waterfront property with both a main house and guest house, very close proximity to St. Michaels’s many amenities, without having to drive through the Town during the peak summer months as I must. One-level living for aging in place, great indoor-outdoor flow to the outdoor rooms of the rear covered porch and the brick terrace, a pier and kayak launch for warm weather afternoons on the water, meticulously maintained houses and grounds-wonderful property!

---

For more information about this property, contact Cliff Meredith, Broker, with Meredith Fine Properties at 410-822-6272 (o), 410-924-0082 (c), or [email protected] . For more photographs and pricing, visit www.MeredithFineProperties.com ,“Equal Housing Opportunity.” 

Photography by-Townsend Visuals, www.townsendvisuals.com, (443) 279-8309

Construction by Warrington Builders, (410) 820-9371

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

 

This one-of-a-kind property in Royal Oak has it all-145 acres of peace and privacy with a long view of Fox Hole Creek leading to the Tred Avon River. The paved driveway first passes through a verdant landscape with broad vistas to ponds, fields and pastures defined by white fences, then disappears under a  canopy of mature sawtooth oaks, to finally curve around the Colonial style main house.  Opposite the house, a low stone wall encloses a water feature and landscaping on axis with the front door and mature trees focus one’s view on the front façade.  

Before going in for my tour of the house, I walked around the grounds and admired how the rear elevation of the house has unobstructed views of the water from both the main floor’s elevated brick terrace that spans the full length of the house and the deck at the second floor. Brick steps cascade down from the terrace to the lawn, the small boathouse and pier opposite the pool area.  Next to the pool area is a two-bedroom guest house for extended stays.

 

From the main two-and-a-half-story wing, the house telescopes down to one-and-a-half-story wings with an additional one-story wing. The covered walkway steps down to connect the house to the three-car garage with an apartment above. Single dormer windows, with triple windows at the roof line and the deep shed roof over part of the terrace, enliven the very appealing massing. 

The pool area contains a sitting area shaded by a pergola and a pool house with a sauna, bath, kitchenette and porch for respite from the sun.  

I continued my exploration of the site by passing under the covered walkway and walking down the separate drive to the farm area over to the section containing paddocks and barns. I discovered a delightful space between the two barns that contains a charming sitting room between glass enclosures of a greenhouse on one side and a potting shed on the other.  A walkway leads from this building  to a cozy gazebo, perched on the edge of a large pond. 

One of the barns has been transformed into a “showroom” for vintage cars, completer with a hamburger joint and workshop. I was delighted to see a 1950’s station wagon with wood exterior panels just like the one my family had when I was young. Whatever your collection may be, this huge area offers myriad possibilities!

I did not see any horses in the paddocks but the horse stables and tack room have been kept intact for the next equestrian owner. The other barn part has been cleverly modified to contain a billiards room and a vintage convenience store.  

Opposite the barns are paddocks outlined by white fencing with small run-in sheds with red roofs and cupolas. One of the roof’s cupola is capped by the horse-shaped weathervane.  Along the side of one paddock is the entry drive with the portion lined by sawtooth oaks. 

On my way back to the main house, I toured the charming guest house. Who wouldn’t want to be a guest in this cozy two bedroom house with an open plan kitchen-dining-living space, a fireplace and a full porch with water views? 

Before I went into the main house, I paused to savor the exquisite five-bay main wing’s symmetry with the center door, fanlight transom and half glass, half paneled sidelights, 6/6 windows and the classic color palette of white siding, green shutters and red brick exposed foundation. The three bay porch with decorative railing above has a wider center bay, to accentuate the front door and to provide clear views of the landscape from the rockers. The accent of slate treads at the brick steps that lead down to the driveway visually separates the treads from the brick risers for safety. 

The front door opens into a gracious foyer with a side stair to the upper floors and offers a vista through the house to the rear wall of the waterside living room. The beautiful hardwood floors, wide wall openings, soft wall colors, trimwork and moldings introduce these design elements found throughout the house, 

The very large living room easily accommodates more than one seating area, with one area grouped around the fireplace and another near the adjacent sunroom and breakfast room. The transparency of the rear wall with glass doors, transoms, and full height windows that wrap around each corner of the room offers panoramic views of the landscape and water.

The partially covered brick terrace is accessed by the living room, sunroom, family room and primary bedroom for great indoor-outdoor flow and serene views of the lawn and water. 

The glimpse of a corner fireplace beckoned me to the breakfast area. The placement of the table and chairs under a wide window with a center picture plane between two operable units maximizes views of the landscape and water. I admired how the fireplace is elevated so it can also be seen from the adjacent kitchen.

A pair of French doors lead from the breakfast area to the sunroom with wrap-around windows, doors and transoms. I admired the pitched ceiling above the gable end wall, infilled with glass and the stained wood beams and decking that float above the perimeter soffit. Built-in millwork, with a center recess for a large screen TV, holds books, family photos and memorabilia and the sage green and rose upholstered pieces create a wonderful space for relaxation.

The large gourmet kitchen has a mix of cabinet finishes from stained to white to the light green of the island’s cabinetry that compliments the wall color. The stainless steel appliances complete the look. Sunlight from the front windows and the breakfast room’s wide window keep this room sunny throughout the day. Next to the full wall of cabinetry is a hall with the laundry and powder room opposite stairs to the partial basement.  When I went down the stairs, I discovered a wine cellar with a tasting area!

I circled back to the dining room with its wide wall openings to both the foyer and one corner of the living room. The wallpaper, white wainscot and paneling around the firebox, wood furnishings, Oriental rug and upholstered chairs that complement the rug colors combine to create an elegant room for memorable meals. I noted the sly fox resting on the safe harbor of the fireplace’s hearth!

After crossing the foyer, I entered a hall along the front of the house that passes a storage closet, powder room and den, that ends at the primary suite. A pair of doors lead to the den with another  pair of French doors to the living room for great flow. The stone fireplace sets the tone for a rustic look and encourages one to sit back and enjoy the wide screen TV by the fire. At the rear of the room is built-in millwork and two chairs for reading and enjoying the view of the landscape and the water beyond. 

The sumptuous primary suite’s is located at the waterside corner of this wing. The large bedroom with a sitting area by a fireplace has a tray ceiling for added height and two pairs of glass doors lead to the waterside brick terrace.

The large primary bath is arranged very well with the focal point being the bow window above the tub between the compartments for the shower and toilet. The opposite wall has a long row of cabinetry and dual lavatories next to a linen closet and a large walk-in closet completes the primary suite. 

The second floor contains two bedroom ensuites and French doors from the stair hall open onto the deck for bird’s eye views of the water. The two ensuites are located on either side of the stair hall for privacy and one of the ensuites has extra space for two small offices or a large walk-in closet. 

The third floor is the domain of one bedroom ensuite with its own private stair,  tucked under the roof rafters that creates delightful interior architecture. The  two single dormers at the front wall overlook the landscape and the wide triangular dormer with a triple window overlooks the water for panoramic bird’s eye views -this would be the bedroom I would choose as a guest. 

Although I was not on site at twilight, I thought this photo would be a perfect coda to this property’s story. The nocturnal shot with the interiors lit up highlights the amount of transparency in the number of windows and glass doors and the angled positions of the various buildings creates an irresistible composition of this remarkable property!

This one of a kind, immaculately maintained property, does have it all -a location in sought after Royal Oak with a long view of Fox Hole Creek leading to the Tred Avon River, the verdant landscape of broad vistas to ponds, fields and pastures defined by white fences, Colonial style architecture with the main house’s great indoor-outdoor flow, outdoor rooms of the brick terrace and upper deck, main floor primary suite and  guest rooms on the two upper floors. Outdoor amenities include the pool area, tennis court, small boat house and pier and the greenhouse. For the equestrian enthusiast, there is a five stall barn with tack room and washroom with fenced paddocks. This peaceful and very private waterfront haven is close to the Belleview Ferry to Oxford and is also equidistant to the amenities of Easton and St. Michaels.

---

For more information about this property, contact Cornelia Heckenbach at Long and Foster Real Estate Inc., 410-770-3600 (o), 410-310-1229 (c) or [email protected] , “Equal Housing Opportunity”. For more photographs and pricing visit www.stmichaelsmdwaterfront.com,  “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by HomeVisit, http://www.homevisit.com/, 703-953-3866

Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.

The Wampanoag Nation, People of the First Light, comprised as many as sixty-seven villages populated by approximately 40,000 Indians. The Wampanoag joined with the Pilgrims for a three-day celebration sometime between September 21 and November 9 in the year1621. About 90 warriors attended the feast, including the great chief Massasoit. He sent warriors to hunt deer for the feast, including five deer and other game, geese, ducks, and other fowl along with shellfish, nuts, and berries to add to the Pilgrims’ store. There might have been turkeys, but they were not a major part of the meal. 

 

“The American Wild Turkey, Male” (1863) (26’’x40’’) (print) was plate #1 of the series Birds of America created by James Audubon (1785-1851). The series consisted of 435 plates. He wrote about his choice of the turkey as his first plate in the series in his Ornithological Biography (1831): “The great size and beauty of the Wild Turkey, its value as a delicate and highly prized article of food, and the circumstance of its being the origin of the domestic race now generally dispersed over both continents, render it one of the most interesting of the birds indigenous to the United States of America.” Audubon rendered images in great detail. In order to achieve a precise image, he prepared the birds, carefully stuffing and placing them. Audubon gave the turkey a proud stance and rich coloring. The plant behind the turkey is a cane plant.

 

“Home to Thanksgiving” (1867) (15’’x25’’) (hand colored lithograph) is from the Currier and Ives company. The original painting was by George H Durrie (1820-1863) of New Haven Connecticut. Currier and Ives promoted Durrie’s paintings in several prints. The last Durrie print was “Home for Thanksgiving,” and it continues to be popular today. The scene is a winter day with snow on the ground. In the middle ground, a young man has just arrived home in a horse-drawn sleigh and greets his family gathered on the front porch of the house. In the foreground is a dog and a skid of logs pulled by oxen. The young man with the skid raises a stick in greeting. A barn full of hay, cows, and chickens, and a silo complete the winter scene. The modest farm is well-kept. The celebration of Thanksgiving is about to begin. 

“A Pilgrims Grace” (1897) (16’’x20’’) was painted by Henry Mosler (1841-1920). He was born into a Jewish family in Prussia. When Henry was eight years old, his family immigrated to America and settled in Cincinnati. He was trained as an artist in Paris and Dusseldorf. Exhibitions of his work in the Paris Salon were successful. As popular as Thanksgiving is as an American celebration, few painters attempted to depict the original Thanksgiving. When they did so, the colonists out-numbered the native Americans, and appeared to be the hosts.

Mosler, popular for his American genre paintings, chose to depict a family at prayer over a meager meal. Dressed in Pilgrim black and white, the family is safe inside the log cabin. A fire burns in the fireplace, and the black and white cat curls up on the steps.  

At the conclusion of the American Revolution, President Washington called for “a day of public thanksgiving and prayer” for the successful conclusion of the war. As President, Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday of November as “a day of Thanksgiving.” On October 17, 1863, Harper’s Weekly published Lincoln’s proclamation.

“Giving Thanks” (1942) (11’’x14’’) was painted by Horace Pippin (1888-1946). He was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. While he was in school, he entered a contest and won his first art supplies, a box of watercolors and a set of crayons. Famous for his American genre scenes, Pippin also painted landscapes, scenes from American history, including scenes of slavery. “Giving Thanks” is not a specific reference to Thanksgiving; however, it depicts the family seated at a simple wood table in a log cabin and offering thanks for a meal they will share together. The setting is simple. The sentiment is sincere.

Pippin enlisted in the first World War and became a member of K Company, a largely black regiments known as the Harlem Hellfighters. They were awarded the French Crois de Guerre. He began making art in his 20s, and throughout his career he returned to images of his time at the front. Pippin was discovered in 1941 by the art dealer Edith Halpern, and his career bloomed. His work is in the collections of America’s prestigious museums. Writing about a memorial exhibition of Pippin’s work, art critic Alain Locke described Pippin as “a real and rare genius, combining folk quality with artistic maturity so uniquely as almost to defy classification.”

Grandma Moses began painting in her 60s. Her paintings of rural life in the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth centuries became extremely popular after 1939. One of her favorite subjects was the farm family preparing for Thanksgiving. “Catching the Turkey’’ (1943) depicts the annual event. In this winter scene, a large farm house sits by a road leading into town. A school house, church, and other town building can be seen at both ends of the road. In the yard, a man is busy chopping firewood.  The real action is at the front of the painting. One boy wields a hatchet, another throws a snowball, and a third boy vigorously grabs a turkey’s feathers. There will be no lack of turkey for dinner this year.

The turkey was described by Benjamin Franklin as “a much more respectable bird…a true original native of America.” He considered the eagle “a rank coward.” Franklin, Adams, and Jefferson were among those assigned to pick the American emblem, but Franklin did not make his thoughts about turkeys and eagles public. In a letter to his daughter, Sarah, on January 26, 1784, Franklin wrote about the virtues of the turkey. The story began to be circulated in the newspapers. Franklin never proposed the turkey as the national symbol.

---

Beverly Hall Smith was a professor of art history for 40 years. Since retiring to Chestertown with her husband Kurt in 2014, she has taught art history classes at WC-ALL and the Institute of Adult Learning, Centreville. An artist, she sometimes exhibits work at River Arts. She also paints sets for the Garfield Theater in Chestertown.