Design with Jenn Martella: A Diamond on Diamondback

Waterfront houses with shorelines facing south enjoy the ideal solar orientation for sunny rooms throughout the day. Today’s featured house was sited not only to capture the southern light but also to maximize its spectacular 180-degree vistas up and down the Miles River.  This charming house began its life as a guest house for the Ingleton manor house but was moved to its current location.  

Talbot County has been home to many famous people but as an opera fan, I was especially intrigued to learn that this house’s former owners include a famous operatic baritone, John Charles Thomas. This house was his second home and his haven between his worldwide engagements, including Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera.  

After driving along a meandering gravel driveway past a vernacular landscape of barns and mature trees, I reached the parking area. Before going in for my tour, I paused to appreciate the tranquil setting of the house nestled in mature trees. I also admired the house’s rich massing from the bay-shaped projections and the one-story shed-roofed addition to the original house. 

The additional scope of work also included modifying the original “front” porch since the main entry had been from the rear waterfront screened porch. The porch columns were modified in the craftsman style and from this side, the hipped and gabled roof continued the very appealing massing of the house.  The light gray cementitious siding and white trim is classic as is the Eastern Shore vernacular architecture with its harmonious blend of American Four-Square and National Folk styles.

I especially liked the waterside elevation with the screened porch that spans the full length of the main wing next to the two-story bay-shaped projection. Steps lead down from the porch to the deep and broad lawn so one can fully appreciate the views of the Miles River. The Owners carefully located flowering plants and trees throughout their 3.5-acre lot and during my visit, the landscape was beginning to awaken from its winter slumber. Hardscaped walkways surround the house so one can stroll through the landscape and enjoy views of the water. 

I loved the design of the screened porch with its exposed roof framing, wood flooring, and bays defined by elaborate turned and carved columns and solid fretwork detailed with an arched bottom below a circle cutout. The center pair of double-screened doors create spaces on either side for sitting and dining. When open, the pair of screened doors offers a wide unobstructed view of the lawn to the river. The horizontal framing allows privacy without compromising the water views.

Another outdoor room is the waterside area with a heated gunite pool, partially covered by a wood pergola on stone piers, and a separate spa that creates an outdoor entertaining area halfway between the house and the gazebo/pier area beyond that is framed by the pergola.

The peaceful gazebo area offers several possibilities for relaxation. Launch a boat from the pier for a day on the water or escape the summer heat in the gazebo. Enjoy an al-fresco dinner as the sun slowly sets, or later in the evening settle into the chairs around the firepit at the river’s edge and enjoy the splendor of the sky on a clear night.   

I began my tour of the interiors in the living, dining, and kitchen areas connected by wide wall openings that create an open-plan layout. The beautiful original wood floors and the color palette of serene neutrals accented with pillows and the matchstick blinds for texture create a warm and welcoming space for relaxation. The tall windows in both the dining and living rooms on either side of the French doors to the screened porch stretch to the underside of the ten-foot ceilings and flood the spaces with light. The fish sculpture floating in the transom above the French doors is a colorful touch of whimsy.

The side wall of the living room has a lovely rhythm of millwork and a long single window above a cushioned seat on each side of the fireplace detailed with corbeled brick that creates a deep mantel. I admired how the millwork did not extend to the underside of the ceiling so it appears to be a piece of furniture. The wood accents of the coffee table, patterned upholstered pieces, and the color splash of the teal pillows complete the serene look.

The living room’s side unit of glass-fronted millwork next to the kitchen displays serving pieces. The wide wall opening to the kitchen frames the “L” shaped island arrangement underneath the shed roof’s ceiling.  The island’s lowered counter is a great spot for breakfast or any informal meal with views across the living room windows through the screened porch to the landscape and the river beyond. The skylight above the kitchen sink window and the side window bring in sunlight that is reflected by the white surfaces of both the ceiling and the cabinets. 

The dining area has a beautiful oval wood dining table surrounded by a mix of wood and upholstered chairs anchored by the large rug in a subtle pattern. Two extra upholstered chairs in the living room can be used for larger family celebrations. I admired the dining room’s wood pieces around the perimeter of the room in their varied sizes and wood designs. A pair of French pocket doors lead to the office area.

The office is a delightful space created by the bay wall projection with a window seat for breaks from computer work to admire the views through the wrap-around windows. The stair to the second floor begins with two wide treads that infill the wall’s geometry.  During the time John Charles Thomas lived here, the wide wall opening became a proscenium and the raised floor became his stage. He generously invited his neighbors over to enjoy concerts from his repertoire ranging from opera to musical theater selections. The only price of admission was that each patron needed to bring their own folding chair!

A door at the rear wall of the living room leads to the addition by the current Owners. Next to a full bath is a cozy TV room with a smaller bay wall projection for views of the landscape. The light aqua wall color is soothing and I could well imagine propping my feet up on the extended sofa to watch my fave PBS shows. My only change would be to infill the bay window with cushioned seating so my cat could doze in the sun and have a front row seat of the landscape.

Behind the TV room is a bedroom with charming interior architecture from the windows on two side walls for sunlight throughout the day and the ceiling plane that follows the slope of the shed roof above to create extra height. If I were a guest, I would be quite happy to be shown to this quiet corner for an extended stay. With the adjacent TV room and full bath, this suite could also become a main floor primary ensuite.

The primary bedroom is located above the office’s bay wall projection and is accessed by an adjacent sitting room with pocket French doors to the bedroom. All of the exterior walls are infilled with windows for fantastic views of the landscape and water. As a bibliophile, I usually have several books stacked on my nightstand so I envied the clever detail of the built-in shelving around the perimeter of the angled walls for books, displays, and family photos. The soft blue and white bed linens and the warm trim color create a restful retreat.

The primary bath arrangement works very well with separate lavatories, the shower opposite the tub angled against the corner and the recessed area for the toilet. The primary bedroom’s trim color extends into this room’s trim and wainscot and the floor tile set on the diagonal visually expands the space. The large framed mirror becomes another “window”. 

I loved this property’s spectacular broad views of the Miles River and the blend of American Four-Square and National Folk architecture enhanced with bay windows to offer expansive views from within. To me, this exquisite house is a “Goldilocks” house- a “just right” compact floor plan containing spacious rooms, high ceilings, and tall windows offering abundant sunlight and cross vistas to the landscape and Miles River. Having primary bedroom ensuites on both floors is a bonus and the interior French pocket doors create easy flow among the rooms. The range of waterside outdoor rooms from the screened porch, pool terrace, pergola and the gazebo contributes to this property’s great appeal. My compliments to the Owners for being such careful stewards of this “diamond” by their thoughtful renovations that maintained the historic elements that give this house its unique charm. Bravo!

 

For more information about this property, contact Meg Moran, GRI, Associate Broker, Top 100 Agents 2023, with Long and Foster Real Estate Forbes Global Properties at 410-770-3600 (o), 410-310-2209 (c), or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing visit www.megmoran.com , “Equal Housing Opportunity.” 

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