Design with Jenn Martella: Highfield

As an ardent proponent of historic preservation, I am honored that today’s feature is “Highfield”, the home of Michael and Ann Bourne since 1989. Michael Bourne was a giant in the field of historic preservation in the Mid-Atlantic region. His research and drawings of historic structures and sites in Kent County are now housed in the Historical Society of Kent County. His dedicated effort to document for future generations almost every historic building in Chestertown led to the formation of the non-profit group, Preservation. Inc. and many philanthropic projects that rescued houses in danger of demolition. His book “Historic Homes of Kent County”, and his contribution to “Chestertown Maryland, An Inventory of Historic Sites”  are my go-to sources for background information on historic houses I have featured. 

The five-acre site offers peace and privacy and includes two outbuildings; one is outfitted as a wood-fired brick oven bakery and the other is a storage building for lawn maintenance.

The design of this special house was a labor of love for the Bournes; his degree in architecture and the couple’s fondness for the vernacular farmhouses of Suffolk County in England they had admired during many visits to that region resulted in the design of this one of a kind house. Details including the steep pitched roof, “catslide” roof slope at the east end of the house, the tall, articulated chimney, multipaned windows,  and enclosed front entry reflect their sophisticated taste and serious attention to every detail. The landscape design was also carefully considered and includes multiple perennial beds, including this border along the brick path leading to the front door which starts with daffodils in the spring and moves to columbine and yellow lilies in late summer.  

I especially admired the careful attention to the window arrangement and how the sill of the tall and wide window above the stair aligns with the headers of the first-floor windows.

Every elevation of this house is beautiful; I loved the massing of the main roof’s hip to the vent just below the roof’s ridge and how the lower pitched roof over the screened porch also provides a wide dormer for the primary suite above. The house’s colors of nature in shades of brown blend into the surrounding trees.

The rear and other side elevation is my fave one-the wide two-story window dominates the façade and the trim caramel color accentuates each window and the eaves for contrast against the light lap siding. From my weekly viewing of the BBC House and Garden Network’s architect George Clarke, the Brits love their conservatories and the corner wrap around windows of the mini-conservatory await the flowering plants of spring.

 

The custom front door opens into a foyer tucked under the stairs and the “bridge” that links the two bedroom ensuites on the second floor. The tall triple window unit above the stairs floods the stairs with sunlight and the warm butter yellow walls with the stained floors and trim enclose a cozy space for relaxing. 

Throughout the house, the Bournes’ art collection includes many of their daughter’s works, including  four miniatures in the Great Room.

The front door’s artisan unique wrought iron hardware introduces both the antique and reproduction hardware found throughout the house.

The spacious living room with its warm blue walls, custom grey carpet, and red accents spans the depth of the house. Its focal point is the Hamstone fireplace surround with detailed beveled trim that forms a gentle ellipse around the opening to the firebox’s lining of oversized brick. Front and side windows offer direct views of the landscape and the pair of French doors between full height windows leads to the adjacent screened porch. 

The deep screened porch is a wonderful outdoor room for easy outdoor-indoor flow to the living room and to the terrace. I admired the flagstone flooring with a brick border and the slight elliptical shape of the header trim of the screened panels. The dark structural framing and the darker screened framing contrasts with the warm white of the ceiling planks.

To fully appreciate the spatial height of the two-story Great Room, I walked back under the one-story foyer and then into the magnificent two-story space with its triple height windows in a 5-4-3 vertical pattern overlooking the landscape. As I was mesmerized by the window wall, the side warm butter yellow wall appeared to change color as a ray of sun cast its shadow on the wall. This room blends historic elements and the Bournes’ love of British vernacular design with energy efficiency of the window wall’s SSE solar orientation combined with a six-zone heating system results in low energy bills!

The earth tones of the interior design are enlivened by accents of color in the deep slate blue freestanding Danish stove and the discreet Runtal panel radiator underneath the window sill along with the red wing chair. Having written an article several years ago about Chestertown’s talented Deep Water Landing’s artisan chandeliers, I recognized their work floating above in the space.

The simple elegance of the wood table, Windsor chairs, and centerpiece of a copper container of African violets between two brass candles sets the scene for memorable meals with views through the window wall to the landscape beyond. I especially liked how the window muntins cast a checkerboard of shadows onto the tabletop. 

The very wide wall opening between the Great Room and the kitchen creates an open plan for easy flow between the rooms. The spacious “U” shaped kitchen with another row of cabinetry behind the island appealed to this cook. I admired the contrast of the butcher block countertops for chopping or kneading bread with the darker cabinetry, another accent of red in the walls and another Deep Water Landing artisan chandelier.

I admired the openness of the kitchen with the pairs of double units at the rear wall and the triple window overlooking the adjacent mini-conservatory. The space is full of sunlight since there are no upper cabinets!  I much prefer the Brits’ preference of a pantry off the kitchen that this layout has.   =

 

At the corner of the house next to the kitchen is a space divided into a stairwell to the basement and a mud room. The wrap-around window sills will soon be adorned with colorful plants.  The stairwell leads to the full basement with a large ante-space, laundry room, playroom, and workshop.

The mud room’s easy care quarry tile flooring flows through the space with pegs for jackets, a bench for taking off one’s Wellies after time in the garden and an umbrella stand. At the end of the mud room is a powder room. The exterior door leads to large stone pavers that curl around the corner of the house to the terrace and the screened porch.

 

The study at the front of the house is accessed from both the Great Room and a short hall between the kitchen pantry and a row of kitchen cabinetry. The projection of the pantry’s side wall creates a nook in the study. With a cushion and pillows, the nook becomes a cozy break from computer work or a spot for the cat to bask in the sunlight from the quad window unit. The ergonomic chair, leather-topped mission oak desk and the bespoke millwork are all one needs in a quiet corner study for work.

The bridge at the top of the stairs is offset from the front wall to allow open space for the large window at the front of the house to provide daylight for both the foyer below and the bridge. The windows at the rear wall of the Great Room below also provide daylight and views of the landscape. Beyond the bridge is a wall opening leading to the guest ensuite and the stairs to the second guest ensuite on the third floor.

The primary bedroom is located over the spacious living room at the west end of the house. The tray ceiling, triple unit window on the west and  two double unit windows provide ample sunlight throughout the day. The room’s focal point of the canopy bed with its delicate leaf pattern, the oversize chair for reading before bedtime, the antique wood pieces and the expanse of the teal carpet create a restful retreat. Since the laundry is located in the basement, there is a laundry chute hidden in the built-in cupboards next to the chimney wall behind the bed.

The five piece primary bath has two lavatory cabinets with hexagonal Kohler sinks, an over-sized soaking tub, shower, and toilet and is handsomely accented by deep blue Portuguese delft tiles, several delicate watercolors, and  pots of plants.

The second floor guest ensuite bedroom has serene light green walls and mix of wood, rattan, and upholstered furnishings. The mahogany closet doors for this bedroom were reclaimed from an antique armoire. A full bath and a dressing room with a laundry chute complete the ensuite.

The third floor guest bedroom has delightful interior architecture from the knee walls and the sloped ceiling. The spatial geometry creates chamfered corners for both the wood doors and trim. I admired the four-poster bed’s colorful bedspread and the wooden trunk that is now a stylish table. 

Walking around the grounds, I appreciated the pastoral views and marveled that this peaceful haven was only three miles from downtown Chestertown! I lingered on the terrace by the flower bed bursting with texture and color from the arrangement of low to tall plants and flowers that are  beginning to awaken from their winter dormancy.

 

As I strolled through the grounds of this five acre property and the rooms of this unique house, I felt I was visiting one of Great Britain’s National Trust properties.  ”Highfield” personifies the Bournes’ deep commitment to both preservation and their appreciation of Great Britain’s historic architecture. The Bournes’ attention to detail is evident in the planning of the gardens and every room of the house.  Details like the Hamstone fireplace, newel posts in the stairs, antique doors and antique hardware, stained floors and trim, etc., give the house its inviting warmth and unique character that make “Highfield” a rare gem. The outbuilding that is equipped as a bakery with a brick oven could be transformed into a charming guest house, but guests would be reluctant to leave this peaceful haven, only three miles from downtown Chestertown. Lucky indeed is the person who becomes the next steward of this magnificent property. My highest praise for “Highfield”-Bravissimo!

---

For more information about this property, contact Nancy McDonald McGuire at Maryland Heritage Properties , 410-778-9319 (o) ,443-480-7342 (c), or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing, visit www.marylandheritageproperties.com/home , “Equal Housing Opportunity.” 

Contractor: Phillips Home Builders
Photography: Stephen Buchanan, Nancy McDonald McGuire, and Ann Bourne.
Aerials: Stephen Buchanan, buchananphotography.com

Selected botanical art by Atwater Designs, www.atwaterdesigns.com

“Chestertown Maryland, An Inventory of Historic Sites” , based upon an historic site survey conducted by Robert Neill, Michael O. Bourne, and Kathleen B. White, with additional survey information by Marsha Fritz, Robert J.H. Janson-La Palme and Peter Newlin

“Where Land and Water Intertwine”, An Architectural History of Talbot County, Maryland, by Christopher Weeks, with contributions by Michael O. Bourne, John Frazier, Jr., Marsha L. Fritz and Geoffrey Henry; published by the Johns Hopkins University Press and the Maryland Historical Trust.

The Historical Society of Kent County, www.kentcountyhistory.org, 301 High Street, Chestertown, MD, (410) 778-3499

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.