It is always a pleasure for me to return to the Historic West End District of Cambridge since it has a rich collection of architectural styles from the stately brick home of one of the founders of Phillips Packing Company to this exquisite house that has features of both the Queen Anne and American Four-Square characteristics-two of my fave historic styles. The front elevation is clearly American Four-Square with its boxy shape, the porch’s simple balustrade with Roman columns and the hipped roof with its dominant attic dormer.
The house is set on immaculately kept grounds of a highly desirable corner lot. Its quiet street ends at the Choptank River for opportunities of daily walks to watch the sunset or for walking one’s dog. The tall holly tree provides shade for the stone benches that curve around its trunk and creates a perfect spot to rest and catch up with neighbors on their daily strolls.
As I walked around the corner of the house, the house broke out of its boxy shape with Queen Anne characteristics of the wrap-around porch, the cross gable over the two-story angled bay projection, bay windows, single dormers, the tall ornamental brick chimney and accents of stained glass windows. The wide and long windows punctuate the exterior to provide abundant light to the interior rooms.
The full corner side elevation also shows more Queen Anne characteristics of another gable wing projection that includes a porch at the second floor. I admired how the porches were diagonally across from each other to enhance the mix of walls and open spaces that creates another appealing façade. The fencing includes a gate for off-street parking.
Walking around the three elevations that have views of the street, I was captivated by the exuberant massing that gives this house such great curb appeal. The large fenced yard is a safe area for children and pets at play.
I admired the porch’s detailing of the gable roof’s extension over the steps with short brick walls as bases for the columns that creates a gracious entrance. The oval window with etched glass offers a glimpse of the foyer within.
The two corners of the wrap-around porch define seating and dining areas. My compliments to the photographer for this great corner shot that also captured the sun casting shadows on the front floor. The porch’s expanse of white bands of siding contrasts with the narrower lengths of the ceiling boards and the pale gray flooring is a neutral backdrop for the black rattan seating with cushions. What a delightful outdoor room for beginning one’s evening with relaxation!
Besides having characteristics of two of my fave styles, another reason I selected this exquisite house is that the beautiful wood of the flooring, door and window trim, baseboard and the stair have miraculously never been painted -bravo! The front door opens into this spacious foyer and the wide wall opening at the side wall frames a pair of pocket doors to the front parlor. The stair is a work of art with its “L” shape, the carved newel posts and paneling below the balustrade.
When I opened the beautiful oak front door with its oval glass insert into the foyer, I saw that the slight box bay that added interest to the porch adds even more interest by creating a window seat with a curved ceiling above the wood corner guards. I admired how the oval window is on axis with the stair and how the stair’s first three treads curve gracefully around the balustrade. The newel post with its top cap of the round “mortgage button” is a historic detail that signified the house’s mortgage had been paid.
The entrance hall’s white walls and ceiling highlight the original wood flooring, balustrade, paneling, trim and moldings and create a gracious welcoming space. I admired how this view of the stair captured the short run of the stair’s “L” shape above. Tucked under the stair is a full bath.
The front parlor next to the foyer has long windows overlooking the wrap-around porch. I admired the house’s interior architecture with high ceilings, lighter flooring that contrasts with the darker trim of the windows, doorways and baseboard. The period pendant light fixture was the perfect finishing touch. The side wall’s wide opening also contains pocket doors.
The focal point of the front parlor is the angled fireplace between the wide wall openings that offers vistas to both the foyer and another parlor and maximizes the floor area for furnishings. I admired the detailing of the fireplace’s wood surround embellished with design elements including columns on each side, decorative motifs and the earth tones of the tile around the firebox.
The room next to the front parlor is furnished as a second parlor but it would also be an elegant dining room with its interior architecture of the bay exterior wall with three windows and the French doors leading to the kitchen. Another period light fixture is positioned for a round or oval dining table below.
At the rear of the house is the large kitchen with a breakfast area overlooking the deep yard. Instead of a table and chairs, creating a banquette of built-in seating against the side wall and a table might free up more floor space for a possible island.
Next to the kitchen is a laundry and mudroom overlooking the fenced side and rear yards. The French door to the kitchen is opposite the exterior door to the side yard and off street parking of ease of unloading the car after errands.
Having explored the main floor, I slowly walked up the stair to the second floor to admired the view to the foyer below and the beautiful stained glass window at the second floor landing.
The stair from the foyer ends opposite this guest bedroom. The bedroom’s corner windows offer sunlight throughout the day and views of the landscape and streetscape below. The vintage light fixture is another perfect touch.
The bath off the hall serves the second floor bedrooms with a tub/shower combination opposite these fixtures. The tile wainscot continues the earth tones of the interior design throughout the house.
The primary bedroom is located above the side parlor below so it also enjoys the bay wall projection filled with single windows for panoramic views of the Historic District.
Next to the primary bedroom is this large space that leads to the covered porch. Converting this space to a primary bath would create a sumptuous primary ensuite and free up the hall bath for guests.
The covered porch offers bird’s eye views of the landscape and streetscape of the historic West End District.
It was well worth climbing another stair to access the third floor with its delightful interior architecture of this dormer window overlooking the front yard, beautiful wood flooring and white walls. This finished space offers myriad uses and there are also other storage spaces under this floor’s gable walls.
This property has great curb appeal from its location in Cambridge’s West End Historic District in Cambridge; its corner lot on a wide front street that ends at the Choptank River and its harmonious blend of both the American Four-Square and Queen Anne architectural styles. Outdoor rooms of the main floor’s wrap-around porch and the corner porch on the upper floor expand your living space and the fenced yard provides a safe area for children and pets at play. Pictures can’t fully illustrate how well the stained wood flooring, moldings, decorative motifs, trim, interior doors and the magnificent stairs have been so well preserved. A wonderful opportunity to become the next steward of this historic property and to continue its preservation!
For details about this property, contact William Linthicum at the Linthicum Group of Benson and Mangold Real Estate at 410-228-0800 (o), 443-521-1268 (c), or will@thelinthicumgroup.com . For more pictures and pricing, visit https://bensonandmangold.com/agents/will-linthicum “Equal Housing Opportunity”.
Photography by Bill Whaley Photography, www.billwhaleyphotography.com , 443-477-1928.