The architectural style of this farmhouse is rooted in the Eastern Shore rural vernacular but its detailing and interiors clearly place it firmly in this century. Site, architecture, interiors and landscape combine to create this stunning 5.2 acre property on the Miles River. The traditional farmhouse with its “T” form and end  gables, shed roof over the front porch and metal roofing are reinterpreted with sleek and crisp detailing. The cementitious board and batten siding casts shadows as the sun moves around the house to enliven the facades and the imaginative placement of the windows devoid of trim adds great delight. 

The front door opens onto a long entrance hall with a staircase at one end.  The front door is also on axis with a pair of French doors centered in the rear wall of the living-dining room opposite the hall. Tall windows mark the stair landing and  filter light in two directions. Part of the stair wall is also a recessed bookcase. The other end of the entrance hall leads to the service wing, with a powder room that is connected to the spacious mud room, exterior door, pet washing area, and another set of stairs to the second floor.  

The rooms at the rear of the house create an open plan oriented to the water. From the living-dining room, French doors lead to a waterside terrace and large floor to ceiling windows along the rest of the rear wall perimeter provide views to the water. The living room seating is arranged around the fireplace with the TV to one side and the raised hearth has wood storage below that adds texture. The dining area’s storage closets with a dropped soffit frame the large island of the kitchen beyond and the vista ends at the triple window over the kitchen sink. Another sitting room projects beyond the rear wall of the house and French doors lead to the waterside terrace. Its large picture window allows additional views of the water from the adjacent kitchen.  

The main stairs lead to a playroom at the front of the house opposite the two bedrooms and baths for the children. The office area is above the service wing below and is accessed from the playroom so parents can take breaks from work to join in play time.  The master suite contains a large walk-in closet, a luxurious bathroom and the bedroom over the sitting room below has a pitched ceiling and windows on two sides for water views.

The thoughtful detailing of this house is crafted with the highest level of construction and I loved so many details. The trimless doors and windows with thin muntins in a black finish disappear into the landscape beyond. The dramatic wide picture windows from the floor to the underside of the header above on the main floor keep one in tune with nature. The lower run of the main stair is open below the stringer to float above the floor and the crisp detailing of the minimalist handrail in a black finish maintains the transparency.  The imaginative design of one child’s bedroom has bunkbeds with the upper bed accessed by a steep stair that continues to a nook overlook above the closet below. The mix of upholstered furnishings, the Noguchi coffee table, Scandinavian chairs, splashes of color in the bedding and the kitchen island stools against the neutral palette of create a highly sophisticated look.

All of the elevations have great character but my favorite was the side elevation with a sliding barn door painted deep red leading to the storage area, two upper windows that are in step with the staircase beyond the wall and the corner window at the stair landing. The simple form of the gable end, the board and batten siding and trimless windows in black frames create a simple yet complex elevation that I could easily imagine being a cover for Architectural Record magazine’s “Record Houses” annual issue. 

Stunning definition of the Habitat goal of great site, architecture, interiors and landscape in total harmony.  Bravo to the design and construction team!

Architecture:  Thompson & Cooke Architects, 202-686-6583 Interiors and Construction:  thinkmakebuild, 202-798-5000   Landscape: Loch Collective, 443-569-7290

For more information about this property, contact Brian Gearhart with Benson & Mangold Real Estate at 410-822-1415 (o), 410-310-5179(c), or  briangearhart@goeaston.net, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

Grace St. in St. Michaels is ideally situated between “Restaurant Row” on Talbot Street and an entrance to the Rails to Trails. Grace Street is also a short dead-end street so traffic is minimal which makes it a great street for walking or biking. This house is at the end of the street and overlooks Back Creek with beautifully landscaped grounds including decks to extend your living space. One small deck has a bench between the shoreline planting beds for a perfect spot to have that second cup of coffee and watch the sun begin to rise above the picturesque wooden covered bridge as the Rails to Trails enters San Domingo Creek Park.

The massing of this cottage that was built in 1984 is very appealing. The main pitched roof has a lower gable wing that projects at the front with a bay window at the main floor and another window on the second floor.  A dormer window in the main roof is centered over the shed roof covering the front door. Smaller pitched roofed wings at each side, one of which contains a garage, completes the composition. 

The rear elevation’s massing and solid/void play of siding and screened walls is equally appealing. Two of the pitched roofs have skylights for the second floor bedrooms and the long window with its chamfered corners brings light into the stairwell below. A French door from the master bedroom leads to a deck and another French door connects the dining area and kitchen to the main floor deck. The color palette of brownish gray cedar shake roof, light gray siding, deep cranberry trim and corner boards contribute to this cottage’s charm.

Step into the interior and you are transported to the British Isles.  Wide pine plank flooring, exposed structural supports, decking, trim and the stair balustrade of stained wood reminds me of the Cotswolds.  There is a great deal of white gypsum board in the walls and ceilings to balance the wood.  I love the two-story living room with its fireplace and custom wood paneling above, the exposed ceiling joists and decking.  Wrap-around French doors lead from it to a screened porch with panoramic views of the water and the landmark bridge.  I could easily imagine hosting friends and opening up all of the French doors to connect the two spaces.

The master bedroom on the second floor has a vaulted ceiling and the other bedrooms have knee walls and sloped ceilings that follow the underside of the roof joists. Skylights that encourage star gazing add to the interior’s  unique architectural character of this charming cottage.

For more information about this property contact Dawn Lednum with Chesapeake Bay Real Estate Plus LLC at 410-745-6702 (o) 410-829-3603 (c) or dawnlednum@gmail.com,“Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

This charming Victorian is located within the boundaries of Easton’s new Arts and Entertainment District and offers the perfect opportunity for an artist or other creative entrepreneur to benefit from the tax related incentives created by this new designation. Work in part of the main floor and live in the rest of this three storied, 3,598 sf house. The site is one-half block from the heart of Easton’s shopping streets, restaurants and the Avalon Theater. The front porch is the perfect spot to interact with neighbors and the rear fenced yard provides both a sunny hardscaped terrace and shaded areas from mature trees, including a towering Magnolia and plantings of azaleas for color. There is a short alley behind this house and its next-door neighbor and an easement ensures this house will continue to enjoy off-street parking for two cars.

The front elevation is very appealing with its main gable wing and secondary wing with its gable at the side elevation. The exterior color palette is a confection of creamy yellow shiplap siding, light green window trim, light blue shutters, white corner boards and pale salmon front entry storm doors that protect the original half-French paneled wooden doors. Scalloped siding accents both the porch gable and the third floor “eyebrow” gable.

The porch’s hipped roof is broken by a gable that project beyond the side porch area to mark the entrance. Brick steps are flanked by two closely spaced pairs of turned columns with accent banding of light green and blue. On either side of the columns, curved brackets spring from the top side of the column to the underside of the beam above, forming a half-circle between the paired columns. The  brackets are painted a slightly deeper yellow color than the shiplap siding and the light blue ceiling with white trim under the deeper salmon metal roof completes this exquisite porch.

The spacious entrance hall has a “U” shaped stair with a landing between the lower and upper runs of the stair to fill the space. The original stained wood newel posts, balustrade and stair treads have been beautifully maintained. One of the sitting rooms has a fireplace with built-in millwork at one side and the other room has a corner fireplace with an antique mantel. The eat-in kitchen has space for a table for six for informal meals. 

There is a box-bay at one side elevation of the house on both floors and this creates a cozy nook for one of the bedrooms on the second floor. I was very pleased to see that the original transoms above the four-paneled doors to the bedrooms have been carefully preserved, along with the window trim around the large windows and the wood floors. All of the bedrooms would make restful retreats. However, I would retreat to the third floor room that spans from the front to the back of the front gable.  I could easily envision writing my Spy stories on a table under the bay window with a bird’s eye view for a respite from my computer.

Verdant back yard with terrace and off-street parking, Victorian loaded with period detailing and the opportunity to participate in Easton’s Art and Entertainment District’s tax incentives program for renovation/restoration-hard to resist!

For more information about this property, contact Bob Shanahan with Shoreline Realty, Inc, at 410-822-7556 (o) 410-310-5745 (c) or bob@shorelinerealty.biz, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

Soon after the birth of their second son, the principals of Atelier 11 Architects decided it was time to move from their home in Easton’s Historic District to give their young sons the opportunity to grow up in the country. They found an ideal  farm property on eighteen acres in Talbot County. Then the parents focused their considerable creative talents to design a new house for their family. Concurrently with the house design, they also added a pond by the tall willow tree, stocked it with fish, added a heritage orchard with trees selected to bear fruit at different times throughout the summer season and a walking trail.

The two-and a half brick farmhouse in the Federal style was built on a raised foundation. That height and the retaining wall at the driveway edge by the three car garage ensures that parked cars are not visible from inside the house.  I loved how the two architects combined the simple box form clad in red brick with the side gabled roof inspired by the Federal style with a twist of contemporary details. At each end of the gable end walls, the chimney breaks through the gable.  The flues are located at each side of the chimney which allowed the architects to place a center window in the finished part of the attic and a decorative grille above to keep the upper attic vented. The brick sides of the chimney and the brick below the windowsill are corbeled out beyond the wall below for a great dramatic effect with shadow lines on the walls to enliven the façade.  The garage resembles a farm outbuilding with its white board and batten vertical siding, oversize green doors with glass panes and a lean-to shed.

Instead of a center door, the two architects cleverly placed the entry at the corner and recessed it to create a porch with steps leading down to the parking area. A white cast concrete lintel extends over the opening to create a header for a small multi paned window next to a wide bay window with white board and batten vertical siding. The corner column on a high base, the wood ceiling and the wood entry door with a full height sidelight create a welcoming entrance. 

Instead of Federal style 6/6 double hung windows, the ground floor windows are casements with horizontal mullions only and perfectly proportioned transoms to flood the spaces with light. The sizes of the second floor windows match the ground floor windows to maintain the symmetry of the elevations. The window surrounds are cast stone and the metal roof completes the low maintenance exterior.

The architects added interior details to delight their young children, such as the  ladder / bookshelf in the kitchen pantry that leads to a secret hatch to the “Circle Room” above.  One of the plinths in the foyer has a false top for another space for hide and seek. A small door high in a wall of one of the children’s bedrooms leads to a play area above the washer dryer below. 

When their children were entering high school, the architects sold the house to the current owner who added their personal touches to the interior. The entrance hall furnishings of two deep blue curvy chairs between a hall table and the collection of different sized framed pieces is carefully staggered to create a wall of art. The living room is flooded with light from the front wide bay window and two long windows with transoms whose trim is just below the ten foot ceilings.  The architects had placed the fireplace at the corner to make it a focal point. The owners’ furnishings are arranged under the windows and around the corner curved fireplace for a wonderful sitting room. Touches of Oriental design are used throughout the house including the antique doors between the entrance hall and the sitting room.

The adjacent dining room also has a fireplace and the long dining table is centered in front of the double window and surrounded by an upholstered banquette with additional chairs.  French doors on the side wall add more daylight and lead to the terrace. Another curved corner fireplace is a perfect spot for a date night dinner a deux by the fire. 

The kitchen is an “Ell” to the house and I loved its sleek contemporary style, large pantry instead of upper cabinets, the dark wood base cabinets contrasting with the white countertop that flows around the white farmhouse sink and the stainless steel appliances.  The long kitchen table with three chairs on one side and a bench on the other is a great spot for informal family meals. Opposite the table is a French door to the terrace and a huge picture window that Lauren Dianich, one of the architects, told me they had salvaged from a client’s remodeling project.  The window floods the space with light and the current owners ‘ two mirrors at the end of the table extend the space in perspective. I could well imagine driving by and being touched by the scene of family and friends gathered around the table for a meal. The terrace outside has a pergola over the deck with upholstered rattan seating for relaxing and two chaises on the lawn are great spots for sunbathing.

The stairs have several turns in their path to the second and third floors to make the climb upwards more interesting and daylight cascades down from the windows at the landings. The master suite has a four piece bath with custom tile, a pebble design for the shower floor and white plumbing fixtures.  The dressing room’s storage units with sandblasted glass fronts could also be used as an office. The current owners’ interior design for all the bedrooms create restful retreats. I especially liked the master suite with its white iron bed frame and bed linens set against the deep gray-green walls and the wood antique chest.  

The third floor attic is an open space that spans across the entire floor with daylight from the casement windows in the chimneys at each end. Under one long window is a seat wide enough to stretch out for a nap.  One end of the room is furnished as a bedroom and the other end of the room is furnished as an office area. The various ceiling heights tucked under the roof profile creates great interior architecture.

The attic open area above the kitchen has a circular window at one end that was salvaged from the Treasury Building in Annapolis and would be a great studio or home office.

The tranquility of an eighteen acre site with pastoral views of the willow tree by the pond, the orchards and fields, a contemporary low maintenance farmhouse with a great floor plan, bravo to Atelier11 for another great design!

Willow Tree Farm was featured in the Talbot County Designer Showcase when the architects owned the house. his house will be featured on the Spy House Tour, Sunday October 6th from 1:00 to 5:00. Stay tuned to the Spy for more details. For more information about this property, contact Jana Meredith with Meredith Fine Properties at 410-822-6272 (o), 443-235-3404 (c), jana@goeaston.net , “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

When I first drove up the driveway of this property, I was immediately transported into a verdant oasis that has been an eight year collaboration between the Owners and landscape designer Jan Kirsh. The Owners had purchased the property to be a weekend home for themselves and their young twins.  The house had been a red brick rancher and they worked with the contractor Greg Kessinger to give the exteriors a Modernist feel and to open up the traditional interiors for family living and entertaining. They also retained the architect Mark Beck to design porches for the front and rear of the house to extend their living space and to open up the rear of the house to the water. The result from their collaboration with their design and construction team is simply stunning.

Tall pine trees and other evergreens surround the property and crape myrtles were added along the entry drive for color along with other plantings.  The house is set back far from the road which creates lawn areas for the twins to play lawn sports such as soccer and baseball and the nearby trampoline offers fun exercise for children of all ages.  Hidden in a huge tree was a tree-house structure of two upper decks, a zip line and a rope “hammock” suspended between branches for stargazing.  

It is remarkable how something as simple as removing shutters and painting red brick white can transform a house. In this case, the four bay composition of the house becomes clear. Three bays have two tall narrow windows with a roof dormer window centered above and the offset entry bay is accentuated by a deep porch with an open gable. Now the house sits proudly in the landscape as a jewel in the crown. 

Jan Kirsh’s finishing touches of a large round blue urn on the porch and other neutral gray geometric planters of varied heights filled with flowers add color to the new composition. The former brick sidewalk is now a white porcelain tile walk that lead to the steps up to the “Ipe” porch decking in a deep brown accent color.  Abelia plants with their tiny white flowers line the walkway in front of the house along with other plantings including Pennisetum ‘Cassian’,Deutzia ‘Nikko’ and the ground cover, Mazus.

The east side of the house is heavily shaded by  native red cedars and an ancient towering silver Maple tree. These deciduous and evergreen trees are all shallow rooted, very thirsty and would compete with plantings, so a box garden of planters at different heights was a unique solution. Light gray wood planters at different heights are filled with shade loving plants including caladiums, ferns, begonias, and hydrangea for color. Having the planters irrigated makes the maintenance much easier. The ground underneath the trees was covered with pine needles and a walkway defined by wood chips. 

At the rear of the house, Mark Beck added a wide gabled screened porch with areas for seating and dining. The pool area was enhanced by a deck with Ipé planks at the short side of the pool for relaxing on the upholstered rattan outdoor furnishings under the fabric shade sail covering for a respite from the sun. Jan Kirsh repeated the porcelain tile as the pool surround and steps now led to the rear of the house for easy access. The colors and textures of the various types of ornamental grasses including Red Fountain Grass added screening for the pool and on the day I visited, the grasses gently swayed in the breeze. 

The Owners asked for the screening of the pool area from the garage and parking area that would provide a sense of discovery for guests arriving from the parking area.  Jan has a special affinity for hardscapes and here she added large stone pavers with smooth round rocks in between for a path that meandered past mature hydrangea paniculata with white blooms, dwarf twig dogwood and rosemary for scent.

Covering the pergola at the rear of the house is a hardy Kiwi vine. To fill the area in front of the pergola next to the screened porch, shrubs and grasses provide structure and annuals including white Angelonia, lime green coleus and purple gomphrena.

The Modernist interiors are just as striking as the landscape. The two-story entrance foyer with its  “L” shaped stair detailed in stained wood railing with stainless steel posts has a large pendant light whose perforated areas cast shadows on the front and side walls and the two ottomans echo the color of the pendant. The vista beyond the foyer through the great room, screened porch, lawn and water grounds the house to its setting.  The great room with three sets of French doors with full height sidelights included a dining area between two seating areas and the pine flooring with a border and insets set on a diagonal stretched the space. The kitchen at the front of the house is open to the great room and the white cabinets, bar peninsula with waterfall edge and stainless steel appliances continued the theme of white interiors with accents of color in accessories and art. 

The two story gabled screened porch was my favorite room as it would be easy to imagine spending the day reading in the seating area in between swims or lingering over dinner at the corner dining area. The striking geometry of the space with its curved balcony for the master suite above jutting out into the space, the exposed supports, the wood slat ceiling for texture the grid of screened panels at the gable end and each side create an irresistible space for family and friends.

The ground floor master suite at the corner of the house has windows on two sides for daylight through the day. The pine floors, blue and yellow accents in the pillows, rug and duvet, art and the simple translucent window shades creates a serene retreat. The second floor master suite has a curved balcony overlooking the screened porch below.  I loved the outdoor chairs with their deep aqua slatted seat frame on a white base-perfect spot for a nightcap after bedtime stories with the twins.

A remarkable collaboration between the Owners with their sophisticated vision and the design team of architect, landscape designer and contractor -Bravo!

Architecture by Mark Beck Associates, LLC, 410-822-6481, www.markbeckassociates.com, mb4833@aol.com Landscape Design by Jan Kirsh Studio, 410-745-5252, www.jankirshstudio.com, jankirshstudio@gmail.com Construction by Greg Kessinger, Kessinger Construction, 410-822-2970, ksquaredllc@ymail.com.  Photography by Caroline Phillips, 443-262-5656, carolinejp13@gmail.com

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

Oxford is one of my favorite Eastern Shore towns with its main street bisecting a narrow point of land between the Tred Avon River and Town Creek so you are never far from the water. Tree lined streets, many of which terminate at the water, beautifully maintained historic houses and new houses whose architecture respects the historic streetscape give Oxford an irresistible appeal.  

This lovingly maintained Victorian is a seamless blend of old and new architecture. The symmetrical  front elevation has a full porch with turned columns and fretwork brackets, front door with sidelights and transom next to a double window with shutters that align with the pair of double windows and shutters above. The porch is elevated off the street and shrubbery give the porch just enough privacy for relaxing but not too much to miss greeting neighbors out for a stroll.

The Owner graciously gave me a tour and when I stepped into the front sitting room, I was immediately impressed with the sophisticated interior design that was perfectly scaled to the room’s size. The room spanned the full width of the house and the open stair with its original stained wood balustrade was the first of many details that have been lovingly preserved. Beautiful family antiques, wood and neutral upholstered pieces are grouped around the fireplace with a mirror above to reflect the light from the front windows. Accents of the niche of books and the watercolors of Parisian theaters gave the room personality.  I soon discovered this serene look was the innate talent of the Owner.  

The exquisite dining room was one of my favorite rooms.  The blue and white wallpaper inspired by Delft tile design, the wood floors and the antique dining set centered in the room opposite the fireplace would be a delightful setting for a dinner party.  The focal point of the room is the wide bay that projects from the floor with a graceful elliptical arched header over the bay’s center double window and the side windows.

The kitchen window has a stained glass panel to block the view of the house next door but cleverly allows light within.  The “U” shaped kitchen layout with wood floors, white cabinets and countertops and stainless steel appliances would satisfy any cook.  Opposite the kitchen is an informal dining area with a glass topped table and iron chairs in front of a wide bay window with a cushioned seat below for panoramic water views. Another of my favorite rooms is the family room next to the kitchen with its full bar, wood burning fireplace and continuous angled walls of full height glass for more panoramic water views.  The family room connects to the screened porch with seating and dining areas with views of the garden and the water for a delightful indoor/outdoor room. 

A second stairway leads to my third favorite room, the master bedroom. It is directly above the family room with the same angled walls of glass.  Here the glass windows suspend you above the treetops to the water views beyond. The master bedroom’s unique interior architecture and the color palette of cream, yellow and light blue creates one of the most delightful bedrooms I have featured. There are other bedrooms on the second floor and a smaller room that could be a nursery or home office, along with baths for the master suite and the other bedrooms.

Beyond the brick driveway is a picket fence that leads to the garden.  The perfect balance of brick hardscape terrace, lawn, plantings and shrubbery combine to create a private outdoor room with expansive water views.  My compliments to the Owner’s style and discriminating taste that created the beautiful interiors and gardens.

For more information about this property contact Jane McCarthy with Benson and Mangold at 410-822-1415 (o), 410-310-6692(c) or jmcarthy310@gmail.com, Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

This private point of land is located off a road very close to St. Michaels that accesses wooded lots whose driveways meander from the road through the woods for total privacy. The entry drive curves past two large outbuildings that could be utilized for boat storage or studios.  Built before the current Critical Area requirements, this house angles to follow the crest of the point for panoramic views from all the major rooms. The kitchen and service area is the link between the garage with a guest suite above and the larger wing containing the entry, living, dining, sunroom and a bedroom suite.  The stairway in the entrance hall leads to the second floor master suite. Both the large bedroom and the adjacent spacious sitting room have views of the water below.  

I especially liked the massing of the house from the water side with its steep roofs, mix of shingle and metal roofing materials, the wrap-around glass of the sunroom and the bay window in the kitchen below the triple window in the gable of the master suite sitting room. The house’s creamy walls and darker roofing stand out against the green backdrop of surrounding mature trees. 

The floor plan flows well from the entrance hall that leads to the living, dining, kitchen or the main floor bedroom suite. The living room, dining room and sunroom are connected to make a great entertaining area with water views. The offset between the living and dining rooms defines each room’s area and the corner fireplace and bay window in the living room adds interior architectural interest. I could easily envision having cocktails or a nightcap in the sunroom before turning in for the night. I usually write about houses that are furnished but it is also interesting to feature an unfurnished house like this one so you can envision your own furnishings in this setting.

Sometimes angles create odd cabinet layouts in kitchens but this kitchen layout works very well with the angled exterior wall creating a galley arrangement leading to a breakfast area with a bay window for water views. The kitchen’s exterior door is close to the dock for stocking the boat with provisions for a picnic lunch out on the water.  Between the kitchen and garage is a short hall with a laundry/mud room with an exterior door for convenience after walking the dog or an afternoon of gardening.

Privacy on a point of land with panoramic water views, proximity to the water thanks to setbacks no longer possible for new construction and a location very close to St. Michaels-great setting!

For more information about this property, contact Cornelia Heckenbach at Long and Foster Real Estate, 410-745-0283 (0), 410-310-1229 (c) or info@corneliaheckenbach.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

This waterfront house was first featured in Southern Home magazine after its 2015 renovation. From the street, the house massing seems compact since the garage wing is perpendicular to the main house. From the rear, however, the spacious house expands to maximize vistas from the house’s main rooms to the water. It is always refreshing to see a house that accentuates the windows by the use of trim in an accent color against white siding.  I also liked the board and batten cementitious siding which creates shadow lines on the façade as the sun moves overhead.  

The entry’s double French doors open onto the spacious foyer with an “L’ shaped stair. The doorway to the living room on one side, the wide wall opening to the dining room on the other side and the open vista from the front door through the adjacent hall to the great room sets up the great flow through the house. The foyer’s white settee with blue and white pillows, including the ubiquitous Eastern Shore crab, introduces the red, white and blue nautical color scheme throughout the house.  

The living room one-story wing enables it to have a pitched ceiling and windows on three sides filter sunlight throughout the day. The blue and white colors of the rug over the wood floor, the geometric patterns of the end tables and pillows and large ottoman/coffee table creates a sophisticated look. The framed artwork over the sofa was quite familiar, since my older sister had considered it for her Hilton Head house. Here the print is a focal point with its texture and perspective on the sofa wall.

The focal point of the huge family room is the floor to ceiling picture pane in the bay window with French doors on either side to the wrap-around deck beyond.  The fireplace on the side wall is flanked by a doorway to the living room and a window with a seat below. The white sofas anchored by the red and white patterned rug and accent pillows is a great space for relaxing.  The wide wall opening between the family room and the large kitchen connects the two spaces. I loved the kitchen’s galley arrangement with an island and end wall in a rich blue accent color against the rear wall of white cabinets and countertop.  The staggered wood shelves with live edges against the blue wall is the perfect backdrop for displaying ceramics. The stainless steel appliances and hardware continues the contemporary design scheme. The rear wall is a window wall of French doors and full length sidelights to access the screened porch, deck and the pool.

The powder room’s enchanting wallpaper of whimsical small to large fish makes one think you are in the middle of an aquarium. My favorite room is the screened porch with its indoor/outdoor rattan furnishings, white upholstery, red/white accent pillows and rug overlaid on the small blue/white patterned rug. A great spot to relax and enjoy the panoramic views of the water.

The master bedroom also accesses the screened porch and the accent wall of wood behind the bed, the muted gray and white tones of the headboard and bedding with accent pillows of light pumpkin has a serene look.  Two of the three second floor bedrooms as well as the bonus room also have water views. 

Waterfront lot on a secluded street, great flow and spacious rooms with a sophisticated nautical flair-a great house to call the Eastern Shore home!

For more information about this property, contact Debra Crouch with Benson & Mangold Real Estate at 410-745-0720 (o), 410-924-0771 (c) or dcrouch@bensonandmangold.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

Photography by Janelle Stroop, Thru the Lens, 845-744-2758, Janelle@Thruthelensphotos.com,  Construction by Kurt Herrmann, Shore Projects LLC, 410-690-4832 Interior Design by Bountiful Interiors, 410-763-8500