Royal Oak is one of my favorite areas for its desirable location between Easton and St. Michaels and its range of house styles have inspired many of my past articles. This house on a quiet dead-end street was built in 2001 on 2.89 acres along the Tred Avon River in the North Point subdivision. As I drove up the driveway, I noticed how well the house was sited to maximize the side yards for privacy and play. One side yard has trees at the street side and the side property line for a grassy play area for play from tag to touch football and the other side yard has a large pool, hot tub and trampoline against the dense background of trees. 

The massing of the traditional styled “L” shaped one and half story house has the two-car garage in the short leg of the “L” facing the parking area. The story and a half center wing’s full front porch wraps around the front of the garage and the column bays lessen the impact of the garage doors. A side wing containing the primary suite steps down from the main wing and a short hyphen connects the main wing to the garage. Each elevation includes a range of design features that articulate the massing including single window dormers at the front roof, shed dormers over the garage, a shed roof projection at the rear of the main wing that creates a sunroom and another shed dormer at the second floor, two bay projections at each side elevation that creates a space for breakfast at one side and a nook for the primary suite 

When I opened the door, the dramatic two-story foyer’s interior is defined by the staircase at one side and wide wall openings to the dining room opposite the staircase and another wide wall opening across the hall to the living room that create an easy flow among rooms. The staircase wall is detailed with panels below the treads painted white as a backdrop for the blue wood settee set into the alcove created by the stairs and the powder room that is below the stair landing above. Single window dormers centered over both the front door and the stair landing bring sunlight within. Another blue accent are the tall blue double shutters between the cased opening between the dining area and the kitchen that are fixed against the wall as decorative accents. 

The spatial volume changes from the two-story foyer to the one-story dining room and hall to the two-story living room with the pitched ceiling that follows the underside of the roof rafters. The brick fireplace soars to the ceiling and its white brick chimney becomes a sculptural element between the slate blue shiplap laid on a diagonal. Three pairs of French doors lead to the waterside sunroom. 

One end of the center hall off the foyer ends at the open plan family room, breakfast area and kitchen.  The bay wall projection of the breakfast area overlooks the pool and the family room has millwork on the interior wall for TV and books, rear windows with transoms flanking the fireplace and a triple unit window with transom that keeps this room sunny throughout the day. The “U” shaped spacious kitchen another blue accent in the range hood that stands out against the light colored cabinetry and marble countertops. 

Between the kitchen and the garage is a large laundry, powder room, mudroom with space for the family pets’ food bowls in the corner opposite the stairs to the private guest suite over the garage.  The exterior door in the laundry room leads to a deck and then to the pool deck for ease of clean up after a day on the water or in the pool. 

At the other side of the center hall is the sumptuous primary suite. The bedroom has two pairs of long triple unit windows for water views and a side door to the deck, pool and hot tub. I envied the large bath with a dual lavatory with both drawers and open shelves for storage and mirrors over each lavatory bowl.  Opposite the lavatory wall is the bay wall projection with long windows behind the soaking tub. In the next compartment is the large shower with a front glass wall and a side wall that provides privacy for the water closet.

The second floor is zoned well with the stairs ending at a “bridge” connecting the three bedrooms and one office/TV area. Two bedrooms share a “Jack and Jill” bathroom and the third bedroom is accessed by the office/TV area so it could become a private bed-sit suite. If I were a guest, I would claim the suite over the garage with its own staircase and large bathroom. The shed dormer on one side with triple windows would be the perfect space for a window seat. The window at the gable end wall and skylights above the knee walls on the other side of the room provide ample daylight.

Great home for relaxing with family or entertaining, 

Since this is the month for giving thanks, I wish to thank each of you for being readers of my articles. I am especially grateful to those of you who post comments or tell me personally how much you enjoy reading them. Stay Tuned!

Photography by Eve Fishell, Chesapeake Pro Photo LLC, 443-786-8025, www.chesapeakeprophoto.com, eve@chesprophoto.com

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 saw the front elevation for this charming cottage, I was drawn to its curb appeal for many reasons. The complimentary colors of blue and yellow inspired the color palette of light blue lap siding, white corner boards, white window trim and dark blue roofing that stands out against its background of leafy trees. I especially liked the detailing of the entry door with its Craftsman style 3/3 glazing above two vertical panels and the beautiful sunny yellow color. The door’s  white surround of pilasters supporting the architrave, the red brick stoop, steps and sidewalk down to the Town’s sidewalk and the low landscaping complete the welcoming look. The massing of the three-bay house is also pleasing with the center door between single windows on either side below single dormer 2/2 windows above that penetrate the eave line to give architectural interest to the two-room wide, two room deep house with a pitched roof.

The front door opens in front of the stairs to the second floor that divides the open plan living-dining-kitchen area on the left from the primary suite on the right. The stair treads are painted gray and blend into the gray carpet runner with white risers. The plank flooring in a medium toned gray, light gray walls and white trim throughout the main floor unifies the rooms. The primary suite space is flexible for other uses such as a family room and the sliding barn door can be closed off for privacy. The primary suite/family room includes a large walk-in closet and a full bath. The bath has a lavatory detailed as a free-standing piece of furniture and contemporary hardware with a framed mirror above. There is also a half bath on the main level for the convenience of guests.

The living-dining area has windows on both the front and side walls for daylight throughout the day. A wide cased opening articulated with moldings leads to the kitchen and a vista through the sliding glass doors to the deck. The “L” shaped kitchen has light gray Craftsman style cabinets, white marble countertops, white tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances. The finishing touch would be a furniture style island with bar stools. The side window over the sink, another longer window on the opposite side wall and the sliding doors to the deck provide ample sunlight. The alcove formed by the laundry room off the kitchen has an accent lighting fixture in case an owner wishes to use this space as a breakfast space for a view to the rear yard’s landscaping. Off the spacious deck that is raised above the ground is a concrete terrace to extend your outdoor entertainment area with space for a grille for al-fresco dinners.

The second floor is tucked under the roof rafters that creates delightful interior architecture with the dormer windows between the knee walls at the eaves. The spacious bedrooms have windows on two exterior walls for ample sunlight and the larger bedroom at the gable end has a double unit window. I envied the large walk-in closets that are not often found in older houses like mine! The large shared bath is detailed with a wide lavatory cabinet for storage and the stylish dark fittings contrast with the white walls and white tub surround with its accent band. 

This 3 bedroom, 2-1/2 bath, 1250 sf house seems larger than it is due to the light color palette, the spacing of the windows and the open plan areas. Recently, I featured another design/build company, Jones and Jones LLC, who are restoring older homes in downtown Chestertown. Like that duo, Valley View Services, LLC was responsible for the design, construction and carpentry for this house. They carefully blended the original wood siding and the fully restored windows with new interior finishes, cabinets, fixtures and fittings. As an architect, my only addition would be a gas fireplace for the living-dining room. This charming cottage surrounded by mature landscaping is now fully renovated and is move-in ready, with a great location in the heart of Chestertown and close to Washington College-Bravo!

For more information about this property, contact Rosendale Realty agent Matt Wilson at 410-758-0333 (o), 301-955-6323(c), or matt@rosendalerealtyonline.com. For more photographs and pricing, visit www.rosendaleRealty.com , “Equal Housing Opportunity.” 

Photography by Juliette Anderson,410-490-9518 ,Juliette@rosendalerealty.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.

I have followed the career of the talented metal artisan David Dunn since I first wrote about his work in November of 2018 for the Spy. When I met David, he was working in his parents’ garage on their property in Bozman. As he showed me around his work area, there were boxes of wrenches, pipe, screws, gears, etc.-ordinary things found in a toolbox or workshop. When David showed me a completed work, I realized how David’s imagination and craftsmanship brought these creatures of the deep to life. 

From his earliest years growing up on a creek flowing into the Chesapeake Bay, David  combined driftwood and other found objects deposited by high tides onto the beach. He repurposed them into art objects while daydreaming about what lurked beneath the waves. The son of an American diplomat, David spent his formative years living in Paris, France, surrounded by the medieval and renaissance imagery of the old world. 

David’s art is defined by his unique ability to invest his inanimate metal constructions with both  whimsy and primordial dark mystery. His works draw on imagery and meaning from a metallurgical era lost to the modern age. His frequent use of medieval elements in his welded and forged work style evokes a recognition of historical elements, while imbuing the work with nuance and fantasy. With a modern environmental consciousness, he assembles repurposed tools, found metal pieces or modern steel implements with deft creativity, and he brings to life primordial creatures with movement and personality. Characterized by the spiked steel edges of medieval armaments and imbued with a dose of mid-century 

B-movie curiosity, his creatures reflect mysterious and fantastical life forms that combine both natural and historical imagery.

From my perspective of seeing his work over the past four years, the tough of whimsy that I first admired is still there but David’s creatures have evolved into more sophisticated works. As one collector remarked, “His new art is much more graceful without being delicate, but still incredibly strong.”  David’s work area has evolved too from his parents’ garage to his DunnIn Metal Studios in Silver Spring, MD. You can also find his work on the high end art website “Artsy” where New Orleans’ Octavia Art Gallery represents him. 

Recently, I was fortunate to have been a guest at the home of the Commissioners of St. Michaels President David Breimhurst and his wife Sara Robins, who hosted a reception for Dave to showcase his new work. Throughout their lovely historic home, each room’s focus was one or more of Dave’s new pieces, large and small. The hosts had added spotlights to feature each work and as I moved through the rooms, I felt as if I were on a delightful scavenger hunt. Since I was born under the sign of the Crab, I was drawn to the large coffee table in the family room covered with rows of small crabs, as if they were scurrying over sand. Now this transplanted Tennessean has a crab creation who graces my front garden, resplendent in the colors of the Maryland flag. 

Dave’s work is now found internationally in private collections in Paris and Normandy, France and Willerzell, Switzerland. Nationally, his work is found in collections in New York City and Shelter Island NY; Los Angeles and Malibu, CA; Washington DC, New Orleans, LA, Lexington KY, Asheville NC, Austin TX, Key West FL, Santa Fe New Mexico, and the Hunt Country of Virginia.

Now that the holiday season is upon us or if you are searching for a unique gift for a birthday anniversary or other special occasion, take a walk on the wild side and visit David’s website, www.dunninmetal.com. You can also contact Dave at Dunninmetal@gmail.com or 202-390-1881. 

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.

Earlier this year, I wrote about how the late architect Mark Beck transformed the interior architecture of his Royal Oak residence. In my research, I learned he had designed other houses on the Eastern Shore. When I heard that another of his house designs was for sale, I made an appointment for a tour. I was accompanied by his long-time collaborator, the Landscape Designer Jan Kirsh, who enhanced this property’s natural landscape. We drove down a meandering gravel driveway through woods of loblolly pine trees with their ramrod straight trunks, furrowed bark and tufted green crowns that always remind me of giant feather dusters. I especially liked how the pine needles had fallen and remained in the wooded areas to create a dense and soft carpet that added color to the ground. 

The drive then followed along the shoreline of Broad Creek and ended in a circular shape at the house. Jan had designed a brick walkway with wood edging that staggered in a series of right angles up to the entry porch. I noticed the grouping of river rock next to the brick and Jan mentioned this was the first time she had included this rock for a change in color and texture. I admired how Jan had added pachysandra and other ground cover to minimize the grass area at the front of the house and enhanced the area around the drive with shrubbery and trees including Kousa Dogwood, Sarcococca and Bayberry. 

The massing of the two-room deep house with a simple pitched roof is camouflaged by its earth toned color. The notch at the side wall facing the pool adds architectural interest to what could have been a blank wall since there are no windows on that side. As I walked around the house’s two telescoping wings, I observed a variety of glazing types. Skylights were individual units or a row of units ganged together, picture windows were tall and/or narrow and along the rear wall, full height sliding doors opened up the foyer and the sunroom to the water. My favorite window was the narrow full height picture window cleverly infilling the chamfered corner of the deck off the living room that must cast a glow at sunset into the living room. 

Several decks offer opportunities to enjoy the water views and the peaceful setting from the deck off the kitchen that wraps around one side wall to the sunroom and another spacious deck at the other end of the sunroom that extends to the edge of the other side wall of the house. At the second floor, a deck off the loft overlooks the kitchen deck below and off the  primary suite, another deck overlooks the lawn to the water and has a chamfered edge that creates diagonal vistas to the water. 

I opened the front door into the foyer that spans the depth of the house and the brick floor continues both beyond the sliding doors at the rear wall to the terrace and to the adjacent mud room/laundry and full bath next to the pool. As I moved though the foyer, I admired how the vertical height changes from two-story just inside the front door, then one-story below the “bridge” that connects the second floor suites then back again to two-story at the “L” shaped stairs to the second floor. The ceiling plane follows the underside of the roof rafters and is clad in wood to contrast with the white walls. Even though the weather was overcast, light filtered in from the full height sidelights flanking the front door, the trio of transoms above with their sills aligned horizontally with the cap of the railing of the “bridge” and the sliding doors leading to the rear terrace. The deft finishing touch was a single round window centered both on the front wall’s transom trio and below the triple skylight at the rear roof. Next to the foyer is the family room with its rear wall of sliding doors to the terrace. The sectional sofa arranged around the fireplace at the side interior wall make this spacious room with a flat ceiling feel cozy.

On the other side of the foyer is the open plan living and dining room. I noticed the “bridge” is shifted along the front wall of the house so the living room space soars to the underside of the wood ceiling with sunlight from the continuous row of skylights at the loft level and the wall of sliding doors to the sunroom. Massive beams trimmed in drywall define the enclosure of the dining area and support the loft above. The door units in both the living and dining rooms slide into the walls to the sunroom for a continuous flow and clear vistas to the water.

 I liked how the outside corners of the sunroom are chamfered for diagonal views of the water and the long room has ample space for both sitting and dining. The finishes were carefully specified for an indoor/outdoor room with the sloped ceiling and the wall above the sliding doors is clad in wood above the flagstone floor. 

Behind the dining area is the “L” shaped kitchen and my only suggestion would be to revise the layout to a galley arrangement to create easier flow among the rooms and allow direct access to the front deck for a cozy breakfast. I especially liked the juxtaposition of the tall and wide window directly over the kitchen sink with the tall and narrow window at the rear wall. The quarry tile flooring is easy to maintain and the oak cabinetry without hardware is a sleek look.

The primary suite is located at the rear corner of the second floor with the family room’s brick chimney exposed as it rises to the underside of the ceiling. Between the chimney and the rear wall is a partial height wall overlooking the stairs in the foyer. The desk and chair in this space create a convenient and quiet space for checking emails before turning in for the night. The rear wall with its triple sliding doors leads to the spacious balcony with a slender dark railing that disappear into the verticals of the loblolly pines’ tall trunks. At the front of the house, the primary bath and separate walk-in closets complete the suite. 

On the other side of the upper foyer is the loft bedroom at the opposite corner of the house. The rear skylight was positioned perfectly in the roof so one could use a desk for drafting or other creative endeavor with a direct view to the woods and water. The loft also has sliding doors to its own deck at the side of the house. The front wall of the loft railing is pulled back to create a narrow overlook that allows light to filter down from the row of skylights just below the roof’s ridge into both the loft and the kitchen below.

This private 4- ½ +/- acre property includes a dock, a detached building that could be used as an office, a two- car garage with workshop and plenty of storage space. Le Corbusier once said “Space and light and order. Those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep.” Mark Beck did a masterful job with this house’s spaces and various sources of sunlight to create interior architecture that makes the sequence of moving through the spaces delightful. I hope I have more opportunities to feature the work of this talented architect-Bravo!

For more information about this property, contact Jane McCarthy at Benson and Mangold Real Estate, 410-822-1415 (o), 410-310-6692 (c) or jmccarthy310@gmail.com .For more photographs or pricing, visit  www.marylandseasternshorehomes.com ,  “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Architecture by Mark Beck

Landscape Design by Jan Kirsh Studio,  https://jankirshstudio.com

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.

I enjoyed returning to the small neighborhood of Fairgale Farms, a picturesque development named for the original farm along Fairlee Creek. My former article featured a contemporary house that the original owners had built for their daughter. This house is hidden from the road by surrounding wooded areas and the driveway off the meandering road through the neighborhood is lined with trees and ends at a circular drive around the pond and a gazebo. The two room wide, four room deep house is located across the pond and was built in 1999 on 20 +/- acres. The design of the custom built house was inspired by the style of Captain’s fishing cottages on Nantucket. The house is connected to the two-car garage by a hyphen containing a spacious laundry/mudroom and full bath that are both set back deep from the front elevation.

Four steps lead up to the deep front porch overlooking the pond and at certain times of the day, the four-bay front elevation casts a beautiful reflection on the surface of the water. The house’s front gable form is detailed with a full hipped roof over the porch that extends over the foyer with a large multi paned picture window. At the back wall of the porch are the living room’s two long 9/1 windows and at the second floor, four single 6/1 windows are spaced evenly across the façade. The beaded lap siding changes to vertical siding at the third floor with a 6/1 accent window. The exterior color palette of white 1 x trim around the windows, doors and corner boards blends into the slightly darker siding color for a classic look.
The eave line is lower than usual and adds architectural interest to the gable form. The shorter hyphen has a pitched roof that ends at the side walls of the house and the garage/apartment wing. The front gable form of the garage/apartment is similar to the main wing with two single windows at the garage level and one window above. The same combination of lap siding and vertical siding as the main wing unifies the composition.

The entry door is located at the side wall of the porch and opens into a spacious foyer with the stairs creating a hall with a wide cased opening to the large living room. The coat closet defines the end of the foyer that leads to another hall to access the kitchen-dining area, full bath and laundry/mudroom hyphen. The “U” shaped stairs has white risers and stained treads to match the flooring throughout the main floor with beautiful earth-toned runners and hall rugs. Instead of an open railing, there is a partial height wall and a half column to separate the foyer from the hall.

The focal points of the living area are the fireplace at the side exterior wall and the large armoire-bookcase unit with solid doors in the middle to store the TV. The large Oriental rug anchors the seating arrangement of the sofa and chairs in earth tone colors and the wood coffee and end tables create a room for relaxing. Another cased opening leads to the dining-kitchen area and I especially liked the box bay that wraps around the corner of the dining area with a double window at the rear wall and a single window at the side wall that creates a cozy window seat ending at the fireplace next to another window. The checked valances over the top windowpanes and the cushions that pick up the rosy red color of the fireplace brick surround, the black framed wood table with a stained wood top, black chairs and the pale green armoire create a delightful dining area for family and friends.

The “U” shaped kitchen with its neutral tones has a charming combination of upper cabinets with solid and glass fronted doors and open shelves with corner cabinets for appliances and drawers. The white subway tile backsplash that contrasts with wallpaper above the upper cabinets, the stainless steel appliances and the island with open shelves, drawers and a stained countertop completes the look. A pair of French doors between the dining and kitchen areas leads to the screened porch with white rattan furnishings below the white pitched ceiling. A screened door in the side wall leads to both the brick terrace, the stairs to the apartment over the garage and a walkway to the pool.

I envied the layout of the large laundry with its triple windows for daylight at the rear wall above the side by side washer dryer for loading/unloading that is easy on the back and knees! The door to the laundry chute eliminates the trip up the stairs to collect the dirty laundry from the bedrooms and baths. The farmhouse sink with gooseneck fitting next to a counter with open shelves below for easy access of laundry detergent and the wall hung wood expandable drying rack creates a highly efficient laundry. Exterior doors at the front and rear walls, the door to the garage and the interior stairs to the second floor apartment make this space the circulation hub of the house.

The stairs to the second floor end at a sitting area with double windows at the side wall and doors to all three bedrooms. The sumptuous primary suite is located at the rear of the house and the bedroom is sized for a sleeping area with a pencil post wood bedframe with white linens and a sitting area around the fireplace. The warm red walls, pine floors, the pine chest at the foot of the bed and the bookcase next to the fireplace full of books creates a serene retreat.

The other two bedrooms are located at the front of the house and their interiors are equally charming. One corner bedroom has wrap-around windows and a wallpaper pattern of small flowers on a sage green background, wood furnishings and a white applique bedspread. The smaller of the bedrooms is a sweet room for young children with white iron bed frames, white spreads with rose motifs, a beautiful oval multi-colored hooked rug, wood chest, nightstand and bookcase. Stuffed animals patiently await their nighttime snuggling with the little ones. Between the front and rear bedrooms is a large bath that is compartmentalized for privacy, with a shower and a clawfoot soaking tub underneath a double window. Above the two-car garage is a one-bedroom guest suite that includes a kitchenette for guests with its own deck overlooking the pool and the grounds.

20 +/- acres, 50% wooded for privacy, custom house built in 1999 inspired by the classic Nantucket fishing captain’s cottage style, outdoor rooms of a front porch, rear screened porch, pool, pergola and gazebo for picnics overlooking the pond, amenities including nine foot ceilings and wood burning fireplaces, attached two-car garage with one-bedroom apartment above, fenced acreage, turn-out sheds, a three stall barn with connected paddocks-all this in the quiet neighborhood of Fairgale Farms!

For more information about this property, contact Liddy Campbell at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, 410-673-3344 (o), 410-708-5433 (c) or liddycampbell@gmail.com. For more photographs or pricing, visit https://liddycampbell.ttrsir.com , “Equal Housing Opportunity.”
Photography by Janelle Stroop, 410-310-6838, Janelle@thruthelensphotos.com

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.

The Maryland Colony, founded by Lord Baltimore in 1632, was a haven for non-Anglicans, primarily Catholics and Quakers. Talbot County has several clues to its historical past pertaining to Quakers, such as the Third Haven Meeting House in Easton, Quaker Neck Road off the Bozman-Neavitt Rd. and this property ‘s road, named for a Meeting House in the area whose original location is unknown. My tour began with a drive through wooded areas, past the carriage house and its outbuildings as sunlight filtered through the trees and bounced off the water of Meeting House Creek and Harris Creek. The wide arc of the gravel drive ended at the parking area between the house and the pool area. I observed that the house is sited parallel to the road to maximize views from the interior. 

Before I entered the house, I walked along the shoreline and around the meticulously maintained grounds (with nary a weed in sight on the ground beneath the tall trees for clear vistas through the landscape). I admired the massing of this perfect “Goldilocks” house-not too large, not too small. Bluestone pavers directed me from the parking area to the front door by a series of  staggered pavers transitioning from the driveway to bluestone steps with brick risers ending at the spacious entry terrace. The exterior color  palette of the palest olive green against warm white trim and the texture of the vertical siding was serene against the house’s background of woods.

From the parking area, the house appears to be a simple form at first until you remember the famous dictum “God is in the details.”  As I approached the front elevation, I saw the house was a three-bay house and I admired how cleverly the architect manipulated the box form. He shifted the center wing back to create an enclosure for the front terrace between the end wings that also projected the center wing beyond the rear walls to meet the waterside terrace with its unobstructed  panoramic water views. This geometric shift created a partial second floor. I stood for some time on the entry terrace to admire the elegant scale and proportion of this façade. Placement of the eight ft tall doors and windows at the main floor for total transparency and vistas through the house, the “cottage’ muntins at the top of the windows, the rhythm of the square accent windows above the center wing’s front wall of windows and doors, wide picture windows between operable units, gable end windows set back into the wall to create arched topped recesses and skylights strategically placed for sunlight to penetrate within were the work of a master architect.  

The front door opens into a wide and deep foyer underneath the center portion of the partial second floor. As I moved through the foyer, the spatial volume changes from  the “bridge” at the second floor loft overlooking the dining-living area below the ceiling that slopes down to the one-story rear wall infilled with more eight foot tall doors and windows that wrap around each outside corner. The deep living-dining room can accommodate two round tables for entertaining and the seating area is grouped around the fireplace’s tall chimney that soars to the underside of the high ceiling. As I explored the center wing’s floor plan, I discovered the “L” shaped stairs and closet at one end of the foyer and the bar at the other end with sliding doors to hide the space when it not in use. I imagined if I were a guest at a party, how delightful it would be to easily move from the front terrace, foyer, bar, living-dining area to the rear terrace.

After exploring the rest of the main level, l understood the floor plan is zoned very well with foyer, living and dining rooms between the kitchen, laundry, full bath and garage at one end of the house and the primary suite and another bedroom/office at the other end. The kitchen has an exterior door to serve the pool area and the full bath is convenient for pool users. I love to cook and this kitchen at the rear corner of the house was sheer perfection in its geometry of the sloped ceiling clad in white slats for texture, hidden uplighting, beautiful light oak flooring, windows facing the pool and sliding doors to the rear terrace, sleek white cabinetry and pulls, black quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances. The large island with waterfall end panels is centered in the room and the countertop extends to create knee space for stools with slender contemporary pendant fixtures overhead. 

The bedroom at the opposite corner facing the water is furnished as a study/TV room with sliding doors opening onto the terrace and the triple unit of a picture window between operable units at the side wall for panoramic views. The sloped ceiling has skylights and the walls are lined with built-ins for books and family photographs and one corner of the millwork contains a fireplace. Comfortable furnishings in a colorful floral pattern in blues and reds and others in a smaller red and white pattern made me linger in this cozy space. The primary suite is located at the front corner of the house with identical spatial geometry as the office/study with corner window triple units overlooking the woods and Meeting House Cove for privacy. Two white wicker chairs with blue patterned cushions and the white bed linens with the skirt fabric matching the window drapery create a serene retreat. 

The stairs to the second floor blend into the loft area with skylights strategically placed into the sloped ceiling to illuminate the hall area with pools of light. The loft is a charming room with built-in twin beds separated by a low cabinet underneath the square accent windows along the front wall and recessed shelves for books at the side walls. The bedspreads’ colorful pattern of oversized fruits and flowers is playful and along with a table and chairs for board games and snacks, the lost must be a popular sleeping space for children of all ages. The large artwork at one wall with its vibrant colors is the finishing touch. 

The two bedrooms at each side gable wall have identical detailing with the triple unit windows recessed into the wall between bookcases at each end with chamfered tops following the edge of the sloped ceiling. One bedroom’s interior design is blue and white with blue patterned bed skirts, padded headboards with white bed linens and a blue side chair. As lovely as this room is, I preferred the other bedroom’s interior design of white rattan chairs, mint green and golden yellow with red accents. I am especially fond of a windowpane check pattern and this room’s bed skirt and padded headboard in golden yellow, mint green and white check pattern with the white bed linens would be my choice as a guest.

The other option for longer guest stays is the cottage sited along the entrance drive with total privacy from the main house. The colonial architecture with white lap siding, wood shake roof with single dormer windows is perpendicular to the drive with its two gable ends offset from each other and the tall vertical element of the chimney as a sculptural element. The entry door in the gable wall opens into the spacious living-dining area with windows on three walls for views of the landscape. The interior wall of the living-dining area is open to the stairs that lead to another space for an office or second bedroom. At the main floor, a short hall off the living-dining area leads past the mini-kitchen, full bath and large bedroom. 

This is a unique opportunity to own an exquisite architectural gem that was carefully sited on a seventeen acre point for both sunrise and sunset views and designed by a master architect for water views from every major room. The original owner has lovingly maintained the house. The surrounding meticulously manicured grounds and woods, pool and its pergola, terraces at the front and rear of the house, pier and tennis court offer a relaxed lifestyle. The attached garage at the main house and a detached four-car garage next to the guest house provide ample parking spaces. Magnificent property that exceeds my criteria of site, architecture, interiors and landscape!

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. For more photographs and pricing, visit www.shorelinerealty.biz , “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Architect: Jonathan Butler, AIA of Connecticut Builder: Lee Heinsohn

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.

Last year, I featured an exquisite Victorian house in Easton’s Historic District that was the home of my friends Tom and Sandy. They had placed their home on the market and told me they decided to change not only Towns and architectural styles but also new construction instead of restoration/renovation. They looked for property in St. Michaels for proximity to the water, the Rails to Trails and the Maritime Museum. Their other criteria was to have a master suite on the main floor with guest rooms/offices upstairs. They discovered a cul-de-sac street off Railroad Ave. with woods along one side of the street and several houses built by contractor Ricky Stemm of Stemcraft. They selected a lot and design near the end of the street and Ricky worked with Tom and Sandy to make subtle changes to the plan and their upgraded finishes. Sandy has great instincts about interior design so I knew their new home would be enhanced by her selections. Both she and Tom are ardent supporters of the arts, especially Plein Air, and their art collection includes work of many local artists that I  looked forward to seeing in their new home.

Before I went inside, I walked around the house to understand the massing and how the house relates to its site. The rectangular shaped main floor plan is topped with an “L” shaped second story with gables at each side and one at the front meeting the very slow slope roof of the porch. Both the one story, one car garage and the rear one-story portion of the great room and the master suite project from the center two-story section which makes it “a house of seven gables.” I admired the craftsman style detailing, the dark slate blue cementitious siding, white trim, and black window frames. I gave them high marks for painting the garage door black instead the white trim color so the door recedes into the wall. 

The house is raised  approximately three feet above the grade with stair treads of bluestone with brick risers leading to the front porch. I liked how the porch’s depth is sized for a black settee with ample room from the front of the settee to the porch railing for seating and circulation. The black and white striped cushions with an accent pillow’s topiary design and the French door with a bottom panel and stiles in mint green were the harbingers of more visual delights to come from Sandy’s selections.

The two room wide floor plan is split into two parts, with the garage, the “U” shaped stairs and master suite along one side and the laundry and the open plan kitchen-dining-living area along the other side. The rear deck spans across the full width of the house and the exterior door to the living room creates spaces for sitting and dining. The vista from the deck to the property line is infilled with landscaping so the deck is quite private. The front door opens into a hall/foyer and  I especially liked how the front French door was on axis with the living room’s French door to the deck. I could also see that the beautiful hardwood flooring flowed throughout the house. 

Opposite the foyer are the laundry and powder room. Two visual delights appeared- the first was the foyer’s kinetic wallpaper of peacocks, colorful blooming plants and green fronds above a tufted cream colored Mid-Century Modern settee with small round tables on either side. The second was the laundry room’s blue and white flooring pattern that reminded me of a kaleidoscope. With a window, white side by side appliances, upper cabinets and artwork, doing laundry would become a pleasant chore. 

Beyond the inside corner of the garage wall are the stairs to the second floor opposite the kitchen so the cooks have a vista to the window at the stair landing. Tom and Sandy had liked the bar area in their former house so the builder moved the door to the pantry to create a stylish bar with base cabinets to match the kitchen color scheme of slate blue cabinets and white quartz countertops. Thick oak shelves float above the bar’s counter on slender metal brackets for barware, including one of Sympatico’s rooster pitchers. (You are welcome, sister Bobbi, for the plug.)

The great room of kitchen-dining-living has multiple side and rear windows and the ceiling plane changes from the kitchen’s flat ceiling with recessed lighting to the coffered ceiling over the dining and living areas. I immediately recognized the large colorful layered abstract artwork that hung in their former dining room. Here it is the focal point of the great room above the fireplace’s mantel. Between two windows is a thin brass etagere with glass shelves for display that Sandy found at Dwelling and Design. The mix of comfortable seating from the sofa, leather side chair, wide upholstered chair and ottoman, and my favorite, the blue rattan chair with its sensuous curvature makes a great spot for relaxing after dinner or watching TV by the fire. The round table in the dining area can easily be expanded for family gatherings. 

An alcove off the great room leads to the rear master suite and above the bed was another exquisite artwork I remembered. Boats between pilings cast shadows onto the water lit by twilight and the serene scene is conducive for a restful sleep. The red upholstered chair and ottoman angled in one corner picks up the red in the large floral rug that anchors the furnishings. Both the drapery over the long windows overlooking the deck and the Roman shades over the windows that flank the bed are off white with narrow blue and white vertical bands. The duvet over the white dust cover has a subtle pattern of intertwined rope for texture and the chest opposite the bed is a bright blue. 

I coveted the master bath with its dual lavatory cabinets separated by a row of drawers and the framed mirrors below the sleek contemporary light fixtures I had chosen for one of my Tennessee homes. The large shower is detailed with small polygonal shaped tiles in shades of taupe and gray, medium gray subway tiles over the shower walls behind the glass door and panel and thoughtful amenities of the shower seat, recessed niche for shampoo, soap, etc., both fixed and handheld fittings and a high window for privacy and to avoid the shower spray.

The stair landing also accommodates a colorful tableau of a golden yellow chest  and colorful artwork of a blue and white vase featuring pink peonies below the window above. The upper level contains three spacious bedrooms, one in each gable wall. The front gable wall room with the triple windows overlooks the woods across the road and is set up as Sandy’s office. I recognized the colorful duvets in the guest rooms; one has an earth toned pattern and the other has a pattern of alternating Irish green and aqua blue circles. I have saved the best room for last-I absolutely loved the aqua blue and black wallpaper of the hall bath! Vertical bands of pairs of mermaids, floating above an octopus, fronds and a ship with sails unfurled was captivating-I firmly believe a touch of whimsy is important in a house to make you smile. The wallpaper is the perfect scaled backdrop for the white cabinetry and black lavatory counter.

My friends have done a fabulous job of creating a new home with beloved pieces from their former home- Bravo and Brava, Sandy and Tom, for another creative endeavor! 

Builder: Ricky Stemm of  Quality Homes by Stemcraft,  443-250-1336

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 saw this house, I admired the designer’s homage to the American Craftsman architectural style, personified by brothers Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene. The American Craftsman style encompassed all aspects of residential design, from architecture, applied arts, decorative arts and landscape design. The style evolved from the Shingle Style, Japanese design and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie style. The Greene brothers’ practice culminated in their design of the Gamble House in Pasadena, CA. Many years ago, I toured this iconic house and marveled at the interiors, the work of Scandinavian woodworkers who labored for eleven months to carve, cut, join, and hand rub seventeen species of wood, predominantly redwood, into the house and its furnishings with the highest level of craftsmanship. 

After many years in the house, the Gambles decided to move back east. When I toured the house many years ago, the docent told me about the first showing. The Gambles reached the bottom of  the front steps as a realtor and potential buyers had just reached the top steps. The Gambles heard the wife of the couple exclaim “the woodwork makes the house so dark”. The realtor then said, “oh, you can just paint all the woodwork white.” The Gambles immediately stormed up the steps and reclaimed their house. Today, Gamble House is on the National Register of Historic Places (with nary a white wall in sight) and is open for tours and events.

This Craftsman style house is sited on 5.53 +/- acres with water views from the northwest to the southwest along the fully rip-rapped shoreline along the Choptank River. The gravel drive leads to a clearing in the trees to the front elevation of the two and a half-story house clad in red cedar shake siding with creamy white trim. The windows and doors have the signature Craftsman header detail that extends slightly beyond the top of the jamb trim. 

The entry door with its full height sidelights of stained wood is a preamble to the stunning woodwork throughout the house including the custom staircase in the foyer. Over the front door is a very low slope roof supported by stained posts with an additional horizontal beam that is an Oriental touch. The main floor rectangular plan is articulated with offsets, a notched corner and the elevation is enhanced with two box bays whose gable roofs penetrate the roof at the third floor. One box bay has a triangular shape that overhangs the first floor below and the other box bay ends at the first floor ceiling. A greenhouse projects from the studio wing with its half solid, half glass walls and roof. 

The rear elevation opens up to the water for panoramic views from two box bays, multiple long triple unit windows and sliding doors to two decks, one off the living room and one at the other end of the house off the studio, and single doors from the butler pantry and the kitchen. Over the sliding doors to the deck off the living room is another slow sloped roof with a frame of stained pilasters, angled framing and horizontal brackets supporting the shallow low sloped roof. The elevation is further articulated with a wide shed dormer at the partial third floor for bird’s eye views up and down the river.  The corner of one side elevation opens up to the water with a grid of rows of long windows, transoms and long windows above wrapping around the corner. 

The custom Craftsman style wide front door opens into the spacious foyer next to the stairs opposite the elevator.  When I saw the beautiful stained maple window and door trim, the treads, risers, and balustrade of the stairs, I was remembered the realtor’s comment about the Gamble House’s  redwood. I hope the buyer for this house will appreciate how the stained trim enhances this house. The detailing of the custom wood entry door was skillfully detailed with a grid of wood and glass and I especially admired the earth toned colors of the quartzite stone flooring. Off the foyer is a short hall to the elevator, bath, and butler’s pantry.

The foyer blends into the open plan living-dining-kitchen-den, with the freestanding Temp Cast fireplace that is a sculptural element at the center of the space. This splendid space’s ceiling heights change from the two story living area to the one-story den, dining and kitchen. The placement of the stained beams and columns and the change in floor finishes also defines the change in function. The corner projection of the living room reaches out to the water with the floor to ceiling arrangement of windows, transoms and upper windows separated by structural mullions with black metal straps framing the panoramic views of the river. Above the top windows is a row of transoms below the gable ridge. The dining room’s wood table can accommodate family meals or larger dinner parties and the table is perpendicular to the rear long triple waterside windows. 

As a cook, I simply coveted the spacious kitchen and adjacent butler’s pantry with Craftsman styled wood cabinets spanning from the ceiling to the curved furniture leg treatment at the floor, the shallow cabinets at the waterside wall with knee space for a workspace, drawers for table linen and built-in shelving for cookbooks. The kitchen sink is below an opening in the wall that is on axis with another in the adjacent butler pantry to one in the studio beyond. Center doorways in the butler pantry also connect the three spaces.  

The large waterside studio with its pair of sliding doors with full sidelights, a skylight above the recessed translucent ceiling panels in a black grid that resembles a Shoji screen, the row of cabinets and sink for clean-up, is dream space for any creative endeavor. The front wall has an opening to the side entry hall and deck off the driveway. The hall has a long bench for dropping totes and bags after an afternoon of errands and closets for coats. The continuation of the beautiful earth toned stone flooring ties all of the “service” areas together. 

The second floor contains two waterside primary suites with walk-in closets and spacious baths and an office/bedroom in the corner above the den below. One primary bedroom and the corner bedroom/office have large wall openings overlooking the living room. I especially liked the waterside bath with the Craftsman style cabinetry detailed with a center seat, dual lavatories and triple windows and transoms above  with mirrored panels at each end. The other primary bedroom is located at the side gable wall with a two single windows and a third accent window below the ceiling’s ridge, and a triple unit window at the front wall. 

The partial third floor contains another suite with a sitting room, bedroom and bath.  The sitting room has a railing overlooking part of the second floor and a rear dormer infilled with windows offers long views of the water. The interior architecture of the sloped ceiling’s follows the angle of the roof rafters to meet the flat center portion.  

Very private 5.53 acre property with a fully rip-rapped 750 foot shoreline and sandy beach along the  Choptank River that offers the peace and quiet of nature. This magnificent Craftsman style house constructed with the highest level of craftsmanship is beautifully sited to offer Northwest and Southwest views over the open water of the river. The house has low maintenance exteriors including Ipe decks and copper roofing, along with geothermal HVAC, radiant heat and a climate controlled crawl space with concrete slab floor. Universal Design features include an elevator to serve all floors and one bath that is wheelchair accessible for aging in place. One of a kind property that pays homage to the iconic work of the Greene and Green brothers!

For more information about this property contact Faye Roser with Benson & Mangold Real Estate at 410-822-4215 (o), 410-310-6356 (c) , or roser@goeaston.net. For more pictures and pricing, visit fayeroser.bensonandmangold.com/,“Equal Housing Opportunity” Designer: Susan Harwood of Harwood Design

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.