Since last week’s feature was a late 19th century house, this week I chose a contemporary house designed by an architect for a 34 acre wooded site along Irish Creek. The site’s irregular parallelogram shape has a rounded corner that juts out into the water where the house and outbuildings  are located for panoramic views of the creek. On the day I visited, I drove along a meandering gravel drive with several turns through the woods until the drive looped back upon itself at the front elevation. The house was well camouflaged in its wooded setting by the materials and finishes of light gray siding and light olive trim. As I walked up to the front door, I admired the massing of the house with its elongated form parallel to the creek and how one side wall of the house angled twice to lead the way to the entry door recessed under the roof line. 

The house’s intricate massing  varies from the one-story portions at each end of the house, sloped and hipped roofs and curved corners, the center two-story portion whose roof partially extends down over the kitchen area but whose front wall behind the rear wall of the circulation spine ends at the front and rear bedroom areas separated by the low sloped roof plane with skylights. When I opened the front door, I walked into the one-story foyer that intersects the  circulation “spine” with endless vistas to the window wall of the breakfast room at one end and a window at the other end for views of the landscape. 

The spine also divides the rear waterside rooms of living room, dining room, family room and the primary suite from the breakfast room, kitchen and two guest suites that share a hall bath at the front of the house. As I walked through the rooms, I gave the architect high marks for his manipulation of natural light by using clerestories, skylights and long windows with transoms to open up the spaces to nature. I especially liked how in the primary bedroom and other rooms he notched the ceiling at the outside corner to accommodate tall windows and transoms and how the flat ceiling plane over the primary bedroom’s sleeping area had a diagonal edge where it met the sloped ceiling over the corner side wall windows.

Across the foyer is the dramatic two-story living room with sliding doors and full height windows for views to the woods and water. The upper wall of the room has double unit windows spaced along the front and rear walls for treetop views below the ceiling geometry created by the intersecting roof planes clad in wood. One end wall is painted an accent color below the soffit defining the upper wall plane with an arched top accent window below the peak of the gable roof. The other end wall is clad in wood with the fireplace and TV above centered between the spine and the circular stair to the spacious bonus room with a half bath. 

Behind the fireplace is the dining room with sliding doors and a full height window at the rear wall overlooking the landscape. In the other direction, the dining room extends over the spine to the kitchen. Wall openings above base cabinets at the kitchen side provide water views for the cook and the base cabinets become a perfect buffet space for entertaining. The “L” shaped kitchen has a center island and a sloped ceiling with a soffit over the front windows with both uplights at the ceiling edge and downlights for task lighting and skylights. The light green walls, dark cabinets, sleek hardware, white counters and the wood  freestanding island with bar stools create a pleasant space for cooking. A wide cased opening from the kitchen leads to the breakfast room with its a row of butler pantry base cabinets and side angled wall with a  and full height windows to the deck.

As an avid reader, my favorite space is the cozy sitting room at the rear corner of the house next to the living room with serene aqua walls, white millwork and  triple unit windows and doors with transoms above and another triple unit window at the side wall for diagonal views of the landscape. This room extends beyond the dining and living room walls to match the rear wall of the primary suite. Connecting these rooms is a pergola leading to a spacious flagstone terrace with a low curved wall at the edge of the hardscape. 

Walking back through the house, I continued along the spine between the rear primary suite and the front guest bedrooms and shared hall bath. The primary bedroom has transoms at the rear wall to echo the transoms of the sitting room at the opposite corner of the house. I liked how the side wall of closets and the bath at the opposite corner of the bedroom creates overlapping sleeping and sitting areas. 

Off the breakfast room deck is a detached “pavilion” for myriad uses. Its distinctive shape has one side wall matching the front bedroom’s angled wall and the opposite corner is curved. I would be tempted to extend the roof over the deck to the pavilion and make the pavilion a screened porch as it offers panoramic views of the water and landscape. The property also has another outbuilding whose lower floor contains a two-car garage, workshop and a greenhouse any serious gardener would covet with its gable wall, wrap-around windows with transoms, lunette transom beneath the gable ridge and skylights on both sides of the ridge beam. The second floor is a delightful one-bedroom guest apartment with vaulted ceilings and French doors leading to a deck overlooking the water and landscape.

I would be quite content reading on the flagstone waterside terrace or the screened gazebo by the pool but for the sports minded among you, there is a sandy beach, pier, large Gunite pool, separate hot tub, sports court and a concrete basketball court that could be modified for pickleball.

Great contemporary design, one level living, floor plan zoned for privacy, detached pavilion for endless possibilities, charming and private guest apartment over the garage, pool and screened gazebo, all surrounded by 34 acres of privacy on Irish Creek in desirable Royal Oak!

For more information about this property, contact Cindy Browne with Benson and Mangold at 410-822-1415 (o), 410-476-7493 (c), or brownecindy27@gmail.com. For more photographs and pricing, visit  https://cindybrowne.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.

This distinctive house was originally the home of John Camper Harrison, who founded the Tilghman Packing Company in 1897, along with his brother Oswald and S. Taylor. Harrison’s brother-in-law, William Catrup Nichols, built the house in 1900, one year before the death of Queen Victoria. American Victorian architecture was influenced by the last decades of her reign by the use of extravagant, complex shapes and elaborate details. The focal point of this house’s exquisite asymmetrical front elevation is the bay wall projection at the second floor over the low sloped metal roof of the four bay porch below and a steep gable roof above. The house became a T” shape with the two-story rear addition of 1910 and later one-story additions contained both a screened porch and a sunroom.

On the day of my tour, I was fascinated by the range of fretwork beginning with the unusual curved elongated oval with a sawtooth edge at the sides of the porch’s columns that reminded me of a crab’s claw, a clever and fitting motif for a company whose products were canned seafood. The bay projection’s solid fretwork with a blue accent, the side bay projections with more curved shapes infilled with pierced triangular shapes and the fretwork below the peak of the front gable with scalloped edges cut into the solid form were exquisite. I also was intrigued by the porch’s columns’ design with two spheres separating the three lengths of the  columns. The massing, light blue siding and creamy trim were the icing on this one of a kind cake.

The front porch is a delightful outdoor room with a row of shrubbery along the front edge providing seated privacy for relaxing in the antique rattan chairs for glimpses of the water. I especially liked the distressed look of the original half wood/half glass entry door that opens into a spacious foyer with the side “U” shaped stairs beginning with one step up to a landing then several counterclockwise turns with landings to the second floor. Wide cased openings on the foyer’s opposite walls lead to the living room on the right and the dining room on the left. Each opening is infilled with a set of magnificent oak pocket doors  believed to have been reclaimed from the Sharp’s Island Hotel, along with the cap rail of the staircase.

My favorite room was the living room with its corner wood-burning fireplace, long windows and the front wall’s bay projection infilled with windows. The dining room’s bay projection is much wider than the living room’s bay with long single windows centered on each wall and a pair of long windows overlooking the porch. What a setting for memorable meals and family celebrations under the dimmed light of the crystal chandelier!

Behind the main rooms are the open plan kitchen-breakfast-sitting area with another wood-burning fireplace. Side windows and a half-French door provide views of the mature landscape. Backing up to one end of the kitchen’s “L” shape is a row of backlit glass shelves with glass fronted base cabinets facing the sitting area for display. A second  stair wraps around the chimney land leads to a charming bedroom that at an earlier time may have belonged to household staff. 

Off the kitchen is the spacious laundry/mudroom leading to the long screened porch and a full bath with a white clawfoot tub. Next to the sitting area’s fireplace is a four paneled door with black strap hinges that leads to the remaining rooms of the sunroom and bedroom/office at the rear corners of the house. The sunroom’s wrap-around windows and French door have views to the landscaping and the marsh. The corner bedroom has windows on each of its exterior walls for diagonal views of the landscape.

The second landing at the stairs leads to the rear addition containing a full bath, and another multi-purpose room that could be a sitting room for the bedrooms. The rear room is the charming former staff bedroom. Now a guest room, the white iron bedframe rests on a round floral rug over beautiful hardwood floors and the ceiling rafters are slightly dropped below the white ceiling to highlight the saw cut edges.

At the top of the stairs to the second floor is a short hall between two bedrooms located at the front corners of the house. In between these spacious rooms is the room above the foyer with an exterior bay wall that projects over the porch below that could become a full bath. The space beneath the bay window would be a perfect spot for a clawfoot tub and so fitting for this historic house. The primary bedroom is located over the dining room and has the same bay wall projection infilled with windows and a double unit window at the front wall for abundant sunlight. The other bedroom also has abundant light from the front double unit window, two windows on the side wall and another window at the rear wall. 

The John Camper Harrison house is a Victorian gem that is the cornerstone of Tilghman Island’s architectural past-I envy the next owners who will become stewards of this remarkable house! 

 

For more information about this property, contact John McGlannan with Meredith Fine Properties at 410-886-1135 (o), 410-714-9166 (c) or jmcglannan@gmail.com.

For more photographs and pricing visit www.meredithfineproperties.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by Ted Mueller Photography, www.TedMuellerPhotography.com, 443-955-2490

For more information about the history of the Tilghman Packing Company, view the PBS video from 6-12-17:“Til-Made, Remembering the Tilghman Packing Company” at https://www.pbs.org/video/til-made-remembering-the-tilghman-packing-company-skfsrc/

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 cottage reminds me of an idyllic vacation many years ago on Nantucket where I used the Town of Nantucket as a base and explored the island on a bike. My favorite village was Siaconset, or “Sconset,” with its cottages of weathered lap or shake siding above the dune-backed beaches. Privacy was often achieved by tall privet hedges enclosing outdoor spaces and/or white picket fences festooned with fragrant roses along the streets. 

This charming cottage off the Bozman-Neavitt Rd would be right at home in Sconset; all it needs is a tall privet hedge along the side yard at the access road or a low white picket fence with flowering vines or roses. All of the bungalow elements I love are evident here-the pitched roof that slides into the wrap-around porch shed roof, other shed roofs of varying heights with short or long windows, the quirky one and two-story tower additions and the weathered siding with crisp white trim-this cottage is simply irresistible! 

From the parking area, the gravel continues along the walkway interspersed with accent rows of stone pavers up to the brick steps to the front porch. The light gray flooring and the blue beadboard of the ceiling that almost matched the sky on the day I visited create a relaxing spot to welcome the cool breezes at the end of the day. When I opened the front door, I realized the cottage’s compact exterior size belies the interior that has been thoughtfully renovated to open up the main living area while zoning the main and upper floor bedroom suites for privacy.

The living area spans the full front of the cottage with the center entry door and the side stairs to the second floor dividing the space into a seating area and office area. The sofa in the corner alcove underneath both a front and side window is opposite two armchairs for a cozy conversation area next to another wall offset highlighting a beautiful armoire for stylish storage. The interior architecture is beautifully detailed with the underside of the “L” shaped stair finished in stained wood slats, stained rafters with their hand hewn edges that break up the expanse of the white ceiling, the pine window trim with a clear coat and the Craftsman detail of the header’s slight overhang. The neutral tones of the upholstered furnishings with accent pillows are the perfect finishing touch. 

The office area with its side double windows is a very pleasant space for work but it could also become a dining room since the kitchen is around the corner. A wide wall opening trimmed in stained wood connects the eat-in kitchen to the living room/office. The depth of the wall indicates this was the original exterior wall of the house. The “L” shaped kitchen has a delightful eclectic look with its base cabinets of warm wood, upper white cabinets with white vertical planks as a backsplash to emphasize the space’s height. The stainless steel appliances are a contemporary touch, and as the Weekend Wine Woman at Piazza Italian Market, I was pleased to see the kitchen layout included a base cabinet with inserts for wine storage! Opposite the work wall of the kitchen is a lovely antique chest for storage and the mirror above becomes another ‘window.”  Sliding glass doors lead to a deck and a fenced area containing playground equipment against a backdrop of tall cypresses.

The main floor bedroom suite is located at the rear corner of the cottage has windows on each side wall for diagonal views of the landscape. Both a closet next to the full bath and another antique armoire provide storage. The room’s furnishings include twin beds with neutral colored bedding and a desk under one window for catching up on email before turning in for the night. I especially liked the closet and bath doors with their stained vertical planks  and the stained window trim with white slatted blinds. Between the kitchen and the main floor bedroom is a spacious laundry/utility room. 

The stairs to the second floor end at my favorite room, the other bedroom suite. Its square layout is notched to contain closets and the stairs that define sleeping and work/sitting areas offset from each other. Windows on all four sides bring sunlight throughout the day and the full bath has a high knee wall with a large window under the  sloped ceiling.

Great location close to St. Michaels, cozy yet spacious Craftsman style cottage with an open plan main floor, primary suites on both floors, outdoor rooms of front porch and rear deck overlooking a fenced yard with playground equipment, low maintenance exterior-perfect starter home or vacation rental!

 

For more information about this property, contact Melissa Tippett with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty at 410-280-5600  (o), 410-241-7409 (c) or .com. For more photographs and pricing, visit , “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by TruPlace, www.truplace.com, 301-972-3201

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.

 

My last featured house in Royal Oak was the Modernist interior renovation of the late architect Mark Beck’s residence located on the main road. Today’s feature is, as Monty Python would say, something completely different: a twenty acre farm in Royal Oak on Irish Creek. I drove down a gravel driveway lined with tall grass that soon opened up to lawns gently sloping down to over one thousand feet of shoreline. I passed a family cemetery and the dates on the old headstones ties the land to several generations who once called this property home. 

The main house was built in 1962 with its linear plan parallel to the shoreline. The stylish renovation that was recently completed takes maximum advantage of the views of water with a backdrop of wooded lots across the creek. The renovation increased the total gsf to over 5,200 including a range of outdoor rooms to enjoy the peaceful setting. From the front porch to a connected series of spaces that stretch across the rear of the house ranging from the covered dining terrace, enclosed sunroom and an open deck, the water is always visible.

The massing of the story and a half house is enhanced by a long shed dormer across the full length of the front elevation that meets the low sloped roof that covers both the front porch and additional interior space. At one end of the porch is the main entry door and at the other end is another door to the mud room. Steps lead down from the mud room door to a hardscaped walkway to blend into the in-ground pool surround. The rear elevation’s long windows and sliding doors at the main floor and double window dormers in the roof provide broad water views. The board and batten siding casts shadow lines upon the facades and the color palette of light gray siding, crisp white trim, gray tones of the higher roof and the slightly darker gray metal roofing over the additions create a very appealing composition against the green of the towering deciduous trees. 

The house’s layout is two rooms deep and the easy flow among the rooms begins with the entry foyer with the stairs to the second floor. One side of the stairs overlooks the living room with beautiful wide plank flooring milled from trees on the property and finished in a medium brown stain. The side wall is detailed with a wide expanse of brick for the fireplace and another opening for wood storage. The warm earth toned brick blends with the stained wood mantel across the full length of the brick wall. The exposed stained rafters and post and beam construction create a great room for relaxing with views of the water from the wide pairs of sliding doors to the deck. At the front wall, a pair of French doors leads to a room furnished as an office with the desk positioned on axis with the sliding doors of the living room for water views. 

The spacious gourmet kitchen is clearly the hub of the house with its location between the great room and dining room and overlooks the adjacent sunroom through a long cased opening. The creamy white cabinets accented by the darker wood island’s overhang to accommodate four generously sized upholstered bar seating, stainless steel appliances and contemporary hardware create a sleek look. The dining room was staged with a round table in the center of the room which accentuates the room’s size that could easily accommodate large family celebrations and the wainscot around the perimeter of the room of moldings adds texture. The pair of sliding doors to the adjacent dining terrace and the side double windows offer diagonal views of the landscape and water. 

Sunrooms are usually my favorite rooms and this long sunroom is a perfect space to spend the afternoon relaxing on the sectional sofa. I noticed that the room is three steps below the kitchen so the cook has unobstructed views of the water from the wide wall opening to the sunroom since the sunroom furniture is below the sill of the wall opening. The remainder of the first floor contains a large mud room off the front porch for easy clean up after an afternoon in the pool or on the water and one en suite bedroom. 

The second floor is zoned very well with two identical primary suites at each side gable walls of the house. High windows leave wall space below for a headboard and the double window dormers have built-in seats just waiting for cushions and accent pillows for cozy nooks overlooking the water. One ensuite is beautifully staged and I coveted the bath with a large, tiled shower and freestanding soaking tub. Between the two ensuites are two other guest bedrooms, bath, laundry and loft. 

The property also includes a detached two-car garage plus storage areas and a workshop, a one-bedroom guest/caretaker cottage that has a half bath to serve as the pool bathroom/laundry for drying towels and bathing suits, beautiful gardens and walking trails that pass a spring fed pond. Nature lovers would be intrigued that local birders recently identified thirty-seven species of birds! 

This is an ideal house for a family and the first floor ensuite offers the option to age in place. The property would also be a great vacation rental. 

Bravo to the team of Dave and Bobi Dodd for their vision and stylish renovation!

 

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 . For more pictures and pricing, visit https://debracrouch.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.

The development of the architectural style that became known as American Folk underwent a sea change as railroads expanded America to the West during the last four decades of the late 19th century. Lumberyards became a fixture of new towns that sprung up along the rail lines and changed the methods and materials of building to balloon framing covered by wood sheathing. The forms and shapes of National Folk architecture with the linear hall and parlor plan and gable fronts for narrow lots became the dominant style in our area for many decades. It is ironic that the Owner of this charming National Folk house discovered in his research that his house arrived by rail in two separate buildings that were later joined together. The property was originally one parcel but at some time the large rectangular lot was subdivided which resulted in this house’s having the deepest front yard along this section of the street. 

On the day I visited, I walked around the house and admired the “L” shape of the two-story portion fitting together with a one-story “L” porch like interlocking puzzle pieces. At the rear, a later story and a half addition created a kitchen with sleeping quarters above for live-in help. The house’s geometry is accentuated by its exterior monochromatic palette of white without any window trim. Corner boards, a cornice board topped with crown molding and the German shiplap siding along the street elevation add shadow lines across the facade. The four paneled wood door with arched top panels is surrounded by a full transom and half glass/half paneled sidelights. I especially liked the detail between the door and sidelights with a narrow top bracket, half-round pilaster and plinth block.

Only one of the houses I have called home had a foyer and this house’s foyer is welcoming with its view of the staircase that rises in three runs with two landings. The stair treads, cap rail and paneled newel posts match the stained hardwood floors and each newel post pierces through the deep layers of molding below the white pickets. Sunlight streams through the window at the lower landing and the diagonal line of the foyer ceiling at the stairs indicates the upper railing that connects the second floor rooms. The wood furnishings of a grandfather clock and a high-back bench complete the simple yet elegant look.

The foyer connects the living room to a smaller parlor. The latter has a Chesterfield sofa and a wall of built-in millwork for a library/office opposite the two front windows and one side window for abundant daylight. The living room’s wide cased opening to the foyer is detailed with a short half wall/half column perpendicular to the foyer’s front wall with moldings simulating raised panels. The living room has a pair of reclaimed French doors to access the porch on axis with the fireplace’s wood burning stove and single windows at each side wall provide views and sunlight. To the left of the fireplace is a storage wall of two doors with two shorter doors above. During the renovation, the Owner discovered original wallpaper in the closet’s interior wall embellished with cursive penmanship proudly proclaiming the carpenter’s name. 

My favorite room is the charming dining room with its focal point being a deep box bay with a gambrel ceiling and two side and one front windows. The room is quite spacious so I would be tempted to add a banquette with cushions and accent pillows to the box bay for a cozy spot for cocktails before dinner so the table could be moved further into the room to be aligned with the wide cased opening to the kitchen. The wood furnishings complement each other well and I was especially drawn to the antique pie safe that reminded me of the one in my childhood home.

Another wide cased opening leads to the kitchen with original details of the secondary stair to the former attic  and the pine floors that set the stage for the imaginative layout and design to tempt a serious cook. The door carved into the wall below the stair has strap hinges to access storage beneath the stairs for infrequently used items. I just recently watched the “Julia” series on Netflix and the pegboard wall for hanging frequently used pots and pans is a homage to Julia Child’s kitchen. The pegboard wall is just a step away from the range, complete with an instant hot water fitting that also saves steps to fill pots. I loved this kitchen’s personality from its eclectic look with these and other details including the diagonal planks that clad the bar to define the work area, the mix of pendant lighting, stainless steel hutch next to open shelving and the “bar” wall with its wine fridge, wine rack and white ceramic vessel bar sink. The dark slate countertops were reclaimed from a science classroom and the slate’s high resistance to chemicals, heat, microbes and water is great for kitchens too!

The two ensuites on the second floor are zoned well for privacy with one bedroom at the front of the house and the other opposite the stairs with windows overlooking the deep yard. The front ensuite includes two rooms with the smaller room located over the dining room with the same box bay detail. One could easily add a window at the side rear wall to complete the wrap-around effect. This peaceful alcove now is the location for the Owner’s wood sleigh bed. The adjoining bath has great appeal for Anglophiles like me with the Union Jack design painted onto the sides of the clawfoot tub positioned beneath the double window. The white pedestal lavatory over the small octagonal tiles are also appropriate historical touches. Shower lovers have the option of the other ensuite’s bath with an oversized tiled shower, dual shower heads, recessed seat and glass doors. The mirror over the dual lavatory cabinetry infills the high knee wall and is a clever way to expand the space. Since the room’s only window is located inside the toilet closet, I would add a high interior window at the wall facing the side of the lavatory cabinet so daylight could filter into the other part of the bathroom.

Prime corner lot within walking distance of Easton’s shopping and dining district, quiet setting back from the road with the potential for a carriage house and/or garden, rear fenced yard for pets and young children’s play, an outbuilding with utilities and water; an outdoor shower, easy flow among the rooms, thoughtful and imaginative interiors with a blend of old and new from the 2017 renovation, plus a kitchen for serious cooks. I understand the Owner has his next project in mind so I look forward to seeing what this talented entrepreneur does with another historic house-stay tuned!

 

For more information about this property, contact Murphy O’Neill with Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Company at 410-778-0330 (o), 443-480-4275 or murphy@cbchesapeake.com. For more pictures and pricing, visit www.cbchesapeake.com,   “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by TruPlace, Ted Mueller, (301) 972-3201, https://truplace.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.

Lady Bird Johnson was known for her beautification efforts and St Michaels is fortunate to have  “Ladybird” Marylou McAllister living in historic St Michaels.  Her vision to beautify St Michaels in 2016 was the beginning of the organization St Michaels in Bloom and the planting of  some 18,000 daffodils throughout the historic district of St Michaels. When the bulbs  bloomed the following Spring, an inaugural parade of yellow cars, floats and St Michaels in Bloom volunteers wearing big yellow hats paraded down Talbot Street to the delight of locals as well as Spring day trippers and vacationers.

Since then, St Michaels in Bloom has grown to become a completely volunteer organization with the mission to beautify St Michaels through  floral and landscape plantings.  It is funded by the generosity of local community residents and businesses  whose contributions go toward the purchase of plant and landscape materials. 

St Michaels in Bloom projects have included the installation of sixteen hayrack baskets on Honeymoon Bridge, the landscape to the Welcome to St Michaels sign on Route 33, the purchase and planting of thirteen large black planters along Talbot Street and the placement of flowering pots on the Harbor at West Chew as well as a plot at the Community Gardens.  

These projects are paid for by St Michaels in Bloom and are planted seasonally by dedicated and hard working volunteers who develop landscape and planting designs, shop for plant materials at local establishments, transport and install the plants, and coordinate and perform the arduous task of watering and weeding through the year.  

Aside from creating beautiful plantings and landscapes, the organization’s goal is to use interesting, varied and sometimes unique materials such as lettuce and curly willow in Spring and dried grasses and kale in Autumn.  You may see a gaggle of geese at the Welcome Sign in the Fall during Waterfowl Festival or a cornucopia of gourds and pumpkins.

St Michaels in Bloom just finished hosting the Third Annual May Day contest in celebration of the arrival of Spring.  More than 50 homes and businesses in the historic area participated and competed in the event by placing beautiful and creative baskets of flowers on their front doors. Ribbons were awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place May Baskets.  “We were so pleased to see so many residents and businesses helping to make our charming town even more beautiful with such creative and beautiful May Day Baskets” according to Phyllis Kennedy, Chair of the Event. 

Last fall, St Michaels in Bloom launched the first annual Merchant Recognition Award whereby individual merchants who made exceptional effort to beautify their establishment with flowers or plantings were recognized.  Winners were The Blue Crab, Guilford & Company and the Preppy Redneck. 

Looking forward,  the goal of St Michaels in Bloom is “to grow and bloom and spread more beauty throughout our charming town” according to Chris Pulford, President.  So far this year, our dedicated group of volunteers have planted Honeymoon Bridge and Talbot planters with beautiful and creative floral designs, redesigned the Welcome Sign landscape to accommodate the installation of new wider sidewalks, competed our third annual May Day Event that resulted in wonderful contributions to our organization from our generous community supporters, and we are planning to plant even more daffodil bulbs in the Fall to refresh the sea of yellow we like to see each Spring when the bulbs bloom.   

For more information about St Michaels in Bloom, visit www.stmichaelsinbloom.org.

 

The small architectural community in Talbot County grew even smaller when Architect Mark Beck passed away in December 2021. He was the founder and owner of Beck, Power and Parsons, Inc., a prominent firm with offices in Baltimore, Columbia and Towson. Throughout his distinguished career, Mark received many awards for his custom designed contemporary houses, including a 25 year award from the AIA  for design of a residence in Roland Park, MD, and a Baltimore AIA award for an artist studio and guest house in Monkton, MD. 

Like many architects in the Mid Atlantic Metro areas who designed homes on the Eastern Shore for clients, Mark fell under the spell of life across the Chesapeake Bay. In the early 1990’s, he learned from clients for whom he had designed their house on Irish Creek that they intended to place their house on the market. He purchased it and worked from his new home and also commuted to Baltimore. In 2005, he bought today’s featured property. I had the pleasure of meeting Mark at one of his projects, a collaboration with Landscape Designer Jan Kirsh that was a past House of the Week and we chatted about the projects I had admired on his website. 

Mark’s Royal Oak Cape Cod one and a half story house was built in 1977. He left the street façade alone to blend in with the older houses that defined the streetscape of Royal Oak Road but the bright blue front door is a clue that inside is something completely different. I first walked around the house to understand the massing of the architecture and how it relates to the landscape. As I passed the side two-car garage wing, the full depth of the deep yard was immediately apparent. 

From the screened porch Mark added, hardscape passes by a koi pond then blends into the concrete pool surround with scored joints to break down the expanse of concrete. At both sides of the pool are raised vegetable  beds between the house and a garden shed. At the end of the pool, a white pergola marks the beginning to a new vista past fields on either side of a mowed walkway to the focal point of a reclaimed buoy that Mark painted and  placed on a pedestal as a sculptural focal point. 

A previous addition expanded the house from the original rear wall with low sloped additions to contain a new family room and breakfast room off the kitchen. This gifted architect realized the modification didn’t realize the full potential of the house and views of the site so he re-oriented the main areas of the house on two axes. The first was the kitchen-breakfast room-new screened porch with a vista to the pool and landscaping. The second was in the opposite direction with the goal of opening up the living room to the family room and kitchen. The rear wall of the living room was removed with two columns for support to create an open plan. The full height wall between the living and kitchen has a wide recessed niche to display a remarkable collection of artifacts from his travels. 

Between the music/library-dining room and the breakfast room next to the sunroom is a free-standing partial height wall containing the fireplace with the chimney flue becoming a sculptural element. Now the main living spaces flow freely among each other and create wonderful spaces for entertaining family and friends with the full rear wall of sliding doors and the transparency of the screened porch for peaceful views of the landscape. I especially liked the exposed ceiling of the music room-library painted white for greater light reflectance and the collection of modern icon furniture including an Eames chair, a Saarinen womb chair and Scandinavian dining table and chairs.

To the right of the foyer is a pair of French doors opening into a room with another cased opening to the kitchen opposite the hall so the room could have myriad uses including a guest room. Next to this room is a full bath and a large butler pantry for storage of serving pieces. The other side of the foyer leads to the spacious primary suite that spans the full depth of the house. The suite has great appeal with the front bedroom, short hall flanked by closets and the primary bath at the rear wall  and laundry area. 

The second floor contains two bedrooms and a full bath. The stairs end at an enlarged landing with two contemporary molded “Tulip” chairs in the sitting area separating two bedrooms located over the original house’s footprint. The interior architecture of knee walls and sloped ceiling creates delightful interior architecture.

This is a great opportunity to own the combination of traditional exterior architecture with contemporary interior architecture and a lush rear landscape with pond and pool in sought after Royal Oak. It is always a pleasure to promote my fellow architects and Mark Beck’s legacy lives on in the many houses he designed on the Eastern Shore. If you are lucky to own one of his designs, I would welcome hearing from you for another opportunity to feature his work. 

For more information about this property, contact Kelly Showell with Benson  Mangold Real Estate at 410-822-1415 (o),  410-829-5468 (c) or kshowell1958@gmail.com. For more pictures and pricing, visit https://kellyshowell.bensonandmangold.com/, “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by Janelle Stroop, Thru the Lens, 410-310-6838, Janelle@Thruthelensphotos.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.

The plaque from the Historic St. Michaels Bay Hundred, Inc., displayed on the front wall of this house states the date of the construction as 1870 since the house appears on the Lake, Griffing and Stevenson Atlas of 1877. Like many of the houses of this era, today’s feature probably began its life as a “waterman’s” home for a worker employed by one of the many shipyards on St. Michaels’ Harbor. The original house was a two-story, one-room deep, 16×20 form, with mortise and tenon joinery and was altered in the 1880’s and again in the 1920’s. I have passed by this charming house many times when I stopped by the Village Shoppe across the street and admired its distinctive exterior color palette resembling many of San Francisco’s “Painted Ladies”.  I also was intrigued that unlike other three-bay houses in the Historic District which have either left or right side front doors, this house’s door is uniquely located in the center. 

Before I went in the day of my tour, I walked up the brick sidewalk ending at half circle brick steps to the full front porch and stopped to savor the color palette of turned posts painted  “Bristol Green”, with “Shaker Red” motifs, fretwork between the columns and the cap over the white railing. The lap siding was also painted “Bristol Green” and the corner boards were painted “Picholine”.  Trellises at both sides of the porch are now festooned with blooming Major Wheeler honeysuckle for just enough privacy.  I turned the original doorbell in the four-paneled front door with arched top panels to begin my tour. The Owners, Bill and Robin, greeted me and I noticed when they closed the door that the top panels of the interior side of the door were rectangular instead of arched as the exterior side was. I stepped into the living room that spanned the full width of the house that was open to the dining room beyond. The stairs to the second floor were located at the side wall of the living room.  

Bill and Robin began to explain the “clues” that remain to tell the story of the renovations the house has undergone.  I soon learned each room was a fascinating chapter in that story. They noticed my looking at the dropped beam perpendicular to the front wall and the beam between the living and dining rooms.  These beams illustrated the original house’s two-bay one room deep form with the door at the right side. Then I realized that the door shifted its position when the house was expanded to three bays making the original door centered in the elevation. When the house was expanded, the original stairs were demolished and new stairs were built at the side wall opposite the fireplace.  The unusual stained molding over the fireplace mantel was reclaimed from an old organ.  Bill had assisted an organ restorer who restored an organ in Yonkers, NY and he was given the wood that had been removed during the restoration. Bill used pieces of the wood to clad the wall above the mantel between the millwork he had built. He then added painted beadboard on the rear wall between the shelves. I admired the beautiful collection from Bill’s family’s  “Rose Medallion” china dating from 1840-1890 that stands out against its light green background. The next clue was found below the vertical joint between the living and dining rooms where the original exterior wall had been. Part of the wall finish had been removed to reveal the juxtaposition of the wall’s timber construction from both the front 1805-1820 original wall and the major addition in the 1870’s, based upon the historical register documents, the 6/6 windows and the machine hewn wood. 

Moving into the dining room, I was drawn to the large map at the rear wall as I love cartography. Bill explained he was originally from NY state and this map reproduction from  the 1770’s shows his hometown. I also admired the door to the hall with a half glass frosted panel and carvings. Bill and Robin explained the door had been reclaimed from the house next door when it underwent a renovation. I liked how the door has remained unpainted, all the better to admire the wood and the salvaged hinges and hardware Bill added. The door leads to a short hall past a full bath to the kitchen. The bath’s vintage toilet is between a corner wall mounted lavatory and a corner wall mounted storage open shelving unit opposite the shower. 

As we entered the kitchen, I asked if the oversized wall mounted stained oak framed chalkboard had been reclaimed from a school and Bill confirmed it was. What a great way to jot down the week’s appointments, grocery list, etc.! The “U” shaped kitchen begins the 1920’s renovation and I admired its warm palette of creamy cabinets, granite countertops, tiled backsplash laid on the diagonal and stainless steel appliances. I noticed the counter extended into the adjacent atrium room more deeply than needed to accommodate bar stools. Here again Bill had thought of another creative solution which he demonstrated by moving the bar stools and opening the cabinet doors to reveal pull out shelving for the TV and storage. The sight lines are perfect and much better than placing the TV over the fireplace as it was when Bill and Robin bought the house. The extra depth of the counter has the bonus of being a great spot for setting out a buffet for entertaining. 

The 1920’s renovation had removed most of the rear wall of the kitchen to open into the dramatic two-story sunroom with three walls of wrap-around 2/2 windows to match the original windows, broken only by the spandrel beams between the upper and lower windows. The rear upper windows are shorter to allow space for artwork and the pale butter yellow walls become bathed in sunlight throughout the day. French doors lead to a screened porch with a vista to the terrace, garden and the “boathouse.” Bill and Robin had refurbished the screened porch with brick pavers that extended to the terrace overlooking the garden and added a stained  wood slat ceiling. Another find from a salvage store was the gate that now is a sculptural element at one side of the porch. 

The terrace has a table and seating with an umbrella for shade to relax and enjoy the verdant oasis of this beautiful urban garden, complete with a water feature and a chorus of happy frogs. Bill and Robin believe the rear outbuilding was once a boat house and a carriage house addition was added in the days of horsepower fueled transport. The exposed structure inside indicated that the boat house portion had been expanded, to accommodate a bigger boat.

After exploring the main floor and garden, we continued the tour upstairs. The primary bedroom spans across the front of the house under the gable side walls. The drywall ceiling had been removed to expose the collar beams with their saw cut edges and the arched top former attic window now filters sunlight between the beams. I admired the beautiful wood carved bed and the peaceful  pale blue walls. The alcove created by the walk-in closet and chest of drawers combine to make a dressing room. 

The other bedroom had previously been a loft space with a curved balcony that overlooks the sunroom below. Bill and Robin enclosed the open wall with French doors and full sidelights that now is a private guest room with space for two double beds. I loved the hall bath with its white beadboard wainscot below soothing lavender walls, the white claw foot tub, the lavatory cabinet clad in white beadboard, white countertop and vintage fittings. 

I am indebted to Bill and Robin for a tour of their unique house they have called home for the past twelve years. They are moving back to Bill’s home state of New York for the best of reasons-to be nearer their beloved grandchildren. I hope the next stewards of this unique part of St. Michaels’ Historic District will appreciate the house and garden as much as they do. The delightful boat-carriage house has so many possibilities-office? art studio? I sincerely hope the next owners don’t repaint this gem!

 

For more information about this property, contact Leslie Stevenson at Long and Foster Real Estate Inc., 410-745-0283 (v), 410-253-7293 (c) or Leslie.Stevenson@Longfosterandfoster.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”. For more photographs and pricing visit  www.Longandfoster.com/LeslieStevenson,  “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.

Just before you reach the town limits of Neavitt, there is a no-though access street that someone with a sense of humor named “Almost Neavitt”. The residents of this private street enjoy the lack of traffic and the owners of today’s featured house also enjoy the privacy of their side yard next to the deep front lawn and wooded shoreline of the adjacent property.  The windows of the house’s dining room, living room and sunroom overlook this pastoral scene. The property has a two-car garage perpendicular to the house with the area in between set up as a play area.  The deck at the front of the house overlooks the play area and the spacious size has room for a grille, seating and dining space.

The front door opens opposite a bench with storage space below for wellies, etc. and the seat offers a handy space for unloading bags and totes. This space is open to the “L” shaped kitchen and is next to the laundry/utility room.  I would prefer shifting the kitchen next to the laundry so the front door would open into a short hall with a vista through the house to the water. As I continued my tour of the house, I admired the beautiful hardwood floors, stained baseboards, window and door trim with the craftsman detail of slight extensions of both the door and window headers and window sills above an apron trim.

Next to the kitchen is a spacious dining room with the table and chairs in front of the side double window with views to the wooded area. This layout leaves space on the opposite side of the room for a pair of upholstered chairs that with a wall of bookcases behind it would make a perfect mini-library. One of my favorite craftsman details is partial height walls with columns to define adjacent spaces.  Here the wall separating the dining and living rooms has that detail with the opening trimmed in stained wood and moldings to articulate the partial height wood paneled wall that extends beyond the wall opening to the corners of each room.

The spacious living room has two pairs of double windows, one overlooking the wooded area and the other overlooking the adjacent sunroom. The stairs are totally open to the living room with the treads, risers and railing detailed in stained wood. Opposite the stairs is a French door to the sunroom. The French door is centered between sitting and dining areas with wrap-around windows offering views of Balls Creek and the wooded area along the side yard.  Off the sunroom is a deck with steps down to the lawn with a picnic table shaded by tall trees and the sun deck at the pier where Adirondack chairs are strategically placed for long views of Balls Creek. 

The remainder of the compact floor plan has two bedrooms with a full bath off the short hall behind the stairs. One bedroom is located at the rear corner for water views with sunlight from two pairs of double unit windows.  The other bedroom’s double unit window overlooks the side yard with oblique views of the water. The second floor plan is quite efficient with the stairs ending at a short hall between two bedrooms and a bath.  The two bedrooms have triple unit windows under shed dormers and the bath has a single window under the gable at the front of the house. The bedrooms are tucked under the roof rafters with storage recessed into knee walls and higher walls at the shed dormers over the windows resulting in delightful interior architecture. The window and door trim continues the craftsman look of the main floor with slight extensions of both the door and window headers and window sills above an apron trim. 

The 2001 renovation of this charming bungalow took care of all the things homeowners reluctantly spend money on-Bailey dock with floating dock and sun deck, septic, encapsulated crawl space and a new roof over the front part of the house. The kitchen countertops, washer and dryer were replaced two years ago, and the dishwasher is new.  As realtors say, this waterside charmer is move-n ready in the “Almost Neavitt” area. 

 

 

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

Photography by HomeVisit, http://www.homevisit.com/, 703-953-3866

Second floor renovation by Pam P. Gardner AIA,www.pamelagardneraia.com , 410-820-7973

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.