If I were seeking a new home, I would first look in Royal Oak for its convenient location between St. Michaels and Easton with Oxford even closer via the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry. Goose Neck Rd has been fertile ground for me in my past searches for the House of the Week and today’s feature is a house on “Baby Goose” Neck Rd, Gosling Ln.  The gravel drive curves past the detached three-car garage that gives the house privacy from Gosling Ln and an immaculately manicured privet hedge borders one side of the drive.  Behind the hedgerow are several towering oaks, evergreens and a Magnolia that caught the cool breeze on the day I visited.

The one-story house’s white painted brick stands out against this background of green and the light colored roofing shingles have the extra advantage of reflecting the summer sun to lessen the heat gain. Window boxes stand ready to be filled with colorful plants once the heat wave is gone.  One of the five acre property’s boundaries is Plaindealing Creek where you can set out in a boat from the pier or launch kayaks or lighter craft from the former ramp. 

The house’s massing telescopes down slightly from the bedroom wing to the original kitchen-dining-living room to what I surmised was the former garage that has been transformed into an open plan kitchen-breakfast area and family room. Off the family room is a screened porch between the pool and the terrace to connect the outdoor spaces.  Since the other rooms of the house have flat ceilings, I would remove the screened porch’s flat ceiling and expose the roof rafters to create a pitched ceiling.  The concrete terrace with its non-slippery aggregate finish is perfect for post swim naps and the low brick walls offer more seating for large gatherings. The primary suite has access to the terrace from its own outdoor space surrounded by a wooden fence for the family pet or young children to safely play. 

The front door divides the floor plan into the gathering spaces and the bedroom suites. The spacious foyer has a vista to the living room’s rear windows to the landscape and the water beyond. The large living room and dining room area wraps around the former kitchen that is now a pantry and laundry/mudroom, very convenient to the bedroom wing. The living room’s rear windows and sliding doors provide views and access to the terrace. The side wall of the living-dining area has a fireplace with built-in millwork for family photographs, books and collectibles.  Cased openings at each end of the wall lead to the open-plan kitchen-breakfast area and family room.  

The corner banquette has windows on each side and the cushioned seat and extra chairs can accommodate a large group. The exterior door at the front of the house is convenient for unloading groceries directly into the kitchen and the cushioned built-in bench is great for dropping tote bags, back packs, etc. The wood-grain ceramic flooring is a wise choice for maintenance for this busy area between the screened porch and the pool. Painting the stained bead board ceiling off-white would continue the feeling of height created by the upper kitchen cabinets that extend to the underside of the ceiling. Throughout these gathering rooms, the blue and white color scheme creates warm and inviting areas for relaxation.

The primary suite is located at the rear corner of the house and its French doors next to the double window unit provide views of the landscape and water. The sage green walls and the coverlet paisley pattern in blue and sage green create a restful retreat. If I were a young guest, I would be delighted to sleep with siblings in the charming twin bedroom with its pale yellow walls, white furniture, painted chest stenciled with yellow flowers and green leaves. I imagine this family’s young children spent delightful afternoons playing with the dollhouse or the artisan carved Noah’s Ark pieces. 

Great waterfront property with 350 ft water frontage for evening strolls with acres of lawns for play and access to Plaindealing Creek and points beyond.  Very well-maintained house with one-level living for bringing up a family and aging in place to welcome visits from children and grandchildren. As the artwork in the twin bedroom says “Love Lives Here” and that is a fitting motto for this wonderful family home in sought after Royal Oak!

For more information about this property, contact Mary Haddaway with Benson and Mangold at 410-745-0415 (o), 410-924-8574 (c), or maryhaddaway@gmail.com. For more photographs and pricing visit www.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.

I am quite familiar with this charming property since it went under contract during the time I visited the neighborhood to look for my new home. The property still appeals to me for its private setting surrounded by landscaping, mature trees and extensive protected woods across the road provide a peaceful view from the front porch. I also like the detached screened pavilion and the two-roomed greenhouse in the rear landscape that I had envisioned making one side my office and keeping the other space as a greenhouse.  Water features add sound to the landscape and as I walked around the rear of the property I discovered the koi pond partially shaded by a tall Japanese maple with a heron sculpture standing guard. The Owners are obviously more attentive gardeners than I am as the decks are filled with pots of colorful flowers and bonsai. Beyond the koi pond is an enormous fig tree that will bear fruit very soon. 

Two tall crape myrtles flank the sidewalk to the street and the house’s classic exterior color palette of white lap siding and trim with deep green shutters stands out against the green landscape. I chuckled when I saw the bronze plaque next to the door that reads “On This Site in 1897 Nothing Happened” and anticipated other clever surprises within.  The typical Farmhouse floor plan has the center door opening opposite the stairs to the second floor.  The stone flooring between the front door and the first stair riser is a perfect “walk-off” mat and divides the sitting room on the right from the dining room on the left.  

The sitting room has a fireplace with windows on each side opposite a wall of built-in millwork for the TV and shelves ready for books, collectibles and family photographs. Another window at the front of the room brings additional sunlight and makes this a very pleasant space to call “home” as the letters over the mantel declare.  The dining room has front and side windows and a half French door to the adjacent part of the porch that has been infilled  for use as a laundry and storage. The period details of white beadboard wainscot and the beautiful wood floors add character and the chimney between the door and the rear wall creates a nook for the sideboard below another window.  The wood table and Windsor chairs set the scene for dining with family and friends. The accents of art, especially my favorite Toulouse Lautrec poster of the Moulin Rouge, add finishing touches. 

The white beadboard wainscot wraps around the wide cased opening to the kitchen with its “L” and island layout that leaves room for a sitting area by the wood stove for guests to keep the cook company. In addition to the white bead board wainscot, the painted tin ceiling adds texture and the vertical soffit above the upper cabinets is the perfect spot for the high velocity AC supply vents. I appreciated how the original cabinets were saved and painted with upgrades of the countertop of granite squares and the tumbled marble backsplash. The wood countertop on the island is a pleasant contrast and is the perfect surface for making pastry. Another half French door leads to the filled in area of the porch.

Off the kitchen is a room with base cabinetry and sliding doors leading to the deck and gardens. I would be tempted to install undercounter washer and dryer units in this space to create a laundry/mud room next to the full bath for easy clean-up after an afternoon of gardening. The infilled part of the porch with the wrap-around windows and the doors to both the dining room and the kitchen could then become a great sunroom.

The second floor stair landing expands into a space that makes a quiet office with a side window for visual breaks between computer work. Behind the stairs is a nook for storage and the room’s sloped ceiling meets the flat area of the ceiling to create a space for cabinet doors to access the attic area for more storage. Both the full bath and one bedroom face the front of the house and the rear bedroom is located  in the rear “L” of the floor plan. I loved the bath finishes of deep slate walls, multicolored slate flooring and the front and side windows for sunlight.  A recycled wood table now has another life as a stylish lavatory with small multicolored tiles for the countertop and larger triangular tiles for the backsplash behind the white vessel lavatory bowl.

Both bedrooms take advantage of the gable roof framing to create high ceilings with storage units at the window height in each room.  One bedroom is painted a deep mint green and the other bedroom is painted the color I chose for my own bedroom, a deep caramel color.  This bedroom faces the rear landscape and has windows on all three sides for sunlight to filter through the trees. The rear wall is cleverly designed around the flue to the kitchen wood stove below with windows and seats next to built-in shelving. This bedroom has a view from one of the rear windows on axis with the deck to the koi pond below.    

Perfect weekend retreat and with a few more finishing touches to one’s taste, this property would become a great family home. Our neighborhood would gladly welcome another family to enjoy our amenities of launching kayaks from our boat ramp, shopping at the Wittman Seafood Market and picnics in the public park.

 

For more information about this property contact Dawn Lednum with Chesapeake Bay Real Estate Plus LLC at 410-745-6702 (o) 410-829-3603 (c) or dawnlednum@gmail.com,.   For more pictures and pricing, visit  www.cbreplus.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.

I have featured many houses on Harrison Street in the heart of Easton’s Historic District and this one is very special for it meets all my criteria-site, architecture, interiors and landscape. The site is prominently located on a corner double lot above a slight rise in grade that creates a backdrop for continuous landscaping at the street elevations. The house is further elevated with steps from the Town sidewalk to the wrap-around porch for relaxing and enjoying the summer shade. Several of my friends who live nearby tell me the owners are very hospitable hosts and welcome neighbors to stop by on their daily stroll and visit with them on the porch. How could they not?  It is a delightful outdoor room with its walls of light blue cedar siding with an eclectic mix of windows at different heights, pale blue wood ceiling, lighter wood floors and white trim, columns and handrail.  It would be easy to linger on the swing, rattan sofas and chairs with cushions and pillows for comfort as you catch the breeze. The white bench does double duty as a coffee table and several glass topped end tables offer a spot for one’s reading material or favorite beverage while enjoying the fragrance of the pink geraniums.

The massing and openness of the exterior elevations creates great architecture.  The cruciform shape of the main roof creates gable ends on each elevation and the footprint of the house creates bay shaped projections onto the wrap-around porch.  I was intrigued by the extension on the side street elevation with its low sloped roof extension ending in a wall of side by side dual bay projections that meet in a “V” shape.  Clearly, one bay contained the stairs with its higher window and I looked forward to discovering the other bay-shaped rooms on my interior tour.  At the rear, two low sloped shed roofs meet at the outside corner with one side being the rear wall of the second floor sleeping porch over the sunroom/breakfast area below and the other an office/sitting room over the laundry and porch to the garden. Each elevation is as beautiful as the others-simply marvelous! 

The delightful giraffe sculpture at the front porch hinted of further visual delights within and I was not disappointed. The main floor plan is ideal for entertaining guests circulating between the main rooms and the wrap-around porch. The vistas through the house were a delight to discover as I walked through the rooms with the Owners. The spacious entrance hall spans the length of the front living room and the adjacent family/TV room. The bottom three steps spill onto the floor and the vista ends at the dining room’s hutch with glass doors.  The house felt like an art gallery with walls of original art and posters from exhibitions with rugs and antique pieces artfully arranged over the beautiful wood floors. My eye was immediately drawn to the large blown glass “eye” hanging down behind the center of the side window to the porch.   

The entrance hall’s wide cased opening leads to living room with its focal point of the bay window wall onto the screened porch that is on axis with the pair of pocket doors to the family/TV room beyond. Both rooms’ walls are painted a soft peach/apricot that is a perfect backdrop for the art. The side vista from the family room is from the cased opening to the stairs and the bay wall with a door and window to the wrap-around porch. 

Behind the “U” shaped stairs I discovered one of the side bay projections, the exquisite dining room. The entire exterior wall is a bay window next to the corner fireplace. The round wood table, Windsor chairs, period pendant lighting and the simple white painted brick fireplace surround with a wood mantel sets the scene for memorable dinners with family and friends. I could well imagine savoring winter meals by firelight and candlelight with the pendant light dimmed.  

The dining room flows into the kitchen and the Owners kept the original cupboards with their stained wood countertops on a side wall when they renovated the kitchen that is open to the charming breakfast nook/sunroom with wrap-around windows for diagonal views of the side and rear gardens. A pantry open to the breakfast nook is cleverly tucked into the geometry of the family room’s bay wall for easy access.  The rear kitchen window looks over the deck to the gardens and the rear door leads to the laundry/mudroom and then to the deck and gardens.

The second floor has delightful space planning features also. The upper hall stacks above the entrance hall below but is slightly longer with a side door leading to the cozy room formed by the bay wall of the dining room below.  I would immediately claim that cozy room for an office! The hall ends at a full bath with a linen closet for the three bedrooms off the hall overlooking the side garden. The rear bedroom would be my choice for a primary suite. It has a door to the side sunroom/sleeping porch and to the rear office/sitting room that could be converted into a primary bath and walk-in closet. 

The property also includes access off the side street to a one-car garage behind the garden next to the adjacent property that creates both a backdrop and privacy for the garden. There is ample storage space in the garage, basement and attic. 

Don’t be surprised to find a Plein Air artist staking out a spot at this irresistible  house; in fact, the Owners hosted an artist one year who returned for six more years and left them a painting in thanks for their hospitality. Art and architecture are kindred spirits and I am sure he was inspired as I was by the natural light streaming into the rooms, the splendid architecture, interiors and gardens. The main floor plan is ideal for entertaining guests circulating between the main rooms and the wrap-around porch. I ended my tour with great reluctance-this historic house is what Habitat is all about!

For details about this property, contact Rob Lacaze with Long and Foster, Easton, MD -Realty at 410-770-3600 (o), 410-310-7835 (c),or lacazerob@gmail.com. For more photographs and pricing, visit www.roblacaze.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Eve Fishell, Chesapeake Pro Photo LLC, 443-786-8025, www.chesapeakeprophoto.com, eve@chesprophoto.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 Women in Architecture Committee of AIA Baltimore in collaboration with the Baltimore Foundation sponsored an exhibit “Early Women of  Architecture in Maryland-1920-1970 “ that traveled to sites within Maryland in 2018. The exhibit was curated by Jillian Storms, AIA, and highlighted the work of twelve architects from the first generation of women who were pioneers in my profession. I also knew of their work from the book “Women in American Architecture: A Historic and Contemporary Perspective” which was published in 1977 and was an inspiration to me as a young graduate since it was the first book to research and celebrate the work of women architects.

One of the architects was Chloethiel Woodard Smith, who famously remarked “I am an architect with a capital “A”, being a woman has nothing to do with it”, who established her own firm in Washington, DC, in 1963. She is best known for her extensive commercial and civic work including my personal favorite, the renovation of the Pension Building to house the National Building Museum. 

Her distinctive body of work also includes a residence near St. Michaels for her client, Frank Washburn, Jr., of Rye, NY. He was the son of the founder of American Cyanamid Corporation, and head of the Agricultural Chemicals Division. As he neared retirement, he and his wife began to plan for their retirement home.  Being a lover of all outdoor activity, he began his search for a location with access to world class hunting and fishing. His daughter had vacationed on the Eastern Shore with friends and returned with glowing descriptions of the area.

After a long search, the Washburns purchased an 8.85 waterfront site near St. Michaels. He then turned to his friend Hugh Curtis, editor of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, for advice on an architect. Curtis recommended Chloethiel Woodard Smith, with the caveat “she is a woman, and you may not be comfortable with that”‘. 

The Washburns were comfortable and their congenial collaboration with their architect resulted in an iconic house in the contemporary style prevalent during the post WWII years. Many American architects abandoned historical precedents to embrace the Modern style that had just begun to flourish in the pre-war years. The one-story design with wide eaves, low pitched roof, gable end walls and exposed structural framing was completed in 1957 and the Washburn family moved in two years later.  They christened their retirement property “Far Horizons” but sadly, Mr. Washburn only lived in the house for three and half years. His widow and daughter continued to live in the house until the early 1960’s.

The current owners had begun their search for a second home, discovered “Far Horizons” and purchased the property in early 2007. They were greatly relieved that the house was still in its original condition and they embarked upon a multi-year project of modernization without sacrificing the original design or materials. All thirty-eight eight foot tall sliding glass doors were replaced, a geothermal system and a new high density polyurethane roof were installed and the kitchen was upgraded with cabinetry, appliances and colors of the house’s period. They retained architect Charles Goebel to design a pool house to complement the house’s style. The large 65,000 gallon pool was unique for its state-of-the art sanitization systems of copper oxidation and ozonation to replace chlorine.  

On the day I visited, I parked my car in the motor court created by the “U” shape part of the house that welcomes you with its embrace. The right side of the “U” contains a guest/office wing separated from the house by a glazed hallway and the left side of the “U” contains the two-car garage separated from the house by a covered breezeway with direct access to the laundry/bath and kitchen areas. The front door opens to the wide entrance hall that leads to the dining room, courtyard and living room and also to the cross hall leading to the bedroom wing.

I stopped to savor the beautiful vista of the corner of the courtyard surrounded by the glass walls of the dining room, entrance hall and living room that creates a clear vista to the landscape and water. The exposed roofing beams and decking creates a delightful rhythm of texture lit by the period pendant lighting above the wood parquet floors. I especially liked how the roof framing continues over the courtyard for a pergola effect that casts playful shadows. Varying geometric shapes of transoms infill the space between the window wall’s headers and the underside of the sloped ceiling. The stained wood frames of the window mullions and the wood accent wall of the dining room are a deep honey color that contrasts with the off-white color of the ceiling.

Walking through the rooms, I felt the power great architecture has to create a haven of tranquil peace. The views of the landscape and water are ever-present through the lens of the full height walls of glass. The outdoor rooms vary from the walled garden off the kitchen with its terrace surrounded by blooming flowers and shrubbery, another garden connecting the bedroom wing and the living room with paths leading to the landscape and to the pool, the garden off the guest wing and the outdoor firepit area for watching incredible sunsets. The waterside terrace off the living room offers front row seats to admire the line of colorful sculpture that dot the shoreline and the daily parade of nature from geese flying over the walkway to the living room to osprey fishing opposite the living room windows. At night, with the shades closed, the silhouettes of deer and an occasional fox making their nocturnal visits magically stream across the shades. 

As I strolled around the house, I realized Chloethiel Woodard Smith had carefully sized the exterior walls of the rooms to allow the full height shutters to lay back against the walls when not in use to protect the wide full height sliding glass doors during inclement weather. This has the added benefit of providing strategically placed walls in the rooms’ interiors for art or furnishings.  

I am sure Chloethiel Woodard Smith would have approved of architect Charles Goebel’s design of the exquisite pool house and pool. Its open plan living-dining-kitchen is the perfect spot for relaxing with family and friends and I loved the period colors, especially the bright red refrigerator appropriately named “The Big Chill”. The poolside roof overhang extends to offer respite from the sun and extends further to form a deep gable that covers the steps to the pool for introducing young children to the water without fear of their being sunburned. When I saw the pool footprint with is angular waterside pool edge, I realized that I was looking at the section through the living room laid on the ground that was Charles Goebel ‘s tribute to Chloethiel Woodard Smith’s vision. The added benefit of the angled walls is the diagonal views it provides to the landscape and water from each side-pure genius! The main house and pool house can’t be fully appreciated until you see the nocturnal views with both illuminated from within when the full transparency comes alive from the walls of glass and the “bubble” skylights that dot the roof. 

A plaque in the main house commemorates the “Lady Betty” and I learned the U.S. Navy chartered the Washburn’s boat, the Lady Betty, for use as a section patrol boat during World War I as the USS Lady Betty (SP-661) on 25 June 1917 with Coxswain F. L. Washburn, USNRF on board.  Kudos to the current owners whose diligent research and loving care maintained and preserved this house’s unique features. I hope the next owner will continue their stewardship by seeking National Register status to protect this site, its architecture and interiors.    

For more information about this property, contact Chuck Mangold with Benson & Mangold Real Estate at 410-822-6665 (o), 410-924-8832 (c) or chuck@chuckmangold.com. For more pictures and pricing, visit www.chuckmangold.com,  “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Jennifer Madino

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 mother was a member of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild and from an early age I accompanied her to craft shows that began my lifelong love of art, basketry, ceramics, metalwork, painting, weaving and many more creative endeavors created by her fellow artisans, as if by magic, to my young eyes so long ago. After moving to the Eastern Shore, I sought out local artisans for pieces to add to my collection. I soon learned about Turtle Cove Studios and I made an appointment with the artist, Craigie Succop, who gave me a tour of her studio.  I was captivated by her glass mosaic work and left with one of her creations, a hollow rectangular form with each side laid out in different patterns of glass mosaics studded with stones. When I turn on the battery operated light at the bottom of the piece, the form becomes a lamp that glows from within. She was seventy years young at the time of her death in 2012 and her passing was a great loss to the St. Michaels art community and to her collectors.   

It was a special pleasure to tour Turtle Cove again as it remains a stunning example of a truly harmonious interaction of site, landscape, architecture, interiors and art. As I drove slowly along the meandering gravel drive, I was relieved that the gravel was light colored-the better for looking out for crossings by the turtles that share the property. I parked my car next to a landscaped bed just as a large turtle emerged from the leaves and nonchalantly lumbered past me and disappeared around the barn. I remembered from my previous visit that the site was once a dairy farm and two original barns still grace the landscape. The current owners further improved the property with additional landscaped areas linked by random stone or brick paths and the renovation of the two barns, the larger of which is a spectacular entertaining space, including a dance floor! 

The focal point of the pool area is a timber frame pavilion with an undulating roof whose copper sheeting has weathered to a warm patina that blends into the surrounding landscape. Other outdoor rooms offer rest and relaxation including the row of  Adirondack chairs at Porter’s Creek edge, the deck that spans the full length of the main house and steps down to a lower level deck for waterside outdoor living and dining rooms.  In addition to the pool, other water features include the sunken area opposite the main house’s entry outlined in river rock with the “island” in the middle of the water featuring one of Craigie Succop’s glass mosaic sculptures of two faces in profile.  

The architectural sequence begins with the carriage house that is a study in triangular interlocking forms.  The footprint of the house has front triangular walls meeting at a point that rises to the underside of the steep roof pitch and the roof falls to the surface of the wrap-around deck.  Another triangle intersects the front roof ridge and rises to create the sleeping loft above the ground floor kitchen and bath and the two-story living-dining area. Triangular windows are cleverly placed, including the transoms at the lower roof and the inverted triangular window whose hypotenuse follows the slope of the lower roof. The sleeping loft has an exterior balcony that spans between the eaves. 

The smaller of the two barns has a front entry portico with an arched top half French door and full height sidelights infilling the original doorway and a pair of French doors infilling the original loft door that now accesses a balcony over the portico. The main level doors, sidelights and the siding around the loft’s French doors are a deep blue to contrast with the crisp white siding and painted masonry. At the rear of the barn, bay wall projections on both floors open up the barn to the landscape and water through tall windows. I loved the materials and detailing of the interior with the main level brick floors, pebble fireplace hearth, wood slat ceilings, walls of bright white to reflect the light, and the upper level’s ceiling that breaks at the exposed collar beam to change materials from gypsum board to wood slats. The bathtub finish is another example of Craigie Succop’s artistry in the small tiles that cover the tub and larger tiles of the tub surround.

The larger barn is now a stunning entertainment space with an entry wall that is beautifully detailed with a main level porch defined by a graceful arched beam under the framing supporting the loft balcony covered by a low slope metal roof. Exterior stairs lead from the main level porch to the upper level balcony. Below the ridge of the gambrel roof is a large triple unit window. The entry hall passes between utility and workshop spaces to reach the loft level that is now a grand space open to the studs and the rafters forming the barn’s gambrel roof shape. Due to the volume of the space, another loft space was added with the entry walls’ triple window offering dramatic views of the landscape and water.

I love Mid-Century Modern architecture and Scandinavian interiors so I saved the main house for the end of my visit to fully savor the design. The walls of the rectangular footprint are a combination of solidity and transparency that are created by form following function. The entry door is recessed into the front elevation between the kitchen and service areas of pantry, laundry and the two baths.  The full height oversized entry door and sidelight provide a clear vista through the living room’s rear full height wall of glass.  A row of transoms are placed opposite the rear wall’s transoms and three lower windows of identical size are placed at countertop height in the kitchen and pantry.  Near the corner is a larger window at the primary bath.

The rear waterside elevation is completely transparent with a rhythm of full height glass panels and transoms over exterior doors to the waterside deck. I loved the interior architecture of the rooms with walls of white or full height glass and the 9 foot ceilings that float over the wide plank Douglas fir flooring. The black Wittus Shaker wood stove is a focal point for the living room area and becomes a sculptural element. The dining area is located at the corner between the living room and the kitchen for diagonal views of the landscape and water.  

I especially liked the Bulthaup kitchen design concept of kitchen “furnishings” with the open island of back to back sink and cooktop and the sleek design of the cabinet doors with vertical slight recesses for one’s finger to grasp the edge to pull open. The Miele and Sub Zero appliances with their stainless steel finishes contrast beautifully with the warmth of the wood cabinetry. The open plan living-dining-kitchen area leads to the center hall between the guest bedroom suite and the pantry and laundry.  The “L” shaped spacious pantry is open to the hall and is furnished with the same sleek Bulthaup cabinetry.  The front wall has a shelf between the top transom and the bottom window above the counter for display of serving pieces.

I would be quite happy to claim the guest room with its rear wall of glass including a door to the waterside deck.  Opposite the bedroom is the hall bath with a glass walled shower below the sill of the transom windows.  The primary bedroom suite is located at the end of the center hall with a vista to a translucent frosted glass panel below a clear glass panel to the underside of the ceiling.  I was surprised to discover that the glass wall is actually the side wall of the shower. The bedroom is open to the spa bath with wall mounted wood dual lavatory and medicine cabinets that float above the floor.  The shower access and the toilet are opposite the free-standing soaking tub for visual privacy. Outside the primary suite is a cozy two-person cedar walled sauna shaped like a barrel. I was amazed to later learn the main house was actually a modular designed by Roccio Romero with the interior finishes by Jeff Fellows.

These 4.29 acres are full of visual delights from the architecture and interiors to the fully irrigated lush landscaping dotted with sculpture, the fenced-in garden with raised planting beds next to the small barn, turtle ponds, waterfalls, free-form pool, private pier with boathouse, three boat lifts-the look on the face of the Buddha sculpture overlooking one of the ponds says it all-total serenity yet minutes from St. Michaels.

For more information about this property, contact Gene Smith at Benson & Mangold Real Estate, 410-745-0417 (o),410-443-1571(c),  gsmith@bensonandmangold.com, or “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Janelle Stroop, 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.

 

 

Several of my friends live in this neighborhood and it is easy to understand why with its boundaries of Goldsborough St., Calvert, Lomax and Parris Lane and close proximity to The Country School, Rails to Trails and shopping centers east of Ocean Highway.  There is a mix of housing types from single family houses between the bookends of the Cannery Square apartment complex and the townhouses along one side of Calvert Street. This Colonial style story and a half house is located on a wide street with ample room for guest parking and is shaded by towering trees. Some streets have alleys for parking access but this house’s single car garage at the rear of the property is a plus. 

The modified Cape Cod style house’s rectangular footprint is enhanced by the dynamic of the living room’s wide bay window next to the recessed entry and the addition of the screened porch with its elliptical arched headers. The three dormer windows aligned over the double unit windows at each end of the house and the bay window create pleasing symmetry and the screened porch offset from the front wall and its lower roof ridge creates an appealing massing. The color palette of white lap siding, light blue shutters and the charcoal gray architectural roofing shingles create a serene look against the foreground and background of green trees.

On the day I visited, I walked through the front door opposite a vista of an arched opening to the stairs that gracefully spilled out with winders into the living room. I admired the cross vista that opens the house up through the wide cased opening to the dining room and sliding doors to the screened porch. When I turned in the opposite direction to the living room, I was immediately drawn to the artwork over the fireplace of a close up view of a boat’s bow and stern next to each other. The owner told me she had purchased it from an art sale of student work so I made a mental note to attend more sales.  The other distinctive feature in the room was the barn-style door that slides to reveal the hall to the rear bedrooms and bath to define public and private spaces. Next to the living room was a third bedroom that is currently used as a study with another barn-style sliding door to the rear corner bedroom to create a primary suite. 

The dining room has corner cabinets flanking the sliding doors to the porch and a chair rail for decoration.  As we walked into the kitchen the Owner explained how the house had been fully renovated just two years ago. I admired the upper cabinets’ vertical paneling for texture that echoed the accent wall at the exterior wall and the playful alternating concave and convex edges along the bottom of each door. The spacious eat-in kitchen has off-white cabinets and solid surface countertops, stainless steel appliances with one window overlooking the patio and the other overlooking the courtyard.  I also liked the open shelves next to the range for easy access for the cook. From the kitchen a short hall leads to the garage past the laundry/mud room. One half-French entry door leads from the door to the landscaped courtyard with a vista of a mature fig tree.  Opposite the entry door is the laundry/powder room for clean ups after an afternoon of gardening in the cleverly shaped “U” raised bed with high edges for seating that are out of reach of curious rabbits.

The second floor bedrooms are at the opposite corners of the house and have my favorite interior architecture of knee walls, sloped ceilings, deep dormer windows and double windows at the side gable walls. 

After such a recent renovation I had to ask the owner why she was leaving this charming house. She smilingly picked up a picture of a toddler who was her grandson and I concurred he is the best reason for a move!  The next owners will benefit from the well-done renovation in this quiet neighborhood close to so many of Easton’s amenities.

For more information about this property, contact Joan Wetmore with Meredith Fine Properties at 410-822-6702 (o), 410-924-2432 (c) or JoanWetmore@msn.com. For more photographs and pricing visit www.meredithfineproperties.com ,  “Equal Housing Opportunity”. 

Photography by True Place, (301) 972-3201, www.go.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.

Tucked away at the confluence of the Choptank and Tred Avon Rivers in Talbot County, the historic hamlet of Oxford, Maryland has long attracted visitors hoping to take a step back to simpler times by strolling the waterways or grabbing a bite along Morris Street. Long known as a haven for Washington, DC transplants and retirees, the rejuvenation of the town’s dining scene has brought families and young couples to Oxford, whether they are sampling the new flavors at Scottish-Highland Creamery, listening to music at one of the waterfront eateries, or enjoying a romantic weekend at the Robert Morris Inn, the oldest inn in America.

Officially founded in 1683, Oxford is one of the oldest towns in Maryland and served as the only port of entry to the Eastern Shore. This designation led to steady growth and prosperity through the American Revolution, enjoying early prominence as a shipping center surrounded by tobacco plantations. While the tobacco industry waned, other trades filled in the gaps in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the oyster market, fisheries, and the connected canneries. Still a water-driven town, Oxford is enjoying a steady resurgence in the 21st century based on tourism and leisure activities, while the town itself is anchored by the forethought and investment provided centuries before, none more important than that made by Robert Morris.

The Robert Morris Inn, sitting at the corner of Morris Street and Strand and adjacent to the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry, is an example of the history captured in Oxford’s downtown facades—and a prospective model for the evolution of the town in the near term. Built circa 1710, the oldest portion of the Robert Morris Inn served as the residence of Robert Morris, father to Robert Morris, Jr., known as the financier of the American Revolution, and a prominent merchant himself. The property has retained much of its original character, while the expansions over the years are indicative of the time periods in which they were added. An Elizabethan staircase leads to the guest rooms; handmade nails and 14-inch beams hold up white oak flooring upstairs, while patrons walk on Vermont slate in the Inn’s dining room.

The historic attributes of the Robert Morris Inn have served the proprietors well over the years, as the property nears two centuries of overnight accommodations. Year-over-year, the Inn has seen new and returning visitors endear themselves to the property and the historic, quaint nature of the town. The hospitality offerings and interest only grew when current owners Ian Fleming and Mark Salter took over 11 years ago, bringing fine dining and inventive cuisine to Morris Street and expanding the Inn’s offerings. Billed as the oldest inn in America, the notable property has recently been placed on the market for sale, a once-in-a-generation opportunity in a market driven by natural beauty and character.

“My passion is converting boutique, genteel inns and hotels into thriving active and exciting businesses,” Fleming said. “Over the past eleven years we have achieved this. The hospitality business is so tactile—I really enjoy the opportunity to interact with our team and customers every day.”

Both Mark and Ian were introduced to the charm and unique lifestyle of the Eastern Shore through their respective years managing and developing their now famous neighbor, The Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michaels. After 17 years guiding the food and beverage team of The Inn at Perry Cabin, Mark desired an opportunity to work for himself. Concurrently, Ian had built up his own company of hospitality businesses and was eager to return to the Eastern Shore. In May of 2010 Mark and Ian came together and took over the closed Robert Morris Inn, immediately focused on cementing its reputation as the most unique restaurant with rooms on the Eastern Shore.

Over the past decade, the improvements to the Inn have been both structural and experiential. Focused on delivering an exceptional experience to all diners and overnight guests, Mark and Ian have revitalized the indoor and outdoor spaces, developing one of the premier locations on the Eastern Shore. The addition of wine dinners, cooking demonstrations, and a robust calendar of events has only grown the Inn’s darling dining reputation.

“I have loved every moment of the past eleven years, driving to the Inn each day through stunning Talbot County countryside,” Salter said. “Working daily with my team for our loyal customers has been a great joy, as has the relationships I have built with many local watermen and farmers.”

However, after 11 years both Mark and Ian feel it is the right time to pass the Inn on to someone that can expand its assets while protecting the property’s charm and history. As the Town of Oxford continues its own business and tourism revitalization, the time is ripe for redevelopment of the Robert Morris property. The right visionary is well-situated to take advantage of growing interest in Talbot County and the opportunities that the currently underutilized water views offer. Thus, an historically sensitive reimagining of the Morris and Strand corner, with possibilities including residential, short-term accommodations, dining, or a hybrid model, make this one of the most unique hospitality offerings in the country, let alone in the Mid-Atlantic.

“The Robert Morris Inn is an iconic fixture in Oxford,” Ross Benincasa of SVN | Miller said. “The property has been influential to our community for generations, and we are excited to match the Inn with the right visionary to continue its relevance for generations to come.”

While the property is marketed for sale, Mark and Ian will continue to operate the full-service inn, restaurant and tap house, and look forward to welcoming returning and first-time visitors to their slice of paradise in Oxford.

The first Talbot Spy House of the Week was a craftsman style bungalow and this distinctive architectural style never fails to catch my eye. I simply can’t resist the quirky charm of gable roofs, deep eaves and large porches that are outdoor rooms. I have passed this house many times on my way to the Oxford-Bellevue ferry and have admired its setting. It was a pleasure to visit what I learned is a second generation family home that is now on the market for the first time in over forty years.  

The house is perpendicular to the street on a deep lot and tall shrubbery form a hedge for privacy along Bellevue Rd.  The front wing of the two-story house’s “T” shaped footprint has side gables and the eave above the one-story front porch is broken by a steep gable in the center with a circular accent window.  Below the accent window is a double window unit and single units on each side. The three-bay front porch spans the full length of the front elevation and the masonry column bases support the truncated wood columns above.  On the day I visited, the Owner greeted me at the front door that opens into the foyer opposite the stairs.  A lifetime of cherished family photographs adorn the wall above the stairs and I admired the stencils incised on the front of each riser and the fretwork along the stringer below each tread. 

The stairs and foyer are between two front parlors, one furnished as a living room and the other as a family room with built-ins for books.  The upper run of the “U” shaped stair creates a nook for a lovely antique chest that I coveted. The classic arrangement of the living room’s wood burning fireplace between  high windows  usually has built-in bookcases but the owner’s low freestanding bookcase with potted plants is a lovely alternate.  The room’s light from windows on three sides, the sofas on either side of the fireplace and the wooden rocker create a quiet spot for relaxation with soft light from the pendant fixture and sconces.  

The family room’s built-in bookcases frame the doorway to the spacious dining room and the vista of a white corner cabinet for serving pieces. The light blue wall above a white paneled wainscot and the Stickley style table and chairs centered in the room must have been the backdrop for many years of happy family celebrations. An offset in one side wall creates both a nook for a sideboard and a side covered porch for a cozy breakfast spot.  French doors connect the porch to both the dining room and the kitchen.  

I loved the eat-in kitchen’s original  white porcelain enamel sink with its integral drainage grooves.  I told the owner I had recently found a similar one for an older house’s kitchen renovation I was currently designing for a client and mixing that piece with updated cabinetry will add so much charm. The rear half paneled-half glass door leads to another porch that could also become a laundry/mud room convenient to the rear yard. 

The second floor stair balustrade gently curves around the enlarged landing to become another nook that I would claim for a home workspace.  The double window unit and the circular accent window above would add light without glare. Two bedrooms are located on either side of the stair hall with windows at the front and sides of the house. One bedroom has a door to a hall by the bathroom that leads to another porch stacked over the dining room’s porch and nook. The owner told me the extra length was the summer sleeping porch for her and her siblings when they were children. The master suite at the back of the house is accessed both from the hall between the bath and the sleeping porch and from winders that open into the bathroom.  

With some creative rearranging of the floor plan, the one bathroom could be shifted so the winders led to a short hall to access both the shifted bath and the master bedroom. A new master bath could be added next to the relocated bath. The master bedroom also has a cozy porch stacked above the kitchen’s porch below for one to enjoy the soothing sound of nature before turning in for the night. 

The property also includes a well pump house with room for extra storage and a carriage house at the rear property line whose design replicates Colonial Williamsburg’s architecture that could become a guest house or home office. So many opportunities to make this charming Craftsman Cottage with its multiple porches and numerous windows to capture breezes for cross ventilation your own and the quirky details add to its charm. To me, you can’t beat Royal Oak for its proximity to Easton, Oxford and St. Michaels and this house is a diamond in the rough waiting for another family to create new memories here.   

 

For more information about this property, contact Melanie Hopkins with Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate at 410-822-9000 (o) ,410-310-2893 (c) or melanie@cbchesapeake.com. For more photographs and pricing, visit http://Marylandeasternshoreproperties.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.

I first noticed this house several years ago when I met a friend for lunch at the former Mitchum’s Restaurant whose building she had designed. We both admired  this house’s classic Georgian design with a side door to maximize the interior room sizes in response to its town lot width. The original part of the two and a half story house was built between 1790 and 1805. I admired the front façade’s pattern of  Flemish bond brick in a deep reddish brown color, headers of flared soldier courses and the belt course above the headers of the exposed foundation windows. The front door is beautifully detailed in two vertical panels below three rows of horizontal panels with a full transom for sunlight to filter into the foyer.   Both the front door and the two-paneled shutters are painted in a rich slate blue color that complements the brick. 

The house is set back from the street to create areas for landscaping between the brick stoop and sidewalk.  A tall wood fence that has weathered to an appealing patina hides the restaurant’s parking area and tall shrubbery obscures the house’s driveway. The front door opens into the foyer with a clear vista through the house to the deep landscaped yard. The creamy plaster walls, warm olive green trim, Oriental rug over the  beautiful original wide plank pine floors, deacon’s bench and art create a welcoming ambiance. The “U” shaped stair’s balustrade and risers are also painted olive green for a harmonious blend of stained and painted wood. The foyer’s window has a stained glass pane over the center of the 9/6 window and the scene of sea, high cliffs and a ship on the horizon must remind the owners of their native Scotland.   

Off the foyer is the sitting room with three windows that wrap around the front corner of the room next to the fireplace and the windows have both wooden blinds for privacy and swags over the top window pane for color. The chair rail below the window sill connects the windows and creates a defined wall space for the art of seascapes and landscapes.  This inviting room with its comfortable seating anchored by the large Oriental rug, soft lighting from both the period pendant light fixture and table lamps would be the perfect space for pre-dinner conversation.

Off the foyer hall is the original dining room that the current owners renovated to make it a flexible space for use as a bedroom or an office.  Opposite this room is a full bath to complete a main floor bedroom suite. The foyer hall ends in the addition of the open plan family room-dining room-kitchen with wood floors of the same species and stain as the floors in the original part of the house. Clearly this is the hub of the house for family gatherings with wide wall openings linking the three spaces. I liked how the kitchen’s upper cabinets and the range hood continued the olive green accent color and the clever detail of the upper cabinets’ lower arrowhead edges between the glass fronted doors.  The kitchen is designed for a serious cook and the side window, double rear window and cased opening to the dining room bring natural light into the space and the wide wall openings keep the cook connected to family or guests.

The interior design of the dining area is simply charming with its wrap-around windows, butter yellow valances and curtains with a pattern of colorful roosters over the lower window panes, the walls of painted vertical board, Congoleum floor in a very realistic stone pattern and the exquisite wood antique table with Windsor chairs anchored by the striped yellow-white-red rug. The side French door leads to the terrace for al-fresco dining under a pergola for shade. The low rusticated block planter defines the boundary of the deep fenced rear yard with ample room for children and/or pets to play. Two sheds, one for lawn and garden equipment and the other larger one for general storage are located at the side edge of the lot to maximize the yard area for children and/or pets to play.

The primary suite is located on the second floor and has windows on three sides for daylight, a fireplace and clothing “cupboards” on either side of the door. The fireplace paneling becomes a clever headboard for the bed and I wondered if the colorful plaid accent pillow was actually one of the owners’ tartan. The landscape painting over the mantle with its meandering road adds perspective to the wall. 

If I were lucky to be a guest, I would claim the third floor suite with its “zoom” shot of the stairs down to the main floor.  The low knee walls and high collar beam at the flat portion of the bedroom’s ceiling creates a quiet and cozy space for relaxation and sleep. The bed is placed against the gable end wall for bird’s eye views of the town from the front and rear dormer windows . 

This historic house has been lovingly maintained with an addition and renovations that respect its original form and materials. The owners’ stylish interiors showcase its Old World charm with upgrades for today’s lifestyle. The rear yard is a rare bonus for a town lot and the high weathered wood fence adds texture and privacy for play and entertainment. Both sheds have electric service so the larger wooden shed could be fitted out as an office/climate controlled storage area. I was delighted to see this property I had admired several years ago-Bravo!

For more information about this property, contact Christie Bishop with Benson & Mangold Real Estate at 410-770-9255 (o), 410-829-2781 (c) or info@cbishoprealtor.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by TruPlace, (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.