I am always on the lookout to feature one of my fave house designs, the American Four Square. Its design elements include a two and a half stories high massing, a boxy floor plan that minimizes halls and maximizes floor area, usually four rooms per floor plus an attic area, full front porch, wide windows and a center roof dormer. This charming American Four Square has all these elements and much, much more. As I walked up the sidewalk, I admired the reddish color of the roofing and the brick foundation, the porch’s brick piers and solid brick railing. I especially liked the slight curvature of the porch railing’s top brick course between the piers and down the steps. Along with the porch’s white tapered half columns, brown shake siding and white trim, the exterior color palette projects great curb appeal.
I walked around the house and discovered the fully fenced rear yard shaded by mature trees. The house’s massing is enhanced by the one-story sunporch/office at one side of the house and the two-story projection that contains the main floor breakfast area and powder room below the primary suite. There are several outbuildings, one of which is a two car garage and potting shed next to the pergola covered terrace. The gate in the fencing at the rear of the property leads to the alley parking.
After walking up the steps to the porch, I discovered a spacious outdoor room with areas for both sitting and dining. Since my porch needs painting this year, I envied this porch’s brick railings and herringbone patterned floor that are low maintenance. The triple unit 9/1 windows provide a clear view of the outdoors from the seating in the living room within.
When the Owner greeted me at the door, she told me they had loved this house and it loved them back. I firmly believe houses have vibes and this house clearly exudes love as I savored the view of this house’s spacious foyer. Sunlight filters in from the front door’s half French style door, the large side window and another window above the stair landing. The “L” shaped stair creates space for an antique icebox and the other furnishings of the Oriental rug, settee and white armoire create a warm and welcoming space. From the foyer, wall openings of various sizes beckoned me to further explore the rest of the house.
The foyer’s beautiful wood floors continue throughout the house and a wide wall opening leads to the living room with seating anchored by a large Oriental rug grouped around the triple window and the brick fireplace. The fireplace surround is the same brick color as the porch railings and I admired the detail of the brick corbeling that creates brackets to support the fireplace’s mantel.
The French door in the living room leads to this delightful space with double unit windows at the front and rear walls and a triple unit window at the side wall. The exposed rafters and ceiling are painted white to reflect the sunlight throughout the day. Even though this room is furnished as an office, it is easy to imagine replacing the office furniture with cushioned rattan furnishings and pots of plants to create a sunroom.
Another wide wall opening separates the living room from the spacious dining room whose size can accommodate family meals or larger holiday celebrations. The white paneled wainscot accentuates the soft aqua walls sunlit by both the double unit window at the side wall and the single window at the rear corner of the room. The graceful curvature of the Queen Anne dining set centered over a large Oriental rug adds a touch of warmth to the room’s geometry.
As I left the dining room, I appreciated how the wall opening from the dining room to the kitchen is centered on both the dining room’s side windows and the windows above the kitchen sink to continue the vistas of openness throughout the house. Part of the rear wall of the kitchen was removed to create a large wall opening to the breakfast room and the powder room. The charming breakfast area has both a cushioned banquette and chairs to enjoy the view through the rear window to the landscape. The kitchen’s color scheme of soft taupe walls, white cabinets, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances would please any cook.
The second floor contains the primary ensuite, two other bedrooms and a hall bath. The spacious primary bedroom is located at the rear corner of the house and its soft lilac blue walls, wood floors, accents of wood beams and the wood sleigh bed over a large Oriental rug create a restful retreat.
The other two bedrooms are equally spacious and are located at the front corners of the house. Both bedrooms have double windows at the front and single windows at the side walls for abundant sunlight.
The large primary bath’s glass walled shower maintains the space’s expansiveness. The wood floors, Oriental rug, wood cabinetry with dual sinks and separate mirrors create a space any duo could easily share.
The bath’s French door leads to a private balcony overlooking the rear landscape- a perfect spot for a second cup of coffee in the morning or a night cap while star gazing at night.
The third floor has been renovated as a fabulous multi-purpose space with charming interior architecture from the hipped roof’s sloped ceilings with wood accents, double unit dormer windows at the front and rear of the space and carpeting.
The house also has a basement that contains the laundry, storage rooms and an enclosed room that is now a music room. The basement has an exterior stair to the rear yard.
Ideal location on a wide street in the heart of Easton’s Historic District -the American Four Square’s compact floor plan creates easy flow among the spacious rooms filled with sunlight from large windows that set up vistas throughout the house. This gem has been fully renovated in 2005 with updates that complement the original wood floors, substantial moldings and trim. The large front porch is a perfect warm weather sitting and dining room-move-in ready!
For more information about this property, contact Kelly Showell with Benson Mangold Real Estate at 410-822-1415 (o), 410-829-5468 (c) or [email protected]. For more pictures and pricing, visit https://kellyshowell.bensonandmangold.com/, “Equal Housing Opportunity.”
Photography by Janelle Stroop, Thru the Lens, 410-310-6838, [email protected].
Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a referral agent for Meredith Fine Properties. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.
Paul Callahan says
That house was my father’s childhood home. I heard many stories about how my father and uncles lived in that attic space. However, then it was uninsulated and they froze in the winter and roasted during the summer. I recall early memories of large family gatherings there.
The owners graciously let my father tour the house a year or so ago – my Dad was ecstatic and we heard all kinds of stories of his time growing up there. It is wonderful to see this home restored with all its splendor and modern updates.