This property fronts Washington Street but is sited on a slope above the town sidewalk for privacy and one side yard adjoins the access drive to the Quaker Meeting House grounds for additional privacy. This Colonial Revival house was built in 1938 and the brick facade reflects the construction technique of brick veneer that was perfected in the early 1920’s for an affordable option to a solid masonry house. The three-bay one and a half story house has a center front door flanked by side windows aligned vertically with the dormer windows above and the exterior color palette of red brick, dark green shutters and white trim is timeless. The lot is 200 feet deep and an arbor in back of the house is a portal to the landscape shaded by mature trees to delight nature lovers in the heart of Town.
The front door opens to the stairs between wide wall openings at both the living room on the left and the dining room on the right. The fireplace is centered in the living room wall next to the stair wall and windows on the front and side walls bring sunlight throughout the day. Bibliophiles and Collectors would appreciate the built-in floor to ceiling millwork at the rear wall that wraps around to the fireplace. The firebox surround is detailed both with painted brick and a paneled full mantel with sconces above on either side of artwork. Oriental touches in the furnishings and accessories reflect the Owner’s individual style.
The beautiful wood floors of the living room and the swag window treatments augmented by pull down shades for privacy continue into the dining room. At the rear wall are wall mounted glass open shelves to display an interesting collection of large seashells. The chandelier centered in the room and mounted above the antique table anchored by a large Oriental rug sets the stage for dinner parties when we can once again enjoy dinners with family and friends.
Behind the dining room is the original kitchen with an exterior side door and a rear window that could become a bath as part of a master site addition, mud room/laundry or home office. Next to this space is a very short hall with a utility closet leading to the kitchen. This circulation space could easily be widened by removing the shallow closet enclosing the electrical panel and covering it with artwork as I did in my own home. The short hall leads to the spacious kitchen-breakfast area with a side door to the driveway and one-car garage. The stack washer dryer is located next to the door and adding a wall to divide this area from the kitchen area would create a mudroom that gardeners would appreciate. I loved the breakfast area with its double window unit and floor to ceiling glass fronted cabinets for display of china and glassware. A French door leads to the sunroom that the owner added to extend the living space with four pairs of sliding doors to provide a front row seat to watch the parade of wildlife through the wooded rear yard. The rear wall of the kitchen could easily be removed down to the base cabinet countertop so the kitchen would become part of the sunroom with views to the landscape.
The second floor contains three bedrooms and one bath. The two front bedrooms have the charm of interior architecture formed by knee walls and sloped ceilings. Their spacious size is due to their being one room deep over the original portion of the house with windows in the front roof dormers and side gable walls. One of the front bedrooms is furnished as a sitting room with built-ins around the room for storage of books and collectibles. One wall has a full height built-in unit with closets on either side. The large bath with both a tub and shower is located at the top of the stairs accessed by a wide hall. Behind the spacious bath is an area with double windows overlooking the rear landscape above each of the sunroom’s sliding doors below for myriad uses.
Wonderful location close to Idlewild Park, the YMCA, schools and a large lot that offers privacy with room for expansion!
For more information about this property, contact Meg Moran, GRI, with Long and Foster Real Estate-Christies International Real Estate at 410-770-3600 (o), 410-310-2209 (c), or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing visit www.megmoran.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.
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