This farmhouse was built in the early 1900’s on three + acres of land that once may have been part of Mt. Pleasant Landing Farm. The original two-story farmhouse was built close to the shoreline of Broad Creek and its linear footprint parallels the water to give the main rooms direct or indirect water views. The house was later enlarged by a one-story addition with a full front porch linking the house to the detached garage that is sited perpendicular to the house to complete the very pleasing massing. The color palette of light gray shake siding, white trim and red metal roofing evokes the Eastern Shore rural vernacular.
White accents of picket fencing and lattice define the outdoor rooms and links between the house and garage. The side walls of the front door’s stoop are lattice and the original part of the house has a front garden enclosed by white picket fencing with arbors opposite each other. One arbor leads to the flagstone sidewalk at the parking area and the other leads into the landscape. Another white picket fence along the flagstone sidewalk from the guest suite above the garage leads to the front porch of the main house and to the parking area. Between the house and the garage is the delightful pergola with four lattice panels at each corner to define the enclosure at one end of the pool.
The front door of the original house leads to a small foyer opposite the stairs between the living room and the kitchen-breakfast area. The large living room has double windows at the front, side windows flanking the wood burning fireplace and a rear window overlooking the sunroom for sunlight throughout the day. The bold blue wall color above the white wainscot is striking and I loved how the windows had no coverings to maximize the water views.
The serene aqua walls of the kitchen works very well with the white craftsman cabinetry, “Blue Louise” granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. A wide opening above the kitchen sink gives the cook water views through the sunroom’s rear windows. The window seat below the front window wraps around the side wall to give the cook plenty of company until dinner is ready and the soft floral print complements the aqua walls. I imagine it is also a popular perch for family canine or feline companions.
The sequence of indoor-outdoor rooms begins with the sunroom behind the living room and the kitchen. The sunroom’s color scheme continues the blue and white theme with walls of bead board for texture divided by the white chair rail separating the upper blue from the lower white wall. The tall windows maximize the water views and the centered French door divides the room into sitting and dining areas. The French door also leads to the deck next to the screened porch. The simple details of the screened porch’s gable wall clad in dark gray shake siding, eave sides clad in white bead board and flagstone floor with minimal framing that maximizes the water views create a wonderful enclosure. A pair of French doors lead to the adjacent dining room. Another pair of six-panel wood doors leads from the dining room to the secondary hall between the kitchen and master suite to create an easy flow inside and outside the house.
The sloped side walls of the master bedroom meet at the underside of the ceiling’s collar beam to give the room greater volume in proportion to its large size. The focal point of the side wall is a fireplace flanked by built-in millwork and the rear wall’s wide triple unit window unit offers expansive water views. French doors lead to another deck and to the screened porch. With all these features, this large room could also be used as a family room.
The second floor has four bedrooms of varied sizes and two baths. The rear suite with a bedroom and bath would be a perfect master suite with side and rear windows giving bird’s eye diagonal views of the water. The bathroom’s deep aqua walls are a soothing backdrop for the white fixtures including a free-standing soaking tub and the glass shower wall that expand the space. The other three bedrooms are beautifully appointed, especially the room with white furnishings against the golden yellow wallpaper.
If I were lucky to be a guest, I would claim the guest suite over the garage that is an open area with sleeping and living areas. The suite is accessed from a riverside porch with a pair of French doors to the stairs. The gambrel shaped roof creates a delightful ceiling plane and the table a-deux beneath the waterside triple windows would be a perfect spot to linger over that second cup of morning coffee.
Charming farmhouse architectural style, wonderful combination of old and new, indoor-outdoor waterside rooms, pool and pergola, flexible floor plan with options for master suites on either floor, close proximity to St. Michaels’ attractions-who could ask for anything more?
For more information about this property contact Wink Cowee with Benson and Mangold at 410-745-0415 (o), 410-310-0208 (c) or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing visit www.buythechesapeake.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.
Photography by Janelle Stroop, 845-744-2758, [email protected]
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.
Glenn says
Jennifer
…..who could ask for anything more?
As a 6′ tall person the 7′ ceilings seem oppressive to me.
I’d ask for more.