If I were seeking a house in St. Michaels’ Historic District, Thompson and Grace Streets would be near the top of my list. Both are one-way dead-end streets off Talbot Street so traffic is minimal, except during peak tourist times, and both have direct access to St. Michaels’ “Restaurant Row” and shops. Grace St. has a special appeal to me since it terminates at the scenic Rails to Trails with its views of fields, marshes and the picturesque bridge that crosses over San Domingo Creek to the park.
This house is located at the Rails to Trails end of Grace Street with its background of marsh and woods. The compact floor plan leaves room for an off-street parking area bordered by a dense hedge for privacy. At the end of the drive is a brick sidewalk from the side door of the house to the gate in the fence around the rear yard. The depth of the fenced lot is unusual for urban lots and creates a spacious outdoor room that is a verdant oasis. I could easily imagine relaxing on the Adirondack chairs under the shade of a group of towering trees, reading on the deck or having an al-fresco meal on the brick terrace surrounded by the beautiful landscape of shrubbery and flowering plants.
The three-bay house has the entry door at the side accessed from the front stoop with its brick foundation and tile flooring. Two windows with boxes below are waiting for your favorite spring flowers and the earth tone of the siding blends into the landscaped side yard with an accent of the red front door that opens into the living room. The room spans the width of the house and the fireplace at the opposite side and the solar orientation of the front and side windows provide sunlight throughout the day with a vista through the house to the French doors at the rear wall. The “L” shaped enclosed stair by the open doorway is an interesting architectural element that divides the main floor into the front living room and the rear kitchen-dining area.
The open-plan kitchen-dining area also spans the full width of the house and has an opening in the wall to visually connect it to the fireplace area of the living room. The “L” shape with an island is my favorite arrangement for kitchens and the wood floors, darker wood cabinets with granite countertops for texture and stainless steel appliances have great appeal. The rear French doors to the deck and terrace provide views of the rear yard from the dining area. These French doors, along with the half-French side door, the windows over the kitchen sink and the single windows at the corner keep the space sunny and bright. Off the other corner of the kitchen-dining area are the powder room and laundry.
The second floor plan is arranged with the two bedrooms at the front and the two baths at the rear under a shed dormer at the edge of the shed roof over the kitchen-dining area. This creates an interesting layering of spaces in contrast to the classic full two-story front elevation. If you are seeking a weekend get-away or cozy cottage, this charmer has been beautifully renovated inside and outside including all systems and finishes-move-in ready to enjoy this year’s summer season!
For more information about this property, contact Schuyler Benson at Benson & Mangold Real Estate 410-822-1415 (o), 410-310-3251 (c), or [email protected] . For more photographs and pricing, visit www.schuylerbenson.com, or take the tour at : https://thru-the-lens-ivuf.view.property/1717402?idx=1, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.
Photography by Janelle Stroop, Thru the Lens, 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.
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