This stately home on a double lot in Easton’s Historic District was built in 1930 and is on the market for the first time in over forty years. On the day of my visit, I drove up the gently curving drive and greatly admired the house’s classic Georgian and Colonial detailing, along with the Craftsman styled stencil cut-outs in the deep green shutters and the deep eave brackets. The drive passes by the detached two-car garage and ends at another street and there is also a rear alley behind the back yard for service.
The main wing of the brick two-story five bay long, three bay wide house has a hipped roof that is accented by two dormer windows with double hung windows whose upper panes have overlapping arched muntins. The lower floor windows have arched brick headers and the middle triple window on the second floor is centered over the front door with half glass sidelights and a fanlight transom protected by a pedimented roof over the brick stoop. On either side of the main wing are two delightful one-story rooms. On the left is a terrace with a hipped roof and striped awnings for privacy and on the right is my favorite room, a sunroom/conservatory that spans the full depth of the main wing. Wrap-around windows with transoms give a light and airy feel to the space. At the rear of the house is a smaller two-story wing that breaks down the massing of the house.
As I opened the front door, I was happy to see that the house was unfurnished so I could fully appreciate the original interior architecture and finishes. I also was happy to see radiators as the heat source as I prefer that method paired with high velocity AC to central HVAC. The front door opens into the foyer that becomes a center hall the full depth of the house with the stairs to the side. To the right is a wide wall opening to the living room that also spans the full depth of the house. Two pairs of French doors flank the fireplace and lead to the sunroom/conservatory to create great flow between the rooms for entertaining. On the other side of the foyer another pair of French doors leads to the corner study with a fireplace centered on the rear wall and built-in millwork to one side. I envisioned how pleasurable it would be to work by the fire and in warmer months to take a break on the adjacent private terrace shaded by the awnings with Variegated Aucuba as a year round landscaped screen for privacy.
The spacious dining room is behind the study at the rear corner of the house and is detailed with chair rail, crown molding and a corner cabinet with glass fronted doors and an interesting original detail that is now an anachronism is the floor button to summon servants. A door at the rear leads to the secondary entry, another stair and a short hall to the kitchen. On one side of the hall is the powder room with an original wall mount porcelain ceramic lavatory and the charming breakfast room with an exterior wall that now overlooks the family room addition. Since there are many sitting rooms, the family room addition could easily be removed so the sunroom/conservatory and breakfast rooms could reclaim their views of the landscape and additional sunlight.
I love galley kitchens and one leg of the layout has upper cabinets to the ceiling for extra storage. The cabinets were solidly built and with new door fronts, hardware and countertops, the kitchen could be easily transformed. Behind the kitchen is an enclosed porch with the original trash incinerator. Removing it would open up the space up to its wrap-around windows and door to the rear lawn and gardens. This could also be a lovely breakfast area and the existing breakfast room could then become the laundry/mud room.
The second floor contains the primary bedroom suite that stacks above the living room below with windows on three sides. The bathroom has the triple window above the front door for sunlight and the original stylish floor pattern of interlocking tiles that give it a three-dimensional look. Two other bedrooms are located at the other corners so they have windows on two sides for sunlight throughout the day. Closets and the shared bath create a “Jack and Jill” suite. The fourth bedroom is located over the kitchen area so it has access to the secondary stair as well. Like the primary bedroom suite, it has windows on three sides overlooking the lawn and gardens. Since it shares the master bathroom, this could be a wonderful family TV room.
The attic is completely open and has fantastic interior architecture from the roof angles of the hipped roof framing. The brick chimneys penetrate the floor and roof and become sculptural elements. With a floor area of approximately 1000 sf, this space offers many possibilities and terrific bird’s eye views of Easton’s rooftops. There is also a full basement under the main wing of the house with an exterior stair for access from the driveway.
As I walked through this beautiful house, I was very impressed by how solidly it was built considering the house was constructed in the early years of the 20th century. Low maintenance exterior, copper gutters, beautiful hardwood floors, high ceilings, moldings, built-ins and large windows add character and craftsmanship rarely found in new construction today. One of Easton’s landmark homes that has remained primarily untouched and just waiting for the next owners to claim it for their own!
For more information about this property, contact Barb Watkins with Benson and Mangold at 410-822-1415 (o), 410-310-2021 (c), or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing, visit www.easternshorehomes.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.
Photography by Janelle Stroop, Thru the Lens Photography, 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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