Many of Talbot County’s late 19th century houses have rich histories but this house also has a unique link to Talbot County’s arts community. Locust Lane Farm was once the home of renowned sculptor Lee Lawrie, who worked in the Art Deco style that was popular in the early 20th century. He best known nationally for his monumental bronze statue of the Greek Titan Atlas holding the armillary sphere that graces the entrance to New York City’s Rockefeller Center’s courtyard and promenade. He is known locally for his role in the founding of the Academy Art Museum in Easton. Locust Lane Farm is surrounded by a five acre pastoral setting with gently contoured lawns, mature trees and colorful plantings. The rural vernacular includes several outbuildings for gardening, games, animals, lawn care equipment and general storage.
The 19th century floor plan holds up very well for today’s lifestyle. Two offset rectangles are connected by the wrap-around porch that leads to the front door and offers diagonal views of the peaceful landscape and sunset views. Connecting the two rectangles at the rear is a large free-form random slate terrace for al-fresco entertaining. The front rectangle contains the entrance hall, living room and family room; the rear rectangle contains the kitchen, breakfast area, dining room and mud room on the main floor. The second floor contains the master suite, two other bedrooms and baths and the third floor contains the guest suite. The charm of an earlier era has been carefully maintained with the high ceilings, long 2/2 windows, beautiful hardwood floors, the staircase detailing and fireplaces in both the living and family rooms.
The front door opens into the entrance hall with the original “L” shaped stair with white balusters, stained wood newel posts, cap rail and brackets. I loved the checkerboard pattern of the painted wood floors that flowed into the living and dining rooms. Between the living and dining rooms is a wide doorway with the original pocket doors. The dining room windows take advantage of its corner location to offer diagonal views of the terrace and landscape beyond. The family room was once Lee Lawrie’s studio and has a dormer clerestory above the four-unit window for additional light.
A short hall connects the dining room to the spacious kitchen that would appeal to any cook. Corner windows surround the breakfast area banquette seating and table. A separate work area with base cabinets, upper cabinets on either side of a double unit window and a knee well below is a great spot for the cook’s laptop for searching recipes and planning meals. Pale sage green cabinetry, granite countertops, hardwood flooring and large windows add great appeal. The adjacent mud room has storage for the family pet and another stair that leads to the second floor laundry.
The second floor master suite spans the depth of the house with the bedroom at the front corner and the master bath at the rear corner connected by the short hall flanked by closets for a very efficient layout. The master bath has period pedestal lavatories and vintage surface mounted glass fronted medicine cabinets separated by a window. The two other bedrooms are on either side of the second bath. As appealing as these spacious rooms are, if I were a guest, I would claim the third floor suite. I loved the interior architecture defined by the gable roofs outlined with stained wood trim at the outside edges of the gables. Two window seats, one below the triple accent window in the front gable and the other below a small window beckon one to linger and relax. With sleeping area, sitting area and bath and bird’s eye views, how could one ever leave?
If you prefer a historic house with great character, a vernacular farmhouse architectural style, a floor plan that flows well for today’s lifestyle, a classic exterior palette of pale yellow lap siding, white trim and black shutters set into a private and peaceful setting in the Longwoods community then this one is for you. Who knows, you may be inspired by the spirt of Lee Lawrie to don an artist’s smock and turn the family room back into a studio to pursue your artistic endeavors!
For more information about this property, contact Anna Larkin with Benson and Mangold Real Estate at 410-770-9255 (o), 410-829-3549(c) or alarkin@bensonand mangold.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”. For more photographs and pricing, visit bensonandmangold.com/idx/mls-mdta138106-28191_forest_landing_rd_easton_md_21601, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.
Photography by Truplace, www.go.truplace.com, 301-972-3201
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