House of the Week: Pastoral “Dunrovin”

It is always a pleasure to feature a property that I know well.  I have enjoyed  attending parties and other events at “Dunrovin”, hosted by the gracious and fun couple who have become treasured friends. This property combines the best of both worlds; privacy in a pastoral setting of a small neighborhood with large lots, with the convenience of being minutes away from the airport, Highway 50 or Easton’s amenities. 

The 11-acre site is bordered by the tree-lined entry road to the neighborhood and thick woods at the rear of the property. The meandering gravel driveway leads up to guest parking spaces, continues past a fenced flower garden to end at the side entry garage. The white Colonial/Cape Cod style house stands out against its backdrop of mature trees and large expanse of meticulously cared for lawns. In the distance, the two-stall horse barn and white fencing reinforces the Eastern Shore vernacular of this special place.

The wings of the multi-gabled house are offset and the end gable garage wing overlooks a large paved area for additional parking. At the edge of the paving is a small outbuilding that once was the domain of previous Owners’ dogs. With the fenced kitchen garden next to it, the building would also be a gardener’s dream potting shed. Next to the outbuilding is a cleared sunny area that would be perfect for a pool. I could well imagine a terrace with a pergola covered in wisteria or other flowering vines to provide shade for swimmers, after a dip in the pool, to relax and enjoy the long pastoral vista to the barn. 

The horse barn contains everything an equestrian would require-a spacious and finished tack room, turnouts, wash stall, hayloft with a pull-down stair and a reverse osmosis water system. The large fenced pastures provide ample grazing and room for horses to roam. If one is not equestrian inclined, the barn could become a great workshop or artist’s studio. 

Multiple gables of the house telescope down to break up the massing with the last gable of the garage facing forward for additional architectural interest. The symmetry of the main wing’s centered entry door between pairs of long and wide windows below single dormer windows is classic and the light aqua door represents growth and strength in Feng Shui. The offset in the wings creates a kitchen garden with an exterior door to the secondary entry leading to the kitchen.

The side of the house reveals my fave room, the spacious porch that spans across the rear of the main wing. It is a delightful outdoor room in late fall evenings for conversation by the warmth of the fire.

In summer, the porch is shaded by pairs of towering crape myrtles  that flank a paved path from the porch to a terrace. Recently, I sat on the terrace with my friends in late afternoon and savored both the waning sunlight and the refreshing breeze filtering through the crape myrtles.  

The free-standing brick fireplace floats above the side edge of the spacious porch and the height of the porch above the ground gives a bird’s eye perspective view to the hardscape terrace enveloped by its canopy of trees and  borders of manicured boxwood and shade loving hostas. 

Over time, the branches of the four trees planted at the corners of the space have grown toward each other to become a canopy of foliage. The hardscape mix of both pebbles and smooth stone pavers and the grouping of rattan chairs and table creates a wonderful open space for relaxing with family and friends while enjoying the pastoral views.

The front door opens to a spacious foyer with vistas to the dining room and the living room’s wall of windows to the porch and landscape beyond. Wall openings of different sizes frame views of the contemporary furnishings and outstanding artwork collection that stand out against the neutral colored walls. The absence of rugs enable the wood floors to flow through the house without interruption and make the spaces seem larger. 

The curves of the round coffee table  and the sofa set on a diagonal are a soft counterpoint to the angles of the room. The neutral colors enable the black grand piano with its background of artwork to be the focal point of the sitting area.

The living room’s built-in lighted millwork displays some of the Owners’ collection of ceramics and sculpture. Next to the millwork is the main stair to the second floor. The window wall of paired doors and transoms open up the room to the porch and landscape beyond and the walled opening behind the piano leads to the open plan kitchen-family room.

The gourmet kitchen arrangement has my fave “L” and island layout, and the lower counter at the end of the island is the perfect spot for breakfast. The neutral palette of the white cabinetry, quartz countertops, and stainless steel appliances is very pleasing and the cooktop, double ovens and wine fridge make entertaining easy.

Beyond the kitchen is a large secondary foyer with brick flooring that is convenient for caterers to service large parties. At the end of the foyer is a full bath, a door to the garage and stairs to the office area above the garage.

Behind the kitchen is a convenient multi-purpose room containing  a workspace, pantry and laundry.

 

Opposite the kitchen is the cozy sitting room with the pair of glass doors to the porch and the single windows between the fireplace offering panoramic views of the landscape . The large multicolored Oriental rug defines the seating area with deep and comfortable chairs and sofa for settling in for an evening of watching TV. 

The sumptuous primary suite spans the full depth of the house with the bedroom’s wall of doors and windows next to the porch. The light blue walls punctuated by the white plantation shutters create a restful retreat, accented by the large Oriental rug in deep colors and the artwork over the bed.

I coveted the primary dressing room with ample hanging space, open shelving  and the island cabinetry for storage. Since the couple travel frequently, the countertop over the cabinetry is the perfect space for laying down one’s suitcase to pack or unpack.

The focal point of the large primary bath is the large window for sunlight to filter through the glass block pattern for maximum privacy  and the front glass wall of the shower continues the transparency.  Opposite the shower are dual lavatories and a toilet compartment.

Many houses have rooms that could be offices or bedrooms but this office that is located above the garage is a “corner” office fit for an executive. The spacious room contains both a workspace with Barcelona chairs as well as a large sitting area for informal meetings. Windows at the front and rear gable walls and two dormer windows on either side of the fireplace bring sunlight in throughout the day.  Part of the high knee wall is covered in white wainscoting around the fireplace to break up the blue expanse and reflect the light.  

The rest of the second floor contains two additional bedrooms with a Jack-and-Jill bath and a large climate-controlled room.  

This exquisite property offers an ideal location close to the airport, Route 50 and the amenities of Easton with the privacy and tranquility of eleven acres in a small neighborhood of large lots. Classic and very appealing Cape Cod architecture, great floor plan with minimal halls for easy flow among rooms and outdoor spaces of the covered porch and hardscaped terrace; main floor with a sumptuous primary suite, second floor with two guest rooms and a spacious executive office. For the garden enthusiast there is both a flower garden and an herb garden with shed. The two-stall horse barn with fenced pasture would please any equestrian but it also offers myriad other uses such as a workshop, artist’s studio, etc. A great home for a family! 

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For more information about this property, contact Monica Penwell, Realtor with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty at 410-745-2596 (o), 410- 310-0225 (c), or [email protected] . For more pictures and pricing, visit monicapenwell.sothebysrealty.com “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Eve Fishell, Chesapeake Pro Photo LLC, 443-786-8025, www.chesapeakeprophoto.com, [email protected]

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Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.