If I were seeking a new home, I would first look in Royal Oak for its convenient location between St. Michaels and Easton with Oxford even closer via the Oxford-Bellevue Ferry. Goose Neck Rd has been fertile ground for me in my past searches for the House of the Week and today’s feature is a house on “Baby Goose” Neck Rd, Gosling Ln. The gravel drive curves past the detached three-car garage that gives the house privacy from Gosling Ln and an immaculately manicured privet hedge borders one side of the drive. Behind the hedgerow are several towering oaks, evergreens and a Magnolia that caught the cool breeze on the day I visited.
The one-story house’s white painted brick stands out against this background of green and the light colored roofing shingles have the extra advantage of reflecting the summer sun to lessen the heat gain. Window boxes stand ready to be filled with colorful plants once the heat wave is gone. One of the five acre property’s boundaries is Plaindealing Creek where you can set out in a boat from the pier or launch kayaks or lighter craft from the former ramp.
The house’s massing telescopes down slightly from the bedroom wing to the original kitchen-dining-living room to what I surmised was the former garage that has been transformed into an open plan kitchen-breakfast area and family room. Off the family room is a screened porch between the pool and the terrace to connect the outdoor spaces. Since the other rooms of the house have flat ceilings, I would remove the screened porch’s flat ceiling and expose the roof rafters to create a pitched ceiling. The concrete terrace with its non-slippery aggregate finish is perfect for post swim naps and the low brick walls offer more seating for large gatherings. The primary suite has access to the terrace from its own outdoor space surrounded by a wooden fence for the family pet or young children to safely play.
The front door divides the floor plan into the gathering spaces and the bedroom suites. The spacious foyer has a vista to the living room’s rear windows to the landscape and the water beyond. The large living room and dining room area wraps around the former kitchen that is now a pantry and laundry/mudroom, very convenient to the bedroom wing. The living room’s rear windows and sliding doors provide views and access to the terrace. The side wall of the living-dining area has a fireplace with built-in millwork for family photographs, books and collectibles. Cased openings at each end of the wall lead to the open-plan kitchen-breakfast area and family room.
The corner banquette has windows on each side and the cushioned seat and extra chairs can accommodate a large group. The exterior door at the front of the house is convenient for unloading groceries directly into the kitchen and the cushioned built-in bench is great for dropping tote bags, back packs, etc. The wood-grain ceramic flooring is a wise choice for maintenance for this busy area between the screened porch and the pool. Painting the stained bead board ceiling off-white would continue the feeling of height created by the upper kitchen cabinets that extend to the underside of the ceiling. Throughout these gathering rooms, the blue and white color scheme creates warm and inviting areas for relaxation.
The primary suite is located at the rear corner of the house and its French doors next to the double window unit provide views of the landscape and water. The sage green walls and the coverlet paisley pattern in blue and sage green create a restful retreat. If I were a young guest, I would be delighted to sleep with siblings in the charming twin bedroom with its pale yellow walls, white furniture, painted chest stenciled with yellow flowers and green leaves. I imagine this family’s young children spent delightful afternoons playing with the dollhouse or the artisan carved Noah’s Ark pieces.
Great waterfront property with 350 ft water frontage for evening strolls with acres of lawns for play and access to Plaindealing Creek and points beyond. Very well-maintained house with one-level living for bringing up a family and aging in place to welcome visits from children and grandchildren. As the artwork in the twin bedroom says “Love Lives Here” and that is a fitting motto for this wonderful family home in sought after Royal Oak!
For more information about this property, contact Mary Haddaway with Benson and Mangold at 410-745-0415 (o), 410-924-8574 (c), or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing visit www.bensonandmangold.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.
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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