The one-room wide gable front houses that were nicknamed “shotgun” houses were the predominant architectural style in many Southern urban neighborhoods from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. The style’s nickname came from the observation that a bullet fired through the front door would go right out the back door without hitting a wall. The form was a perfect fit for narrow urban lots; but this shotgun house is unusual in its Historic District setting for the wide fully fenced side and rear yards perfect for children and pets at play. Guest parking and a garage are conveniently located off the rear alley.
The two-bay wide house is separated from the sidewalk by a planting area and the inviting full-front porch keeps one in touch with neighbors out for a stroll. The gable front façade with its symmetrical arrangement of windows, side front door with half-glass sidelights and a full transom above, white trim, earth toned lap siding, shutters and fencing all contribute to this well maintained house’s curb appeal.
The vista from the front door opens into the living room, dining room, kitchen and mud room/laundry. Only the width of the fireplace chimney separates the living and dining rooms and a two-sided gas fireplace could be installed for both rooms for additional charm. The spacious dining room easily accommodates seating for a family meal to larger gatherings or holiday celebrations. The open railing at the stair and the front and side windows of the living and dining rooms make these spaces sunny throughout the day.
The kitchen has extra room for bar seating and a breakfast area and the exterior door provides easy access to the brick terrace for outdoor meals. The rear mudroom/laundry also has a door to the rear yard for easy clean up after an afternoon of gardening or play. A side addition to the kitchen could easily create an open plan kitchen-family/sunroom set into the landscape.
The second floor also flows well from a spacious front bedroom, middle bedroom that is currently used as an office and the hall bath and master bedroom at the rear. One could also build over the main floor mudroom/laundry to expand the master bedroom into a spacious master suite with its own bath.
Quiet and charming one-way street just steps away from the Rails to Trails and close to Easton’s shops, galleries and restaurants. Oversized lot with side and rear fenced yards, historic charm with room for expansion with minimal impact to the generous open space. Outdoor rooms of the front porch and brick terrace in the year yard to expand your living space- all combine to create this property’s great appeal!
For more information about this property, contact Meg Moran, GRI, with Long and Foster Real Estate-Christies International Real Estate at 410-770-3600 (o), 410-310-2209 (c), or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing visit here “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.
Mark Blunt says
This is the first time I heard about the”shotgun” style. The house thus really sticks to the moniker. From the exterior to the interior, the design is really awesome!