House of the Week: Sunnyside up

The first neighborhood I discovered after I moved to the Eastern Shore was Travelers Rest. My sister’s in-laws’ property along the Tred Avon River was the scene of many family gatherings and they kindly included me. I soon appreciated how sought after the neighborhood was, due to its being set back far from highway 33/St. Michaels Rd. and its close proximity to both Easton and St. Michaels. Since there were no through streets, it is perfect for walks or biking after family feasts!
The six acre property contains the original early 19th century house with later addtions, a pool and two barns, one of which serves as a garage. The house is sited perpendicular to the inlet that leads to the Tred Avon River.
Featured in “Where Land and Water Intertwine,” “Sunnyside” stands proudly in its vintage Eastern Shore vernacular style.
The wonderful reference book “Where Land and Water Intertwine” includes “Sunnyside” and this photograph in the book shows the one-room deep house with the slightly higher roof on the left room that breaks up the massing. The house’s story and a half architecture with a red brick chimney, dormer windows, historic green shutters and the white horizontal wood siding is a great example of vintage Eastern Shore vernacular style.
Updates to the charming early 19th century architecture seamlessly blend historic and modern with beautifully varied rooflines.
The house was expanded by a former owner who added a wing at the left side but the setback respects the original form of the house. The house was also updated to include a family-kitchen open plan at the other end of the house that faces the water. The varying roof ridges break up the massing and creates a quite pleasing front elevation against its background of mature trees.
Respectful additions maintain the integrity of the original structure.
The side and rear elevations show how much the additions respected the original part of the house. The exterior door with steps to grade leads to the laundry room for clean up after a dip in the pool. The picnic table’s view of the water makes it a perfect warm weather spot for snacks or meals.
Sun-drenched pool area with natural privacy from surrounding trees.
The pool area is open to the sun and has privacy from the trees at the edge of the property. The bird bath is a mini swimming pool for the birds who live in the bird house on top of the post.
Tranquil pier with picturesque views of the shoreline.
I ended my tour of the grounds at the pier. Sitting on the bench, I admired how the undulating shoreline of the adjacent properties framed the long view across the river from this tranquil spot.
Inviting foyer featuring original wood floors and hand-painted grasscloth wallpapering.
The front door opens into a large foyer with a recessed alcove that is enhanced by the warm wood tones of the original wood floors, the antique desk and the ornamental mirror. I especially admired the hand-painted grass cloth sourced by the Owner’s DC designer and the vista through the living room to the stairs.
Spacious living room bathed in sunlight through its wide, long windows
The large living room has three wide and long windows on each exterior that provide abundant sunlight. The diagonal pattern of the rug anchors the seating group and makes the spacious room seem even wider than it is. I have a pair of Bergere chairs in my living room and this room’s chairs in their striped pattern also add a touch of French flair. At the side of the room is one of two staircases to the second floor and the alcove with a gentle elliptical arch leads to the main floor primary suite.
The living room’s layout drives focus to the lovely fireplace, which is which is surrounded by 19th-century furnishings.
The focal point of the living room is the fireplace that is surrounded by the room’s collection of 19th century furnishings and artwork. This photograph highlights the beautiful wood floors and how the complementary colors of light blue and pale yellow create a serene space for relaxation.
Elegant dining room, pairs rustic beams with a crystal chandelier for a lived-in luxury feel.
The stylish dining room is located in the original part of the house and its interior design makes it my fave room. I admired the golden walls and window treatments; the juxtaposition of the crystal chandelier with the hand-hewn beams; the patterned rug that is a twin to the living room’s rug, and the Chippendale table, chairs and sideboard that add timeless elegance. A secondary stair leads to the second floor.
Functional pantry space with potential for conversion into a convenient powder room.
Off the dining room is a pantry/storage room with an exterior door. This space could be converted into a powder room with built-in cabinets for storage that would also be convenient for pool users.
Panoramic views and historic green trim enhance the family-kitchen area.
Opposite the stairs in the dining room is the open plan family-kitchen area with windows that wrap around the corner for panoramic views. The wall opening at the kitchen side has been fully extended to connect the two spaces. This is the hub of the house with the seating group around the TV and a workspace area. I admired the trim’s historic green color around the windows and on both the baseboard and the ceiling trim.
Well-coordinated kitchen and family room areas showcasing water views.
The diagonal vista from the corner of the kitchen, family room and workspace area shows how well the areas flow together. The white cabinets become part of the wall and contrast with the wood floors. The window over the sink gives the cooks a view of the water and the high glass shelf in front of one muntin of the window doesn’t block the sunlight or view and is a display space. The high side table with its dark finish that is now an island separates the areas and the countertop could be replaced with a deeper one to accommodate bar stools.
Having just an alcove for my stack W/D, I envied this sunny laundry/mud room with a bench for sitting down after gardening and taking off one’s wellies or hanging up one’s jackets on the pegs behind the door. Even the laundry has art-the clothes line with white clothing swaying in the breeze is a charming touch of whimsy.
Serene primary bedroom with panoramic landscape views
I retraced my steps back to the living room so I could tour the primary suite that was added by the previous owner. The alcove off the living room leads to a short hall that ends at the spacious primary bedroom and the primary bath. The bedroom is located at the front corner of the house and three windows offer panoramic landscape views. The yellow and brown tones, the patterns of both the bedskirt and window treatments and the lovely antiques creates a soothing space for rest and relaxation.
Spacious primary bath featuring vintage style and opportunities for dual lavatories.
The door to the primary bath opens to the side wall of a linen closet and the large room accommodates a tub/shower next to the toilet, a vintage style pedestal lavatory and a rattan settee. The pale wall color highlights the beautiful wood floors. If one wanted a dual lavatory, moving the closet door to face the hall door would leave space for a dual lavatory across the rear wall to the window.
The large second-floor bedroom is bright and inviting with its white walls and warm wood floors, a connecting suite adds flexibility.
The addition of the primary suite wing created two sets of stairs to the second floor. This huge bedroom located over the primary bedroom is connected to a smaller room, creating a suite for a sitting room or sleeping space for guests’ young children. The room’s high knee walls and sloped ceiling areas creates a soothing enclosure and the white walls and ceiling expands the room’s spatial volume.
Cozy office with abundant sunlight from dormer windows.
Next to the hall bath that serves both bedrooms is a small room currently furnished as an office. With the dormer windows on each exterior wall and the sloped ceiling that follows the underside of the roof rafters, sunlight reflected off these surfaces provides sunlight through the day. I could easily imagine myself at the rolltop desk writing my Spy articles or spreading out architectural sketches on the drop leaf table.
Bedroom with striking red accent wall, water views, and skylight sits over the kitchen
The bedroom at the other end of the house is located over the kitchen-family area. The red accent wall highlights the room’s high knee walls and sloped ceiling duplicated in the other bedroom. This bedroom’s side gable wall has double unit windows for water views and its bonus is the skylight for star gazing after bedtime.
Sought after location convenient to both St. Michaels and Easton; great example of the quintessential Colonial architecture of the Eastern Shore; waterfront property with six acres for peace and quiet; well-maintained house with updates that complement the house’s historic features; one-level living with a spacious primary suite and an open-plan family-kitchen with water views; pool and private pier for family fun outdoors; two staircases to the second floor large bedroom suites for additional privacy; pool and private pier for family fun outdoors-great property!
For more information about this property, contact Gary Marquardt at Long and Foster Real Estate Company at 410-820-7707 (o), 410-725-6238 (c) or [email protected] , “Equal Housing Opportunity”.
Photography by Janelle Stroup (410) 310-6838, [email protected]
“Where Land and Water Intertwine”, An Architectural History of Talbot County, Maryland, by Christopher Weeks, with contributions by Michael O. Bourne, John Frazier, Jr., Marsha L. Fritz and Geoffrey Henry; published by the Johns Hopkins University Press and the Maryland Historical Trust.
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.