The plaque from the Historic St. Michaels Bay Hundred, Inc., displayed on the front wall of this house states the date of the construction as 1870 since the house appears on the Lake, Griffing and Stevenson Atlas of 1877. Like many of the houses of this era, today’s feature probably began its life as a “waterman’s” home for a worker employed by one of the many shipyards on St. Michaels’ Harbor. The original house was a two-story, one-room deep, 16×20 form, with mortise and tenon joinery and was altered in the 1880’s and again in the 1920’s. I have passed by this charming house many times when I stopped by the Village Shoppe across the street and admired its distinctive exterior color palette resembling many of San Francisco’s “Painted Ladies”. I also was intrigued that unlike other three-bay houses in the Historic District which have either left or right side front doors, this house’s door is uniquely located in the center.
Before I went in the day of my tour, I walked up the brick sidewalk ending at half circle brick steps to the full front porch and stopped to savor the color palette of turned posts painted “Bristol Green”, with “Shaker Red” motifs, fretwork between the columns and the cap over the white railing. The lap siding was also painted “Bristol Green” and the corner boards were painted “Picholine”. Trellises at both sides of the porch are now festooned with blooming Major Wheeler honeysuckle for just enough privacy. I turned the original doorbell in the four-paneled front door with arched top panels to begin my tour. The Owners, Bill and Robin, greeted me and I noticed when they closed the door that the top panels of the interior side of the door were rectangular instead of arched as the exterior side was. I stepped into the living room that spanned the full width of the house that was open to the dining room beyond. The stairs to the second floor were located at the side wall of the living room.
Bill and Robin began to explain the “clues” that remain to tell the story of the renovations the house has undergone. I soon learned each room was a fascinating chapter in that story. They noticed my looking at the dropped beam perpendicular to the front wall and the beam between the living and dining rooms. These beams illustrated the original house’s two-bay one room deep form with the door at the right side. Then I realized that the door shifted its position when the house was expanded to three bays making the original door centered in the elevation. When the house was expanded, the original stairs were demolished and new stairs were built at the side wall opposite the fireplace. The unusual stained molding over the fireplace mantel was reclaimed from an old organ. Bill had assisted an organ restorer who restored an organ in Yonkers, NY and he was given the wood that had been removed during the restoration. Bill used pieces of the wood to clad the wall above the mantel between the millwork he had built. He then added painted beadboard on the rear wall between the shelves. I admired the beautiful collection from Bill’s family’s “Rose Medallion” china dating from 1840-1890 that stands out against its light green background. The next clue was found below the vertical joint between the living and dining rooms where the original exterior wall had been. Part of the wall finish had been removed to reveal the juxtaposition of the wall’s timber construction from both the front 1805-1820 original wall and the major addition in the 1870’s, based upon the historical register documents, the 6/6 windows and the machine hewn wood.
Moving into the dining room, I was drawn to the large map at the rear wall as I love cartography. Bill explained he was originally from NY state and this map reproduction from the 1770’s shows his hometown. I also admired the door to the hall with a half glass frosted panel and carvings. Bill and Robin explained the door had been reclaimed from the house next door when it underwent a renovation. I liked how the door has remained unpainted, all the better to admire the wood and the salvaged hinges and hardware Bill added. The door leads to a short hall past a full bath to the kitchen. The bath’s vintage toilet is between a corner wall mounted lavatory and a corner wall mounted storage open shelving unit opposite the shower.
As we entered the kitchen, I asked if the oversized wall mounted stained oak framed chalkboard had been reclaimed from a school and Bill confirmed it was. What a great way to jot down the week’s appointments, grocery list, etc.! The “U” shaped kitchen begins the 1920’s renovation and I admired its warm palette of creamy cabinets, granite countertops, tiled backsplash laid on the diagonal and stainless steel appliances. I noticed the counter extended into the adjacent atrium room more deeply than needed to accommodate bar stools. Here again Bill had thought of another creative solution which he demonstrated by moving the bar stools and opening the cabinet doors to reveal pull out shelving for the TV and storage. The sight lines are perfect and much better than placing the TV over the fireplace as it was when Bill and Robin bought the house. The extra depth of the counter has the bonus of being a great spot for setting out a buffet for entertaining.
The 1920’s renovation had removed most of the rear wall of the kitchen to open into the dramatic two-story sunroom with three walls of wrap-around 2/2 windows to match the original windows, broken only by the spandrel beams between the upper and lower windows. The rear upper windows are shorter to allow space for artwork and the pale butter yellow walls become bathed in sunlight throughout the day. French doors lead to a screened porch with a vista to the terrace, garden and the “boathouse.” Bill and Robin had refurbished the screened porch with brick pavers that extended to the terrace overlooking the garden and added a stained wood slat ceiling. Another find from a salvage store was the gate that now is a sculptural element at one side of the porch.
The terrace has a table and seating with an umbrella for shade to relax and enjoy the verdant oasis of this beautiful urban garden, complete with a water feature and a chorus of happy frogs. Bill and Robin believe the rear outbuilding was once a boat house and a carriage house addition was added in the days of horsepower fueled transport. The exposed structure inside indicated that the boat house portion had been expanded, to accommodate a bigger boat.
After exploring the main floor and garden, we continued the tour upstairs. The primary bedroom spans across the front of the house under the gable side walls. The drywall ceiling had been removed to expose the collar beams with their saw cut edges and the arched top former attic window now filters sunlight between the beams. I admired the beautiful wood carved bed and the peaceful pale blue walls. The alcove created by the walk-in closet and chest of drawers combine to make a dressing room.
The other bedroom had previously been a loft space with a curved balcony that overlooks the sunroom below. Bill and Robin enclosed the open wall with French doors and full sidelights that now is a private guest room with space for two double beds. I loved the hall bath with its white beadboard wainscot below soothing lavender walls, the white claw foot tub, the lavatory cabinet clad in white beadboard, white countertop and vintage fittings.
I am indebted to Bill and Robin for a tour of their unique house they have called home for the past twelve years. They are moving back to Bill’s home state of New York for the best of reasons-to be nearer their beloved grandchildren. I hope the next stewards of this unique part of St. Michaels’ Historic District will appreciate the house and garden as much as they do. The delightful boat-carriage house has so many possibilities-office? art studio? I sincerely hope the next owners don’t repaint this gem!
For more information about this property, contact Leslie Stevenson at Long and Foster Real Estate Inc., 410-745-0283 (v), 410-253-7293 (c) or [email protected], “Equal Housing Opportunity”. For more photographs and pricing visit www.Longandfoster.com/LeslieStevenson, “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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