The lead picture of this majestic historic house on Harrison that immediately captivated me was the front-side axonometric view that illustrated the rich detail of its mix of Queen Anne and Victorian styles from top to bottom. From the front center gable with scalloped siding and the attic triple window and dormer windows on the side elevations, my eye was then drawn down to the second and first floors’ lap siding, projecting gable bays and one exquisite half circle bay with a turret top. The house was set high off the street next to a paved alley. The “service” entrance was off the alley and a double garage was separated from the house by a fenced yard that contained a pool. The warm mocha siding, cream colored trim with black shutters and the wrap-around porch gave this house great curb appeal.
The floor plan evoked an era of gracious living with a ten foot deep porch that was a fabulous outdoor room beautifully detailed with columns resting on piers the height of the handrails in between the columns. Rattan furniture and rockers were the perfect touch. Double glass doors led to a small vestibule that opened into the spacious entry hall. Next to the entry doors was a deep bay with a window seat-the perfect spot to await the arrival of friends or for the family pet to keep watch until the family came home. The stairwell was open to the entrance hall and the walls below the treads and risers were detailed with vertical boards to create paneling. The newel posts and the top rail were stained dark and the railings were white and a stained glass window was the focal point of the semicircular stair landing. Throughout the house the original five-panel doors were either painted or stained.
The short hall in front of the “U” shaped stair accessed the living room, library/sitting room and dining room. Both the dining room and the library had end walls that were angled to create large bays and the library had a fireplace and an exterior door to the porch for curling up with a good book while enjoying a gentle breeze. A door at the rear corner of the dining room led to the kitchen, breakfast room, powder room, laundry, side entry off the alley and steps down to the pool. The kitchen was large enough to contain two islands-one with a bar sink opposite the professional range for food prep and the other with the main sink with a backsplash height partial wall to divide the kitchen and breakfast area.
Two of the upstairs bedrooms had the bay windowed walls and the master bedroom had windows on three sides including a triple window for daylight. The master bath had been upgraded but the original clawfoot tub was preserved. The third floor was a delightful space. The attic collar beams had been exposed and stained to contrast with the pitched white ceiling. The pitched ceilings at the side gable wings and the dormer windows created great interior architecture.
A majestic historic home where details of its past blended with upgrades for today’s living in the heart of the Historic District.
For more information about this property, contact Barb Watkins with Benson and Mangold at 410-822-1415 (o), 410-310-2021 (c), or [email protected], “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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