“Providence” is the first house which I have featured that is a National Trust Property. The Owner agent, Wendy Bunch, and her husband Frank, graciously gave me a tour of this magnificent house surrounded by 76 acres of pastoral vistas. The National Trust holds an easement on this property, circa 1781, for its impeccable continuing restoration by a succession of owners. The original house’s main footprint consisted of four rooms. Several expansions by subsequent owners ended with a new wing at the rear that is a sumptuous master suite. As an avid reader, I especially admired how the connection between old and new was a library hall lined on one side with bookcases and on the other side, a full-height wall of windows and French doors to the patio.
This is one house for which I would be hard pressed to name a favorite room. As a cook, how could I overlook the galley kitchen’s bright blue and white color scheme with blue cabinets, cream colored countertops, silver plate cabinet hardware and six-burner Viking stove? Having breakfast in the informal dining area with its large windows, antique furnishings and the continuation of the patterned wallpaper in the kitchen would make one linger over breakfast in so charming a space.
The exquisite dining room with its angled fireplace and wood- paneled walls would elevate even a simple meal to become a memorable dining experience. The dining table was angled parallel to the fireplace for a deft space planning touch.
The sitting room with its mix of painted paneled walls and plaster walls for artwork, the beautiful antique rugs and furnishings would be at home in any museum’s period rooms. The original kitchen with its exposed hand carved wood beams and massive cooking fireplace adapted well to its current use as a TV room, with the TV filling the fireplace opening. The small parlor behind the TV room was dubbed the “snuggery” by the current owners and I would agree this is an apt name for a cozy room with an angled fireplace and windows to the landscape beyond.
The site also contains a three-bedroom, two bath tenant house, in-ground pool, and a lighted dock with lift.
This property sets the standard for “country estate “and its location on the east fork of Langford Creek, christened Chestertown’s “Gold Coast” is waiting for a new owner who will become the next steward of this unique home that blends historic charm with modern amenities.
For more information about this property, contact Wendy Bunch, Owner/Agent with Brandywine Fine Properties, Sotheby’s International Realty at 302-654-6500 (o), 302-275-0868 (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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