I love to visit houses of creative people since they have such great personalities. As an art lover, I was thrilled to find Nancy Hammond’s country retreat for this week’s feature. The house is separated from the water by mature trees and the weather-stained shake siding blends into the surrounding landscape. The white trim is traditional but the mint green shutters foreshadow there are further colorful delights inside.
The original building was a guest house that was designed by the architect Bob Hammond with an entry, living room, kitchen and a one-bedroom suite, Nancy planned an addition with a new center wing that was offset from the original guest house for another entry, laundry and dining room. Access from the dining room to the spectacular screened porch that spanned the length of the original wing extended the living space. A third offset wing contained another guest suite and the master suite.
A spiral stair led from the living room to a loft recreation room and the main stair led to two studios. A large deck offered respite from work and a bird’s eye view of the half-moon brick terrace and landscape below. I loved the large studio with its pitched ceilings broken by honey- colored collar beams, the wide picture window with a tall transom above on the north wall (perfect light for an artist). A row of small windows on the side wall let in more light.
The sitting room had a wall of windows to the screened porch and the same collar beams defined the transition from wall to ceiling plane. Upright sconces bounced light off the high ceiling for a warm glow. The boat- shaped glass topped coffee table angled to the seating directed the flow through the room. The neutral colors, a contemporary sofa juxtaposed with a Shaker settee and glimpses of accent walls in the kitchen and dining room created great interior architecture.
The oval antique oak table in the dining room reminded me of my own table that was my great-aunt’s and the deep apricot walls were a wonderful background to display art.
If were a guest I would claim the corner bedroom in the original wing. I loved the dark oak craftsman bed with two prints centered over the headboard and the soft blue and yellow color scheme. Two high windows flanked the bed and a wall of windows to the screened porch made this suite special.
The perfect country retreat for the lucky person who next calls this home!
For more information about this property, please contact Trey Rider with Meredith Fine Properties at 410-822-2001 (o), 443-786-0235 (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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