From the front of this charming house you have a view of Chestertown across the Chester River. The Cape Cod style house is located on a desirable corner lot and shaded by mature trees, one of which began its life as a sapling of the great Wye Oak tree. The front entry door has a pedimented roof with double supports and steps leading down to the sidewalk. Double windows on either side of the front door, two dormer windows above and the side screened porch set back slightly from the front elevation to break down the massing create great curb appeal. The white siding of the house stands out on the street from its backdrop of mature landscaping that surrounds the rear and sides of the house.
The front door opens to the spacious living room and flanking the red brick fireplace at the side wall is a single window and a French door to the screened porch to extend your living space. I am sitting in my screened porch as I write this and I envy the privacy of this porch with its mature landscaping that wraps around the corner to obscure the side street and driveway. White rattan furnishings with blue and white cushions, the painted wood floors and slat ceiling encourages relaxation. The wide screened panels offer clear diagonal views of the rear landscaped yard.
Between the living room and the rear open plan kitchen-dining area are the stairs to the second floor. The “L” shaped kitchen layout has white Shaker style cabinets, darker countertop and stainless steel appliances. I liked the Period style open shelves at the end of the one upper cabinet run that is a perfect display space. The soffit above the upper cabinets could be easily removed to for glass-fronted cabinets above to add height to the wall and extra storage. At the corner of the dining room, another curved built-in shelving unit echoes the kitchen unit. The dining table is centered around the side window and the double window at the rear wall for views to the landscape. One stained hand hewn exposed rafter separates the kitchen ceiling from the dining area and another beam in the dining room adds texture and color.
Two bedrooms and one bath at the side of the house complete the efficient floor plan. I liked how one bedroom has wood shutters on the lower part of the double hung windows to provide seated privacy so the fabric valance over the upper part of the window is purely decorative. The third bedroom and second bath are located on the second floor with the open stair railing dividing the open space into the bedroom and bonus area with paneling on both the ceiling and walls. Since the paneled batten board knee walls end at the spring line of the sloped ceiling area above, I would remove the ceiling paneling and substitute a smooth ceiling of painted gypsum board that would reflect more light into this delightful space.
The property also includes a partial basement with the laundry that could be relocated to the main floor and a two-car detached garage. Great location with water views, charming cottage architecture with a screened porch for a warm weather family room, two main floor bedrooms, desirable corner lot with room for expansion if needed and mature landscaping-wonderful family home!
For more information about this property, contact Retha Arrabal with Doug Ashley Realtors at 410-810-0010 (o), 410-708-2172 (c) or retha@dougashleyrealtors.com. For more pictures and pricing, visit www.dougashleyrealtors.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.
Photography by Janelle Stroop, Thru the Lens Photography, 410-310-6838
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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