The community of Montebello Hills in Kent County has a pastoral setting in central Kent County near Chestertown and Rock Hall. For boating and/or fishing enthusiasts, the Still Pond Creek Public Landing is nearby. The Owners of this house selected a floor plan from Southern Living and a local builder. So many facades of magazine plans are overloaded with architectural elements not representative of any particular style, but this house’s facades were done well. My only comment is that the front porch’s arched pediment seems too top heavy and lacks a column at the other end of the arch. The massing is quite pleasing with a front wing that gables back to the main roof then telescopes down to the next smaller gable that projects forward and the final box bay window projects further with a sloped shed dark brown metal roof.
The wrap-around front porch begins at the double entry doors and ends at the story and a half front gable garage/laundry wing. A single glass and paneled door opens into a short hall next to the garage and opposite the laundry, making clean-up easy after a day in pool or doing landscape maintenance. The exterior color palette of beige siding, the red brick of the exposed foundation, front porch steps, flooring and the front gable wing with the charcoal architectural roofing create great curb appeal. The rear elevation is quite attractive beginning with the garage wing’s gable to the laundry ‘s hyphen connection to the main wing’s symmetry with two, one-story gables at each end flanking a recessed screened porch below a shed dormer with triple windows at the upper part of the main roof.
The front door opens into a spacious foyer with beautiful yellow pine flooring that continues throughout the main floor and a vista to the living room and the screened porch beyond. To the left of the foyer is the dining area at the corner of the main wing with two wide and tall windows on each exterior wall. Between the windows is a chair rail and below are moldings to define panels and the trim and molding are a lighter color than the wall color for a pleasant contrast. Between the dining area and the kitchen is the stairwell that is open to both the dining room and kitchen opposite the living room.
The living room seating is grouped around the interior wall of built-in millwork flanking the pellet stove and space for a large screen TV. Cabinetry below open shelving provides space for games, books and collectibles. Pairs of sliding doors lead to the screened porch overlooking the pool for great indoor-outdoor flow. The recessed screened porch creates a delightful breakfast nook with a trio of windows overlooking the rear landscape. The chair rail frames a portion of the wall with a collection of various sizes of mirrors and one plaque proclaiming “You Are My Sunshine” – a lovely way to start the day! The kitchen has Bertch white cabinetry, 42” high upper cabinets, period hardware, quartz countertops with a farmhouse style sink, white subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a custom island top fabricated from English walnut that overhangs the island creating space for four stools. I liked how the transom over the interior doors or openings pays homage to the transoms of older houses in the days before HVAC.
The primary suite has its own wing next to the living room and spans from the study in the front of the house to the bedroom at the rear. The study has a triple window box bay creating a ledge for the family pet to keep one company while working. The primary bedroom has both triple windows at the rear and two side windows overlooking the landscape. To complete the suite, there is a large walk-in closet and a sumptuous spa bath with both a tiled shower equipped with four heads, a partial height wall below glass panels and subway tiles. I coveted the free-standing soaking tub below a double unit window with frosted glass panes for privacy and the thought of stepping out from the tub onto heated tile floors would be heavenly!
The second floor has four guest bedrooms spaced across the floor layout for privacy with a large full bath in the center of the plan. Each bedroom has either walk-in or large closets. Above the garage is a storage area with windows at each gable end wall, insulated side knee walls and gypsum board ready for your preferred wall finish.
The property also includes the large in-ground pool with its wide paved surround that provides ample space for chaises for sunbathing after a dip in the pool and a 30×40 insulated two-bay pole barn with a porch facing the pool for entertaining. The barn has its own driveway for parking to accommodate guests for large parties.
Floor plan that is zoned well, exterior color palette of pleasing materials and colors, outdoor rooms of a wrap-around front porch, rear screened porch, pool area and open porch at the pole barn, spacious main floor primary suite and four additional bedrooms on the second floor; the perfect family home that enables a couple to age in place!
For more information about this property, contact Lacey Sutton with Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Company at 410-778-0330 (o), 443-480-3580(c) or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing visit
https://suttonteamhomes.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity.” For a virtual tour, visit
https://www.homesnap.com/MD/Worton/24964-Belleau-Wood-Road?a=330023806
Photography by TruPlace, www.truplace.com, 301-972-3201
Builder: Ray Strong of Canvasback Construction, 410-708-8893.
Architect: Mitch Guinn, Southern Living House Plan “Stone Creek,” 770-502-1423.
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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