House of the Week: Colonial Gem

Chestertown’s upper Historic District’s undergoing revitalization has been dramatically enhanced by this property’s transformation- both the house and grounds have undergone extensive interior & exterior renovations. The house’s classic Colonial style with its symmetrical arrangement of the windows around the center entry door, brick façade in shades of red and black, multi-paned windows with black shutters, and the roofing’s color and pattern that resemble slate give it great curb appeal. However, several clues told me this was no ordinary Colonial;  stylish gates that mark the front yard’s private area pay homage to Chippendale with a contemporary flair; instead of a portico, an awning in black with yellow stripes covers the front door and the bright yellow accents of the front door and the gate’s star detail welcome one within. 

Before I went in for my tour, I first admired the entry sequence from the Town sidewalk to the house’s front door. After walking a short distance along the property’s sidewalk, I then passed through the gates between rows of cherry laurel, like pawns on a chessboard, that signify the boundary of the private part of the front yard. In a few years, the cherry laurel will grow into a hedge that will obscure the cars on the street from the house. The sidewalk ends at a step up to a wide porch with two large turquoise ceramic pots containing flowers on either side of the step. The settee with accent pillows and the pots of colorful flowers were the finishing touches to the porch and I imagined how pleasant the vista will be when the cherry laurel has fully matured. On either side of the porch are low brick walls with raised beds of additional shrubbery. 

The yellow front door has good Feng Shui both from its color, which represents the earth, joy, and stability, and also from its being offset from the center hall. The door opens into a vestibule with a painted floor accented by a medallion instead of a rug.  As I passed through the open doorway to the interior, I admired the decorative pieces on the wall from the Owner’s travels and the light walls against the darker wood floors that flowed through the house.

A wall opening frames the view from the stair hall to the living room. The large front window and the two side windows flanking the wide fireplace bring abundant sunlight within and the translucent top down, bottom up shades are perfect for privacy in an urban setting. I loved the restful feel of this room with its earth tones of the muted colors of the large rug that anchors the two deep olive green sofas. The Owner noted that the firebox’s enclosure has a special coating and the color echoes the accent pillows on the two sofas. The round mirror between the wall sconces is the perfect finishing touch.

Opposite the living room and across the stair hall is the dining room with two windows for sunlight. The chair rail and the deeper lower wall color becomes a band that ties the room together. After seeing the living room’s  circular mirror, the circular element re-appeared in the interior design of the dining room’s exquisite wood chairs with interlocking rings, the ceiling medallion, the pendant light, the round table  and the scalloped edge of the rug. The Owner explained the arched built-in millwork once had glass fronted doors but she had a cleverer idea for them which I saw later on my tour.

The stylish kitchen is accessible from both the doorway to the dining room and through an expansive wall opening to the stair hall. The galley arrangement with a large island for food prep and space for two chairs works very well. I admired the texture of the wicker pendant shades, the imported Spanish tiled backsplash, the individually handcrafted brick floor, the sleek mocha cabinetry and the stainless steel appliances. 

The side window in the kitchen has a stained glass panel both for privacy and to add a splash of color.  I admired the detailing of the open shelving that floats against the fully tiled wall and how the horizontal tiles become headers beneath the ceiling. Instead of upper cabinets, at the corner of the rear wall is a sliding door with translucent panels for easy access to the pantry. 

The quiet rear corner of the house is the perfect location for the office with the table-desk placed on a diagonal and the French door to the office opposite the kitchen for convenient coffee breaks.  Built-in millwork with base cabinets and open shelves to the underside of the molding at the ceiling provide ample space for business items and family photographs. I admired how the deep blue walls pick up the blue in the large rug’s design and how the rattan chairs add texture. The Owner explained the chairs were family pieces updated with geometric fabric. 

Between the kitchen and the office is this delightful sunroom full of color, pattern and the textures of the room’s enclosure from the painted brick of the original exterior wall of the house, the vertical boards beneath the windows, the wood slat ceiling  and the wood floors. Window treatments can be closed or opened with the translucent panel at the side wall facing the neighboring house, maintaining privacy.

I interrupted my tour to explore the rest of the deep property that extends to a service alley. The sunroom’s windows that wrap around two sides of the room offer panoramic views of the landscaped area that is surrounded with wood fencing for privacy and safety for children and pets. Next to the sunroom’s exterior door is another door to the full basement for storage. The accessory structure is painted white to complement the sunroom’s one-level massing, and its depth can accommodate an SUV.

The expanse of lawn is edged with a path of small earth-toned stones that connect to gates in the fencing on each side of the house and to the path along the accessory structure to the gate for access to the alley. The neighborhood’s mature trees are a verdant backdrop.

The side wall of the accessory structure completes the enclosure of the charming hardscaped terrace off the sunroom and kitchen. What a delightful space to enjoy being outdoors with family and friends or to savor an al-fresco meal!

The interior of the accessory structure has a standard garage door at the alley side and a pair of “barn” doors opening onto the hardscape. I liked its current use as a warm weather party space with the exposed structure, the four windows and a clerestory for additional daylight or moonlight in the wall facing the landscaping. 

After enjoying my stroll through the rear yard, I resumed my tour and climbed the original grand stairway to the second floor. My fave room is usually a sunroom or screened porch but seeing this cozy nook at the front of the house,  I could easily imagine sinking into the rocker with its zebra fabric and reading a book. I also liked how the space is subtly defined by the support beam with its elliptical edge that separates the nook from the hall’s circulation space.

The second floor also contains the primary ensuite, two other bedrooms, a hall bath and a laundry. The primary bedroom is located at the front corner of the house with the wide front window and the two side windows providing abundant sunlight. I admired the serene look of the furnishings’ dark woods combined with the neutral colors of the large rug with its leafy pattern, the antique coverlet and  the splash of red in the upholstered chair. I especially liked how the posts of the bedframe create a focal point of the artwork above the bed. The large closet on another wall has sliding “barn” type doors for easy access.

The spacious five-piece primary bath is behind the bedroom and its “L” shape accommodates a dual lavatory, a free-standing soaking tub below a window overlooking the rear yard’s landscaping and a spacious shower.  The neutral color palette complements the primary bedroom and I especially admired the tile floor pattern and the contemporary black accents of the fittings, the shower frame and the stool.

Off the stair hall are two guest bedrooms separated by closets. The bedrooms are located at the front and rear corners of the house with ample sunlight from windows on the front and side walls. I especially liked this bedroom with its light peach walls, colorful bedding that reminded me of fabric from India and the retro chair with deep raspberry upholstery and an accent pillow. The artwork above the bed of a chandelier continues the theme of chandeliers throughout the house.

The third floor of the house has been transformed into a fully conditioned, spacious yet cozy multi-use space that spans the full width of the house with windows at each gable end wall. The stairs open into an “L” shaped living-dining-kitchen space with high knee walls. Off the kitchen is a full bath and partial height walls separate the living area from the sleeping area. I then saw how the former dining room’s arched top glass doors have a new life as closets for the sleeping area and feel like windows. 

I reluctantly ended my tour by walking along the alley to my car and I admired how even the alley elevation was carefully considered in the renovation. The white garage with the black garage doors and the brown vertical slats of the fence was a fitting coda to my delightful tour of this gem. The property scored 100 on all my criteria of site, architecture, interiors, and landscape-my compliments to the Owner whose innate sense of interior design made this special house such an appealing home-Brava!

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For more information about this property, contact Beth Ostrander with Doug Ashley Realtors, LLC at 410-810-0010 (o), 610-256-3704 (c.) “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by Janelle Stroop, 410-310-6838, [email protected]

Jennifer Martella has pursued dual architecture and real estate careers since moving to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has re-established her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoon.