House of the Week: “Whistle Wing Too”, circa 1900

 

When I began my home search after moving to Talbot County twenty years ago, I fell under the spell of the charming waterfront village of Neavitt. I liked both its location near St. Michaels’ amenities and its privacy from being a peninsula at the southern end of Route 579, surrounded by various creeks and the Choptank River leading to the Chesapeake Bay; its primarily late 19th and early 20th century houses and the community’s Post Office, Community Park, and Neavitt Landing. I ended up in another village but always look forward to featuring a house in Neavitt. 

 

 

Today’s featured house has great curb appeal from its massing of a simple “L” shaped two-story main wing with a one-story wing wrapping around three sides of the house. The one-story wing contains a wrap-around screened porch that ends at a conditioned space at the rear of the house. I especially liked how part of the house is a full bay-shaped wall projection on both floors. Like the Painted Ladies of San Francisco, this house has a colorful mix of green siding, broader green accents, and the shake siding that infills the front gable wall with rows of different shapes, including diamond, round, and sawtooth in white, green, and raspberry colors. The porch enjoys shade from two mature trees with wide crowns and privacy from the shrubbery.  

 

 

The porch was originally open, and then screened framing was seamlessly added without compromising the original turned columns. At the side of the house, bright blue pots in front of each column contain plants, and the shallow shed-roofed four-unit window next to the porch reaches out to the landscape.  

 

 

With its privacy and shade, the screened porch is a delightful outdoor room with rattan and rocker seating for enjoying the cool south-westerly breezes and the opportunity for al-fresco dining.

 

 

At the rear of the house is a deck above the flat roofed portion of the house that blends into another gable wing.  The lattice wall at one side of the deck provides both safety and privacy and from the deck one has views of Balls Creek. Steps lead down from the deck to the deep lawn. The one-story gable wing has a shed roof covering an open porch. If one wanted more space, eliminating the shed roof and extending the gable roof could create additional depth for a separate dining room or sunroom.

 

 

Stone paving with an irregular edge blends into the deep lawn with a shed at the property boundary lined with mature landscaping for privacy.  Another massive tree offers shade and has a tire swing for kids of all ages. Tucked under the stairs to the upper deck is a grille for warm weather entertaining. 

 

 

The French front door opens into the charming living room with bright yellow walls and the original mantel against the chimney. The chimney could be modified by opening up the firebox and adding gas logs for additional winter warmth. I admired the interior design with a mix of furniture from the multicolored upholstery of the floral sofa to the deep red side chair and the Windsor chair, grouped around the glass topped coffee table. 

 

 

A pair of French doors leads from the living room to the primary bedroom, which has dramatic deep blue walls, white furnishings, and bed linens with soft yellow accents. The bay wall projection, with a single window in each angled wall and the side window, brings in ample sunlight.

 

 

The primary bath has a green and white color scheme. Linen storage is tucked under the run of the stairs and there is also a second closet for additional storage next to the vanity cabinet.  The pebble pattern in the shower floor has a non-slick surface and adds great texture.

 

 

From the front door in the living room, there is a clear vista through the kitchen-dining area to the rear porch. The deep green wood chairs around the table are colorful accents for the “L” shaped kitchen area that has plenty of work space and storage. Above the Corian countertop is a tiled backsplash with accents of smaller tiles. On the wall opposite the gas range is the convenient laundry closet. 

 

 

The kitchen’s ceiling has a gambrel shape tucked under the pitched roof and the leaded glass window adds an artful touch. The beautiful wood floors flow into the adjacent family room and at one corner is a gas fireplace whose enclosure provides a wall for the exterior door to remain open for easy indoor-outdoor flow.

 

 

The spacious family room’s four-unit window has a deep sill that is the perfect spot for the arrangement of duck decoys. Another rear single window is aligned with the glass door to the screened porch for cross-ventilation when the AC is not needed. The desk at the interior wall is a convenient spot for work or homework.

 

 

The second-floor stair landing is deep enough to create a reading nook defined by a circular rug and an antique rocker. The window brings sunlight into the hall, and the mirror adds additional transparency. The short hall leads to two bedrooms and a bath, accessed from the hall. 

 

 

Above the primary bedroom on the first floor is a guest bedroom with the angled walls of the bay wall projection. The windows offer panoramic views of the treetops and roofs of Neavitt’s streetscapes. The bedroom’s muted shades of cream and pink and the wood furnishings with open backs create a restful retreat. I especially liked the antique dressing table with its triple mirror.

 

 

My fave room is the large second-floor deck, which is a delightful outdoor room with space for both sitting, dining, and sunbathing. The canvas umbrella over the table casts a wide shadow for comfort from summer’s heat.

This home has been lovingly maintained, expanded and renovated, keeping its historic character intact. Charming Folk Victorian style architecture, compact floor plan with few halls to maximize room sizes and to create easy flow among rooms; wonderful range of outdoor rooms from the wrap-around screened porch, upper deck for views of Balls Creek and open porch below for easy access to the deep rear yard; primary suite on the main floor for aging in place.  All this in the welcoming village of Neavitt with its community events, public park and public landing. This property’s bonus is the option of replacing the existing septic system with a connection to a future public sewer-hard to resist!

 

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For more information about this property contact Wink Cowee with Benson and Mangold at 410-745-0415 (o), 410-310-0208 (c) or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing visit  www.buythechesapeake.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”. 

Photography by Janelle Stroop, 845-744-2758, [email protected]

Contributor 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.