This story and a half large cottage began its life as a modest bungalow with a detached garage. The Owner saw the potential in both the site and the house and began transforming the four acre property on the Chesapeake Bay. The detached garage was connected by a breezeway and became a new master suite with sitting room/office.  Abundant windows and French doors brought light into the interiors and views of the Bay were dramatically improved.

I especially liked the waterside elevation for its symmetry and light color palette. The main floor was virtually all glass with a pair of French doors at the center and two pairs of large picture windows with slight elliptical arched headers on either side of the doors that framed the water views.   On the second floor, dormer windows offered “bird’s eye” views of the water.

Careful attention was also paid to the landscape and hardscape. The flagstone terrace is surrounded by shrubbery and flowering plants and flagstone steps lead down to the lower lawn and to the water. A fireside stone water pit, in-ground salt water pool, outdoor shower and dock offer many options for enjoying the outdoors.

The front entry French doors open onto a space that spans the entire length of the house.  The entrance area is defined two dimensionally by the rug by the French doors and three dimensionally by the arched openings in the short walls at the rear on the dining room and the living room side walls.  The wide arched openings are a clever way of defining spatial boundaries without impeding the flow. The “L” shaped stair with winders, the flared bottom steps and open handrail is a graceful vista opposite the entry French doors.

The large arched picture windows in both the dining and living rooms offer serene views of the lawn, the water beyond and great sunsets.  The living room spans the depth of the house which creates a seating area under the front windows and another seating area grouped around the fireplace.  The dining room is open to the kitchen with its Brazilian Cherry floors and countertops with custom white cabinets and period hardware. Windows above the sink, another side window and glass-fronted upper cabinet doors create a warm and open feel to this dream kitchen. I particularly liked how the Owner cleverly hung blue and white patterned ceramics and art on the wall between the base and upper cabinets instead of a traditional backsplash. The entry/living/dining/kitchen flow is perfect for entertaining a large or more intimate group in  great style.

The main floor one-story master suite has skylights in the sitting/office area and built-in millwork for the Owner’s collection of books, photographs and art Above the top shelf ceramics are illuminated by narrow windows at the spring line of the pitched ceiling. The two upstairs bedrooms have identical architectural details  with the dormer windows, high knee walls and pitched ceilings for cozy retreats. The Jack and Jill bath with dual pedestal lavatories, beadboard wainscot with moldings and trim and the large tiled shower make sharing easy. The full mirror above the lavatories reflects light from the dormer window on the opposite wall.

A remarkable transformation, great interiors and great flow-the perfect waterfront retreat!

For more information about this property, contact Sarah Dean with Cross Street Realtors at 410-778-3779 (o),410-708-2528  (c) or sarah@csrealtors.com.com, “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.

Now that my daffodils and Lenten roses are beginning to awaken from their winter slumber, I can finally anticipate being outdoors. This coastal design with its lovely color palette of yellow lap siding, white trim and light gray metal roof offers multiple opportunities for being outdoors with its main floor wrap-around deck, the brick terrace off the sunroom and the upper deck. For shade there is a porch at the front door and the upper deck creates another porch for part of the main floor deck. The guest house also has a front porch. The massing combination of the main two-story house’s telescoping down to a one-story addition at the rear and the front gable that projects from the house was very appealing. I was especially drawn to the twilight photograph that showed how most of the elevation that faces the water is primarily glass-many windows, skylights  and sliding doors bring light into the interiors.

The ground floor of the main house is zoned very well with two bedrooms and two baths on one side. On the other side, the “U” shaped kitchen connects  the dining and family rooms. Behind the family room is a sunroom for a clear vista from front to back. The sunroom with its deep yellow wall color, hardwood floors, wrap-around windows and space for both a seating area and another dining area make this a delightful space.  The wall between the sunroom and the family room is almost transparent with its pair of sliding doors and full-height windows at each side. The master bedroom with its pitched ceiling, sage green walls, hardwood floors with Oriental rugs, warm wood armoire and chest of drawers creates a serene retreat.

Since space planning is my forte, I especially liked the layout of the second floor.  The front corner is a second master suite with its own deck facing the water. The rest of the floor is open and the offset architecture creates interesting vistas from the main sitting room with a mini-bar and the cozy sitting area at the top of the stairs with an alcove for an office area. Windows on all three sides of this spacious  sitting room make this a sunny space. The side walls of the house has high windows facing the neighboring houses for privacy and longer windows or sliding doors for views at the front and rear.

The guest house has a sitting room with a Murphy bed and a sauna for relaxing after a day on the water or sunbathing on the decks.  The attic contains an artist’s studio for creative endeavors. A wonderful house for entertaining family and friends with the bonus of having the Bay as your neighbor!

For more information about this property contact  Lynn Hilfiker with Gunther McClary Real Estate at 410-639-2118 (o), 443-480-1163 (c)  or lynnhilfiker@gmail.com, “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.

This custom built house was built in 1992 and its massing might have been inspired by historic houses that had a central wing with hyphens leading to side wings at each end. The symmetry of the story and a half central wing with the house’s color palette of blue lap siding and white trim was very pleasing. The left hyphen has a small decorative window that leads to the master suite and right hyphen is a solid wall that connects to the garage wing with an in-law/ guest suite above.

The floor plan works very well for everyday family use and for entertaining. The two-story entrance hall with the “L” shaped stair is open on one side to the dining room and on the other side to a room currently used as a billiard room. The dormer window above the front door brings daylight into the space. A short hall leads to the master suite and connects the billiard room to a rear sitting room that is a cozy space with sage green walls, white millwork and comfortable upholstered furnishings.  Double windows at each corner wall creates a sunny space. Behind the dining room is the spacious breakfast/kitchen area that has French doors leading to the large screened porch with expansive views to the landscaped rear yard. The kitchen layout get high marks for being my favorite “L” and island arrangement with its white cabinets, lightly veined granite and stainless steel appliances.

The kitchen/breakfast area connects also to the great room with its pitched ceiling with trimmed collar beams, brick fireplace flanked by tall windows with quarter-circle transoms and built-in millwork for books and the TV.  The furniture tones echo the light gray-green walls with accents of colorful pillows and the subtle pattern of the large rug that anchors the furnishings. The window-sized artwork of a water scene added perspective to one interior wall.  

The master suite is located on the main floor. The second floor bedrooms are tucked under the pitched ceilings with deep dormer windows and knee walls that create great spaces.  A secondary entrance opens to the laundry area and leads to a stair to the in-law suite above the garage. A wonderful family home with a great floor plan that has been lovingly maintained. Was it my imagination or was that Colonel Mustard in the Billiard Room with the candlestick as I closed the front door…?

For more information about this property, contact  Peter Heller with Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Company at 410-778-0330 (o), 410-708-3301 (c) or pheller@cbchesapeake.com, “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.

Good things do come in small packages. This small house is located on an urban lot on one of Chestertown’s original streets and is packed with charm. The historic details of the roof eave brackets, the shuttlecocks and the symmetry of door and window arrangement in the front elevation are design elements of Chestertown’s 19th century architecture.  The white lap siding, green accents of the shutters and front door give it great appeal.

The rear elevation has a gable end and a shed roof extension at the main level that breaks the scale down to the landscape and adds character to the architecture. French doors lead to the rear yard that is a shady urban oasis. The brick terrace narrows to a path that leads to a gate in the wooden fence that surrounds the perimeter of the yard.  Trees and plantings break up the hardscape; chairs and a wooden picnic table with an umbrella beckon for relaxing or for sharing an al fresco meal.

The front door opens to an expanse of space with the living and dining areas in the front and the kitchen and laundry at the rear.  The living room has front and side windows and the focal point is a wood stove painted a colorful red. Beautiful hardwood floors and white kitchen cabinets maintain the spacious interior layout.  The French doors at the rear offer views to the yard and allow daylight to penetrate the space from both ends of the room. The window over the kitchen sink cabinet and the glass-fronted upper cabinets keep the compact kitchen light and airy.

Two bedrooms that are spacious master suites  and two baths make this rental easy to share. When I moved to the Shore fifteen years ago rental houses were scarce and I would have loved to find one as attractive as this one!

For more information about this property, contact Liddy Campbell with Cross Street Realtors at 410-778-3779 (o), 410-708-5433 (c) or liddy@csrealtors.com, “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.