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March 26, 2023

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

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Arts Design with Jenn Martella Spy Highlights

House of the Week:  Sherwood Old and New

March 22, 2023 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

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It was interesting to tour this house as I was an acquaintance of a former owner before it underwent its current renovation to become a licensed, successful Short Term Vacation Rental. I began my tour with a drive past beautiful century-old shade trees, including several majestic Pecan trees, flowering Plum, Pear and Magnolia. The original part of the house was a typical Eastern Shore “L” shape with a  full front hipped roof porch, turned columns and fretwork and a side hipped roof porch facing the driveway parking area. The front elevation shows clues of its Victorian style with the turned columns and pilasters at the house’s front wall, 2/2 windows surrounding the center front door and a gable at the attic level. The exterior color palette of light butter-yellow siding and corner boards, white trim and gray roofing is quite pleasing against its background of green trees and landscaping. 

I would have preferred to see an unchanged rhythm of the second floor original windows but the center window is now half its original size and the shape of the  accent window in the roof gable was changed to a small half-circle shape, set high into the gable. Since there are two other entrance foyers conveniently located at the parking area, I would remove the vestibule that projects onto the front porch, move the pair of entry French doors to the original wall, and add screening to create a wonderful outdoor room. As Mies van der Rohe once wisely said, “Less is more”.

At the rear is a story and a half addition with dormers at the parking area side and a full second floor at the other side, in deference to the massing of the original house. At the main level, the addition contains another foyer with an exterior door and a mini bar tucked between a chimney and the exterior wall. 

At the rear of the addition is a screened porch  leading to the in-ground pool surrounded by landscaping and views of the water. The deep pool surround can accommodate furnishings for both dining and relaxing on chaise lounges.

House of the Week:  Sherwood Old and New

The original part of the house contained a center staircase between two rooms, both with fireplaces on the exterior side walls. One is currently staged as a bedroom and the other as a media room with a large screen TV and built-in millwork next to the fireplace. The firebox is closed off with drywall but retains the original mantel. In all the rooms, the white walls spills onto the hardwood floors through the tall windows for sunny and bright spaces. Behind the front rooms is a foyer facing the side porch, a full bath and separate laundry. The laundry has a door to the exterior for after-pool use and a second staircase to access the upper floor for service. 

The foyer leads to another sitting room that spans the width of the addition and the triple windows on one side opposite the double windows on the other side creates a pleasant spot for quiet conversation. The pantry is notched into the room and creates  

a space below the windows that I envisioned having great potential as a cozy inglenook for a window seat, cushions and pillows opposite other chairs. 

Another foyer with new stairs are opposite the breakfast area that introduces the spacious open plan counterclockwise loop of breakfast-kitchen-dining room-covered porch-living room that clearly is the hub of the house.  

The living room has a fireplace with a rear window overlooking the lawn to the shoreline of Waterhole Cove and three side windows that flood the space with light.  The off-white furnishings and accents of the sofa pillows, the large Oriental rug and the warm wood round

The large diameter wood dining table seats eight and is centered on the pair of sliding doors to the screened porch for water views. The side wall windows are higher so a sideboard could easily be added for serving meals.  The fireplace is centered between the living and dining rooms and is a focal point for both spaces.

 

Pairs of sliding doors lead to the screened porch overlooking the pool, lawn and water.

The spacious galley kitchen has deep blue gray paneled cabinets with accents of a center butcher block island and stainless steel appliances. There is plenty of space for multiple cooks and the island has casters so it could be moved if needed. 

The upper level of the house is cleverly divided into two separate clusters of three suites so two families would have privacy. Each bedroom and bath have their own unique layout. The ensuites in the original part of the house are over the main floor bedroom and the media room, with the third over the side foyer.  Two of the ensuites have water views from the bedrooms.

The addition contains two spacious bedrooms, one next to the rear wall of the original house with a private stair to the small foyer leading to the exterior door or to the laundry so it would be a perfect owners’ suite for a B&B. 

The other is my fave ensuite with the bedroom’s long triple window overlooking the lawn, double windows at one side and a dormer at the other side for sunlight throughout the day.  Connecting these suites is a short hall past the third smaller bedroom, hall bath and storage/service area. 

The 3.94 acre property has water views across the confluence of Harris and Waterhole Creeks. Near the shoreline is a screened Crab Shack and a sandy beach for launching kayaks and canoes. Spacious rooms, including several sitting rooms to accommodate large groups, beautiful wood floors, large windows for sunlight, peaceful and private location. If you have ever dreamed of owning a waterside Vacation Rental or manage a B&B, this one’s for you!

For more information about this property, contact Tom Crouch, who supports the Spy House of the Week, with Benson and Mangold Real Estate at 410-745-0720 (o), 410-310-8916 (c) or  tcrouch@bensonandmangold.com. For more photographs and pricing, visit https://thomascrouch.bensonandmangold.com/ , “Equal Housing Opportunity”. 

Jennifer Martella is an architect with Bohl Architects’ Annapolis office and a referral agent for Meredith Fine Properties. Jennifer is an integral part of Bohl Architects’ design team for projects she brings to the firm. She is also the writer of  Bohl’s website’s  bi-monthly blog “Tango Funhouse” where she highlights the firm’s vision and other fun aspects of life by design. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday.

 

Filed Under: Design with Jenn Martella, Spy Highlights

Design With Jenn Martella: The Oaks Redux

March 15, 2023 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

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Before I moved to this area, I first learned about the Eastern Shore when Gourmet Magazine featured the Inn at Perry Cabin in the 1990’s. Savvy Washingtonians, however, have long discovered the lure of our area for weekend getaways, vacations and destination weddings less than a two hour drive from the Beltway. The steady increase of visitors has resulted in upgrades to existing accommodations to satisfy the most discriminating traveler, whether they may be a weekender or a vacationer for an extended stay. Recently I wrote about the transformation of the former Five Gables Inn into the Wildset luxury hotel in St. Michaels. Another such transformation is underway at The Oaks in the heart of Royal Oak. 

The property began its life in the late 19th century during the heyday of the ferries that brought vacationers from the Western Shore across the Chesapeake Bay to the Pasadena Inn. The Inn’s earlier frame structure is now surrounded by several renovations and alterations dating from the early 20th century. The main façade became a three and a half story building with a two-bay gable end façade that marked the main entrance, enhanced by a two-story Doric portico. A one-story portion of the building originally housed offices, restrooms and a utility room. Additions included a ballroom overlooking Oak Creek, a kitchen, and other areas to support weddings and other special events. The large waterfront deck over the ballroom is the perfect spot for dancing under the stars. 

A member of the development team, Tracy Higgs Wagner, is well known to Spy readers for my featuring two of her projects, The Snuggery and the office of Meredith Fine Properties, both of which are located in St. Michaels. The transformation of The Oaks is her most ambitious project to date. On the day of my visit, the site was a beehive of activity that was no surprise when I later learned about the extensive scope of work for the project. Exterior upgrades included revamping all landscaping including a new allee of trees along the new paved driveway and parking lot, lined with granite cobble stones; new living riprapped shoreline; new facades with Hardie plank siding, new windows and new roof. The interior upgrades were extensive as well since the entire interior spaces were gutted to the studs to accommodate new plumbing, electrical and HVAC. 

Before we went into the main building, Tracy showed me the former garage whose lower floor will now house site maintenance equipment and the upper floor will become offices and an open plan area for event planning. Windows around the walls offer a panoramic view of the facility’s amenities. 

The existing cottage at the rear corner of the site was demolished and a new, larger cottage is being built across the street for workers. This portion of the site now has three charming one-story cottages designed for wedding parties, including a honeymoon cottage;  family reunions, or other celebrations. The white board and batten siding enlivens the facades with shadows as the sun moves across the sky and three-bay front porches have water views. 

As Tracy and I were walking back toward the main building, I observed how the lobby entrance to the banquet area is being modified with a wider sidewalk to better accommodate large events. The banquet wing interlocks with the form of the main entry wing via a long corridor connecting the two areas and between the long corridor and the banquet room was a dining area. The kitchen and waterside banquet room remain the same but the wayfinding and vistas are greatly improved by converting the dining area to a bar with space for both high-top and table seating. Glazed openings at the wall to the banquet hall extend the views through the banquet hall to views of the water and another pair of entry doors facilitates access more easily. 

The long hall blends into the wing containing the main entry reception, stair hall and sitting area with a focal point of a wide fireplace at the rear wall. 

 

The developers selected Jamie Merida Interiors for the selection of finishes, furnishings and accessories based upon the firm’s work for the Talbot Country Club and other hospitality projects on the Eastern Shore. The goal of Merida’s team of designers was to capture the rich history and original elements of the inn, while bringing it up to date as a five-star property in a traditional-made-modern way. The inn will feature a fresh and light color palette in well-appointed guest room suites and brand new cottages. All of the public spaces have been completely re-imagined with soft colors, new furnishings and an elegant, yet comfortable transitional style.

The second floor plan contains seven guest ensuites and one “Presidential Suite” at the rear corner of the floor. The sitting area for the latter opens onto a private deck with bird’s eye views of Oak Creek. Five of the seven guest suites overlook the spacious “Ceremony Balcony” that is a true outdoor room, complete with a covered bar area.

The third floor contains four guest suites, one of which has its own balcony overlooking Oak Creek. My favorite space was the fourth floor managers’ suite with a full kitchen including an undercounter washer/dryer, open plan living and dining area and a bedroom ensuite. Both the living area and the bedroom have long views of Oak Creek. What a great reward this quiet suite will be after a long day of hard work!

Bravo to the design and construction team for upgrading this gem in the heart of Royal Oak so this property’s history of welcoming travelers can begin anew.

Development Group– Tracy and Scott Wagner and Andy and Quin Warner.  Main Building Architect:  Christine Dayton, www.cdaytonarchitect.com,  410-822-3130 Cottages Architect: Jonathan Rivera, www.jonathanrivera.com, 443-226-5745 Main Building GM’s: Shore Projects, Kurt Hermann, shore-projects.net, 410-690-4832 Monroy Contracting, Jimy Monroy, monroycontracting.com ,410-946-7451 GM for the Guest Cottages: Focus Construction, Robert Gearhart, focus-construction.net ,410-690-4900 Interior Design/Furnishings, Décor: Jamie Merida Interiors/Bountiful Home, Designers- Jamie Merida, Carol Wheeler, Leigh Mayhew; CAD renderings by Oras Albakry www.jamiemerida.com, 410-819-8666 Kitchen Design-Doug Stewart Droneography- David Sotiros, David@flyaerialproduction.com

Jennifer Martella is an architect with Bohl Architects’ Annapolis office and a referral agent for Meredith Fine Properties. Jennifer is an integral part of Bohl Architects’ design team for projects she brings to the firm. She is also the writer of  Bohl’s website’s  bi-monthly blog “Tango Funhouse” where she highlights the firm’s vision and other fun aspects of life by design. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday.

Filed Under: Spy Highlights

Design with Jenn Martella: Chester River Rancher Redux

March 8, 2023 by Jennifer Martella 1 Comment

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I grew up in a basement rancher so I am always intrigued by how this popular house style can be transformed. Architect John Hutchison did just that with his imaginative transformation of this one-story rancher that is now a story and a half home. This neighborhood was originally the Byford Farm where some streets are named for the Byford children, as this house’s street is. This property is located at the end of a quiet street and the rear yard gently slopes down to the Chester River. 

The original house footprint was a “T” with a double garage at the front leg and a screened porch at the back leg. Hutchison’s design for the front elevation began with eliminating overgrown shrubbery that obscured  the  front side of the garage. 

Then he addressed the roofline over the front porch that had awkwardly stepped back to allow sunlight to the foyer. Hutchison’s imaginative solution added a sloped pergola that re-establishes the roof’s eave and casts delightful shadows over the porch’s texture of the  brick walls and decking as the sun moves overhead.

 

The front door originally opened into a long foyer that was modified with an angled wall to direct your eye to a new stair with black iron railings, open risers and thick wood treads. To bring light into this windowless part of the foyer, Hutchison added windows and skylights in the new second floor’s roof to filter sunlight over the stairwell. I also admired the new hickory floors throughout the main floor.

The rear elevation of the house originally had standard windows and a screened porch for views of the water. Changing the original windows to doors and full height sidelights in the master suite, living-dining room and the side wall of the sunroom dramatically changed the elevation and increased the views of the landscape and water beyond. Hutchison then added a deck that spanned from the porch to the corner of the  floor master suite at the opposite end of the house. The deck is a true outdoor room with space for a large table for dining al-fresco and seating for relaxing Steps lead down to the lawn and the planter marks the beginning of the gravel path to the pier. 

The screened porch became a sunroom and the windows with awning units below offer panoramic views of the landscape with long views of the Chester River. It is no surprise that is has become the Owners’ favorite room. The square accent window is the first of several in the redesign.

 

The corner master suite is a serene retreat with contemporary details of the vertical plank doors and black lever hardware used throughout the house. The new rear window wall opens up to the deck that is a perfect spot for a morning coffee to start the day. The high windows lead to the bath and provide both sunlight  and privacy. Opposite the master suite is the second bedroom and hall bath. 

 

The living room, dining room and family room were originally separated by walls.  Hutchison removed the walls and created partial height storage units clad in beadboard framed with wood trim. Columns at each end bear the load and create a pleasant rhythm through the now open plan area.

Next to the family room and the end of the foyer is the kitchen.  Before this renovation began, the Owners renovated the kitchen with new white cabinets, dark brown quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances and a tile backsplash. They removed a closet door and their builder fabricated deep wood shelves with wood leftover from construction of the new stair. 

The design that transformed the massing of the house was the addition of a sumptuous master suite on a new second floor area tucked into the existing roof framing. After going up the stairs, the landing enlarged into a delightful space that could be an office nook or sitting area. Sunlight pours in from the skylights and the square accent window at the top of the side gable wall. I then walked through the doorway to the adjacent master bedroom and noticed the same detail of the square accent window was repeated at the wall separating the bedroom from the bath and the end gable wall. All of the ceilings on this floor are pitched for greater spatial volume.

The master bedroom is full of  light from the accent windows, clerestory windows over the bed and the glass doors flanking the gas fireplace.  I admired how the rear of the firebox was glass so from any spot in the room you could see the Chester River. The glass doors lead to a deep balcony tucked into the rear portion of the roof and has a retractable awning for shade when needed. Beyond the master bedroom is a short hall between closets and the bath at the end wall.

It is difficult to match pictures of the original 1970’s rancher with this imaginative transformation with finishing touches of the Owners’ woodworking pieces they created. Bravo!

John Hutchison Architecture, John Hutchison AIA, 302 Park Row, Floor One, 410-449-0466, www.johnhutcharch.com, john@johnhutcharch.com

Contractor: Yerkes Construction, (now the Rosin Creek Collaborative), 443-282-0063, www.rosincreekcollaborative.com, info@rosincreekcollaborative.com

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.

Filed Under: Design with Jenn Martella, Spy Highlights

Design with Jenn Martella: Going Dutch

March 1, 2023 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

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Several weeks ago I wrote about my search for Sears houses on the Eastern Shore and many readers emailed me with leads to other houses. My thanks to all of you for your sleuthing! Today’s feature may have been one of those houses, the “Martha Washington” design.  The house’s prominent location on a corner block in Easton’s Historic District has always caught my eye whenever I drive past it. Corner lots are prized for having more sunlight, breezes and privacy and this property has the extra advantage of a rear alley.  The Dutch Colonial details of the long shed dormer at the second floor with wide single windows centered over the entry door below flanked by double window units enhances the front elevation. The red door under the graceful curved pediment supported by brackets is the finishing touch. 

The house’s gambrel roof shape maximizes the useable square footage on the second floor and gives the house a charming cottage feel. The side street elevation is articulated with quarter circle windows at the attic level, the eave soffit that returns along the side wall to divide the two stories and the box bay that projects beyond the exterior wall. The exterior palette of white siding, window trim and door trim paired with the charcoal black roofing is classic, accented by the green of the  property’s mature landscaping.

The rear elevation overlooks a verdant oasis of hardscapes, plantings and mature shrubbery and trees including majestic evergreens and crape myrtle trees. Weathered wood fencing encloses the garden for privacy. On the day I visited, I was delighted to see a delicate purple crocus proudly proclaiming that spring will soon begin. 

As I stepped into the foyer for my tour, the “U” shaped stair was the focal point of the room with a twist-at the first landing, additional steps also lead back down to the room behind the foyer that is currently used as an office. I was also envious of the radiators for heat that when topped become an extra piece of furniture. The center hall floor plan separates the large living room on the right from  the dining room on the left. 

The living room spans the full depth of the house with pairs of double window units at the front and rear walls. The exterior wall’s wood-burning fireplace,  built-in millwork flanking the rear windows and dropped beams creates a room in which one could linger, especially in the winter by the fire. 

The single French door leads to the screened porch and I admired how the frames for the screened panels are painted black, to disappear into the landscape that surrounds this delightful outdoor room.

The dining room has a front double window and a box bay side window that projects from the exterior wall. The box bay creates an interior alcove, detailed with curved corners that frame the opening for a special piece of furniture or infilled with a window seat that would soon become the favorite spot for the family pet. 

Behind the dining room is the kitchen with a truncated “U” shape layout and the work triangle of R/F at the longer leg of the “U” and the range and sink located at the side wall. The black and white checkerboard flooring, the white cabinets and the stainless steel appliances set a neutral stage for one’s accessories to add color. I would remove the dropped soffit and replace it with upper cabinets to the underside of the ceiling that would accentuate the high ceiling and would also be a great space for storing serving pieces for holidays or other occasions. The kitchen’s spacious size could also accommodate an island.  The corner built-in millwork next to the dining room’s wall has both a closed lower cabinet and glass fronted door above for display.

The rear French door leads to an enclosed porch that could be modified for a combined breakfast area/laundry/mudroom, since the laundry is in the basement. An exterior door at the side wall leads to the sidewalk along the street which is convenient for unloading groceries from the car. 

A cased opening leads to a short hall the width of the stairwell above with a pantry tucked under the stairs and a powder room at the rear wall. Another cased opening leads to  a room that could have myriad uses and is currently used as an office.

The graceful  stair leads up the second floor with a front window in a deep alcove for sunlight to filter into the hall and foyer below.  I could easily imagine my great-great grandmother’s settee nestled into the space. Sconces on either side of the alcove are stylish “nightlights” for bedtime illumination. 

The primary bedroom is located at the front corner of the house, above the living room, so it has two windows for sunlight throughout the day. The adjacent bath has small polygonal white tiles that are perfectly scaled for the room’s size. A tall recessed cabinet is cleverly built in the wall for storage and a wide framed mirror expands the space and captures the view of the opposite window. 

There are two other bedrooms on this level. One guest room is located at the corner facing the front and side streets with an alcove the front wall created by the gambrel roof.  The other bedroom is next to it and is a suite with both a bedroom and sitting area with doors to access storage recessed into the eaves. This suite was claimed by the Owner’s daughter who loved how the sitting area gives her a bird’s eye view of the lovely garden below. It would also be a great “sleeping porch” for sleepovers.

Corner lot with mature gardens, charming Dutch Colonial architecture, outdoor rooms of screened porch and brick terrace surrounded by mature landscaping, pavers meandering through the verdant urban oasis, details from an earlier era of narrow oak flooring, spacious foyer with graceful stair, wide windows, arched alcoves created by the gambrel roof shape, fully floored attic for storage and an encapsulated basement for additional storage, all in one of the most picturesque streets in Easton’s Historic District.  It may or may not have been a Sears Roebuck house but it is a gem to me!

For more information about this property, contact Jim Bent, who helped sponsor this profile, at Benson and Mangold Real Estate, 410-770-9255 (o), 410-924-0901 (c) or jimbent@goeaston.net .For more photographs or pricing, visit www.jbent-midshorehomes.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.

Filed Under: Design with Jenn Martella

Design with Jenn Martella:  A Look at the Wildset Hotel

February 22, 2023 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

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This building at 209 N. Talbot St. in St. Michaels began its life as a schoolhouse until John S. Hambleton, a blacksmith, bought the property in 1871 and altered the building to become his residence. The Victorian style, two-story, three-bay frame house has a front porch with a gable centered over the second story middle window that breaks the eave line. Across the street from this property is the first of several houses built with brick facades from the local brickyard established in 1873. 

These four buildings were later unified to become the Five Gables Inn. A year and a half ago, sisters and native Washingtonians Allie Blain and K.C. Lager, and DC based developer and owner Mihran Erkiletian, purchased the properties and transformed the four buildings of the former Inn into a boutique hotel. They were very ably assisted by the design and construction team of architect Charles Goebel and contractor James Sebastian of Alchemyworks. On the day of my tour, General Manager Brian Ball explained the clever names for the hotel and restaurant that ground it to its location in St. Michaels. I learned that “Wildset” refers to a group of wild oysters and I realized “Ruse” is a nod to “the Town that fooled the British.” 

Before touring the buildings, I explored the site amenities that include the main house ‘s front porch, with perfect front row seats to watch the Christmas parade and the rear lawn’s firepit surrounded by Adirondack chairs that is a quiet nocturnal spot to create Smores from kits provided by the Hotel. Future plans include a pool.

Across the street, a new pergola shaped portal between two of the three buildings in the Annex frames “The Garden”, a grassy spot for morning yoga or that second cup of coffee from the Main Building’s  Sundry and Coffee Shop. Behind the portal are thick wood posts on each side connected by strings of discreet small bulbs that must cast a magic spell at twilight. The Garden ends at a paved parking area between the Annex buildings and an historic one-level outbuilding whose original use was the Milk Truck Garage. 

The building is undergoing renovation to become an event space for patrons of the Hotel or private events for a maximum number of 75 attendees. The space is open to the underside of the ceiling and sunlight will filter in from the shed dormer infilled with windows at the rear wall, the side windows three windows and a new pair of French doors at the entry. Since the rear wall of the building is located very close to the street, the windows at the rear are set high above the floor to block the views of the cars. At the front of the building, there are two entry doors, one for event patrons and another door that opens into the catering staging area. 

As I walked back to the main building for my tour, I admired how the original Inn building’s  “L” shape was seamlessly modified by the addition to the east that infilled the space with a two-story part facing N. Talbot St., set back in deference to the original three-bay building. Behind this two-story area is a one-story space. The former space contains two new guest suites and the latter is the Ruse restaurant. 

The front door opens into the reception, coffee bar and retail area with a cased opening into a hall with restrooms on the exterior wall and a delightful mural above a shiplap wainscot. 

I paused to savor the black and white mural’s kinetic design of swimsuit clad figures in various positions of movement or rest and how the scale of the artwork was prefect for the hall width. So much more creative than a row of framed artwork! I also admired the stylish white oak floors throughout the building, the accents of white shiplap walls and wainscots  and how the white trim in the public spaces becomes black along the guest room corridors. 

The hall opens into the spacious side guest entry lobby from the parking area, convenient for guest check-in. At the interior wall, double sets of single run stairs access the second floor guest suites. 

The guest entry lobby ends at a perpendicular hall to access four guest suites. Brian opened the door to the corner suite and being an admirer of Scandinavian design, I loved the room’s neutral palette and modern furnishings, including a wall of built-ins accommodating a mini fridge, low bench for suitcases, TV and stovepipe open fireplace. Shiplap wainscot covers the wall above the bed and Brian explained the colors alternate between creamy white and black for the guest rooms. This suite opens onto a deck covered by the balcony above. I made a mental note to reserve this quiet room in the fall for a quick path to the firepit for evening smores. 

Retracing our steps, Brian led me to the addition part of the building with the interior entrance next to the front reception area. A very short hall ends at Ruse Restaurant’s reception area, with an exterior door to the outdoor dining terrace. This delightful space is festooned with wood columns supporting strands of discreet small lights to match The Garden’s layout across the street. Ruse’s compact design placed both the Oyster Bar and the Full Bar at the interior walls, leaving the rest of the space for dining with rows of windows at the exterior corner walls. 

Instead of built-in banquettes, continuous custom black wood benches topped with weathered leather cushions  are placed under the window walls for transparency. I admired the other design touches of handmade ceramic pendants, the bar tops of soapstone and the oyster bar with a hand painted base. I made another mental note to meet friends soon for drinks in this charming space.

I have been in too many hotels that feature long and boring double-loaded corridors. As I climbed the stairs to the second floor, I quickly realized the circulation space is arranged in an “U”  shape with short hall lengths that are sunlit and moonlit by two skylights next to the double stairs to the main floor. Like Goldilocks, the variety of room types would encourage me to book different ones until I found the one that was “just right”; but then, all of the rooms I saw were equally appealing! Most rooms have free-standing fireplaces, private balconies or terraces and some offer luxurious soaking tubs. The front rooms in the addition have the advantage of sloped ceilings that rise from the roof eave to follow the underside of the roof rafters above. The common “thread,” so to speak, is the crisp Parachute bedding along with cozy built-in seating and baths stocked with Grown Alchemist products.

Two visionary sisters plus one developer, combined with the architect-contractor team was a very successful formula for this unique boutique hotel in the heart of St. Michaels-bravo to the entire team!

Wildset, https://thewildset.com/,  410-745-8004 Interior Design by Allie Balin and K.C. Lager Architect:  Charles Goebel, https://cpgoebel.com/, 410-820-9176. Contractor:  James Sebastian, Alchemyworks, https://www.alchemy-works.net , 410-693-9049

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Arts Lead, Arts Portal Lead, Design with Jenn Martella

Design with Jenn Martella: Urban Loft Living in Chestertown

February 15, 2023 by Jennifer Martella 1 Comment

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I have called many types of dwellings home but at this stage of my life I would welcome the experience of living downtown above a retail establishment. When the Spy’s publisher suggested I visit today’s feature, it was the perfect opportunity to highlight urban loft living and to motivate me to find my own space downtown. This loft home has unique appeal for many reasons. It occupies the entire second floor of the building that housed Chestertown’s original Fire Station. This distinctive masonry structure with its bell tower is a downtown Chestertown landmark that dates from the first decade of the 20th century. Being a history lover, I learned from one of the firemen that all the bricks for the facades were made by the Firemen themselves and that the ladder truck ran on horsepower!

The building’s five bay façade at the second floor with its 2/2 windows is further broken down at the ground floor by the entry door to the left and the two wide bays that were the original doors for the Fire Department’s two trucks. The second floor housed a banquet hall that was also used by the Firemen for meetings. After the Fire Department moved to another location, the building contained commercial uses on the ground floor. The front part of the second floor was a hair salon and the back part was an apartment.   The original five-panel transoms above the wide openings remain and the original pilasters between the bays enliven the façade.  Currently the building contains the Massoni gallery and an office suite on the ground floor. The second floor is now transformed into one spacious apartment.

The front door to the apartment opens into the foyer. The long wall of millwork facing the foyer contains books and the short side facing the front corner studio space holds art supplies for the Owner, who is an artist.  I admired how the walls above the millwork are  a grid of framing and large panes of glass that filter light into the stairwell from the windows along the front exterior wall. The interior wall opposite the stairwell is level with the top of the millwork to continue the foyer’s transparency. Several items in the foyer caught my eye that were a harbinger of more visual delights to come. Wood craftsman furnishings, the Oriental rug and a mirror made by the Owner creates a welcoming entry. It was impossible to ignore a giant pencil resting against the notched corner of the millwork and the giant compass mounted between two of the front windows. I learned these pieces were the work of the wood artisan, Vicco von Voss, whose work has graced many of my past Houses of the Week. These creations were part of Vicco’s Washington College thesis show and now grace this apartment’s stylish interior. 

The Owner had also commissioned Vicco to design the sinuous pea pod sculpture that adorns the low wall separating the studio space from the living/dining space. Above the studio floor is a grid containing track lights for better task lighting that also acts as a floating ceiling plane to define the art studio area in a room with 14 foot ceilings.

The corner sitting area is defined by a large rug over beautiful wood floors and the seating is arranged  below the long windows at the front and one side of the exterior walls. I noticed how the top of an artist’s flat file cleverly does double duty as an end table and another end table is a former apothecary cabinet. 

The open plan arrangement extends into the dining area with a focal point of two tall pilasters that encase HVAC and extend past the furred out wall that contains insulation for this exterior masonry wall. I admired the texture of the pressed tin pattern of the ceiling and the deep band of molding below the ceiling over the entire open plan area. I also liked the asymmetry of the two pilasters with the shorter one tucked under a structural beam and capped with a Corinthian column cap and the taller one being capped with egg and  Greek key moldings at the underside of the decking above. The wood trestle table and wood Windsor chairs stand out against the off-white walls. In both the living and dining areas, clear glass globe pendant light fixtures unobtrusively provide light without blocking views. 

As I rounded the corner of the dining room’s partial height wall, I was transfixed by the exquisite majestic door and frame that led to the kitchen. I turned to the Owner and inquired “Vicco?” and she nodded to confirm this masterpiece was indeed his work. The Gothic arched opening is framed in a giant’s “arms” of Knotty Pine branches that begin at a cornerstone in a darker wood and a cap of a slightly lighter wood then frame the opening with flared ends that meet the floor. The door itself was a revelation as it pivoted silently and gracefully as a ballerina with its mahogany body and  its  sinuous long handle that reminded me of a walking stick.

From the kitchen side, this stunning door in its closed position shows how the two door panels with irregular sides are joined at the top and bottom by stainless steel bands. This is the most extraordinary interior door I have ever seen! The cranberry color of the kitchen walls is the perfect backdrop for the door and the honey colored kitchen cabinetry is a warm contrast.  

At the rear of the house are two bedrooms, one of which is now an office; two baths and a walk-in closet with a stack washer/dryer. I loved the simplicity of the Craftsman style bedframe in the bedroom and the artwork over the wall is by the Owner that becomes another “window” to a winter scene of trees beyond.

I reluctantly began to end my visit by slowly retracing my steps to the front door to take one last look at the imaginative interiors that reflect the Owner’s artistic talent. Every artist’s residence I have featured has had a unique personality and this home is no exception. Art, craft, furnishings, accessories and fixtures and the stunning creations of Vicco von Voss combine in this home to create a restful retreat in the heart of downtown- my compliments to the Owner!

Vicco von Voss, www.viccovonvoss.com -prepare to be amazed!

Photograph of the Fire Hall from the publication “Chestertown, Maryland, An Inventory of Historic Sites”, based upon a historic site survey conducted by Robert Neill, Michael Bourne and Kathleen B. White, with additional survey information by Marsha Fritz, Robert J.H. Janson-La-Palme, and Peter Newlin, A publication of the Town of Chestertown, Chestertown, MD 21620 

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.

Filed Under: Spy Highlights

Design with Jenn Martella: The Architecture of John Hutchison

February 8, 2023 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

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Last year, I wrote a tribute to Peter Newlin, FAIA to celebrate his retirement by featuring several of his house designs that had been past Houses of the Week. At the end of my article, I mentioned how Peter’s legacy of his extraordinary work and his being a mentor to other architects lives on. One of them is architect John Hutchison, AIA, whose practice is located in Peter’s last project, Park Row, in Chestertown. When I was in Chestertown searching for Sears, Roebuck houses I called on John and I am delighted to feature his work today. 

Being a native Tennessean, I am always interested in what drew other “transplants” to the Eastern Shore. John’s father worked for DuPont and John was born in Luxembourg. When John was a young child, his family moved back to the US and settled in Kennett Square, PA. A few years later John’s parents bought a 33 foot sailboat that they kept on Swann Creek in Rock Hall and soon fell under the spell of the Chesapeake and the Eastern Shore. When John was thirteen, the family moved to an 18th century house on the Wye River and attended Old Wye Church, whose round window on the front façade would later become John’s firm’s logo. John soon bought a boat of his own that he christened the “Wye Whaler”, purchased a commercial crabbing license and became a commercial “trotliner” under the tutelage of the  local watermen who became his first mentors. These roots deep in the Eastern Shore, historic buildings, sailing and crabbing influenced John to become an architect and led to his design philosophy of “Elegant Simplicity”.  

Like me, John graduated from college during a recession so he decided to remain on the Eastern Shore and sent his resume to Peter Newlin. Peter was intrigued about John’s waterman experience and his hiring John  began a mentor/mentee collaboration that lasted until John returned to Philadelphia. Later John relocated to NJ and started his own firm in 2001. One of my favorite projects of his from that time is the stunning adaptive reuse of a barn. 

 Another recession occurred in 2010 but his first mentor came to the rescue. Peter contacted him about his Garfield Center for the Arts project and John rejoined Peter’s firm. Ironically, John moved to the second floor apartment of the Park Row building where his office is now located.  When work slowed down, John moved to Baltimore and worked for several firms until once again in 2014 the Eastern Shore came back into his life with a call from the contractor for the Garfield Center for the Arts Project with new work for John to re-establish his firm, John Hutchison Architecture. His logo (which has an “H” in it), is the image of the beautiful circular window on the front gable facade of Old Wye Church that was one of the buildings that inspired him to be an architect and the place where his father is laid to rest.

John is equally adept at new construction and renovation/rehabilitation projects and my favorites are:

It is no surprise that this exquisite project won an AIA award from the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the AIA.  This barn began its life as a dairy and hay barn until the 1970’s. The new Owners saw the great potential of the soaring spaces and asked for a renovation that would respect the historic components of the building with a modernistic aesthetic, while reducing the utility costs. What they received from this gifted architect must have exceeded their expectations. 

The five massive hay loft trusses acted as lateral bracing and within the space below were five separate living spaces for thermal isolation surrounding a three-story center core living area for sunlight to penetrate the spaces. The minimalist floating staircase and bridge access all levels. I especially admired the beautiful exterior wall with vertical bays defined by timber framing infilled with brick  and the selected brick interior walls.

 This barn was built in the 1800’s and had fallen into a state of disrepair when the Owners asked for a restoration of the barn to contain an event space on the main level.  An addition that would telescope down from the original barn would be a workspace for the working farm’s sunflower business. The original exterior cladding was removed and replaced with new cladding with insulation and vertical cypress siding that has weathered to a beautiful patina. The main level is flooded with light from the new curtain wall with thin mullions that infills the space between the structural framing. New sliding barn doors on one side of the building were designed and fabricated to close on the exterior side of the new steel window system that maintained the original appearance of the historic barn. 

It is difficult to match the original 1950s rancher with this imaginative transformation. A new post and beam structural system replaced the existing bearing walls and opened up the first floor plan with a new orientation toward the Chester River. A partial second floor was added within the original roof massing that respected the scale of the neighboring houses. The original house lacked outdoor spaces so a new terrace was added along the rear wall with steps down to the lawn. Existing windows were replaced with sliding doors  flanked by full height side windows in all the rooms facing the terrace for indoor/outdoor access. At the second floor, windows and sliding doors to a balcony give bird’s eye views of the landscape and water.

This seamless addition to a historic house telescopes down to a one and a half story kitchen-breakfast area then to a shed roofed mud room/laundry. The short windows below the roof eave of the addition reflect the custom of placing low windows in attics instead of windows at standard mounting heights to avoid taxation of these spaces. The new kitchen with its wood slat ceiling, brick flooring, cabinetry in the historic olive green color and the farmhouse sink create a warm and inviting space that is the new hub of the house.

This design challenge was how to fit a new second floor, including two bedroom en-suites, a family room and a stair, within the constraints of the maximum width of 10 feet allowed by the roof trusses. John was inspired by childhood memories of sailing with his father and older brothers and spending weeks in the small area below deck inspired this creative design that makes use of every possible space. Many skylights were installed both for natural light and views of Swann Creek. The new stair became more than a link between floors by flooding the first floor below with sunlight throughout the day. Spaces under the roof rafters provided open shelves or access doors for storage. 

The program for this project was a one and a half-story, Arts & Crafts home that would fit into the context of the Quaker Landing community and to include as many energy efficiency features as possible, within the confines of a narrow lot. The rectangular shaped footprint took advantage of the N-S orientation of the long side walls with wide and tall windows on the first floor below the windows in the shed dormer above that flood the interior with sunlight. The concrete floors and Trombe wall absorb the sunlight in the warm months for release in the cooler months. The deep roof overhangs work with the deciduous trees to provide shade during the summer months. 

The front door is located at the side elevation and opens into an alcove opposite the stairs between the bedroom suite at the front of the house and the open plan kitchen-living dining next to the stairs. At the rear of the house are a mud room/laundry/powder room and screened porch. Both the screened porch and the open porch off the bedroom suite are outdoor rooms that both break up the massing of the house and catch the cooling breezes.

An exciting current project for John Hutchinson Architecture is the design for The Sultana Education Foundation’s new Wetlands Preserve Classroom Building. The program calls for a one-story building with two classrooms, similar in size; one ADA restroom, utility room, kitchenette, storage, and an ADA ramp. The “outdoor classroom” deck spans across the front of the building for views through Loblolly trees to a pond. To make the cost of the new building as economical as possible, the geometry is simple with the identical volumes offset from each other to increase the size of the exterior deck with its diagonal edge facing the pond. This also reduces the overall massing of the small rural structure. The interior will have a playful feel with vaulted ceilings, accent walls of colored mosaics and the tall and wide overhead doors at each classroom that will extend the teaching outdoors to the deck. 

Construction of this project is projected to be completed by the end of this year. Other team members include Karlik Design, South Fork Studio Landscape Architects and Baker Ingram Structural Engineers.

John has given back so much to the community that has supported him.  Currently, he is the Vice Chair of the Chestertown Planning Commission, Executive Board Member of Main Street Chestertown, Chair of the Main Street Chestertown Façade Committee and is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Chesapeake Bay Chapter, as well as his past service to being on the CBAIA Executive Board and CBAIA Design Awards Chairman. I look forward to keeping up with this talented architect’s future projects!

John Hutchison Architecture, John Hutchison AIA, 302 Park Row, Floor One, 410-449-0466, www.johnhutcharch.com, john@johnhutcharch.com

 

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.

Filed Under: Design with Jenn Martella, Spy Highlights

Design with Jenn Martella: Sally’s Cottage

February 1, 2023 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

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The Bartletts were one of the founding families of Talbot County and many of their houses are included in the book “Where Land and Water Intertwine”, including this house, named after one of their descendants.  On the day I visited, I first drove between farm fields then a row of evergreens framed one side of a point of land surrounded by water on three sides; Reeds Creek, Dickinson Bay and the Choptank River. The point of land is outlined by green space and trees, infilled with farmland surrounding this 3.446 acre +/-site waterfront that fronts Reeds Creek. Walking around the site, I admired the long and broad vistas to the opposite shore of the Choptank River. The only sound were the geese who were nestled in the grass for relaxation before they would take flight for feeding. The peace and quiet lulled me into forgetting I had traveled only a short distance from the highway.

 

The one and a half story, four bay house is sited parallel to the Choptank so the rear walls of all rooms face south. Before the realtor arrived, I walked around this meticulously maintained house and admired the classic exterior palette of a reddish brick exposed foundation, white wood lap siding, black shutters and brick chimneys painted white. The wood shake roofing, low slope copper roofing over the screened porch, copper gutters and downspouts had weathered to a dark patina. Like houses of the 19th century, the kitchen wing of the house telescopes down to break the elongated form of the house and extends past the front of the house to further break the massing. Views from the front porch and stone terrace to the pier at Reeds Creek are framed by a mature Sycamore tree and an allee of other mature trees. 

The parking area is located next to the kitchen wing so I began my tour in the spacious eat-in kitchen. The large working wood fireplace has the original iron swing and hook holding an iron pot that was used for cooking. The kitchen could easily be updated with replacing the knotty-pine cabinet doors with new doors, hardware and countertop and the neutral sheet vinyl flooring is easy care. Off the kitchen is a utility/laundry room and a half bath.

Pix #4

 

A cased wall opening leads to the dining room that spans the depth of the house with windows aligned opposite each other for ventilation and long views to the water. The Queen Anne style wood table, eight chairs, wood china hutch and rattan drinks cart sets the scene for family meals or entertaining friends. The beautiful pine flooring flows through the rest of the rooms. 

Another cased opening leads to the spacious living room with the front door aligned with the rear door leading to the screened porch. Windows on both the front and rear walls of the living room offer views of the landscape and I liked how the bottom mount translucent shades cover just the lower portion of the double-hung windows to provide both seated privacy and sunlight during the day. The seating is grouped around both the wood-burning fireplace and the cabinet containing the TV. The stairs to

 

It was easy to linger in the long screened porch that accesses both the living room and the main floor bedroom suite. One of my architectural pet peeves are narrow porches that masquerade as sitting areas with chairs aligned along one wall instead of arranged for conversation. This porch’s width accommodate seating and space for walking around chairs. On this sunny day, the beautiful mahogany flooring absorbed the warmth of the sun. 

The main floor bedroom suite spans the depth of the house with two windows at the front and the door to the screened porch. The bedroom has another fireplace at the exterior wall flanked by windows. I love quilts and this bedroom’s arched black iron bedframe, white bed skirt and the multi-colored pattern of squares infilled with whirligigs was charming. The rattan chaise with cushions beneath the front windows doubles as a reading area or a spot to relax in front of the TV before retiring.

The main floor bath has white finishes and tile flooring set on the diagonal to stretch the space. The monochromatic color scheme is the backdrop for the bright yellow/orange hutch that has a new life as a lavatory with open shelves next to the mirror for daily toiletries-a very clever design touch!

The second floor hall is located at the front of the house, giving the two bedrooms, bath and sitting room south facing windows. Both the bedroom over the main floor bedroom and the cozy sitting room have fireplaces. All of the rooms have delightful interior architecture from being tucked under the roof rafters and single dormer windows. 

The sitting room sofa’s bright apricot upholstery, rattan ottomans for resting one’s feet in front of the fire, multicolored striped rug and the black secretary creates a cozy space for relaxation. The model of the house that graces the mantel of the fireplace is a lovely decorative touch and I wondered if it had been a school project for a young person who had once lived here. 

I love quilts and I treasure the ones I have that were made by my grandmother and great-great grandmother. The beds in both of this house’s bedrooms are covered by quilts that become the focal points in each room.  Two twin beds have quilts in a diamond pattern of white, accented by green on one bed and red on the other, with arched black iron headboards. The other bedroom’s double bed has quilted multicolored stripes. I admired the lack of trim around the dormer windows which accentuated the shape of the dormer window. The twin bedroom is connected to an unfinished space over the kitchen below for general storage. 

Peace and tranquility in a rural setting with a pier to Reeds Creek, deed restriction to prohibit hunting on the property, charming historic architecture including the original Pump House, one-level living with guest rooms above, sunny rooms, five fireplaces, original pine floors, front porch facing Reeds Creek and screened porch facing the Choptank River; the perfect menu for an irresistible cottage home!

For more information about this property, contact Jane McCarthy, who kindly donated to the Spy,  at Benson and Mangold Real Estate, 410-822-1415 (o), 410-310-6692 (c) or jmccarthy310@gmail.com .For more photographs or pricing, visit  www.marylandseasternshorehomes.com ,  “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by Janelle Stroop, janelle@thruthelensphotos.com, 410-310-6838

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.

Filed Under: Design with Jenn Martella, Top Story

Design with Jenn Martella: Searching for Sears, Roebuck Houses on the Eastern Shore

January 25, 2023 by Jennifer Martella 6 Comments

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After the end of World War I, America became the world’s greatest economic power. The dam of pent-up consumer buying during the war years burst and riding the wave of economic prosperity was Sears, Roebuck and Co., “The World’s Greatest Store”. Whatever product consumers wanted for their homes, Sears, Roebuck’s goal was to provide it, including for a short time, automobiles! Since Sears provided products for the home, their natural next step was to provide customers with prefabricated homes. Sears, Roebuck offered plans and materials to complete a home from designs included in five series from 1908 to 1940 that totaled 447 house plans. 

The legacy of the Sears, Roebuck houses lives on and one day I discovered an exquisite  Sears, Roebuck bungalow that is now the Publications House for Washington College. Houses are quite adaptable for office use; living rooms become reception and administration uses, dining rooms become conference spaces and bedrooms become single or dual workspaces, kitchens become break rooms. I loved the earth toned colors of the deep mocha shake siding, creamy white trim and the river rock used for the porch’s half wood, half river rock columns and how the river rock continued along the sides of the steps to the porch. Most of the Sears bungalows included in the 1926 Catalog had full front porches but this house’s porch wraps around the one corner of the house to take full advantage of its corner site. The publication “Chestertown Maryland: An Inventory of Historic Sites”  lists this bungalow as being the first Sears, Roebuck house built in Chestertown. 

Seeing this exquisite bungalow on its prominent corner location piqued my interest in the Sears, Roebuck houses. I began my research with the Chestertown and Easton libraries, the Maryland Room at the Easton Library, and the Talbot County Historical Society.  Unfortunately, to date, no compilation of the Sears’ houses exists. To learn more about the Sears houses, I purchased  “The Small House of the Twenties”; The Sears, Roebuck 1926 House Catalog”, that contained 71 designs from 1921-1926. The architectural styles featured in this series are American Four-Square, Cottage and Craftsman Bungalow with the only Spanish style house, “The Alhambra’, on the cover.

Perusing through the seventy-two house designs with floor plans, descriptions, interior renderings and an rendering of the house from a street,  I recognized several house styles that could had been built, or inspired by, Sears house designs in Easton and St. Michaels’ Historic Districts. Houses change over time and multiple owners; single pane windows and storm windows may have been replaced with insulated units and perhaps window styles may have been changed from casement to double-hung or additions made to the original house. The Talbot County Historic Society found this house for me that originally could have been “The Tarryton” design with a later addition to the right side.

I received another tip from a former member of Easton’s Historic District Commission who told me that the owner of the house to the left of the photograph below had been told her new home was a Sears design.  This is very probable since it closely resembles “The Olivia” design and is located across the street from the former railroad tracks that would have transported the house components via the railroad. Like the best streetscapes, this pair of houses are identical in layout and shake siding but their differences define their individual personalities. One house’s front porch is screened and the other is open to the roof rafters with a cross beam defining its Craftsman style. One house’s shake siding is painted and the other is stained. Both houses have porch steps at the front of the house to suit the urban sized lot.

Armed with the Sears, Roebuck 1926 Catalog to guide my search, I drove around Easton’s Historic District to study the streetscapes for Sears houses. To my knowledge, no houses I found during my driving tour are actual Sears houses but the similarities are striking.

The Dutch Colonial:

Design with Jenn Martella: Searching for Sears, Roebuck Houses on the Eastern Shore

This Dutch Colonial is very similar to the Sears Roebuck design “The Martha Washington” 

The American Four Square:

This house and many other American Four-Squares in Easton’s Historic District, resemble Sears’ “The Rockford”. This house reverses the floor plan of the Sears’ version and changes window sizes on the  second floor and the attic level. The full brick columns become half brick, half wood for a Craftsman flair.  I admired this house’s wood railing that breaks up the brick and gives a more open feeling to the porch. 

Are you wondering if your house is a Sears House? Several clues might remain, such as stamped lumber exposed in your basement or attic. Framing members were stamped with a number and a letter to expedite the carpenters’ work. Other clues would be a shipping label, found on the back of molding around door and windows and in the 1930’s, hardware fixtures often had a small circle around the letters “SR” that would have been cast into the lower corner of a bathtub or the underside of kitchen sinks or bath lavatories.  

Another hindrance to verification of  homes built from Sears Roebuck designs is that during a corporate house cleaning records of home sales were destroyed. In addition, other companies offering prefabricated homes often copied designs from each other, so there are similarities among the various models from different manufacturers. I love scavenger hunts and want to continue my photographic documentation of possible Sears, Roebuck houses. If you own a home that was a Sears design, please contact me at jenn@spycommunitymedia.org so I can begin to document these homes. Stay Tuned!

Many Thanks to the Librarians in Easton and Chestertown, The Maryland Room and the Talbot County Historical Society for their assistance.

“The Small House of the Twenties”; The Sears, Roebuck 1926 House Catalog”, An Unabridged Reprint, Sears, Roebuck and Co., A Joint Publication of The Athenaeum of Philadelphia and  Dover Publications, Garden City, New York.

“Chestertown, Maryland, An Inventory of Historic Sites”, based upon an historic survey conducted by Robert McNeill, Michael Bourne and Kathleen B. White, with additional survey information by Marsha Fritz, Robert J.H. Janson-La Palme and Peter Newlin, FAIA

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.

Filed Under: Design with Jenn Martella, Spy Highlights

Design with Jenn Martella: Mowbray Chapel Redux

January 18, 2023 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

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Since I began writing about houses, it has been a special pleasure to find homes that had previous lives as other uses. One featured house in Talbot County had been a deconsecrated church so I was intrigued to discover today’s Kent County feature, the former Mowbray Chapel that has been stylishly renovated as weekend get-away or event venue. Mowbray Chapel began its life in 1865 when the Methodist Episcopal Church bought the 3.22 acre site and built Walton Chapel. Its short life may have ended in 1889 when the building caught fire and was destroyed. Pastor W. R. Mowbray was undeterred and the chapel that now bears his name was rebuilt a year later. Mowbray Chapel’s ministry soon extended to the community of Cliff City and neighboring farms and became a center of not only religious but also social activity.

As the Shaker song said, “Tis the gift to be simple..” and Mowbray Chapel’s simple one-story, pitched roofed rectangular building is articulated with earth toned brick facades laid in common bond with pilasters at the corners of the main entry at the northern gable and the sanctuary that projected slightly beyond the southern gable. The blue accent color was chosen for the  gables, main roof and cupola. Both side elevations have three bays, separated by pilasters with the walls infilled by wide and tall 12/12 double-hung windows that flood the interior with sunlight. The front entry is detailed with a granite sill and step leading to the double paneled doors painted slate blue flanked by half glass, half paneled sidelights, eleven light full transom with a molded bar, with white pilasters below the architrave. 

Over the years, as Mowbray Chapel’s congregation dwindled, the building was eventually abandoned and began its slow decline until 1963 when the property was sold. A new roof was added and some minimal repairs were made to slow down further deterioration. The final chapter in this unique property that is one of the few authentic Greek Revival structures in Kent County began in 2017 when new Owners fell under its spell and began its transformation into the gem it is today. 

They left the exterior as-is but saw great potential in the large open space with high ceilings, exposed brick walls with bands of accent colored brick, sunlight streaming through the wide and tall multi-paned 12/12 windows onto the beautiful wood floors. In one front corner they added a full bath and laundry and left the rest of the space open so furniture could be easily arranged and added the Murphy bed. Dark trim around the doors and large windows and a fully equipped kitchen completed the look for their new weekend getaway/event venue. 

The floor plan is a perfect blend of open plan living-dining-kitchen areas with enclosed service spaces of bath and laundry. Even small houses need a sense of entry and the front doors open into a compact foyer with a coat closet and alcove for a small chest. To the right of the doors is the “U” shaped kitchen with the sink below the wide and tall window. The light countertop contrasts with the deep gray-green cabinetry and one countertop leg of the “U” is widened for bar stools. To the left of the foyer is the full bath and sliding doors to the laundry space. 

As you move past the kitchen the space feels like an urban loft that ends in a vista to the former Chapel sanctuary which is now another kind of sanctuary as a cozy sitting area with side windows. My only suggestion would be to add windows at the rear wall of the sanctuary for wrap around windows to maximize views to the woods. 

In the open space, I loved how only the lower windowpanes are covered by paneled shutters for seated and standing privacy that allows sunlight to penetrate deep into the interior spaces through the upper windowpanes with their detail of an arched muntins at the top row. The headers of the majestic windows are just below the ceiling height that accentuate the height of the space’s volume. 

My first studio apartment had a Murphy bed and they are a great solution for a small space and against the rear wall next to the former sanctuary is a Murphy bed for overnight stays. In homage to the original use of the building, there is a long former church pew along the side wall for extra seating across from the seating area grouped around the wood stove. The dining table accommodates six or more people or could become a buffet table for large gatherings. The neutral colors of the upholstered and wood furniture against the backdrop of the interior brick walls creates a warm and inviting environment. After seeing this fantastic space, I made a mental note to book Mowbray Chapel for a fall weekend to explore the walking trail that meanders through the 3.22 wooded acreage and to later enjoy the peace and quiet over dinner with friends.

Mowbray Chapel can easily host private cocktail parties, dinners, art or product showings, photography sessions and your own special events. Amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, bottled water, coffee and juice; linens, towels and plush bathrobes and Aveda botanical bath products. 

The property is for sale, but hopefully new owners will continue to host guests. To book your getaway, visit https://mowbraychapel.com/ .

For more information about this property, contact Chris McClary, who helped sponsored this  article with Gunther McClary Real Estate at 410-275-2118 (o), 410-708-2614 (c) or mcclary21@hotmail.com. For more pictures and pricing, visit https://gunthermcclary.com/ ,  “Equal Housing Opportunity.”  Photography by Stephen Buchanan, steve@buchananphotography.com.

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.

Filed Under: Design with Jenn Martella, Spy Highlights

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