To visit today’s featured house, I drove along a single loaded road lined with marshes against a backdrop of dense mature trees on one side and driveways discretely leading to only seven houses nestled in the verdant landscape. After parking my car, I walked along a curved walkway of large stones edged in brick next to low shrubbery, liriope and Russian sage. Before I went up the steps to the front porch, I paused to savor the quiet and the privacy due to the groups of dense trees and mature landscaping that surround the property. 

The house is set back far from the road and its shoreline along the quiet waters of Boone Creek has a dock with a boat lift for launching one’s boat for a day on the Choptank or Tred Avon Rivers. 

 

 

The house is nestled into its site on a slight rise and I admired the very pleasing massing of the house with its multiple gables, pitched and shed roofs, the main two-story wing, the garage’s story and a half wing and the front porch that wraps around the two-story gable projection. The light sage green lap siding, light plum shutters and the gray/brown tones of the roofing are the finishing touches to this property’s great curb appeal. 

 

The exterior materials on the house and the porch are low maintenance. Giant crape myrtles and other landscaping enhance the house without blocking the views of the property from the porch. All the porch needs are rocking chairs to enjoy the long view across the deep front lawn to the marshland across the road.

 

The rear elevation opens up to the water with a screened porch behind the garage wing, triple windows at the breakfast room, pairs of sliding doors at the family room and a two wide and long windows at the primary suite.  I especially liked the second floor’s small accent windows that I later discovered on my tour of the house’s interior cast sunlight into a hall to the bedrooms on the second floor.

The spacious brick terrace’s graceful arc reaches out to the expansive rear lawn to create a delightful outdoor room for relaxing with family or friends. Steps leading to the screened porch and sliding doors to the family room create easy indoor-outdoor flow.

 

From the terrace, the deep rear yard ends at the shoreline of Boone Creek and a pier for launching a boat for an afternoon on the water. The houses across the Creek are hidden by trees to create a peaceful view from this house’s terrace.

The front door opens into the foyer with the “L” shaped stairs to the second floor ending at an overlook to the foyer from the hall above. Daylight streams into the foyer from the side window and the upper hall’s high windows. When I admired the beautiful flooring that flows through the house, the Owner explained its provenance. When they lived in New Jersey, two storms in the 1990’s took down various trees on their property. The Owners had the trees cut down into lengths for flooring that now enhances this house with ash, locust, sycamore and white oak flooring! 

 

The foyer’s clear vista through to the rear wall of the spacious family room, the landscape and water beyond  beckoned me to explore that room first.  The focal point of the room is the exquisite custom made fireplace surround with mixed colors and grains of woods, double doors to conceal the TV and single doors to contain DVD’s, etc. On either side of the fireplace, pairs of sliding doors leads to steps down to the terrace. Since the family room is a single story room, the sloped ceiling follows the underside of the roof rafters to add volume to the space and to reflect the light.

The large dining room is located between the foyer and the kitchen. I admired the mix of antiques and more recent pieces and I especially liked the design of the chairs and the oak sideboard with the mirror and the upper shelf supports. The wide and long windows overlook the front yard and break up the deep teal wainscot that inspired the choices of artwork.

The large kitchen’s arrangement of an “L” with an island and another row of cabinetry has ample work and storage space. Most of the upper cabinets have glass fronts for transparency. The neutral colored cabinets, stainless steel appliances and the accent of the island’s dark finish set the stage for cooking with family and friends.  

The long island provides more prep space and accommodates both stools and chairs for informal meals. The wide wall opening is open to the adjacent breakfast room and the door in the corner of the room leads both to a large pantry/mud room and the two-car garage. 

 

I loved the bright apricot color of the charming breakfast room’s walls, the lovely oval table and chairs with spindle backs anchored by the large rug. To me, this would be a perfect dining room with its large triple window for views of the landscape and water beyond. The French door leads to the screened porch for warm weather dining.

I am writing this article on my narrow screened porch and I envied this delightful outdoor room’s width that easily accommodate both seating and dining areas overlooking the lawn and the water.

 

The corner of the screened porch has a panoramic view of the landscaping through the wide and tall screened panels. How easy  it would be to sink into one of the cushioned rattan chairs to read a book on a Sunday afternoon!

The original living room was converted into a spacious primary bedroom with two windows at the front wall and the triple window unit at the rear wall bringing in abundant sunlight and views.

The large primary bath has space for both the dual lavatory wood cabinet and a chest of drawers. The side wall of the bath contains the toilet and tub/shower unit. The dual lavatory cabinet has shared drawers for storage and surface mounted mirrored medicine cabinets. The pair of doors leads to the large walk-in closet.

If I were a lucky guest, I would claim this charming bedroom with its gambrel shaped ceiling formed by the gable wall. The light pink walls, patterned rug, wood post bedframe, white coverlet and quilt, along the wood accents of the bedframe, chair and table and the wood armoire create a serene space for sleeping. This bedroom shares a hall bath with the other three bedrooms, one of which is currently used as an office but it could also be a great playroom for children or teen gathering space.

 

Another guest room is an ensuite with light aqua walls, wood furnishings and quilt whose colorful pattern picks up the colors in the Oriental rug. The two windows overlook the front lawn for a bird’s eye view of the house’s pastoral setting.

Great location on tranquil Boone Creek leading to the Tred Avon and Choptank Rivers and Oxford’s many amenities. Deep lot surrounded by woods and enhanced by mature, meticulously maintained landscaping and outdoor rooms of the front porch, rear screened porch and terrace for easy indoor-outdoor flow among rooms. Main floor primary ensuite, five total bedrooms and three and a half baths; beautiful wood floors, ceiling heights that vary from flat to sloped to gambrel shapes. The two-car garage has stairway access to storage above and there is a Bilco door to access the concrete floored crawl space underneath the house.  If one wanted both a main floor ensuite and a living room in addition to the waterside family room, the charming breakfast room could become the dining room and the dining room could become the living room. 

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For more information about this property, contact Henry Hale with Benson  Mangold Real Estate at 410-226-0111 (o),  410-829-3777 (c) or [email protected].  For more pictures and pricing, visit www.henryhale.bensonandmangold.com , “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by Janelle Stroop, Thru the Lens, 410-310-6838, [email protected].       

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Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished 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 afternoons.

It is always a pleasure to feature a property that I know well.  I have enjoyed  attending parties and other events at “Dunrovin”, hosted by the gracious and fun couple who have become treasured friends. This property combines the best of both worlds; privacy in a pastoral setting of a small neighborhood with large lots, with the convenience of being minutes away from the airport, Highway 50 or Easton’s amenities. 

The 11-acre site is bordered by the tree-lined entry road to the neighborhood and thick woods at the rear of the property. The meandering gravel driveway leads up to guest parking spaces, continues past a fenced flower garden to end at the side entry garage. The white Colonial/Cape Cod style house stands out against its backdrop of mature trees and large expanse of meticulously cared for lawns. In the distance, the two-stall horse barn and white fencing reinforces the Eastern Shore vernacular of this special place.

The wings of the multi-gabled house are offset and the end gable garage wing overlooks a large paved area for additional parking. At the edge of the paving is a small outbuilding that once was the domain of previous Owners’ dogs. With the fenced kitchen garden next to it, the building would also be a gardener’s dream potting shed. Next to the outbuilding is a cleared sunny area that would be perfect for a pool. I could well imagine a terrace with a pergola covered in wisteria or other flowering vines to provide shade for swimmers, after a dip in the pool, to relax and enjoy the long pastoral vista to the barn. 

The horse barn contains everything an equestrian would require-a spacious and finished tack room, turnouts, wash stall, hayloft with a pull-down stair and a reverse osmosis water system. The large fenced pastures provide ample grazing and room for horses to roam. If one is not equestrian inclined, the barn could become a great workshop or artist’s studio. 

Multiple gables of the house telescope down to break up the massing with the last gable of the garage facing forward for additional architectural interest. The symmetry of the main wing’s centered entry door between pairs of long and wide windows below single dormer windows is classic and the light aqua door represents growth and strength in Feng Shui. The offset in the wings creates a kitchen garden with an exterior door to the secondary entry leading to the kitchen.

The side of the house reveals my fave room, the spacious porch that spans across the rear of the main wing. It is a delightful outdoor room in late fall evenings for conversation by the warmth of the fire.

In summer, the porch is shaded by pairs of towering crape myrtles  that flank a paved path from the porch to a terrace. Recently, I sat on the terrace with my friends in late afternoon and savored both the waning sunlight and the refreshing breeze filtering through the crape myrtles.  

The free-standing brick fireplace floats above the side edge of the spacious porch and the height of the porch above the ground gives a bird’s eye perspective view to the hardscape terrace enveloped by its canopy of trees and  borders of manicured boxwood and shade loving hostas. 

Over time, the branches of the four trees planted at the corners of the space have grown toward each other to become a canopy of foliage. The hardscape mix of both pebbles and smooth stone pavers and the grouping of rattan chairs and table creates a wonderful open space for relaxing with family and friends while enjoying the pastoral views.

The front door opens to a spacious foyer with vistas to the dining room and the living room’s wall of windows to the porch and landscape beyond. Wall openings of different sizes frame views of the contemporary furnishings and outstanding artwork collection that stand out against the neutral colored walls. The absence of rugs enable the wood floors to flow through the house without interruption and make the spaces seem larger. 

The curves of the round coffee table  and the sofa set on a diagonal are a soft counterpoint to the angles of the room. The neutral colors enable the black grand piano with its background of artwork to be the focal point of the sitting area.

The living room’s built-in lighted millwork displays some of the Owners’ collection of ceramics and sculpture. Next to the millwork is the main stair to the second floor. The window wall of paired doors and transoms open up the room to the porch and landscape beyond and the walled opening behind the piano leads to the open plan kitchen-family room.

The gourmet kitchen arrangement has my fave “L” and island layout, and the lower counter at the end of the island is the perfect spot for breakfast. The neutral palette of the white cabinetry, quartz countertops, and stainless steel appliances is very pleasing and the cooktop, double ovens and wine fridge make entertaining easy.

Beyond the kitchen is a large secondary foyer with brick flooring that is convenient for caterers to service large parties. At the end of the foyer is a full bath, a door to the garage and stairs to the office area above the garage.

Behind the kitchen is a convenient multi-purpose room containing  a workspace, pantry and laundry.

 

Opposite the kitchen is the cozy sitting room with the pair of glass doors to the porch and the single windows between the fireplace offering panoramic views of the landscape . The large multicolored Oriental rug defines the seating area with deep and comfortable chairs and sofa for settling in for an evening of watching TV. 

The sumptuous primary suite spans the full depth of the house with the bedroom’s wall of doors and windows next to the porch. The light blue walls punctuated by the white plantation shutters create a restful retreat, accented by the large Oriental rug in deep colors and the artwork over the bed.

I coveted the primary dressing room with ample hanging space, open shelving  and the island cabinetry for storage. Since the couple travel frequently, the countertop over the cabinetry is the perfect space for laying down one’s suitcase to pack or unpack.

The focal point of the large primary bath is the large window for sunlight to filter through the glass block pattern for maximum privacy  and the front glass wall of the shower continues the transparency.  Opposite the shower are dual lavatories and a toilet compartment.

Many houses have rooms that could be offices or bedrooms but this office that is located above the garage is a “corner” office fit for an executive. The spacious room contains both a workspace with Barcelona chairs as well as a large sitting area for informal meetings. Windows at the front and rear gable walls and two dormer windows on either side of the fireplace bring sunlight in throughout the day.  Part of the high knee wall is covered in white wainscoting around the fireplace to break up the blue expanse and reflect the light.  

The rest of the second floor contains two additional bedrooms with a Jack-and-Jill bath and a large climate-controlled room.  

This exquisite property offers an ideal location close to the airport, Route 50 and the amenities of Easton with the privacy and tranquility of eleven acres in a small neighborhood of large lots. Classic and very appealing Cape Cod architecture, great floor plan with minimal halls for easy flow among rooms and outdoor spaces of the covered porch and hardscaped terrace; main floor with a sumptuous primary suite, second floor with two guest rooms and a spacious executive office. For the garden enthusiast there is both a flower garden and an herb garden with shed. The two-stall horse barn with fenced pasture would please any equestrian but it also offers myriad other uses such as a workshop, artist’s studio, etc. A great home for a family! 

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For more information about this property, contact Monica Penwell, Realtor with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty at 410-745-2596 (o), 410- 310-0225 (c), or [email protected] . For more pictures and pricing, visit monicapenwell.sothebysrealty.com “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Eve Fishell, Chesapeake Pro Photo LLC, 443-786-8025, www.chesapeakeprophoto.com, [email protected]

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Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished 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 afternoons.

It is hard for me to believe, but today marks the eighth anniversary of the debut of House of the Week. I chose August 29th to honor my mother, who had wanted to be an architect. She encouraged my interest in art and design and lived vicariously through my choice of profession culminating in her visiting me in my own architectural firm in Knoxville, TN. 

 

 

Like the first HOTW, today’s feature’s architectural style is another homage to a bungalow, one of my fave house styles.  The three-bay, story-and-a-half house with a sunroom on one side combines the “jerkinhead” roof profile (gable roof with hipped and truncated ends) with a graceful Georgian Revival portico over the front door. I loved the exquisite symmetry of the main wing and the portico’s detailing with its columns, articulated beams, moldings, curved ceiling, fanlight transom and sidelights-sheer perfection!

 

 

The wide brick porch spans across the length of the house and the color palette of the red brick of the exposed foundation wall, porch, chimney, sidewalk and driveway, the large 9/1 windows, white lap siding and trim, along with massing and landscaping create great curb appeal. The location in the West End of Cambridge’s Historic District is also quite appealing- just three blocks to the Choptank River and five blocks to the heart of Downtown.  

 

 

The brick driveway ends at concrete paving in front of the two-car garage. An exterior door leads to the full basement with windows for daylighting the four rooms of utility areas and storage. Brick steps lead up to the family room that was probably an addition. This was confirmed when I later saw a recessed space the size of the house’s windows in the wall of the bedroom next to the family room. The space now has a clever use as built-in shelving. 

 

 

Between the house and the garage, the concrete paving extends beyond the edge of the garage to create a sitting/dining area framing the view of the fenced rear yard’s landscaping.

 

 

The white fencing adds an accent color and texture with its vertical boards and lattice that stands out against the green backdrop of mature trees and shrubbery.  One can relax on the bench under the shade of the giant trees, settle into one of the Adirondack chairs to bask in the sun or enjoy al-fresco seasonal meals on the terrace.

 

 

The side yard’s planting bed is edged in brick, and the blue umbrella over the entrance to the chicken coop and the majestic crape myrtle add splashes of color. The cozy sunroom’s wrap-around windows offer panaromic views of the landscape.

 

 

The front door opens into the living room with arched openings on the side walls aligned in both the adjacent sitting room and the sunroom. I noted how the mirror on the wall catches the image of the sunroom’s arched opening and windows. The soothing light aqua walls, deeper blue swag window treatments, wood floors, and the large double unit window create a warm and inviting room. I always enjoyed my past homes that had covers over the radiant heating units became a piece of furniture as they do here. 

 

 

The cozy sunroom is a combination music room, office area, and mini conservatory with a Queen Anne table and chair for working on a laptop. Pots of flowers on top of the radiator cover add seasonal color. 

 

 

My fave room is the sitting room adjacent to the living room that continues the living room’s interior design of aqua walls, wood floor and swag window treatments. The large double-unit window adds ample sunlight and the wood-burning fireplace is the focal point, on axis with the arched openings in the living room and the sunroom walls. The soft colors of the upholstered pieces and the subtle colors of the rug encourage putting one’s feet up on the ottoman to binge watch TV by the warmth of the fire on a winter’s day. 

 

 

Another arched opening frames the dining room view from the sitting room. The dining room has a Chippendale theme from the chairs and table that are centered in the room and the detail of the corner built-in cabinet tops. The red pattern of the window treatment and the table runner add colorful accents to  this elegant room.

 

 

The kitchen’s bold, bright blue and white color scheme is quite appealing. I especially liked the detailing of the island’s end panel, the geometric blue and white wallpaper and the backlighted glass doors of the free-standing upper cabinets that add a layer of transparency. The white surfaces of the cabinetry, countertops and the stainless steel appliances stand out against the wood floors.  Another arched opening to the rear nook might have been an original breakfast area but is now the domain of the family pet, located conveniently next to the steps down to the exterior door to the patio and yard. The slim pair of French doors with fabric covering hide the pantry shelves.

 

 

From the front door, there is a direct line of sight down a double loaded hall past the dining room and kitchen on one side opposite two bedrooms and a bath. The vista ends at a pair of French doors to the family room overlooking the rear yard’s landscaping. The picture molding offers flexibility for hanging artwork and the colorful and casual furnishings set the scene for a relaxing evening. At the other side of the room are the stairs to the second floor.

 

 

Even though there is a primary suite on the second floor, this bedroom on the main floor appeals to me more for its triple unit window overlooking the side yard, beautiful wood floors, Craftsman style wood headboard and the neutral color scheme. 

 

 

The bonus of sleeping on the first floor is this exquisite bath with white trimmed wainscot, light blue and white wallpaper, white vanity top and tiled shower with a deep recessed shelf, and the pattern of the black and white tile flooring that is perfectly scaled to the room’s size.  I especially liked how the lovely framed mirror reflects the artwork on the opposite wall.

 

 

The stairs to the second-floor end at an enlarged landing that could become an office area. One door off the hall leads to a long cedar-lined closet opposite the door to the hall bath. The hall ends at two bedrooms that are almost identical in size. Both have double-unit windows in the side gable walls of the house.This spacious primary bedroom has high knee walls that easily accommodate a bed’s headboard. 

The street on which this house is located has a rich history; the property is one part of the original fifty-three acres of Oakley Farm purchased by William Hopkins in 1878. Hopkins and his son W.D. Hopkins either sold or gifted almost all of the fifty-three acres over the next forty years. This charming house was built in the late 1920’s for R. Leland Insley on two parcels purchased from the daughters of W.D. Hopkins.  

Great location and curb appeal, charming architectural style, large windows for abundant sunshine, original details of many graceful arched openings, moldings, and millwork that have been thoughtfully preserved during updates to the house, outdoor rooms of the full front porch and the concrete terrace and fenced rear yard all create a charming property that is move-in ready-– just three blocks to the Choptank River and five blocks to the heart of Downtown Cambridge. Bravo to the Owners for their vision and interior design!

Once again, many thanks to the Owners and Realtors who have enabled me to feature such exquisite properties as this one over the past year; I am also very grateful to my readers!

 

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For more information about this property, contact Gary Marquardt at Long and Foster Real Estate Company at 410-820-7707 (o), 410-725-6238 (c) or [email protected] , “Equal Housing Opportunity”. 

Photography by Eve Fishell, Chesapeake Pro Photo LLC, 443-786-8025, www.chesapeakeprophoto.com, [email protected].

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Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved 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.

Aurora Street in Easton’s Historic District is a treasure trove for me when I am seeking a House of the Week. I drive along the street frequently and make mental notes of properties I hope to feature, so I was very pleased when I saw this house listed in the MLS. Three of the houses I have called home were either Craftsman or American Four-Squares, and this house combines the best characteristics of both styles- compact square floor plan with minimal halls that maximizes room sizes; usually four rooms/floor; full front porch; symmetry of the front door and window arrangement; shed dormers and shake siding. Add a highly desirable corner lot, mature trees, shrubbery for privacy, nearby Idlewild Park and you have the definition of curb appeal!

The three-bay front porch creates a wonderful cozy enclosure with the multicolored striped fabric awning for privacy from the street. The corner supports, beam and walls clad in light gray/green shake siding, paired with the white railing, large columns, ceiling and trim, creates an outdoor sitting room for relaxation and interaction with neighbors.   

 

On the day of my tour, I walked up five brick steps to reach the front porch and appreciated the privacy the floor height allows. The depth of the front porch provides ample space for chairs and circulation, unlike newer houses I have seen with shallow porches that make passing someone who is seated rather challenging. I especially liked the vertical muntins on the upper panes of the double-hung windows and the stylish iron container for firewood that is positioned for quick access to the living room’s fireplace. 

The front door opens into a spacious foyer because the stairs are located at the side exterior wall. The beautiful wood floors and soft yellow walls accented with white trim flow between the foyer and the living room. The foyer’s antique hall tree is a perfect touch for a visitor’s coat or umbrella and I learned from the Owners that the hall tree was actually a cleverly repurposed paneled door with the addition of a cabinet and upper shelf.  

One of my fave distinguishing features of Craftsman houses is the use of partial height walls instead of full walls to define walls between rooms.  Here a dividing wall is detailed with a support beam with trim resting on short tapered upper columns and lower paneled walls to create a wide opening to connect the foyer and the living room.

The foyer’s wide wall opening frames the beautiful living room with its two exterior walls infilled with large windows of vertical upper panes and lower picture panes for clear views of the neighborhood when one is seated. The triple windows overlooking the front porch and the single windows on either side of the fireplace give the space a light and airy feeling. I also admired the color scheme’s earth tones, especially the deep brown club chairs. Being an avid reader, I could easily imagine sinking into one chair on a cold winter’s evening and savoring the warmth and scent of a wood fire while I read a book. 

Another wide wall opening leads from the living room to the dining room with a double-unit window for daylight. I loved the wide corner cabinet filled with serving pieces; red is the color of celebration and the red walls highlight the white cabinet so it becomes the focal point of the room. The wood trestle table and chairs, another repurposed piece, the Oriental rug and the period chandelier create an inviting space for family meals and celebrations.

On Friday and Saturday afternoons, I host wine tastings at the Piazza Italian Market so I was very pleased to see the wooden wine boxes beneath the windows that indicate fellow wine enthusiasts.  I also liked the detail of the slim white chair rail positioned at the same level as one of the horizontal muntins of the French doors that lead to the family room at the rear of the house.

  The spacious family room was an addition and the wide double-unit windows at the corner walls offer panoramic views of the streetscape. The sage green walls and the peach sheers are soothing colors for relaxation. I love an eclectic look for interiors and here the boxy gray sofa and the modern white TV stand are softened by the warmth of the wood bar and the wood table doing dual duty as a sofa table. When I admired the stylish wood pieces, the Owners told me both were actually repurposed antique Italian work benches they acquired when they lived in Italy.

At one exterior corner of the family room is a powder room, closet and exterior door to a deck overlooking the rear yard. 

Beyond the foyer’s “L” shaped stair and a short hall is the kitchen that is also connected to both the dining and family rooms. The kitchen’s “L” shaped arrangement opposite the other cabinetry with the gas range works well and with a few cosmetic changes to suit one’s taste, this kitchen could be updated with new cabinet doors, hardware and countertop to please any cook. Since the kitchen is located in the original part of the house, perhaps the sheet vinyl flooring was laid over the original wood floors like it was in one of my former houses-so it could be removed and the floors refinished to match the rest of the house. 

The primary ensuite is located over the entire addition and contains a spacious  bedroom, large walk-in closet and compartmentalized bathroom. The rear window matches the original windows in the house but the shorter triple windows over the bed could easily accommodate a high headboard. The blue tones of the wall, bedding and Oriental rug create a restful retreat.   

 

The primary bath has two compartments with sage green walls with a pocket door connecting them for easy back and forth flow. The wood floors and darker wood cabinetry in the lavatory area contrast with the tiled floor in the shower and toilet compartment. The exterior window is centered on the door between the two compartments to provide indirect light to the lavatory area and the wide mirror above the lavatory cabinet becomes another “window” to expand the space.

In the original part of the house are three other bedrooms, a hall bath, laundry and stairs to the third floor attic. This is the largest of the three bedrooms and  the chimney of the living room below separate the sleeping area from the homework area. The double chest of drawers provides ample storage underneath the window. Seeing the black and white checkerboard coverlet reminded me of one of my fave childhood books, “The Land of Counterpane” a four stanza poem by Robert Louis Stevenson about how a creative child made his counterpane (bedspread) a magical land… 

“When I was sick and lay a-bed,
I had two pillows for my head,
And all my toys beside me lay,
To keep me happy all the day.

And sometimes for an hour or so,
I watched my leaden soldiers go,
With different uniforms and drills,
Among the bedclothes, through the hills;

And sometimes sent my ships in fleets
All up and down among the sheets;
Or brought my trees and houses out,
And planted cities all about.

I was the giant great and still
That sits upon the pillow-hill,
And sees before him, dale and plain,
The pleasant land of counterpane.

The third floor attic offers myriad possibilities since the HVAC was wisely located at the perimeter of the space as much as possible to maximize the useable floor area and headroom. There are three rooms in the attic and the two with windows at each gable end could become one large space for a playroom, teen gathering space, studio, etc., with the windowless third room for storage. There is also additional storage space in the basement.

Desirable corner lot in the heart of Easton’s Historic District, rear yard outlined by a tall hedge and rose bushes, outbuilding for yard maintenance, charming American Four-Square/Craftsman architecture, outdoor rooms of the full front porch and the wrap-around rear deck, compact floor plan with minimal halls for maximum room sizes and easy flow, wood floored attic for myriad uses, basement with both interior and exterior access, many original details that have been well maintained including the beautiful pine flooring, Craftsman columns, wood corner guards, dining room built-in corner cabinet, interior French doors- great family home!  

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For more information about this property, contact Barb Watkins with Benson and Mangold at 410-822-1415 (o), 410-310-2021 (c), or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing, visit www.easternshorehomes.com,   “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

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

The Land of Counterpane” by Robert Louis Stevenson; this poem is in the public domain.

If I were looking for a house, I would concentrate on Royal Oak for several reasons, primarily its close proximity to both Easton, St. Michaels’ and Oxford’s amenities.  The bonus would be taking the ferry from Bellevue to Oxford for ice cream from The Scottish Highland Creamery! This charming 2 + acre wooded property along the banks of Edge Creek is a peaceful haven with the Dutch Colonial style house set back far from the road at the end of a meandering driveway through pine trees. I especially admired how the one story wings of the entry and the garage wings step down from the center two-story wing to create a very pleasing massing and how the exterior colors of the roofing, siding and  shutters echoes the surrounding colors of nature . I also love bay windows and the symmetrical main wing with two bay windows adds to the wonderful curb appeal.

When I walked around the house, I admired how the rear elevation opened up the house to the water from the expanse of windows at the living room and the shed dormer windows in the bonus room above the garage that along with the screened porch provide panoramic views of the water. The single dormer windows at the second floor offer water views for both the primary bedroom and the primary bath.  From the terrace, a stone path leads to the pier with long views of Edge Creek.

My fave room is the screened porch with its flagstone floor, exposed wood rafters and decking and the wide screened panels for panoramic views of Edge Creek. I especially liked how the ceiling is sloped and the side wall screening reaches up the ceiling. It would be so easy to linger here for a second cup of coffee to begin the day with the background of the sights and sounds of nature. 

Another outdoor space is the spacious stone terrace with low brick walls that both defines its boundary and provides extra seating. I especially liked how the edge meets the rear wall of the screened porch with a curve instead of a right angled wall.

From the screened porch, the terrace spans the length of the house‘s main wing and ends at steps down to the lawn by the garage. The door at the top of the steps leads up to the main wing’s stair hall to the kitchen for easy access for grilling and dining al-fresco.

The tall trunks of the pines offer unobstructed water views from both the terrace and  the path of irregularly shaped light colored stones that leads to the pier. I could easily imagine keeping kayaks in the garage for easy access and taking them down the path to the pier for an afternoon on Edge Creek. 

On the day of my visit, I enjoyed relaxing on the blue bench on the private pier,   basking in the sunshine and enjoying the long view of the opposite shore of Edge Creek. Boating enthusiasts would also appreciate the concrete boat ramp with hoist and the floating dock.

After my tour of the grounds, I was eager to explore the house. The front door opens into a foyer with built-in wood shelving for a mini-library. I learned from the listing agent that one of the Owners had been a botanist and she had written several books on flora and fauna. I enjoy learning about the origin of a house’s name and I remembered the “Spartina Cove” sign at the road.  After a google search, I learned that spartina cymarosides, or big cord grass, is a saltmarsh and brackish grass-how appropriate for a botanist! 

Past the foyer/library is a den/family room with its corner walls infilled with a four-unit window overlooking the landscaping and the three-unit door and full sidelights to the screened porch for views to the water. The wood floors and wood wainscot has an informal feel and the wood stove takes the chill off winter nights of TV binging. The flat ceiling could also be replaced with drywall ceilings in a gambrel shape, keeping with the Dutch Colonial architecture. 

From the family room, a pair of French doors leads to the spacious living room with four pairs of long windows overlooking the terrace, lawn and water. At the end of the room is a row of built-in millwork for books, family photographs and display. The framed doorway next to the sofa leads to the dining room for easy flow among the living room, dining room, family room and screened porch.

The front bay window is the focal point of the large dining room and the chair rail and paneled wainscot ties the room together. The room size can easily accommodate six chairs or more for holidays or other family celebrations.

The spacious “U” shaped kitchen could be opened up more to the adjacent breakfast room by removing the one leg of the “U” to create an “L” and island layout. Since the cabinet “boxes” are solid, replacing the fronts and adding hardware, new countertops and flooring would be a relatively easy but dramatic change to suit one’s taste.

The breakfast room also has a bay window and the wood table and the Windsor chairs create a charming space for breakfast or other informal meals.

The corner of the breakfast room is flooded with sunlight from both the front bay window and the side triple-unit window. The paneled door leads to the garage and the trimmed opening next to the laundry closet leads to a hall between the stairs opposite the powder room. The hall ends at the exterior door to the terrace and to the wall opening at the living room for easy flow throughout the main level of the house.

The “Wow” room is the second-floor bonus room over the garage with varied sources of light from the four-unit windows in the shed roof with views of the water, the gable end wall infilled with operable, fixed and transom windows to extend the water views and two single windows at the front wall for landscape views and cross ventilation during months when AC is not needed. This fab space could become a family TV room, teen gathering space, studio, etc. The wood walls, ceiling and roof trusses add great architectural character.

The second floor contains three bedrooms and two baths, including a primary ensuite. The great advantage of gambrel roofs, with their dual slopes of the high lower slope and shallow upper slope, is that they now maximize the headroom for flexible furniture placement. These high knee walls could easily accommodate a tall headboard, and the floor below the dormers, inset into the roof slope, creates space for window seats, drawer units, nightstands, etc. 

The primary bath includes a tub/shower and the vanity cabinet could be adapted for dual lavatories.

One of the two guest bedrooms is used as an office. Clever storage is tucked under the gambrel roof, and built-ins are at the side wall. This space is located at the top of the stairs, and its quiet corner location is conducive to work.

This serene haven has so much to offer; both privacy and quick access to the amenities of Easton, Oxford and St. Michaels; a waterfront property with a living shoreline along Edge Creek, concrete boat ramp with hoist, private pier with 4.5’ +/- MLW and floating dock; a workshop, storage shed and a spacious boat storage building, charming Dutch Colonial house with an attached two-car garage set back far from the road for peace; outdoor rooms of a screened porch and a stone terrace for relaxing with family or entertaining friends, With a few cosmetic upgrades to suit one’s taste, this gem in Royal Oak would shine even brighter!

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For more information about this property, contact Jane Baker with Benson  Mangold Real Estate at 410-822-1415 (o),  410- 924-0515 (c) or 

[email protected].   For more pictures and pricing, visit www.janebaker.bensonandmangold.com ,“Equal Housing Opportunity.”

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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.