Cottages are one of my favorite designs because their exteriors can be many architectural styles, their compact footprint creates cozy interior spaces and upper floor rooms are tucked under roof framing for great interior architecture.  This cottage caught my eye for its setting high above Mill Creek, surrounded by just enough trees to provide shade without blocking daylight from the interior rooms.  The low maintenance exterior of brick, vinyl siding and soffits and the cementitious deck and railing was also very appealing.

The house was constructed in 1968 and renovated in 2013 to replace original finishes with wood floors, granite counters, marble tile baths and upgraded cabinetry. The front door opens onto the spacious living-dining-kitchen open plan that spans the full depth of the house.  Windows on three sides bring in daylight throughout the day. The fireplace and triple window defines the sitting area and the kitchen island separates the food prep from the dining area. The upper cabinets in the kitchen extend to the underside of the ceiling to maintain the space’s volume.   My favorite room was the sunroom with its pitched ceiling finished in wood planks for texture and the tall windows on three sides with views of the landscape and Mill Creek. I would be tempted to replace the drapes with bottom mounted shades that allow privacy while maintaining the view but drapes are certainly warmer in the winter.

The dining area has French doors leading to the spacious deck for dining, sunbathing and wildlife watching.  Steps lead down to a terrace at the basement level and then to a path along a low slope to the dock with deep water access. The daylight basement is a plus and a blank slate for many uses such as a workshop, den, studio/home office and general storage.

Another plus is master suites on both the main and upper floors.  The upper floor bedrooms are enhanced by sloped ceilings and the rear shed dormer that adds headroom with a triple window for each room’s view of the landscape and water. Extra storage is cleverly built in under the eaves.

Wooded site on the water, cottage plan with stylish upgrades, low maintenance exterior materials and close to downtown Chestertown amenities-very appealing!

For more information about this property contact Lynn Hilfiker with Gunther McClary Real Estate at 410-639-2118 (o), 443-480-1163 (c) or lynnhilfiker@gmail.com. For more photographs and pricing visit www.rockhallrealestate.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Stephen Buchanan, www.buchananphotography.com, 410-212-8753. 

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

Last month, I featured the historic “Readbourne” Georgian style house on Lands End Rd. This week ‘s feature is also on Lands EndRd. and in the immortal words of Monty Python, “and now for something completely different”. When I first saw the aerial photograph of this 25 acre property, the contemporary roof of the two-story house seemed to be a sculptural element set into a broad expanse of lawn. Mature trees lined the edge of a bluff 30 feet above the Chester River, Southeast Creek and Island Creek. The distinctive main roof caught my eye for its part convex, part concave, metal shape that is aerodynamic since the high winds so prevalent in our area would sweep over the surfaces without danger of uplift. A secondary one-story wing has a curved roof and the roof over the porch that marks the front door is a curved “hat” shape.

Underneath the contemporary style roof,rustic vertical boards of primarily southern yellow pine aged to a deep brown and new wood shake siding that will weather naturally clad the exterior walls. The vertical boards were rescued from an old tobacco barn, dissembled, the nails pulled and wolmanized and then shipped to the site.  2/2 windows and French doors in a deep accent blue complete the exterior color palette.

I was captivated by the artisan front entry detailing with the sinuous supports of wood, the custom door of reclaimed wood, the pegged joints and the exposed roof rafters. It was not surprising to discover that the master wood artisan Vicco von Voss had left his indelible mark on this truly unique house.

The front door opens into a great room the full width and depth of the main wing.  Large windows and French doors bring sunlight within throughout the day. The chimney for the masonry heater/stove defines the kitchen, sitting and dining areas. The main sitting area furniture is grouped around one of Vicco von Voss’ free form low tables with flared legs in a light wood.  The “L” shaped kitchen has two front windows and one side window for daylight and the absence of upper cabinets is offset by ample storage in the adjacent mud room. The heavy timber framing with buttresses of wood, the exposed decking of the ceiling and the wide plank reclaimed wood floors add great interior architectural character.

The one story wing next to the great room is the mud room/laundry and stairs leading to a full basement and to the second floor.  The master suite wing has a sliding barn door to separate the spaces from the great room. The corner master bedroom was especially pleasing with the bed between two side windows and a pair of French doors leading to a deck.

The second floor ceiling follows the curvature of the roof slope to create dramatic interior spatial volume. The family room is between one bedroom large enough to accommodate two double beds and a cozy bedroom with a ladder to a loft area and its own door to the open porch.  The open porch spans the depth of the house with solid railings clad in shake siding and instead of windows a rhythm of wall openings frame panoramic views of the landscape. What a perfect spot for sleeping in the summer!

Great waterfront site with 25 acres of privacy, a very unique house that blends the best of contemporary and rustic styles with all the modern conveniences and best of all, Vicco von Voss’ artisan touches -who could ask for anything more?

For more information about this property, contact Brian Gearhart with Benson & Mangold at 410-822-6665(o), 410-310-5179(c) or briangearhart@goeaston.net. For more photographs and pricing visit www.briankgearhart.com,  “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Construction by Yerkes Construction.( Principal Jay Yerkes is now trading as Rosin Creek Collaborative, LLC, 443-282-0063, Jay@rosincreekcollaborative.com).

Wood features by Vicco Von Voss, 410-708-4698, vicco@viccovonvoss.com.

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

It is always a pleasure to return to Mt. Vernon Ave., as I could easily imagine living there.  Close proximity to Washington Ave and the amenities of both Washington College and the shopping district of Chestertown are a definite plus.  Not to mention one of my favorite architectural styles, the American Four Square.  The house’s front elevation is very appealing with its full front porch, side screened porch, large windows and the light colored shake siding with black shutters.

The front door opens to a gracious entry hall with a closet next to the “U” shaped stair that gracefully turns with winders up to the main level.  I loved the vista from the living room through the wide elliptical arched wall opening that shows the entry hall furnishings in front of the open railing stairway. A window above the stairs filters light into the hall.  The living room has a triple window that overlooks the front porch and the side wall has a fireplace with two side windows that overlook the screened porch.  Behind the living room is a charming dining room with double windows at the side wall and built-in corner cupboards for display of family photographs and collectibles.

The kitchen is a cook’s dream with a bay window over the sink perfect for growing herbs and a galley arrangement with a center island for the range and storage.  The kitchen and the adjacent family room are the hub of the house with a rear fireplace flanked by French doors leading to the rear private yard.  The kitchen’s wood flooring, darker wood cabinets, light gray marble countertops, white ceramic farmhouse sink and the light from the side and rear windows would inspire any cook to enjoy preparing meals for family and friends.

The three second floor bedrooms are spacious and filled with light from windows on both sides of each room. The master suite has a large bedroom with windows on each side of the French Country bed in a dark wood finish and a long window seat under the pair of double windows that are ganged together. I loved the pebble flooring in the master bath that is a great solution for a non-skid surface.

The wood floors throughout the house, the white walls to reflect the light and the touches of color in the rugs and artwork give the house great personality.  Mature trees that frame the appealing architecture on a great street-hard to resist!

For more information about this property, contact Lisa Raffetto with Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Company at 410-778-0330 (o), 410-708-0174 (c) or lisar@cbchesapeake.com. For more photographs and pricing visit www.lisaraffetto.com ,  “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Patty Hill Photography, 410-441-4719, www.pattyhillphotography.com

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

As an architect whose specialty is housing,  I am especially interested in infill housing in an Historic District and this charming infill house built in 1995 with Victorian touches caught my eye. The three story three bay house’s front elevation has great architectural appeal with its full front porch and hipped metal roof, symmetrical alignment of entry door and windows and the third floor steep gable with an arched window.  The exterior color palette of light green and pale yellow and the historically correct trim, especially the front porch fretwork railing and the articulated columns, also add appeal. I appreciated how the half-French vintage style entry door is located at the driveway side of the house to maximize not only the planting beds that separate the house from the sidewalk but also the floor space of both the front porch and the living room beyond.

The side of the living room has a “L” shaped stained wood stairway wrapped around the  fireplace with its vintage wood fireplace surround and mantel. The stained glass window at the stair landing adds daylight to the living room and camouflages the house next door. The stairway’s stained treads, risers and newel post are detailed with Victorian style as well as  the door, windows and baseboard trim. A wide wall opening leads to the dining room with its double windows looking out to an open side porch that could be easily screened if one wishes.

The powder room and pantry separate the dining room from the kitchen. The spacious kitchen has double windows at the side wall and an “L” arrangement with another wall for the R/F and more cabinets. The windows over kitchen sink get indirect daylight from the spa bay window and the rear yard beyond. After the dishes are done, the cooks can retreat to the spa room with their favorite bubbly!

The second floor contains the bedrooms and baths with the same stained wood trim and refinished mahogany flooring as the first floor.  The master bedroom has two high windows on the side wall and the wall space in between could easily accommodate a bed with a high headboard.  The double windows at the rear of the room add even more daylight.  However, I would claim the third floor area as my bedroom retreat since it has a full bath.  This open space has great interior architecture with daylight from the front gable window and the side gable windows. Luckily there is an elevator from the basement to the second floor so one would only need to walk up one flight of stairs to this aerie that could also be a fantastic artist’s studio or office with its bird’s eye views of the surrounding Historic District.

Victorian style with the low-maintenance benefits of new construction, elevator, period details and finishes, two porches, off street parking-close to the marina and the shops-hard to resist!

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

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

Readbourne, circa 1731, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and its  significance is due to several factors. The first is the long ownership of the Hollyday family, who owned the property from 1730 to 1904 and built the Flemish bond brick house.  The second factor is that Readbourne is now the earliest major Georgian structure that remains in the entire state of Maryland.  One example of its Georgian style is the beautiful entry double doors that have a semicircular transom, which historians believe to be  the first of its design in Maryland or any of the other original colonies.

The five-part house has three wings; the center portion, dating from the early 1730’s, was built by James Hollyday.  The south wing, dating from 1791, was built by James Hollyday III.  The north wing was built in 1948 by William Fahnstock, at the time he began the restoration and renovation of the house. The “T” shaped two-story hip roofed center wing is the most architecturally and historically significant part of the house. Steps from the pool area at the rear of the house lead down to the lower lawn with side walls constructed of brick purportedly brought from England.

Readbourne’s 973 acres along the Chester River makes it one of the last largest tracts of land available in the Upper Shore.  The aerial photograph shows the house’s beautiful massing with the dominant center “T” wing flanked by two hyphens connected to end wings with gables at the front and rear.  The quality of the house’s materials with its slate roof, possibly ballast on an English ship that delivered the slate to the house site, brick Flemish bond facades with water table and band details, articulated chimneys, copper gutters and downspouts, multi-paned windows, first floor fourteen foot ceiling heights, all combine to create a distinctive house built for the ages.

There are two entrance halls to the house.  One is accessed from the front parking area and is a charming room with a corner fireplace between full height paneled walls with crown moldings, wood floors, and deeply recessed tall windows framed in paneling.  This room leads to the main entrance hall with the double paneled doors and transom above on the rear wall of the house with vistas of the lawn and the Chester River beyond.The front wall of the room has a recessed arched niche between two wide and tall arched openings that lead to the smaller entrance hall and the staircase that had been moved from its previous location. The paneling in this room is believed to have been from the Winterthur estate in Wilmington, DE.  I stood in this room for a long time to savor its exquisite interior design, elegant in its simplicity and to enjoy the cross vistas that invited me to further explore the house.

One vista from the large entrance hall was to the formal dining room and it was easy to imagine dining in this beautifully appointed room under the antique chandelier that once was lighted with candles.  The rest of this wing contained the kitchen, butler’s pantry and other service spaces.  On the other side of the large entrance hall were a formal living room, sitting/room office, another large formal living room and a screened porch. The dark green walls of the sitting room/office and corner fireplace was a cozy space for work.

I especially loved the dramatic large formal living room that spanned the full depth of this wing of the house with its perfect proportion, full height multi-paned windows at the front and rear of the room, the fireplace centered on the long exterior side between pairs of French doors to the screened porch, elegant window treatments and antique furniture groupings anchored by large antique rugs. The moldings around the doors were especially striking with their pediments above the wide moldings that framed the door openings.

The screened porch also had a fireplace to extend enjoyment of this space past the warm months and the checkerboard limestone flooring in slate blue and cream was set on a diagonal pattern to make the room appear even wider.  Above the screened porch is a deck with a Chippendale styled railing that leads to one of the nine bedroom suites.

The bedrooms were also beautifully decorated in the English country style. It was difficult to pick a favorite one but I finally chose the lovely bedroom with arched niches.  One niche was an entry alcove off the hall and the other was the perfect spot for an upholstered chaise for one to stretch out and read by the fire.  The canopied bed, wood paneled walls painted in a historic pale green, wood floors and the antique pieces all created a serene retreat.

Readbourne offers an extremely rare opportunity to own a significant historic house on 973 acres with over 4,000 linear ft of water frontage along the Chester River, three guest houses, multiple barns, pool, tennis court, eleven ponds, full skeet range and approximately 550 tillable acres.It was such a pleasure to tour this magnificent house and I hope it finds an owner who will continue the stewardship of this remarkable piece of Maryland’s history.

For more information about this property, contact Meredith Fine Properties agents Cliff Meredith at 410-822-6272 (o), 410-924-0082(c), mre@goeaston.net, or www.cliffmeredith.com;

Henner Gibbons-Neff at 410-822-6272 (o),410-829-0698 (c), hennerneff@yahoo.com, or www.landandfarm.com;

Benson & Mangold Agent Schuyler Benson at 410-822-1415 (o), 410-310-3251 (c), sbenson@bensonandmangold.com or schuylerbenson.com

“Equal Housing Opportunity”

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

High Street has been the location of several Houses of the Week but this is the first time that two houses located next to each other have been featured.  This house has been renovated with much care and devotion to the preservation of original details, including the front door, original windows, exposed hand-hewn beams, hardwood floors, five-panel interior wood doors,  trim, moldings and built-ins. The two-bay full front porch offers a front row seat to the activity on High Street and is detailed with round columns, bands of trim in a light contrasting color and solid plinths. I loved the vista from the front porch to the other porches of the adjacent houses for a continuous line of sight that encourages checking in with neighbors.

The front door opens to a foyer with the staircase to one side, with the newel post and treads stained to blend with the hardwood floors.  The wide opening to the living room has been infilled with stained wood true French doors, (sans vertical muntins).  An arched doorway at the end of the foyer leads to the kitchen -dining area.  The fireplace in the living room is flanked by high single windows that let light in while preserving privacy from the neighboring house close by. Stained hand-hewn beams below the white ceiling and double windows to the porch contribute to this room’s interior architectural character.

Before the family room was added to the rear of the house, the dining room had a double window that is now a clever built-in for china or collectibles. The dining room is open to the spacious galley kitchen with its creamy palette of cabinets, granite countertops and the stainless steel accents of the appliances. The family room has sliding doors to the raised deck with its pergola to frame the views from the deck to the fenced yard, which is a blank slate to inspire the gardener or to provide a play space to delight young children.

The second floor contains three bedrooms one of which is the master suite with its own bathroom. I especially liked the bathroom with the twin contemporary vessel porcelain lavatories in front of the full width wall mirror that captured the reflection of the window on the opposite wall. All of the bedrooms were light filled from windows on more than one side of each room.

Even though no room was furnished, it is easy to imagine how one’s furnishings would enhance this charming home. Great addition to the Houses of the Week on High Street!

For more information about this property, contact Michele Palmer with Doug Ashley Realtors, LLC at 410-810-0010 (o), 410-920-9435 (c), michele@dougashleyrealtors.com,orwww.dougashleyrealtors.com,  “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Janelle Stroop, Thru the Les, Janelle@Thruthelensphotos.com

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

“Running Fox Farm”, circa 1856, is considered one of Kent County’s finest hunting farms with abundant deer, turkey, Canadian and Snow geese, a wildlife pond and woodside fields over 213 acres.  The residence is the historic center hall plan with the dining room and kitchen on one side and the living room, stairs and service area on the other side with a rear addition containing the den.  The second floor has three bedrooms and one bath in the main wing and another bedroom over the addition.

The approach to the two-story Federal style red brick house is the classic gravel drive lined with trees that frame the front elevation at the end of the drive.  The brick stoop with black iron handrails leads to the simple and elegant entry with a black front door, half glass sidelights and a full width rectangular transom above. Surrounding the front door on the front elevation are 6/6 windows with white frames, angled brick headers, white masonry sills and black shutters.

The interior of the house has been meticulously restored with custom restorations true to the period of the house including the wood floors, wood mantels, exposed hand hewn beams, moldings and trim.  The living room, dining room and three of the bedrooms have fireplaces. Pastoral views of fields, the barn and other outbuildings are visible from the house’s windows and from the spacious brick terrace off the kitchen.

The rooms are beautifully decorated and I could easily imagine sitting down to Christmas dinner in the simple but elegant dining room.  I would be a happy guest in any of the bedrooms with its mix of wood and upholstered pieces, rugs, art and accessories. The charming bedroom tucked under the ceiling framing of the addition  with its bright white walls, low windows, wood floors with multicolored hooked rug and colorful bedlinens would quickly be claimed by the children of any guests.

Running Fox Farm is currently rented for special events including romantic weekend get-a ways, hunting parties, corporate or private retreats or weddings but could easily become a private residence once again.

For more information about this property, contact Cross Street Realtors agents Joe Hickman, 410-778-3779 (o), 410-708-0536 (c), joe@crrealtors.com, or Richard Keaveney, 410-778-3779 (o), 410-708-6470 (c ), rdkeaveney@gmail.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Since I am writing this on Christmas Eve and on the second day of Hanukkah, Happy Holidays to everyone! I also want to express my deep appreciation to the sellers who have graciously given me tours of their homes, the agents and their administrative assistants who coordinated their listing information with me,  my fellow architects who shared their outstanding house designs and you, dear readers for your support!

Jennifer  Martella

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

After a short drive through a wooded lot with glimpses of the house, I walked down the bluestone walkway at the side of the detached garage that is perpendicular to the house. I admired the massing of the front elevation with two unequal gables bridged by a shed roof over four narrow windows just below the eave line and the Craftsman details of shake siding, deep overhangs and eaves.  The walkway is on axis with the front entry glass door and full sidelights with a view to the rear glass wall of the entry. The breezeway created by the roof extension of the detached garage also creates shelter for the front door.

When the Owner opened the front door to welcome me, it was immediately clear this was an extraordinary interior.  I first paused by the staircase to admire the unique handrail design of the Artisan Vicco Von Voss. A stained wood cap floats above slender white balusters and gracefully arcs out beyond the bottom tread and back to the post at the third tread.  The owner told me Von Voss had sized the diameter and shape of the handrail to perfectly fit either hers or her husband’s hands. God is indeed in the details.

I noticed the art lined hall beside the stairs that led to the master suite but as I moved forward over the bluestone flooring further into the entrance hall, I was mesmerized by the view of the Bay through the floor to ceiling frameless picture window at the end of the entrance hall. I then looked left and right through wide wall openings to sitting rooms on either side of the center hall with the same floor to ceiling windows that also wrapped around each corner.  Suddenly I realized the house was sited on a bluff very high above the Chesapeake Bay and the word “panoramic” seemed inadequate to describe the view of the water across to Baltimore on the far horizon.

The house is two rooms deep so the water views are omnipresent from most rooms.  The volume and detailing of the sitting rooms and kitchen becomes a piece of sculpture with white walls, dropped beams meeting the structural mullions between each picture window and a wall cut-out in the upper kitchen wall. In one sitting room, a pair of uplights are mounted on the wall between the center picture window and the rectangular clerestory window above, set just below the flat ceiling plane of the gable roof. Above the other picture windows small square windows are placed at the point where the gable wall meets the flat ceiling.

The kitchen enclosure at the front corner of the house is a “U” shape with two compartments with no full height walls so the geometry of the roof planes are uninterrupted.One area containing a sink and R/F is closed off with doors for catering large parties. The other area is a galley with a high counter above the backsplash for bar stools. Glass fronted upper cabinets maintain the transparency and the upper cabinets above the bar stools area accessible from both sides.  Around the perimeter is a continuous counter with storage below.

The master suite at the other end of the entrance hall has his/her baths finished in limestone, dressing rooms and a master bedroom with a corner fireplace. Upholstered cushions on window seats with storage below and a window wall of picture windows above for views of the water creates a serene spot. I especially liked the cozy sitting room with its bay window, built in desk and millwork and the choice of art on the one wall whose subject is a half open casement window in aclever perspective.

The second floor contains four more bedrooms, three full baths, another study with a rear window wall and built-in millwork and a large bonus room for myriad uses.

The exterior “outdoor rooms” of breezeway, screened porch that connects to the wrap-around covered porch along the rear of the main rooms offer unlimited views of the water and front row seats for watching the traffic on the Chesapeake/Delaware Shipping Channel and sunsets.

Incomparable site with the backdrop of the Bay, dramatic geometry of the interiors, transparency from the floor to ceiling windows and strategically placed other windows, the cross vistas that connect the adjoining rooms, high-end finishes and the highest level of craftsmanship- all combine to create this magnificent house that I very reluctantly left after a too short visit.  Bravo to the vision of the owner and their design/construction team!

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

Photography by Stephen Buchanan, www.buchananphotography.com, 410-212-8753. 

A plaque at the house lists the owners and their design team of:

Architecture by Chip Bohl of Bohl Architects, 410-263-2200, www.bohlarchitects.com

Construction by Winchester Construction, 410) 987-5905, www.winchesterinc.com.

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Talbot Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here.