This Maryland Historical Trust property, circa 1735, is listed as the “James Marshall Farm” but the property address on Granny Branch Road Farm inspired its current owners to rename their picturesque country property. One of the owners, a talented interior designer, told me it was “love at first site” when she and her husband first drove up the gravel driveway.  Five outbuildings, including original creameries and a 19th century smokehouse are interspersed throughout the three acre property.  At the entrance to the driveway is a basswood tree whose six foot girth would set its age as approximately 200 years.  A lone majestic Dutch Elm, the only survivor of many others that formed a graceful line along the gravel drive, is behind the house. Across from the driveway entrance is an ancient statuesque holly that offers shelter for cardinals and red winged blackbirds, along with winter color. It is impossible to miss the native 100 foot tall Bald Cypress tree in its prime position on the front yard with its 30 foot limb spread providing shade in the summer months. The vistas throughout the beautifully landscaped grounds with its springtime bursts of color including iris, peonies, hydrangeas and lilies would inspire any Plein Air painter.  Being a native Tennessean, I especially love the blue bearded Iris bed and the ivy colored small shed beyond a bed of larkspur is picture perfect.

The original two and a half story Flemish bond brick structure is faced with a water table encircling all sides of the main wing. The south-facing front porch is now a four-seasons room with lap siding. The frame addition with cedar shake siding, dating from 1880, adds another layer of texture and color to the massing.  On the day I visited, after savoring the exquisite landscape, I eagerly looked forward to touring the interiors since they were the work of one of the owners, the talented interior designer Jane Keller.

We began our tour in the kitchen, with its galley layout and large kitchen island, the perfect spot for one of her husband’s Scandinavian smorgasbords. Exposed wood collar beams, original wood floors, granite counters and stainless steel appliances, comfortable upholstered seating by the wood stove and barstools for keeping the cook company creates an inviting space. A gallery hall leads to the entrance hall with its original wood stair balustrade and a unique Gothic arched wood wainscot.  The front door leads to the four-seasons sunroom with pairs of large windows on three sides to bathe the room in sunlight throughout the day. Both the dining room and living room are enhanced by their original and reconditioned fireplaces and beautifully restored wood floors. The neutral upholstered pieces are accented by Jane’s bold splashes of accent wall colors, art and Oriental rugs.

The entire second floor of the brick main wing is the master suite. I loved the master bedroom as much as I did the sunroom.  A beautiful patterned rug in shades of blue, crisp white bed linens with colorful pillows, antiques and art created a serene space.  The master bath clawfoot tub with shower fitting with the antique chest lavatory and the high wood glossy white wainscot against the darker wall color above creates a sophisticated look for the bath.  On the third floor are two guest bedrooms and above the kitchen wing is a space currently used as an office.

Throughout the house all of the original details including the hardwood floors, Eastlake doors with period hardware, wood trim, moldings, etc., have been preserved with care and pride of place. “Trunnels” (tapered wood nails) were found in the Granary along with a plaque signed in 1835 by the builders and carpenters the day the house was finished: “This building was finished 12 cck July 16th, 1845 JW Hamington & Joel Pippin Builders. Charles McCollister & Rich a G. Duckett present”.

This exquisite property has everything a historic preservationist would treasure-a beautiful site with very old trees, pastoral vistas through lawns and planting beds, a house whose original wing dates from Colonial days, restoration and  renovation executed with care and skill under the watchful and discriminating eye of a gifted interior designer. If you are seeking old world charm and modern upgrades, it would be hard to resist this house and its grounds.

For more information about this property, contact Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Company agent Richard Budden at 410-778-0330 (o), 443-480-1181 (c) or rbudden@easternshoremdre.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity/” Interior design by Jane Keller, 443-994-2934

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.

My favorite houses that I have called home were craftsman cottages so I was immediately captivated by this charming cottage. I loved the lushly landscaped setting, the terrific mix of texture and materials with light colored river rock porch railing and chimney with the green lap siding and the door and window accents in deep red. The side of the house, however, with its atypical window arrangement hinted of a more contemporary interior.

The front door opened to a vista of a majestic Oriental wood chair with a colorful woven pillow. A pair of French doors with frosted glass led to a truly “great” room containing the kitchen, dining and living room areas. The ceiling plane stepped up from the galley kitchen to soar to the roof above the two-story living room. A large sectional and an Oriental rug anchored the space and the rear wall full of windows and the high windows on the side wall flooded the space with light. The stairs wrapped around the full height fireplace chimney for another dramatic vista.

An open front storage unit serves double duty to define the dining area and is topped with reading lamps for the sofa. The up-mount translucent blinds gives seated privacy below and views above to the landscape. A deck spans the length of the rear elevation and stairs lead to the side driveway.

The master bedroom white palette with warm hardwood floors contrasts with the periwinkle blue palette of the second bedroom that is currently used as an office.  The walk-out basement is a blank canvas that could become another bedroom suite or recreation room with French doors to the rear garden.

The front access to the garden is via a gate marked by a trellis above in the fence between the house and the edge of the gravel driveway.  Large stones mark the meandering path through the lush garden with a center lawn area surrounded by planting beds, canopy trees and mature trees.

Great curb appeal, stunning interior architecture and an in-town verdant oasis- what more would one need?

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

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

The tranquil setting of this two and a half storied stately Colonial caught my eye. The house’s slate roof, cream colored stucco and red brick foundation set against the green of the lawn and plantings was very appealing. After opening the gate in the black iron fence along historic Water Street, you walk up a brick sidewalk to the entry door at the side elevation. The door and sidelights are beautifully detailed with an elliptical transom and half-glass sidelights of leaded glass. I loved the entrance hall with its checkerboard flooring pattern of white and black marble, the vertical patterned wallpaper with a paneled wainscot and the graceful stairs with a wide landing to allow the lower run to curve around to the upper run of steps. The entrance hall spans the full depth of the house so the vista from the front door is to the landscaped rear yard.

To the left of the entrance hall is the living room and sunroom.  The Chippendale style fireplace mantel is the focal point of the living room with Wedgewood blue walls with white moldings and chair rail. To the right of the entrance hall is the dining room that also has Wedgewood blue walls but the panel in the wainscot is outlined in white.  A contemporary glass table allows the beauty of the Oriental rug to be fully appreciated and French doors lead to a screened porch.

The kitchen and bar pantry at the rear of the house continue the black and white theme.  The bar flooring has small white tiles with black chamfered corners that is perfectly scaled to this cozy space. The white cabinets with period hardware and  glass fronted upper cabinets open up the space. The kitchen is a cook’s dream-it also has white cabinets with black countertops and larger tile flooring, stainless steel appliances and a gray tiled backsplash.  French doors lead to the rear covered brick terrace. Steps from both the covered terrace and the screened porch lead to the spacious rear yard that is ready for a game of croquet!

The stair landing at the second floor is a charming reading nook. The center window’s valance picks up the colors of the mural on one wall opposite an antique armoire.  Full height bookcases flank the window and an oversize rattan chair and ottoman would be a cozy space for reading. Another charming room on the second floor is a bedroom that is currently decorated as a sitting room. This corner room has windows overlooking the rear landscaping and the side yard for added daylight. The third floor has additional bedrooms and a bath.  

Classic American Colonial with a blend of the old and new, gracious entrance hall, great flow on the main floor for entertaining, wonderful and private outdoor spaces, a large rear yard  surrounded by a wooden fence-if you are seeking a historic house on one of Chestertown’s best streets, this one’s for you!

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

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

I am indebted to the Spy reader who emailed me about the work done by two intrepid home owners who have been renovating their Rock Hall property since they purchased the property in 2015. The Spy reader thought it would be a great idea for a “Before and After” profile and last Sunday I visited with owners Kimberly and Bill to tour the  garage/guest house and the main house.

After spending many weekends at Rock Hall, they soon fell under the spell of this charming community and began their search for a weekend/summer place. They were attracted to this house’s historic architectural character, especially the stacked sunrooms at the outside corners of both floors, the full front porch and the woods beyond the rear yard.

On the day I visited, the work on the detached garage/guest suite was complete and the upper floor guest suite was now their weekend retreat while the construction on the main house continued.  They showed me several “before” pictures and the deteriorated condition of the main house and garage would have deterred many buyers. Not these two! Bill is a bridge engineer and Kimberly is a kindergarten teacher who has an innate interior design talent. Both of them collaborated on the space planning and the construction.

Their master plan began with demolition in 2015. Overgrown shrubbery, a mature tree that needed to be removed, the main house’s rear wing whose roof was collapsing, inadequate  foundations, etc., were part of a long list that had to be resolved before the fun of transformation could begin. Next, they tackled the garage and extended its footprint to create space on the second floor for a one-bedroom apartment that is a cozy temporary home for them due to Kimberly’s flair for interior design.

The last two years have been spent on the construction of the main house. During demolition, they discovered the exterior wall construction was balloon framing, where the stud walls are uninterrupted up to the roof joists, without door or window headers. Another challenge was the low ceiling height. They wisely decided to leave the original exterior walls as-is and construct new inner walls to support the windows, doors, floor and roof joists.  The added advantages to this approach are a deep exterior wall that can be infilled with insulation for better thermal comfort and higher ceilings in the new spaces.

In the main house, they moved the stair from the side wall to the center to separate the living room from the sunroom. Behind the living room will be the kitchen and dining area, a side entry from the driveway and a bedroom suite. At the rear is a roofed deck that will become a screened porch.  Since this space is outside of the main house footprint, it has a high pitched ceiling and views to the wooded area beyond the yard.

The front of the second floor will be a wonderful master suite. The bedroom is separated from the corner sunroom by the stairs and the sunroom will become a sitting room for the master suite.  Light will filter into the stairwell from the sunroom windows through the interior windows in the wall between the sunroom and the stairs. Behind the master bedroom will be the master bath and closets, laundry, a second bath and two other bedrooms at the rear of the house.

The stud walls are in place and the rough-in plumbing, HVAC and electrical is being done so interior finishing will be the next step for this talented duo.  After they move into their new home, Kimberly and Bill are considering renting their garage apartment with its private deck. The Spy looks forward to reporting on the completed house-stay tuned!

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.

I was immediately attracted to this charming property for its exquisite landscaping, architectural style and interiors. From the driveway you pass through a gateway in the wooden fence marked by a pitched pergola. The rear yard is beautifully landscaped with flowering trees, plantings and lawn. Brick paths meander through the landscape to reach the guest house or the workshop that once was a sailmaker’s shop and office. The simple form of the house has a main wing with a center front door flanked by windows on either side and a brick chimney piercing the roof. A secondary wing telescopes down on one side with a front window and another chimney. Corner boards, shallow eaves, off white siding, window boxes under each window and brick stair winders down to the ground reminded me of Shaker simplicity. The rear elevation is equally appealing with its long shed roof dormer and a pergola covering a deck  at the rear landscaped yard.

I simply loved the interior design of every room. The front door opens onto a short hall that is a gallery lined with family photographs of various sizes. The living room has a wood stove at one end and walls of bookcases at the other end that wrap around the interior wall.  Upholstered wing chairs, a Chesterfield loveseat, craftsman styled tables, colorful pillows and walls with art create a cozy room for relaxing. A wide doorway framed in wood leads to the dining area. The beautiful craftsmanship of the wood table, chairs and sideboard reminded me of the Thomas Moser Collection and the antique corner cabinets added more warmth of wood.  Art and collectibles were artfully arranged to set the table for lingering over a meal.

The kitchen’s craftsman’s styled wood cabinets, terra-cotta colored tile countertops,  backsplash, and stainless steel appliances were very pleasing. I liked the mix of upper cabinets flush to the ceiling and open shelving for displaying serving pieces, crocks and other utensils. I especially liked the use of pendant lighting with fabric shades instead of the ubiquitous recessed downlights. I also liked how the wood shutters in all the rooms only covered the lower part of the windows, providing seated privacy when needed while allowing light within from the upper window panes.

I thought the living room was my favorite room until I saw the second floor bedroom. The chamfered ceiling, wood floors and the sitting area under the long row of windows under the shed dormer created great interior architecture.  The HVAC grille was cleverly disguised in a wall of full height built-in millwork. One side was low next to the window seat and the other was higher to incorporate the HVAC grille with a ledge to display artifacts. The craftsman style wood bed frame, the soft colors of the bedspread, the wall mounted lamps on either side of the bed and the wooden rocking chair created a restful retreat. I liked how the knee walls were just high enough for bedside tables and art above. The shed dormer created a wide nook offset from the bedroom and the window wall below the shed dormer had a row of books to hide the windows’ header and storage below with hinged tops . Closets with louvered doors at each end  of the nook added more storage.

The guest house interior design was as charming as the main house. Stained wood ceiling joists below white decking, white walls and wood floors created a bright and cozy space. Twin beds, wood chairs, a small trestle table with wood armchairs, a small kitchenette and light from several windows would encourage any guest to prolong their stay.

With the highest level of craftsmanship in the construction and interior finishes, this exquisite property close to the Chesapeake Bay would be the perfect weekend retreat!

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

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

The setting, exterior color palette and massing of this property is very appealing. The front elevation of the “L” shaped house has one wing containing shed roof extensions covering a front porch and a bay window at the gable end. The other wing steps down and ends in a short hipped eave. The exterior color palette of cream and brown blends into the wooded setting enhanced by the landscaping. The curved entry terrace that is an extension of the front porch is surrounded by a short hedge that links the two wings. The sloped site creates a lower level and the rear elevation opens up to the water views with a variety of windows.  There are two spacious sunrooms stacked above each other with windows on three sides. One side of the lower floor sunroom is a greenhouse that spans the full width of the space. Two other bay windows and French doors bring light and views into the spaces.

The “hinge” for the two wings of the “L” is the kitchen and breakfast room. One side of the “L” contains the living room at the gable end with a wide bay window, wood-burning fireplace and millwork for books and a master suite.  Comfortable neutral upholstered pieces are anchored by a patterned rug for relaxing by the fire. A wide doorway leads to the large sunroom with room for sitting and dining areas overlooking the water views through the trees. The other side of the “L” contains another master suite, dining room and garage.

I loved the dining room’s caramel colored walls above the crisp white wainscot in between wide and long windows for views to the landscape. The warm wood table and chairs are anchored by an Oriental rug and the vista through the wide doorway to the hall gallery. The “U” shaped kitchen has generous counter space and upper cabinets to the ceiling for generous storage. The wall of cabinets opposite the “U” is a dream for anyone who likes to entertain- glass fronted upper cabinets to display crystal, bar sink, wine fridge and a pantry. Double windows over the kitchen sink and views from the cooktop through the breakfast room to the rear bay window give the cook great views.  

My favorite room was the breakfast area that is a warm and cozy space for any informal meal. The wide bay window with its seat below, stained wood table and chairs, crisp white wainscot and trim outlined the rose red walls Above the window headers was a shelf that wrapped around the room and displayed the Owners’ beautiful collection of blue and white ceramics.

There are two master suites and three other bedrooms. I especially liked the main floor master suite with its skylight  and a wide bay window. One of the lower level bedrooms had a wide triple window for water views, a patterned valance, white bed linens and an antique armoire for a serene look. Another lower level bedroom had light blue walls, white wood slat ceilings, wood antique bed frame and washstand with a shelf above the mirror to display part of the Owner’s ceramic collection.

Great setting, floor plan with easy flow, beautiful interiors and two floors for flexible living-it is no surprise that this house is under contract!

For more information about this property, contact Susan Sams with Doug Ashley Realtors at 410-810-0010 (o), 410-725-2768 (c) or susansams7@gmail.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”. The Sellers invite inquiries via email,  acmadar@aol.com, about their fine wood antique pieces that are for sale

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.

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

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

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

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

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

Spy House of the Week is an ongoing series that selects a different home each week. The Spy’s Habitat editor Jennifer Martella makes these selections based exclusively on her experience as a architect.

Jennifer Martella has pursued her dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. Her award winning work has ranged from revitalization projects to a collaboration with the Maya Lin Studio for the Children’s Defense Fund’s corporate retreat in her home state of Tennessee.