The community of Montebello Hills in Kent County has a pastoral setting in central Kent County near Chestertown and Rock Hall. For boating and/or fishing enthusiasts, the Still Pond Creek Public Landing is nearby. The Owners of this house selected a floor plan from Southern Living and a local builder. So many facades of magazine plans are overloaded with architectural elements not representative of any particular style, but this house’s facades were done well. My only comment is that the front porch’s arched pediment seems too top heavy and lacks a column at the other end of the arch. The massing is quite pleasing with a front wing that gables back to the main roof then telescopes down to the next smaller gable that projects forward and the final box bay window projects further with a sloped shed dark brown metal roof.

The wrap-around front porch begins at the double entry doors and ends at the story and a half front gable garage/laundry wing. A single glass and paneled door opens into a short hall next to the garage and opposite the laundry, making clean-up easy after a day in pool or doing landscape maintenance. The exterior color palette of beige siding, the red brick of the exposed foundation, front porch steps, flooring and the front gable wing with the charcoal architectural roofing create great curb appeal. The rear elevation is quite attractive beginning with the garage wing’s gable to the laundry ‘s hyphen connection to the main wing’s symmetry with two, one-story gables at each end flanking a recessed screened porch below a shed dormer with triple windows at the upper part of the main roof.

The front door opens into a spacious foyer with beautiful yellow pine flooring that continues throughout the main floor and a vista to the living room and the screened porch beyond. To the left of the foyer is the dining area at the corner of the main wing with two wide and tall windows on each exterior wall. Between the windows is a chair rail and below are moldings to define panels and the trim and molding are a lighter color than the wall color for a pleasant contrast. Between the dining area and the kitchen is the stairwell that is open to both the dining room and kitchen opposite the living room.

The living room seating is grouped around the interior wall of built-in millwork flanking the pellet stove and space for a large screen TV. Cabinetry below open shelving provides space for games, books and collectibles. Pairs of sliding doors lead to the screened porch overlooking the pool for great indoor-outdoor flow. The recessed screened porch creates a delightful breakfast nook with a trio of windows overlooking the rear landscape. The chair rail frames a portion of the wall with a collection of various sizes of mirrors and one plaque proclaiming “You Are My Sunshine” – a lovely way to start the day! The kitchen has Bertch white cabinetry, 42” high upper cabinets, period hardware, quartz countertops with a farmhouse style sink, white subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a custom island top fabricated from English walnut that overhangs the island creating space for four stools. I liked how the transom over the interior doors or openings pays homage to the transoms of older houses in the days before HVAC.

The primary suite has its own wing next to the living room and spans from the study in the front of the house to the bedroom at the rear. The study has a triple window box bay creating a ledge for the family pet to keep one company while working. The primary bedroom has both triple windows at the rear and two side windows overlooking the landscape. To complete the suite, there is a large walk-in closet and a sumptuous spa bath with both a tiled shower equipped with four heads, a partial height wall below glass panels and subway tiles. I coveted the free-standing soaking tub below a double unit window with frosted glass panes for privacy and the thought of stepping out from the tub onto heated tile floors would be heavenly!

The second floor has four guest bedrooms spaced across the floor layout for privacy with a large full bath in the center of the plan. Each bedroom has either walk-in or large closets. Above the garage is a storage area with windows at each gable end wall, insulated side knee walls and gypsum board ready for your preferred wall finish.

The property also includes the large in-ground pool with its wide paved surround that provides ample space for chaises for sunbathing after a dip in the pool and a 30×40 insulated two-bay pole barn with a porch facing the pool for entertaining. The barn has its own driveway for parking to accommodate guests for large parties.

Floor plan that is zoned well, exterior color palette of pleasing materials and colors, outdoor rooms of a wrap-around front porch, rear screened porch, pool area and open porch at the pole barn, spacious main floor primary suite and four additional bedrooms on the second floor; the perfect family home that enables a couple to age in place!

For more information about this property, contact Lacey Sutton with Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Company at 410-778-0330 (o), 443-480-3580(c) or lacey@cbchesapeake.com. For more photographs and pricing visit
https://suttonteamhomes.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity.” For a virtual tour, visit
https://www.homesnap.com/MD/Worton/24964-Belleau-Wood-Road?a=330023806

Photography by TruPlace, www.truplace.com, 301-972-3201
Builder: Ray Strong of Canvasback Construction, 410-708-8893.
Architect: Mitch Guinn, Southern Living House Plan “Stone Creek,” 770-502-1423.

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.

Once again, I find myself in the very appealing Wymont Park neighborhood of NW Kent County, whose water boundaries are Jacks Cove and Still Pond Creek leading to the Chesapeake Bay. The water oriented community neighborhood has both waterfront lots and inland lots including today’s feature. This custom built contemporary style house was built in 2004 with the use of structurally integrated panels. What caught my eye was its setting, nestled in a clearing of woods, surrounded by dense foliage of tall trees and mature landscaping. The light colored exterior color palette and the geometry of the house with its many gables, bay projections and angled walls reach out to the landscape against this verdant oasis’ backdrop of green. 

The massing defines the one-level part of the house with guest rooms above in a two-story wing that offers one-level living with the option to “age in place.” From the parking area, a path of aggregate concrete meanders between the house and the tall trees along one side of the path with plantings of hostas, hydrangeas, and other low shrubbery around the house. The path widens just before reaching the front porch for a clearing with two Adirondack chairs in the shade of trees that is a pleasant spot for relaxing and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. The front door is recessed beyond the brick stoop to provide just enough space for a wicker chair for another seating option. At the rear elevation there is a spacious deck off the great room with a table and benches under an umbrella for al-fresco dining and other Adirondack chairs. Steps lead down to a large terrace with a texture change of oversize random stone pavers set into gravel with a firepit and Adirondack chairs in red with blue cushions. Bird lovers will appreciate the feeders and a bird bath to encourage visits from avian companions. 

The floor plan is zoned very well for family relaxation and entertaining large family celebrations with the front door opening into a recessed foyer opposite the stairs between the front den with built-in millwork with a space for the TV, across from the primary suite on one side of the house. One side of the stairs are open to the spacious open plan family-sitting -office nook that is the hub of the house. The service areas of garage, mudroom and laundry are located at the other end of the house. The contemporary style large casement windows without muntins, sliding doors and arched transoms provide multiple ways for sunlight to keep the interiors sunny and bright and provide views of the mature landscaping against the continuous backdrop of trees. 

Offsets in plan and the vaulted ceilings with exposed stained beams create a dramatic great room of living-dining-sitting area-office area-kitchen-breakfast area that spans the full depth of the house. The beautiful wood floors range from natural plank hickory, cherry and oak with an inlaid star pattern in the foyer. The living room seating is arranged around the gas fireplace to provide cozy warmth on chilly nights. The dining area is centered on the large four-unit window with a half-moon transom over the center windows. Angled offsets in plan next to the dining area create spaces for extra seating, home office, crafts, etc. leading to the kitchen.

The kitchen design features solid cherry cabinets with updated hardware and granite counters. The angled “L” arrangement is opposite a wall of cabinetry containing the  R/F hidden behind cabinet panels and a generous pantry cabinet with pull out shelves that provides easily accessible storage. Next to the R/F are base cabinets with open shelves above for display that create a lovely vista from the dining area. The center island seats three and another option for breakfast is the bay window area with a triangular transom above the middle window in the bay. Between the kitchen and the garage is a mud room and powder room. The garage is generously sized to accommodate two cars,  a tool bench and storage. The second floor has two additional bedrooms, one bath and two attic areas for storage.

Custom built home in a secluded wooded setting in a tranquil water oriented community, with the Chesapeake Bay just a short boat ride from Still Pond Creek, deck and terrace that spill out into the mature landscaping, dramatic great room with vaulted ceilings outlined in stained timber framing, gourmet kitchen, and one-level living with guest rooms on the second floor-great property!

For more information about this property, contact Grace Crockett with Doug Ashley Realtors, LLC at 410-810-0010 (o), 410-708-5615  (c) or crockettgm@ymail.com , “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Janelle Stroup, Thru the Len Photography, 410-301-6838, janelle@thruthelensphotos.com.

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

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

I always enjoy returning to S. Kent Street that is one block long between Cannon and High Street. The rows of narrow urban lots infilled with houses remind me of my past work in urban revitalization projects. This street is close to the center of Chestertown’s Historic District amenities and near Washington College. I am always drawn to the diminutive scale, perhaps because I am beginning to think about downsizing, so this house caught my eye for how it stands out with its hipped roof between the larger houses on either side with their side gable roofs. The full front porch has a very low sloped hipped roof  and with the entry door at the side, the porch area is maximized for seating to interact with neighbors on their daily strolls. The white turned columns and the railing enclose the space and the wide step at the entry door bay invites one to sit and catch up with neighbors. 

The architectural roofing shingles, window shutters and lap siding add texture to the asymmetrical arrangement of the single entry door next to a double unit window below the second floor’s two single windows. The pale green siding and the slate blue shutters complete the look. When I saw the interior of the front porch with the wood flooring painted red, the blue front door mat and the white storm door at the front entry, it seemed very fitting in honor of the month we celebrate the July 4th holiday. 

The front door opens into a charming living room with one side wall infilled with built-in full height bookcases that have a blind corner at each end to define the area with a window seat centered below the side window opposite the single window at the other side exterior wall. With the double window unit at the front of the house, the room is sunny all day and the inviting interior design is perfectly scaled for the space; I especially coveted the Windsor settee! The creamy white walls, crisp white trim and the white plantation shutters for the windows accentuate the beautiful wide plank wood floors. 

A wide cased opening leads to the dining room with two built-in corner cabinets to showcase the collection of ceramics and crystal, linked by a wood wainscot of alternating wide and narrow panels. The exposed brick chimney is behind a wood stove and the beautiful wood table with its distinctive sinuous candle holder below the pendant lighting over the table sets the scene for memorable meals. At the side wall facing the stairs, the bottom tread is below a window and the area under the stairs has increasingly higher doors detailed with side rails and vertical planks to access the storage area. 

I absolutely loved the kitchen-breakfast area that spans across the width of the house. Vintage touches of the white porcelain farmhouse sink and period fitting, the free-standing wood butcher block against the exposed brick chimney, the mix of the wood plate rack above the dishwasher, open shelves, minimum upper cabinets, most with glass fronts, white base cabinetry, white tile backsplash with a racing stripe in an accent color, wood countertops and the beautiful pine flooring gives this kitchen its unique personality. The breakfast area has a wood wainscot and the wood table under the side window with colorful Windsor chairs is a perfect spot for a quick meal or for keeping the cook company while meals are prepared. I especially liked the clever detail of the stained glass window as a valance over the actual window over the kitchen sink.

Behind the kitchen-breakfast area is the utility room with a stack washer/dryer and a full bath. The exterior door leads to the fenced back yard that is primarily hardscape with a border for plants and flowers that creates a quiet urban oasis.

The stairs to the second floor end at a hall connecting the two bedrooms with the full bath in between. The built-in linen cupboard in the hall conveniently stores extra towels, bed linens and seasonal blankets, etc. and a pull-down stair leads to the attic for storage. 

The primary bedroom at the front of the house has two windows and one side window for sunlight throughout the day. The bedroom at the rear of the house is furnished as a “bed-sit” with a comfortable wide upholstered chair and ottoman for reading before turning in for the night. The full bath has both a free-standing soaking tub and a shower with a glass door. I loved the interior design of the bathroom with the floor’s small polygonal white tiles inlaid with black tiles inset at regular intervals to create a pattern. The white beadboard wainscot detailed with baseboard and molding below light sage green walls are a soothing background for the fixtures including a dual white lavatory cabinet with center drawers, the white marble countertop with a white backsplash topped with small black tiles that are repeated in the shower’s white tile walls and the individual mirrored medicine cabinets that create an elegant design. 

This charming home has undergone a thoughtful renovation including all the essentials one dislikes having to do- new plumbing, wiring, framing, HVAC, and roofing. Move-in ready as the realtors say!

For more information about this property, contact Miles Norris at Select Land and Homes Inc., 410-810-3900 (o), 410-708-5423 (c) or mnorrisselect@gmail.com. For more pictures and pricing, visit www.selectlandandhomes.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.

When I first saw a picture of the long side of this building, I did not realize at first that it was a residence. The rectangular building has a sloped upper roof with a row of clerestory windows above the greenhouse’s single sloped roof below. When I saw the earth berm against the rear high concrete wall, I realized this was a unique house that was carefully sited to incorporate earth sheltered design principles. I have been interested in earth sheltered design since my post-graduation tour with college friends. One of our most memorable stops was Mesa Verde Park in Colorado where we saw the famous cliff dwellers housing tucked under the massive overhanging rocks. The ancient Anasazi people who built their dwellings understood the basic principle of earth sheltered design of using the earth for thermal control. A structure built into the earth with its steady 55-65 degree year round temperature needs less cooling in the warm months and less heating in the cold months for significant energy savings. 

In addition to the concrete retaining wall against the sloped grassed berm at the north side of the house, other energy saving features include active solar panels on the sloped south side one story roof. The solar panels are owned and contribute more to the local energy grid than is consumed by this house with reimbursements and credits greater than the $13 monthly distribution charge. The south-facing continuous windows at the one-story greenhouse and the upper continuous clerestory windows provide passive solar energy. Radiant floor heating, the on-demand hot water heater and the greenhouse’s smart-opening skylights are other energy saving features.

The double entry doors open into the hall between the studio of the Owner, who is a quilt artisan, and the two-car garage. I lingered in the studio since both of the bedrooms in my home have quilts from great-grandmothers on both sides of my family. I was fascinated by the beautiful quilts in various stages of progress and how this spacious room is filled with light from the tall windows and transoms and the clerestory windows high above that bounce sunlight off the walls below. 

As I continued my tour, I noticed that the “service” areas of kitchen, pantry, laundry, utility room and a hall bathroom are logically located against the rear berm wall. The kitchen has a contemporary look with light wood cabinets, sleek hardware, granite countertops, stainless steel Bosch appliances and an induction stovetop. The kitchen’s sloped ceiling rises to meet the clerestory wall  across the hall and is open to the living-dining area that is flooded with sunlight from the clerestory windows and the pair of French doors with transoms between pairs of long windows overlooking the greenhouse. The side wall of the living area has a fireplace with its drywall chimney next to built-in millwork that matches the color of the wood kitchen cabinets. The sloped ceiling adds the perfect amount of volume to the space. 

Walking along the hall, I was very envious of both the large pantry and laundry room, both of which were larger than my guest room! The three bedrooms are located along the hall and are filled with sunlight from their exterior walls that are the rear wall of the south-facing greenhouse. One guest bedroom currently  functions as an office with a wall of closets and pair of French doors to the greenhouse. The two Owners’ en-suites are larger and both have a pair of French doors and a double unit long window with transoms to the greenhouse. The enclosure of the white walls and sloped ceiling to reflect the light creates serene retreats for connecting to nature. Since the bathrooms for each Owner suite are located at the interior hall, I would be tempted to add a high window in one of the bathroom walls facing the bedrooms for indirect sunlight. 

My favorite room in the homes I feature is usually the sunroom with wrap-around windows. This house’s greenhouse is literally a sunroom filled with light from its ceiling of smart opening skylights and casement windows that wrap around three sides of the room for panoramic views of the countryside. The greenhouse’s concrete floor and a spigot for watering makes taking care of plants an easy chore that also is handy for pet care!

This unique Green house was built in 2016 with many energy features for year round comfort and energy cost savings. The interior layout is zoned well with the open plan living-dining-kitchen area balanced by the private bedroom suites. The ‘bonus” room is the spacious 432 sf studio/office/family room that could also be converted to a studio apartment since the space has its own exterior entrance and has been plumbed for a full bath. Very intriguing property!

For more information about this property, contact Murphy O’Neill with Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Company at 410-778-0330 (o), 443-480-4275 or murphy@cbchesapeake.com. For more pictures and pricing, visit www.cbchesapeake.com,   “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by TruPlace, (301) 972-3201, https://truplace.com/

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

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

This is my second visit to the rural crossroads community of Still Pond. Once again, I drove through its charming main street lined with houses dating from the early 19th century to the 1930’s in architectural styles ranging from Colonial Revival, Craftsman and Victorian, as well as vernacular forms such as American National Folk. My first visit inspired further research and I learned that not only is Still Pond an excellent example of the historical development of Kent County’s rural communities of the Upper Eastern Shore, but this small community was also the first in Maryland to give women the right to vote! Two main roads define the Historic District, Still Pond Rd and Old Still Pond Rd. Today’s feature is located on Still Pond Rd, whose streetscape is a row of houses on either side that back up to farmland.

This property’s 3-bay house in the American National Folk style has a detached two-car garage set back from the rear of the house. I loved the simplicity of the two story house with its full front porch and how the front elevation stacks up from the first floor’s entry door and two windows to two windows on the second floor and finally a single dormer window at the attic level. The turned columns that support the porch have simple filigreed fretwork at the top of each column and the monochromatic exterior palette of pale beige and white trim make the house seem larger than it is. 

The front entry’s full French door has an original transom that provided ventilation in the days before air conditioning. The door opens into the living-dining room that spans across the front of the house with direct sunlight from the two side windows and indirect sunlight from the porch windows. I coveted the colorful still life artwork just inside the front door that introduces other artwork throughout the house. A large  Oriental rug over beautiful pine floors anchors the dining table and the sofa against the wall and the wood armoire angled at the far corner of the room maximizes the floor area. Opposite the front door are the stairs to the second floor along the exterior wall. The kitchen is accessed both by a cased opening next to the stair and a wide cased opening at the rear of the living room for easy flow.

The spacious kitchen has pale blue walls, one detailed in shiplap, white cabinetry and appliances with a wood island as an accent over the pine floors. I like to minimize upper cabinets so it was refreshing to see open shelving here instead of closed upper cabinets. A French door leads to a one-story lean-to addition containing the mud room/laundry/pantry. This room also has an exterior door for easy clean up after an afternoon of gardening with the powder room conveniently tucked under the stairs. Wall openings at the rear of the kitchen lead to the sunroom/office/TV room with an exterior French door and windows that wrap around the three exterior walls for panoramic views of the landscape. 

The stairs to the second floor end at a hall with sunlight from the window in the side wall. Two of the bedrooms are located at the front and rear of the house with the third bedroom and the large bath in the middle. The middle bedroom is the primary bedroom with direct access to the bath. Two side windows, the light colored walls and the wood furnishings over the large two-toned floral rug and the neutral bed linens create a serene retreat. If I were a guest, I would claim the rear bedroom with its three windows and one side window overlooking the landscape. I loved the bedspread with its diagonal pattern of oversized fronds in three designs and the sleek Art Deco wood chests. The third bedroom at the front of the house is perfect for children with white framed bunk beds against light blue walls and a darker blue rug over white plank flooring. 

The property also contains an unusual feature in the covered porch at the rear of the detached two-car garage and behind the porch is a full kitchen ready for preparing meals for family and friends in this delightful outdoor room.

Charming American National Folk house with a full front porch to enjoy that second cup of coffee as the sun rises or relax in the covered porch behind the garage and enjoy meals as the sun sets. Compact plan, great flow among rooms,  9 ft. ceilings on the main floor, beautifully refinished original pine floors-hard to resist!

For more information about this property, contact Deborah May of Northrop Realty, a Long & Foster Company at 410-770-2910 (o), 410-599-1411 (c) or deborahmay@northroprealty.com. For more photographs and pricing, visit www.northroprealty.com/agents/deborahmay/. “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Photography by Home Visit, www.homevisit.com

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

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

When I first saw this house, I was reminded of Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous quote about building a house on a hill-“It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other.” This house was built in 1981 and its advantage of time is that the three-bay house nestles into its ten acres of mature landscaping with a towering tree overhanging the rear corner of the house, other mature trees surrounding the pool area and a base of shrubbery and other plantings that seamlessly blends the house into its gently sloping site with lawns down to the Chesapeake Bay. 

The driveway ends at a parking area with a carport between a covered ramp and a walkway around the front of the house to steps up to a front deck with the ramp becoming a breezeway to the front deck. Wright would have approved of the front elevation’s low sloping roof meeting another higher roof covering the wrap-around porch at the front and the open plan kitchen-family-dining area. 

The front door opens into a foyer with slate flooring with a vista to the living room’s rear wall’s grid of windows and doors for access to another deck with views to the Bay. The interior architecture created by the wood floors, walls of white vertical boards and the sloped ceiling that intersects the flat portion at the top of the rear wall’s transoms has great appeal. At the interior wall, a stovepipe wood stove in a recessed area lined with slate is a sculptural element. 

A wide cased opening infilled with French pocket doors leads to the open plan family-kitchen-dining area that spans the full depth of this wing. The truncated “C” shape/island kitchen arrangement at the front of the house is detailed with light wood cabinets, granite countertops and two rows of long tiles as a backsplash. A single glass door leads to the screened porch and pool area and another glass door diagonally across the space leads to the rear deck for views of the Bay. The space has abundant daylight throughout the day from the narrow transoms at  the peak of the sloped ceiling, the tall single window with a transom at the side wall and rear wall infilled with rows of operable windows and transoms for sunset views over the Bay. 

At the other end of the foyer is the spacious primary suite with its rear wall of windows that wrap around each corner interrupted by a bay window in the center for panoramic Bay views. The primary bath is detailed with earth toned tile flooring and wainscot topped with a black molded tile as an accent. The spacious shower with a built-in seat has a glass door for a vista to the upper tile wall of cream colored tile laid on a diagonal with inserts of tiled waterfowl accents. The remainder of the main floor contains another bedroom and bath.

The basement is finished with a wood slat ceiling and plank flooring. In addition to the open recreation area, there is also a sauna for after pool relaxation, another bedroom and full bath. 

Ten acre site on the Chesapeake Bay, timeless contemporary design and mature landscaping. The house has recently been updated with refinished hardwood floors and interior repainting so it is move-in ready for the next Owners to relax on the rear deck to enjoy sunsets over the Bay!

For more information about this property, contact Glenn Sutton at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, 410-280-5600 (o), 410-507-4370 (c) of gsutton@ttrsir.com. For more photographs or pricing, visit  https://www.ttrsir.com/eng“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.

Stone houses have always had great appeal for me-perhaps it is because of my many years of admiring manor houses in PBS’s programs so the stone facades of this house nestled into its wooded setting on Mill Creek caught my eye. The earth tones of the stone pattern and texture of a mix of ashlar and larger random stones, the brown vertical siding and the lighter brown of the roofing shingles and the bright yellow-orange of the doors that picks up one of the stone colors is very appealing against its backdrop of leafy towering trees. The massing of the house’s wings, steep roof pitch and minimal trim clearly identify its contemporary style. 

The 1.58 acre site feels much larger for its being surrounded by woods that offer peace and quiet to focus upon the sights and sounds of nature. The outdoor rooms of screened porch, deck, firepit and the meditation labyrinth lined with stones are aligned along the creek. The large in-ground pool, barrel sauna and hot-tub are located near the pool on the opposite side of the house. The pier leads to a charming boathouse lined with benches for a waterside picnic, or to launch your kayak for a slow glide along the creek or simply to sit and savor the peace and quiet. 

The main entry’s pair of double doors opens to a vista of a deep apricot wall with a landscape painting above another piece of art, a  beautiful wood cantilevered “shelf” that is the work of the talented wood artist Vico von Voss. Walking toward the accent wall, the open plan living-family-kitchen-dining area soon becomes evident and the wood ceilings, exposed timber framing and wood handrail around the upper level that soars to the ceiling create a dramatic space. Two back to back corner fireplaces define the seating areas in the family room with its vistas through the screened porch and the dining room to the water. The living room has glass sliding doors at the side wall and another pair to the deck for diagonal views of the woods and water. In the other direction, the vista ends at the kitchen’s steep gable wall infilled with glass. 

The kitchen is a cook’s dream with its “U” shape, warm wood cabinets and  texture from the granite countertops below the subtle backsplash of thin horizontal rows of tile. I could easily imagine enjoying the views of the woods and water while working at the sink below a pair of operable windows or at the cooktop with its long picture window between single operable units. A wide cased opening leads to the dining room which feels like a sunroom with its three walls of full height windows or sliding doors. The end gable wall has an accent half-moon window centered above two panels of the doors. The mix of the gypsum board walls and the wood slat ceiling, wood floors and the wood contemporary furnishings create a setting for memorable meals. 

Sliding glass doors lead to the spacious screened porch furnished for sitting and dining. I especially like the corner view of the water beyond the trees through the wide screened panels below the wood ceiling and the views of the treetops through the skylights. Next to the porch is a large deck at the rear corner of the house that connects to the sliding glass doors at the living room for a continuous flow among the rooms for easy entertaining. The rest of the main floor contains the laundry room, full bath and two bedrooms, one of which has a door off the family room so it could be an office.

The stairs to the second floor lead to a wide hall past the primary suite. Walking along the hall under the dramatic geometry created by the intersecting ceiling planes of wood is a spatial delight that ends at a sitting room with a large gable end wall infilled with glass. Below the low windowsill are cushions to savor the views of woods and water. Upholstered seating is arranged around the view and another TV. The primary suite is a serene retreat with its fireplace between closets, double windows overlooking the landscape below and a sloped ceiling with wood slats. Stairs off the second floor hall lead to the third floor’s office open to the primary suite below for a bird’s eye view of the woods. 

Great waterfront site along Mill Creek leading to the Sassafras River, wonderful variety of outdoor spaces from the screened porch, deck, in ground pool, barrel sauna, hot tub, fire pit, pier and boat house. The bench at the water’s edge and the meditation labyrinth offer quiet areas for contemplating nature. Great flow among the main level rooms and the bedrooms are zoned for privacy with guest rooms on the main floor and the primary suite on the second floor. The property also includes a two-car garage with an attached workshop. 

For more information about this property, contact John Burke with Gunther McClary Real Estate at 410-275-2118 (o), 443-206-3727 (c) or jburke57@gmail.com. For more pictures and pricing, visit https://gunthermcclary.com/, “Equal Housing Opportunity.”

Vicco von Voss, https://www.viccovonvoss.com/ ,410-708-4698

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.