Habitat — Page 2

House of the Week: Folk Victorian

April 20, 2022 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

To me, the Folk Victorian style has great appeal for its simplicity of form, less elaborate detailing and compact floor plans in contrast to its elder sister’s High Victorian excesses. The front elevation of this two-story house caught my eye for its two bay wide form, articulated with one side projecting slightly forward on both floors from the front wall of the house with a gable roof extending from the main roof. At the second floor, a wide angled bay window projects further from the wall under the gable roof with eave returns and eave brackets for decoration. At the attic level, the gable wall is accented with a square window with vertical muntins. The other bay at the second floor has a double unit window with a single window dormer in the roof. At the main level, the full front porch wraps around the side of the house facing the driveway. The porch is detailed with simple columns and railings, wood floors and wood slat ceilings and the depth easily accommodates seating and dining areas for a delightful outdoor room.

Craftsmanship excelled in the early part of the 20th century which is evident when you step inside this house’s spacious foyer. Beautiful hardwood floors, a majestic wide staircase with stained newel posts, treads and cap rail with white pickets and risers gracefully rises and turns at a landing with a picture window flanked by two operable units below an arched ceiling. The stained glass panel hanging over the picture window filters the sunlight down the stairs.

The lower run of the stairs is on axis with the wide cased opening to the living room. The opening is detailed with low paneled walls at each side with fluted columns-one of my favorite Craftsman details. The center opening frames the triple unit window at the side wall of the living room with its shallow box bay that projects from the exterior wall with an arched top that echoes the detail over the stair landing. Two stained glass panels hang in front of the side windows and another stained glass panel hangs from the center of the wide cased opening.

A pair of stained French doors lead from the foyer to the large dining room. The side wall’s triple unit window and arched shallow bay echoes the living room’s side wall and here a beautiful stained glass panel hangs over the center picture pane. The drop leaf table is the perfect solution for dinner for two or ten when both leaves are fully extended. I was intrigued by the use of mirrors in both the living and dining rooms above the sofa, French doors and the rear wall of the dining room as interior “windows’. Opposite the dining room is another parlor with a corner fireplace that is currently being used as a TV room but it could easily become a bedroom since there is a full bath on the main floor.

Beyond the dining room is the kitchen renovated with white cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and a free-standing island with a wood top and bar stools for informal meals. A wall of closets provides ample storage. A half French door leads to a delightful space that is furnished as a breakfast nook with wood floors and wood slat ceilings. An iron Singer sewing machine base and a glass top keeps the space open and airy and the bright color of the exterior door is a perfect splash of color. Looking at the side elevation, this space was once another porch but I think this cozy breakfast room is a better idea. The mud room and laundry complete the main floor layout.

The second floor has more bedrooms, one bath and an office with the front wall’s bay window. I loved how the original detail of the transom above the interior doors has been lovingly maintained and kept fully operational. I also liked the dark stain of the doors which contrasts with the light colored walls. The bedrooms are furnished with antique pieces and the charming child’s room has a pie safe with tin inserts for storage. In the bath, another Singer sewing machine base with a wood has a new life as the base for a porcelain vessel lavatory.

The third floor HVAC layout was carefully planned to leave as much open space as possible for myriad uses with the original wood floors and wonderful interior architecture from the roof angles of gables and dormers. The property also contains a two-car garage, and the spring landscape of perennials has begun its show of color.

Wonderful home with details of wood decorative corner guards, transoms and moldings that give this house great character and charm. The house has been upgraded with all new plumbing and electric, first and second floor HVAC, refurbished windows, refinished hardwood floors, new kitchen and bath. Now, if you could only convince the Owners to leave those beautiful stained glass windows…!

For more information about this property, contact Joseph Ciganek at Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Company, 410-778-0330 (o),410-708-3924 (c) or jciganek@cbchesapeake.com. For more photographs and pricing, visit www.joeyciganekproperties.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”

Photography by Patty Hill, 410-441-4719, www.pattyhillphotography.com. For online booking, visit https://pattyhillphotography.simplybook.me/v2/.

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.

House of the Week: Cottage Chic

April 13, 2022 by Dave Wheelan Leave a Comment

This charming cottage that was built in 1955 has a great location in the neighborhood east of Washington St. The cottage’s three levels have undergone stylish upgrades in 2016 including renovations of the kitchen and both baths. The lower level was waterproofed and insulated so it now offers myriad uses as an office/guest space or recreation room/ home theater. The story and a half massing caught my eye with its front elevation’s entry door between single windows at each side with black cottage style shutters, blue shiplap siding that casts shadow lines to enliven the facade, white trim and the blue-gray architectural shingles. The entry door is protected by a gable roof infilled with the blue shiplap siding projecting from the main roof with brackets for supports over the concrete stoop and black railing.

The landscape is a gardener’s and nature-lover’s dream with its arrangement of low maintenance perennial plants and flowers that are in full bloom spring through fall. The plantings were carefully selected not only for color but also to attract many species of birds and butterflies. This has led to the property being certified by the University of Maryland as a Bay-Wise garden and is registered as a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat.

At the side driveway, there is another entry door to the stair landing leading both to the lower level and directly into the galley kitchen for easy unloading of groceries. The rear yard offers outdoor rooms of both a deck with a door to the kitchen and a screened porch off the dining room for easy indoor-outdoor flow. Steps off the side and rear of the deck lead to a pathway of slate pavers ending at a fire pit under the shade of a mature tree. Another taller mature tree adds more shade and at the rear of the property is a small shed for lawn and garden maintenance.

The main floor’s compact floor plan works very well with minimal halls to maximize the sizes of the rooms. The front door opens into the living room with single windows at both the front and side exterior walls. This bibliophile would add a gas fireplace flanked with bookcases on the interior wall for curling up on the sofa with a good book when one is not watching TV.

From the living room, one has a clear vista past the stairs to the lower and upper levels to the galley kitchen’s door to the deck and rear yard. The kitchen has a side window and another window above the kitchen sink overlooking the deck and yard. Since the side exterior door has a landing with steps, I would be tempted to expand the kitchen’s side wall to the edge of the landing to create an alcove for a stack W/D combo off the kitchen.

I admired the kitchen’s stylish interior design with its engineered wood floors, white shaker cabinets, upper cabinets to the underside of the ceiling, butcher block countertops, white subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances including a free-standing hood over the range. My favorite detail is the barn door between the kitchen and the adjacent dining room that is a very creative way to eliminate a door opening into either room. Between the kitchen and dining room is a shallow hall created by closets with one end of a closet opening into the hall for storage of serving pieces.

The side window of the dining room is centered on the hall and the kitchen for a vista through the house and the dining room table is centered on the side window and the sliding doors to the screened porch for views through to the rear yard. The screened porch has space for both sitting or dining and the wrought iron furnishings with cushions and glass topped coffee and dining tables need minimal care. The ceiling that follows the slope of the shed roof makes the space airy and light.

The remainder of the main floor contains a bedroom and bath. The bedroom is located at the front corner of the house with with windows on each exterior wall. The gray powdered finish iron bed with its frame’s slight curvature, the gray and white side chair and the bed’s white bedspread and blanket along with the plaid sheets is ready for guests. The hall bath has a background of white subway tile, white beadboard wainscot, hardwood floors and light gray walls, making the perfect backdrop for one’s accents of colorful towels and accessories.

I have written often about my affection for upper floor spaces tucked under the angles of the roof and this cottage’s upper floor is a delightful retreat. The suite spans across the entire length of the house with windows at each gable end. The bath and walk-in closet are located at one side and double doors with frosted glass between the bath and the bedroom allow the light to filter through to the sleeping area. Knee walls with storage cabinets along both walls eliminate the need for chests and the open railing gives the bedroom the feel of a stylish loft. I especially liked how cleverly the bath’s bath design took advantage of the knee walls. Recessed shelving provides storage next to the shower with its built-in seat against the knee wall and the ceiling slopes to the opposite wall for the plumbing fittings. The shower’s glass panel and door keeps the space open and light, all the better to enjoy the Turkish style pattern of the flooring.

Wonderful setting between Chestertown’s retail/restaurant area and Washington College amenities, quiet street with a charming pedestrian scale, great curb appeal from its architecture, private rear yard with landscape and hardscape for relaxation and stylish renovations-Bravo!

For more information about this property, contact Liddy Campbell at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, 410-673-3344 (o), 410-708-5433 (c) or liddycampbell@gmail.com. For more photographs or pricing, visit

https://liddycampbell.ttrsir.com/eng, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

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

House of the Week: Kennersley Farm Contemporary

April 6, 2022 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

The private community of Kennersley Farm is located on part of the original acreage of “Kennersley”, dating from the late 18th century and listed on the National Register of Historic Properties. As I drove down the original lane under a canopy of mature trees, I admired how well the community was developed to respect the historic house complex including a line of tenant houses along a hill above the road. At the end of the lane is this twenty-two acre waterfront property with a wood fence around the perimeter for privacy. The driveway curves around to the craftsman/contemporary style house, with its main wing elongated along the shoreline for maximum views and the garage wing at the front, perpendicular to the house.

The house was built in 2003 and the exterior materials of the light golden shake siding, earth toned architectural roofing shingles and crisp white trim have been very well maintained. Two of the houses I have called home were craftsman bungalows and some of my favorite craftsman details have been interpreted in this house’s contemporary detailing that adds great curb appeal. The entry story and a half wing has a full front porch with a steep gable centered in the roof above infilled with a trio of windows and transoms. I especially admired the detailing of how the shake siding flared out slightly at the mullion separating the windows and transoms and how the trim board went across and then turned down along the gable eave. I loved how the flared detail creates a shadow line on the wall-beautifully done! The front six-paneled door was paired with a full sidelight and another door at the side of the porch provides access to the laundry/mudroom.

On one side of the main wing is a one-story hyphen connection to the primary suite with its front gable repeating the same flared siding detail at the side of the dual windows and transoms but here the trim boards are horizontal until they end at the corner board. Another hyphen connects the main wing with the laundry/mudroom to the three-car garage. Above the garage doors is another gable set into the roof that echoes the main wing’s detailing with dual windows and transoms in the gable.

As I walked around the house, I was mesmerized by the view across the creek to an undeveloped wooded shoreline with only the sounds of nature for company. I looked back to the house and was delighted by the detailing of the side/rear corner with a four-unit window centered in the gable projecting from the main wing roof meeting a shed roof below with three roof windows inset into the roof over the kitchen windows below for a greenhouse effect. The side windows of the shed roof projection follow the sloped roofline. A one-story gable projection off the side wall with corner windows for panoramic views completes the corner massing. Sliding doors lead from the side wall to the deck.

The rear elevation is always the star of waterfront properties since it usually faces the water as this house does. The main wing has a gable projection from one side that is all contemporary with a brick chimney centered in the wall surrounded a grid of glass and mullions stretching from the horizontal band of shake siding to the underside of the roof’s eave. Pairs of full glass doors on either side of the gable projection lead to a waterside deck. Another gable wall at the primary suite has a four-unit window overlooking the water and a side full glass door to the deck. Truly a beautiful composition that blends contemporary and craftsman touches.

The front door opens into the spacious foyer with a vista through to the rear wall of glass around the brick fireplace. I loved the geometric rug that anchored the seating area created by two full size blue sofas with two tufted ottomans that double as a coffee table or extra seating. The interior architecture of the vaulted ceiling with trimmed collar beams and the side windows connected to the rear window wall offer pastoral views of the water and woods. Next to the living room is the kitchen with its dramatic trio of windows’ meeting the sloped roof windows above that create great views for the cook. The spacious “U” shaped kitchen layout then angles to create a breakfast bar accented by bright blue contemporary stools.

Next to the breakfast bar is a bar sink set into cabinetry with the corner windows above for views-a very pleasant spot for bartending during parties! The breakfast bar cabinetry and the post and beam structure above also defines the boundary of the adjacent dining room with a single glass door to the front porch and the sliding doors to the side deck. The remainder of the wing contains the laundry/mudroom and garage.

The hyphen between the living room and the primary suite is currently used as an office with views through the sliding doors to the deck. Pairs of glass doors separate this space from the living room so this space could become a TV room. The interior architecture of the primary bedroom takes advantage of its one-story architecture by having the side walls follow the gable roof line to add ceiling height for the transoms above the four-unit windows for abundant sunlight and views of the landscape and water. Double walk-in closets and a four piece primary bath with separate vanities complete this restful retreat.

At the top of the stairs to the second floor, the wall plane on axis with the living room’s fireplace has a triangular shaped overlook that juts out over the wall to the living room below. The second floor rooms’ interior architecture created by the gable walls piercing the sloped roofs, gables intersecting at corners, knee walls of varying heights, windows and skylights make delightful spaces for the second primary bedroom, two other bedrooms two baths and a loft/sitting/office area.

Unique waterfront setting with acreage for total privacy and a private airstrip for getaways, boat dock and pier to launch an afternoon on the water, sunsets over the creek with its backdrop of woods, great family house with primary suites on both floors, wonderful blend of craftsman and contemporary touches-who could ask for anything more?

For more information about this property, contact Deborah Callahan with Benson & Mangold Real Estate at 410- 643-3033 (o), 443-988-8094 (c), or dcallahan@bensonandmangold.com. For more photographs and pricing, visit www.bensonandmangold.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

House of the Week: Farmhouse Chic

March 30, 2022 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

Seeing a farmhouse that has been completely renovated as stylishly as today’s feature inspires me since I live in a 1900’s farmhouse with a long list of projects to complete my This farmhouse style property has almost seven acres of land for total privacy and a compact floor plan that creates very appealing massing. The five-bay house has a center door between two pairs of single windows and five windows aligned above. At each side of the two-story house red brick chimneys rise from the black metal roofing.

The shed roof of the full front porch wraps around to one side with a gable at the middle to accentuate the entry door. Lattice panels cover the porch’s crawl space and since the house has recently been completed, the next owner can add their own finishing touches of shrubbery and flowers around the porch. The exterior color palette of white lap siding, door and window trim, corner boards and fascia is crisp and clean with the accent of the black roofing and the entry door. The rear elevation shows the truncated “T” shape of the house’s footprint that creates compact floor plans at each floor level with minimal or no halls. Two other shed roofed porches on either side of the kitchen add more interest to the massing.

The front door opens into a small foyer opposite the stairs to the second floor between the living room and the dining room. The living room has two front windows, windows on the side wall between the chimney and another single window at the rear porch for panoramic views of the pastoral landscape. The mantel of the former fireplace was left intact and a wood stove was added for winter warmth. The beautiful wood floors stand out against the white walls with their beadboard wainscot. The contemporary club chairs and pendant light fixture are the finishing touches that tell you this is not your Grandmother’s farmhouse.

The dining room is also a blend of old and new with a wooden trestle table and bench with contemporary molded chairs and the contemporary pendant light fixture that matches the one in the living room. Here the chimney’s mantle was removed to create space for artwork as the room’s focal point. Like the living room, two front windows and one side window offer views of the pastoral landscape.

Instead of a hallway, cased openings at the rear of both the living and dining rooms connect to the spacious kitchen for an easy flow among the rooms. Entering this room, you know you are not in Kansas anymore with the wall of contemporary light gray cabinetry’s Shaker styled door fronts, sleek black hardware, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and the stainless steel free-standing range hood that becomes a sculptural element. The large “farmhouse” style sink is a nod to the past and another of contemporary pendant light fixture illuminates the room. The rest of the room is left open for the next owner to either add an island and bar stools and/or a seating group for guests to keep the cook company. I loved the black interior doors used in this room and the rest of the house. Here the half French, half wood doors lead to porches on either side of the kitchen and one porch could be screened for al-fresco dining. Off the kitchen is the powder room and laundry.

All of the bedrooms and a full bath are located on the upper floor with bird’s eye views of the wooded surroundings. Two of the bedrooms are located at the front of the house between the stairs and the third bedroom and the bath are located at the rear wing. The dual lavatory cabinet has a rustic wooden enclosure without doors for easy access to supplies. The walls are half beadboard wainscot and half light gray paint above with the ceiling accented in pale blue.

Stylish renovation that completely updates this farmhouse including the metal roof, new craftsman styled doors, new 4/4 windows in keeping with its original style, beautifully refinished hardwood floors, new kitchen and baths, compact floor plan for easy flow among rooms and plenty of acreage for an addition of a main floor primary suite, garage, or pool-Bravo!

For more information about this property, contact the Seller directly at 717-268-9700 or jmellingerdfs@gmail.com.

House of the Week: Courtly Dutch Colonial

March 23, 2022 by Jennifer Martella 4 Comments

Chestertown has a range of lot sizes from the urban lots in the Historic District to the larger lots in the neighborhood bounded by Byford Crt., Philosopher’s Terrace and E. Campus Avenue. The neighborhood was once the farm of the Byford family and today’s featured house is located near other streets that are named for the first names of the children. This lot is 0.82 acres and the 3,458 sf house that was built in 1972 has five bedrooms and four and a half baths, including one bedroom en suite with an accessible bath on the main floor. The house’s front yard slopes down to the street so there are partial views of the Chester River from the front rooms of the house and the yard.

The Dutch Colonial architectural style is one of my favorites since its distinctive gambrel roof shape maximizes the second floor useable floor area. The front elevation has a pleasing massing of the main three bay wing, an original one-story hyphen that was extended by a shed roof over a former porch and the two car garage with its gable end facing the street. The rear elevation has a shed dormer that overlaps the main wing slightly and another shed dormer covering the two-story addition to meet the extension of the garage wing’s gable to create a sunroom on the main floor and attic space above. The rear fenced yard has a deck with ample area for both sitting and dining with large shrubbery enclosing the space. The retractable awning stands ready whenever the sun is too bright.

The front door opens into the foyer with side stairs to the second floor and a wide cased opening to the corner living room. The living room is also a library with the side wall’s single window surrounded with built-in millwork for books. Along with the two front windows, this is a sunny spot for sinking into either of the leather recliners, one of which is a Stickley design and propping up your feet on one of the ottomans to read a book. The striking live oak edged coffee table over the lovely floral rug in earth tones sets up the other seating area containing two sofas.

Another wide cased opening leads to the dining room with more exquisite Stickley furnishings of oak chairs with upholstered seats and an unusual polygonal table. The room’s corner location has windows on the two walls connected by a wood wainscot. Next to the dining room is the “L” shaped kitchen with stained cabinetry opposite another wall of cabinets and two maple butcher block islands on casters. The spacious size can accommodate multiple cooks for large family gatherings.

As charming as the corner dining area was, my favorite room was the larger dining room on the other side of the kitchen at the rear of the house. This room is located in the shed roofed addition so it is filled with sunlight from the double unit side windows and the rear wall of French doors with full width sidelights. The long Stickley trestle table with the chairs from the small dining room could easily accommodate large family dinners after cocktails on the deck. The parquet flooring laid in alternating vertical and horizontal squares is a welcome change from wood planks and I wondered if the striking wood sideboard was the work of the talented artisan woodworker Vicco Von Voss.

The large dining room is connected to the both the sunroom with its windows that wrap around the corner of the room overlooking the rear yard and the bedroom/TV room suite with the ADA bath at the front of the house. The sunroom is currently furnished as an office space but it is easy to imagine this space with rattan furnishings, colorful floral seat cushions and backs and pots of plants for a mini-conservatory on the beautiful random flagstone flooring that may have once been a terrace.

I believe the bedroom/TV space would have worked better if the bathroom had been placed at the interior wall adjacent to the large dining room instead of at the front of the house with its exterior window. The high windows currently located between the bath and the bedroom/TV space would then filter light into the bath so the bedroom/TV space would have a window overlooking the front yard. I coveted the Stickley sofa with the signature wide flat side arms and the flared trim meeting the full side wood panel.

Having an alcove with a stack W/D, the long mudroom/laundry area with its own exterior door, coat closet, hall tree and hanging strip for jackets and totes is a plus for family living. The other four bedrooms and baths are located on the second floor and I loved the splashes of color in the bedrooms’ interior design. One corner bedroom has built-in millwork surrounding the side window and two rear windows between a wall projection that is painted a deep salmon color with a multi-colored bedspread and a pillowcase in one accent color.

Great in-town neighborhood, Dutch Colonial architecture, large house for family gatherings and for entertaining friends, sunroom and deck, main floor bedroom suite and two floor upper floor primary suites-very appealing property!

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.cbchesapeake.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

Photography by Patty Hill, 410-441-4719, https://www.pattyhillphotography.com/ For online booking, visit https://pattyhillphotography.simplybook.me/v2/.

House of the Week: Log Cabin Haven

March 16, 2022 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

I grew up on a street in my home state of Tennessee named Skyland Drive for its position along a high ridge overlooking an endless vista of hills on one side and our town way below on the other. Off one end of the street was a private drive that led to a large two-story log home hidden in the woods. Members of our church owned the house and I was fascinated by the house’s logs painted black against the white chinking, so different from the 1950’s brick basement rancher that was my family’s home. Today’s feature is a charming custom log cabin that was built in 2000 and crafted of high-quality oak logs. My favorite detail of a log cabin is the overlapping ends of the logs at the corners, just like the log cabins I would construct as a young child from my set of Lincoln Logs (invented by Frank Lloyd Wright’s son John Lloyd) so beautifully shown on this log cabin.

Nestled in two acres of woodland, the cabin is a peaceful haven only five miles from Chestertown. The large one-story cabin has a pitched roof that changes to a shed roof at the front elevation to cover the full front porch, complete with a swing at one end to catch the warm weather breezes. At the side of the house is another “outdoor room”, a screened porch that is a seasonal living-dining room. The deck off the dining area has ample room for wood to stock the wood stove and a grille for al-fresco meals. A gravel path bordered by stones of varied sizes meanders around the house and beckons one for an after dinner stroll as the sun sets.

The front door opens into the living-dining room area with a vista upward to the loft containing living space that is currently used as a home office. The exposed wood structural supports, wall planks, sloped ceiling and wood floors reinforce the cozy cabin feeling. The living room seating is arranged around the wood stove and has filtered daylight from the front windows to the porch. Behind the seating area is the dining area with sliding doors to the deck for al-fresco dining. At the side wall of the dining area, the stairs that lead to the loft have solid treads but no risers so the treads float above the floor. The overlook from the loft office offers a great bird’s eye view and the vertical wood pickets in the railing around the opening maintain the feeling of openness.

I love galley kitchens and this one has an exterior door next to the detached garage for ease of unloading groceries. The window over the kitchen sink has a lovely pastoral view of the woods and the fields on the horizon.

All of the bedrooms are located on the main floor and the primary bedroom at the corner has two double unit windows on each exterior wall. One interior wall that is adjacent to the bathroom is finished in gypsum board as an accent and the other walls are finished in the warm wood boards used in the living-dining area. The ceiling treatment is also the same as the living-dining area with exposed joists and decking. The bathrooms have gypsum board walls to contrast with the ceiling’s exposed floor joists and decking. The craftsman style furnishings fit so well with the cabin theme and I liked how one guest bedroom had a shelf above the window for display of pictures.

My favorite space in a house is usually the porch or sunroom but I especially liked the loft living space/office. Each end gable wall is detailed with a single window and a cushioned seat below in between a grid of deep wood shelves with different heights as they reach the sloped ceilings for storage. I would be tempted to make one window a door to a small balcony for views of the landscape for a break from computer work.

The property also contains a shed and a fenced dog area. Charming large log cabin in a lovely setting in the woods with a range of outdoor rooms from the deck off the dining area, full front porch and a side screened porch. One level living with the loft bonus area for myriad uses. Just think of the money you would save over time in not having to paint the interior walls!

For more information about this property, contact Richard Budden at Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Company, 410-778-0330 (o), 443-480-1181 (c) or rbudden@easternshoremdre.com. For more photographs and pricing, visit https://www.easternshoreofmarylandrealestate.com/,

“Equal Housing Opportunity”

House of the Week: Eastern Shore Farmhouse

March 9, 2022 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

I can’t resist the quintessential Eastern Shore farmhouse style homes like this one with all the elements of this charming style. The two-story, three bay house has white clapboard siding, 2/2 windows with blue shutters and a steep break in the center of the roof eave accented by an attic vent with touch of Gothic in its arched top. The full front porch is supported by simple columns with plinth blocks and molding and the porch’s hipped roof’s flat ridge rests just below the center second floor window below the attic window. All these features combine with the alignment of the center front door flanked with single windows on each side and the three second floor windows above to create harmonious symmetry with the “bookends” of red brick chimneys at each side wall. From the exterior, the “L” shaped farmhouse appears to date from the early 1900’s. The interior has undergone an extensive renovation two years ago that respected the Victorian original details including the windows and doors with ornate hinges and porcelain knobs and both bathrooms and the kitchen were also updated.

The front door opens into the foyer hall by the stairs detailed with treads painted gray, risers painted white, carved and stained newel post and wood cap above white turned spindles. As the stairs rise, the lower run gracefully curves to meet the upper run for a great “zoom” shot from the second floor down to the main floor. At the hall side of the foyer, tall cubbies are cleverly inset into the space under the treads. On either side of the foyer are the front parlor and another parlor that can be used as a main floor bedroom since there is a full bath on this level. The chimneys at each side wall of the house serve original fireplaces on both floors that could be restored for wood or propane gas and the original mantels vary in their ornamentation.

The main part of the rear “L” contains the dining room behind the front parlor and the kitchen. The galley kitchen is open to two rear rooms; one is the laundry with pantry shelving and the other is decorated as a coffee/tea/wine nook that could also be a cozy breakfast area with its picture window overlooking the rear landscaping. At the other end of the kitchen with its Shaker style cabinets and quartz countertops is a long window to the landscape. A secondary stair wraps around a corner of the kitchen to access the second floor bedrooms and bath. The two front bedrooms have chimneys and the original mantels. I have written before how one of my former houses had fireplaces on the upper floors that had been covered by drywall. One of my artist friends painted fireboxes in perspective which became the focal point of the rooms. The fireplaces below were opened and restored which could be done here.

The property includes a large, detached outbuilding as well as an attached garden shed for lawn and garden equipment. Both the side and back yards have mature trees with views of the large Town park. Energy upgrades include a whole house fan for summer energy savings that keeps the home cool and comfortable. The entire house has been rewired, the roof is only 4 years old and the home’s interior has been freshly painted a warm light gray. All of the costly systems have been updated so you are free to enjoy creating interiors to suite your own style. This property is close to Chestertown and highway 301. With Wilmington only 48 miles away you could commute there and catch the Acela in Wilmington for a weekend getaway or enjoy this property as a weekend getaway from Wilmington or Philadelphia.

For more information about this property contact Krystina Hyland with Coldwell Banker Real Estate Company at 410-778-0220 (o), 410-725-9225 (c) or kyrstina@cbchesapeake.com. For more pictures and pricing, visit khylandhomes.com , “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

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

House of the Week: “Lazy Hollow”: Inspired by Buckminster Fuller

March 2, 2022 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

In the late 1940s, Buckminster Fuller, American engineer and architect, developed a design for a geodesic dome. He was no doubt influenced by the first geodesic dome invented by engineer Walther Bauersfield of the Zeiss Company, to contain his own planetarium projector. As a designer, the form appealed to Fuller since a dome’s spherical surface encloses the greatest volume for the least surface area and is the most inherently stable geometric form due to its surface of triangular segments. The structural stress is evenly distributed throughout the structure so a dome can withstand very heavy loads for its size. Fuller hoped his design would help alleviate the post WW II housing crisis but although dome homes enjoyed some popularity, especially in the 60’s and 70’s, they have been more commonly used for exhibitions and planetariums. Since one of my design projects in architectural school featured a dome, I was intrigued when I learned this dome house was for sale and made a preview appointment.

The 4.53 acre wooded site slopes down from the street and in addition to the dome home, there is a separate workshop with a second floor two-bedroom apartment for potential rental income. Site amenities include a detached screened porch and an above ground pool. The adjacent 5.99 acre parcel backs up to a creek for launching kayaks or canoes to create a family compound. From the street, the dome appears to be a two and a half story with clerestory windows surrounding the top of the dome.

The front face of the dome projects outward to create a covered porch for the entry door with its awning transom and side window into the foyer. The foyer opens into the living-dining-kitchen area and wood trim around the perimeter of the living area underlines the spring line of the sphere ceiling The living room’s dramatic trio window arrangement of two large triangles (what else could one use for a house built of triangles?) with a triangle upside down in the center is the focal point of the room. The window sills are deep and I remembered the listing agent’s remarks noting the 12” thick walls infilled with insulation. I especially liked how the deep sill of the two side triangular windows slope down to the top of the trim piece so more light could flood the space than a standard window could do and how the deep stained wood jambs and sills accentuate the unusual shape of the windows. The vista from the living room sofa was of striking geometric forms from the second floor overhang that defined the short hall to the main floor bedrooms and baths; the sloped ceiling above the front door with its sidelights and transom that rises to the top of the dome and the wall plane that is the side wall of the lower run of the stairs.

The wood trim ends at the dining area that has ample floor space to accommodate large family dinners. Between the dining area and the kitchen is a pair of sliding doors to the large deck. Above the kitchen sink is another triangular window and the “U” shaped kitchen layout is outfitted with stained wood cabinets, creamy white tile counters and black appliances. The Owner embraced the wall’s geometry by hanging the pots and pans on sloped racks aligned with the angle of the window. The deck extends the living space with the steps down to grade.

The remainder of the main floor has two bedrooms and one bath. The bath is off the hall so it has no exterior window. Since one of my pet architectural peeves is windowless bathrooms, one could easily add a high window in the bath interior wall facing the large triangular windows in the living room to filter daylight into the bathroom. Both of the bedrooms have a fixed polygonal window above a rectangular awning window set just below the spring line of the roof for ventilation.

The second floor primary suite is tucked under the top of the dome with clerestory windows around the top polygonal shape inset into the top of the dome and two triangular windows below. One triangular window is set with one side along the joint of two sloped roof panels so the sill is sloped upward. The other triangular window is inset into the deep wall to create a cozy alcove for a work area.

The basement follows the shape of the main floor from the full retaining walls at the front of the house to the full height walls at the rear. Great space for a family/TV room with potential space for extra bedrooms and a bath.

Touring this dome home reminded me of the yurt structures of Savage River Lodge in Frostburg, MD that I featured several years ago that are popular for “glamping’ vacations. One could live in the other house on this property and convert the dome home to a vacation rental or if you like to think out of the box, then a dome home may be just the thing for your next home!

For more information about this property contact Lawrie Dudley with Coldwell Banker Real Estate Company at 410-778-0330 (o), 410-310-0719 (c) ldudley@cbchesapeake.com. For more photographs and pricing visit https://www.coldwellbanker.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.

House of the Week: Townhouse Living

February 23, 2022 by Jennifer Martella Leave a Comment

I am beginning to think of downsizing and the idea of a townhouse has great appeal to me. This townhouse’s floor plan caught my eye for several reasons. Its ground level contains a one car garage, foyer with a coat closet, laundry, bedroom and bath. The bedroom could also be a great office and/or very private guest room. It reminded me of my featuring a house in the Talbot Spy that had a very clever solution to a guest/office space. That space contained a chest that hid a Murphy bed that served a dual purpose as a credenza when the space was used an office. Sliding doors from the bedroom lead to a deck covered by the framing of the second floor deck above but I would be tempted to add screened panels to create an outdoor room for me and my cat.

The main level is an open plan living-dining-kitchen area spanning the full depth of the second floor with amenities of the living room’s corner gas fireplace and sliding glass doors to a spacious deck. Bay window nooks in both the dining area and the kitchen break out of the rectangle for architectural interest. I would enjoy cooking in this kitchen with daylight from both the French door next to the double window in the kitchen’s box bay that could be a cozy breakfast space. The neutral colors of the cabinetry and countertops would a blank canvas for my colorful ceramic pieces. Tucked into the corner of the kitchen is a powder room and off the kitchen is a small balcony just the right size to accommodate my portable charcoal grille.

The third level has two bedrooms at each end of the house that share a large bath with both a corner tub and a separate shower and there is a linen closet in the hall for additional storage. The front bedroom has two closets and a balcony above the kitchen’s balcony below that would be a cozy spot for my second cup of morning coffee.

The location and setting have great appeal too since the town home is only two blocks from the Chesapeake Bay and the activities of Rock Hall’s main street. The woods and views from the house of a pond across the street create a peaceful setting. The site includes a shed for lawn and garden equipment and a children’s play set complete with a slide for children of all ages.

Having designed many town homes throughout my architectural career, it is always a challenge to “dress up” a narrow building. This building contains two town homes that are mirror images of each other with gable roofs over the vertical box bay projections and taller gable roofs that extend to also cover the balconies on the two upper floors. Between the box bays at the garage/main entry level is a shed roof to cover the side by side front doors to each unit and the front doors have a half moon shaped upper window for light into the hall. Additional box bays add interest to the side elevations and bring sunlight into those sides of each unit.

The interior photos are interesting since they are virtually staged so one can see how the room sizes can accommodate one’s own furnishings. All of the rooms are freshly painted and with hardwood floors throughout this town home. As they say, it “move in ready” in anticipation of the this year’s summer season in Rock Hall.

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”.

House of the Week: 105 Cannon St.: “Before”

February 16, 2022 by Jennifer Martella 4 Comments

In past years whenever I featured one of the houses designed by the Architect Peter Newlin, I also admired the work done by his long time collaborator, the contractor Patrick Jones. Peter has retired but the work of his talented collaborator lives on in the company Patrick has formed with his sister Kathleen, Jones and Jones LLC. Their passion and focus is restoration of Chestertown’s older properties so these houses can once again proudly take their place in the Town’s streetscapes. I was very pleased to discover they were Spy House of the Week fans when they contacted me about their current project, the restoration and renovation of 105 Cannon St.

I have featured several houses both on or near Cannon Street since that part of Chestertown is very appealing to me. Except for the Cross Street traffic that passes over Cannon Street, it is a quiet street with close proximity to both the main shopping area and the waterfront. Perhaps the best attraction to me, being a wine and cheese lover, is the house’s location across the alley at the side of the house to the Chester River Wine & Cheese Co.!

When Kathleen and Patrick invited me for a “before” visit, I discovered the house’s layout is a “shotgun” plan, one room wide and four rooms deep. The front elevation has a simplified Victorian style with its 2/2 wood windows, lap siding, corner boards, fascia board, main metal roof and a low sloped metal roof over the full front porch. One of my architectural pet peeves are skinny square posts masquerading as columns to support a porch roof. This house’s small posts are in the process of being replaced with turned columns in keeping with the Victorian style and are better proportioned for their height. The Town’s brick sidewalk reaches the front of the brick foundation of the porch and I could well imagine a new owner adding a row of ceramic pots full of seasonal color for just enough privacy from the street.

Before going inside, I walked along the side elevation and saw the offset in the wall that marks the transition from the front pitched roof that meets the gable roof of the three-room long rear wing. The offset widens the side yard and its brick terrace that extends to the property line creates a shady mews for relaxing with neighbors. The rear yard perimeter is lined with a wood slat fence detailed at the top with wood lattice that has weathered nicely to create a wonderful urban room awaiting a new owner to transform it with plants and landscaping.

The original front door is a vision of delight with a diamond pattern window at the top outlined with triangular paneled infill to make a square, fretwork sill above three square raised panels and two rectangular panels in a sunburst design over the last row of three vertical raised panels. Next to the door is the original iron “papers and packages” slot. The door opens into the original parlor whose focal point is a red brick fireplace that has been liberated from its former drywall enclosure. The exposed chimney is smaller than the firebox surround with its brick headers which leaves ledges at each side for display. It reminded me of a brick chimney in a recent Talbot Spy house that had been meticulously restored by the masonry artisan Miriam Maynard. I noticed the high window in the back of the parlor and when I went into the next room and saw the stairs I realized it was a clever way to bring filtered light into the stairwell.

The stairs are open to the dining room with a bottom landing one step above the last tread that wraps around the newel post telescoping up to its cap. The dining room has windows on both side walls and a half French door leading to the bricked side terrace for easy indoor/outdoor access for parties. The next room will be a full bath and laundry with the rear room containing the kitchen overlooking the yard. Throughout the house, original four-panel doors with elongated upper panels and the trim of the windows have been removed to be sanded and patched. Even though it was overcast on the day of my tour, I was impressed with the amount of light from the many windows.

The meticulous demolition of the first floor was underway showing exposed floor joists above a moisture barrier and insulation being installed in the exterior walls. I liked how they left the second floor joists and decking exposed on the first floor and its white finish will reflect light from the windows. As a cook, I look forward to the new kitchen’s design when I return for my “after” visit. The second floor has a hall along one side that maximizes the size of the bedrooms and bath. On this floor, the window frames and trim are stained and will be beautiful above the original floors that will be refinished.

This talented duo is off to a great start in their new venture and I am looking forward to touring the finished house to report soon on its “after” state. If you are seeking a home in Chestertown, this is a great opportunity to purchase an in Town property that will be fully move-in ready!

For more information about this property, contact Patrick Jones or Kathleen Jones at 410-708-2534 or jonesandjonespropertiesllc@gmail.com.

« Previous Page

Sections

More