It was interesting to tour this house as I was an acquaintance of a former owner before it underwent its current renovation to become a licensed, successful Short Term Vacation Rental. I began my tour with a drive past beautiful century-old shade trees, including several majestic Pecan trees, flowering Plum, Pear and Magnolia. The original part of the house was a typical Eastern Shore “L” shape with a full front hipped roof porch, turned columns and fretwork and a side hipped roof porch facing the driveway parking area. The front elevation shows clues of its Victorian style with the turned columns and pilasters at the house’s front wall, 2/2 windows surrounding the center front door and a gable at the attic level. The exterior color palette of light butter-yellow siding and corner boards, white trim and gray roofing is quite pleasing against its background of green trees and landscaping.
I would have preferred to see an unchanged rhythm of the second floor original windows but the center window is now half its original size and the shape of the accent window in the roof gable was changed to a small half-circle shape, set high into the gable. Since there are two other entrance foyers conveniently located at the parking area, I would remove the vestibule that projects onto the front porch, move the pair of entry French doors to the original wall, and add screening to create a wonderful outdoor room. As Mies van der Rohe once wisely said, “Less is more”.
At the rear is a story and a half addition with dormers at the parking area side and a full second floor at the other side, in deference to the massing of the original house. At the main level, the addition contains another foyer with an exterior door and a mini bar tucked between a chimney and the exterior wall.
At the rear of the addition is a screened porch leading to the in-ground pool surrounded by landscaping and views of the water. The deep pool surround can accommodate furnishings for both dining and relaxing on chaise lounges.
House of the Week: Sherwood Old and New
The original part of the house contained a center staircase between two rooms, both with fireplaces on the exterior side walls. One is currently staged as a bedroom and the other as a media room with a large screen TV and built-in millwork next to the fireplace. The firebox is closed off with drywall but retains the original mantel. In all the rooms, the white walls spills onto the hardwood floors through the tall windows for sunny and bright spaces. Behind the front rooms is a foyer facing the side porch, a full bath and separate laundry. The laundry has a door to the exterior for after-pool use and a second staircase to access the upper floor for service.
The foyer leads to another sitting room that spans the width of the addition and the triple windows on one side opposite the double windows on the other side creates a pleasant spot for quiet conversation. The pantry is notched into the room and creates
a space below the windows that I envisioned having great potential as a cozy inglenook for a window seat, cushions and pillows opposite other chairs.
Another foyer with new stairs are opposite the breakfast area that introduces the spacious open plan counterclockwise loop of breakfast-kitchen-dining room-covered porch-living room that clearly is the hub of the house.
The living room has a fireplace with a rear window overlooking the lawn to the shoreline of Waterhole Cove and three side windows that flood the space with light. The off-white furnishings and accents of the sofa pillows, the large Oriental rug and the warm wood round 
The large diameter wood dining table seats eight and is centered on the pair of sliding doors to the screened porch for water views. The side wall windows are higher so a sideboard could easily be added for serving meals. The fireplace is centered between the living and dining rooms and is a focal point for both spaces.
Pairs of sliding doors lead to the screened porch overlooking the pool, lawn and water.
The spacious galley kitchen has deep blue gray paneled cabinets with accents of a center butcher block island and stainless steel appliances. There is plenty of space for multiple cooks and the island has casters so it could be moved if needed.
The upper level of the house is cleverly divided into two separate clusters of three suites so two families would have privacy. Each bedroom and bath have their own unique layout. The ensuites in the original part of the house are over the main floor bedroom and the media room, with the third over the side foyer. Two of the ensuites have water views from the bedrooms.
The addition contains two spacious bedrooms, one next to the rear wall of the original house with a private stair to the small foyer leading to the exterior door or to the laundry so it would be a perfect owners’ suite for a B&B.
The other is my fave ensuite with the bedroom’s long triple window overlooking the lawn, double windows at one side and a dormer at the other side for sunlight throughout the day. Connecting these suites is a short hall past the third smaller bedroom, hall bath and storage/service area.
The 3.94 acre property has water views across the confluence of Harris and Waterhole Creeks. Near the shoreline is a screened Crab Shack and a sandy beach for launching kayaks and canoes. Spacious rooms, including several sitting rooms to accommodate large groups, beautiful wood floors, large windows for sunlight, peaceful and private location. If you have ever dreamed of owning a waterside Vacation Rental or manage a B&B, this one’s for you!
For more information about this property, contact Tom Crouch, who supports the Spy House of the Week, with Benson and Mangold Real Estate at 410-745-0720 (o), 410-310-8916 (c) or [email protected]. For more photographs and pricing, visit https://thomascrouch.bensonandmangold.com/ , “Equal Housing Opportunity”.
Jennifer Martella is an architect with Bohl Architects’ Annapolis office and a referral agent for Meredith Fine Properties. Jennifer is an integral part of Bohl Architects’ design team for projects she brings to the firm. She is also the writer of Bohl’s website’s bi-monthly blog “Tango Funhouse” where she highlights the firm’s vision and other fun aspects of life by design. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday.
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