When I moved to the Eastern Shore, I hoped to find a property near St. Michaels and I first discovered Claiborne, a charming village very close to St. Michaels. Being a history buff, I was intrigued by Claiborne Landing’s breathtaking views over the wide expanse of the Chesapeake Bay. I soon learned that locals go to Claiborne’s westward-looking shore for the ‘best sunsets’ in Talbot County. The remains of the pier are from the time when day trippers and vacationers once came by ferry and then took the train to other summer or weekend destinations. Now the large parking lot that served the ferries is a great open space with public access to a boat ramp for day trips on the Bay. There’s even “yoga on the dock” during the summer months!
As an architect, I admired Claiborne’s housing stock from the early 1900’s that have been maintained like today’s feature that has undergone several renovations/additions. I surmised that the original part of the house was the wing with the two stacked porches with one addition containing the garage wing and a secondary entrance to the house. Another addition was behind the original house and hidden from the street.
Sited on a desirable corner lot with abundant sunlight, the original wing of the house has privacy from a mix of wood fences and towering trees at the side and rear of the property. Porches on each floor offer long pastoral views of farm fields across the main road and the side road is bordered by dense fruit trees. The porches’ side view overlook a mix of raised beds for veggies and colorful plantings, including iris and roses, my two favorite flowers.
The side of the house facing the gardens opens up to the landscape with a wrap-around porch with steps at each end. A pair of French doors at the side of the bay-shaped dining room and the rear doors of the living room offer great indoor-outdoor flow. The outdoor rooms of the two stacked porches at the front of the house, the wrap-around deck and the private balcony of the primary suite above keep one attuned to nature and the colorful seasonal plantings.
The wrap-around deck along the living room offers a view of the garden, against a backdrop of mature trees. Set into the landscape is a charming shed for garden maintenance that may have been part of the original house, juxtaposed with the majestic magnolia for shade of this part of the garden. Steps at the end of the wrap-around deck lead to the back yard that contains another small shed whose weather worn siding and roof could be transformed into a play house for young children.
Having explored the grounds, I retraced my steps to enter the house by the secondary entry into a foyer that soars to the second floor ceiling. The stair with honey oak treads, newel posts and cap rail with white risers ascends with winders at the top and bottom with the end tread curling around the balustrade. The easy care tile flooring extends down the hall to the garage wing.
From the foyer’s very wide opening, the gleaming honey oak flooring looked brand new and I marveled at the structural design that made the very wide wall openings for the living and dining rooms’ open plan layout. I admired how the rhythm of windows and doors along the exterior walls floods the spaces with light. With the living room’s dimension of 33’-6” x 21’-8”, there is ample room for several possible layouts of furniture for enjoyment of both the landscape views and also the warmth of a winter fire.
The bay-shaped dining area is the perfect spot for a round table and chairs, with room for the table’s extension for family holidays or celebrations. The single doors at the living room and the pair of French doors at the dining area open onto the wrap-around porch for great indoor-outdoor flow for entertaining.
The rear wall of the living room has openings to a hall leading to a bedroom ensuite. The second doorway leads to the original front door and stair of the house next to the wide wall opening of the kitchen.
From the breakfast bar stools, a wonderful vista enfolds through the dining room to the wrap-around deck and the landscape. The kitchen’s sleek design of white cabinets, veined granite countertops and stainless steel appliances is a great mix of neutrals and texture. Open shelved cabinets flanking the sink below a window provides easy access to items used daily.
The main floor bedroom’s corner windows fill the room with daylight and offer panoramic views of the landscape. The beautifully restored floors with white window and door trim whose horizontal pieces slightly overhang the jambs and headers add character. The light brown wall is a soothing, neutral color choice.
The bedroom’s bath also functions as a guest powder room, accessed by a hall between the living room and the bedroom.
The main floor bedroom’s hall brought me back to the foyer to begin my climb to the second floor bedrooms. I admired how the baseboard along the wall side of the open balustrade stair angled and curved at the winders’ points. The warm gray wall is the perfect background for art or family photographs.
The stair ends at a hall to the sumptous primary suite with its French door to the private balcony for bird’s eye vies of the landscape and gardens. Single windows flank both the French door and the fireplace for panoramic views of the rooftops and treetops of Claiborne. I loved the beautiful pine flooring and how the sun filtered deep into the room. With dimensions of 19’-2” x 21’-11”, there is plenty of room for a sitting area at the fireplace and the bed could be centered on opposite wall on axis with the fireplace.
The four-piece primary bath with both a soaking tub and a glass walled shower has a window overlooking the side garden. The neutral palette of earth tones is a great background for one’s accents of towels and accessories.
Two doors at each end of the primary bedroom’s wall make it easy for a couple to access clothing and the pocket door leads to a laundry with another door to the hall to service the other bedrooms.
I have a stack W/D in an alcove but this laundry room has it all-cabinetry with a sink, storage below and recessed shelves-this compact space has everything one needs in a laundry room.
The hall stair past the primary ensuite continues with three additional winders to the two guest ensuites for transition to the older part of the house. The exposed stained beams with their hand hewn edges give this bedroom architectural character. The wood floors have been painted but it is relatively easy to sand and refinish them to their original luster. Each bedroom has a French door to the covered balcony.
The “T” shaped bath layout works well with the lavatory between the shower alcove with tiled walls opposite the toilet alcove.
The second guest bedroom overlooking the front yard also has a French door to the upper balcony. Like the other guest bedroom, the stained beams with their hand hewn edges date this room to the original part of the house. The wood floors have also been painted but it is relatively easy to sand and refinish them to their original luster.
The bedroom’s bath has a European flair with a shallow depth porcelain lavatory extending beyond the cabinetry, a tiled floor and wall alcoves for both the toilet and the shower-a very clever use of a compact space.
The covered balcony is a wonderful bonus for the two guest bedrooms- all it needs is a swing for one to enjoy the breezes and the bird’s eye views of the rural landscape and treetops.
The double garage is another bonus with high garage doors that can easily accommodate boat storage. The unfinished garage offers myriad possibilities and part of it is enclosed with drywall to create an office with storage above. Half glazed exterior doors, windows and sky lights provide plenty of daylight.
One of Talbot County’s most picturesque villages with the bonus of having Claiborne Landing’s convenient public boat access that is also a public square for residents to admire stunning sunsets over the Eastern Bay to the Chesapeake Bay.
Desirable half acre corner lot on a street containing few houses, with mature landscaping and majestic trees for additional privacy, this charming Eastern Shore vernacular house dating from the early 1900’s with its multiple gables and covered porches that enliven the facades has been lovingly maintained.
Additions and updates over the past two decades include an open plan living-dining-kitchen area and four ensuite bedrooms for today’s lifestyle. As an architect, I appreciated how the additions were hidden or set back from the streets in deference to the original façades.
The unusual 1,500-square-foot, two-story, three-bay attached garage offers a dedicated office and abundant room for multiple vehicles, boats, workshop space, hobbies, etc. If you are seeking a weekend retreat or full-time residence with a main floor bedroom ensuite, this move-in ready property awaits you!
For more information about this property contact Maureen “Mo” McHugh at Chesapeake Bay Real Estate Plus LLC, 410-745-6702 (o) 443-848-7210 (c) or maureenmomchughre@gmail.com .
For more pictures and pricing, visit www.cbreplus.com, “Equal Housing Opportunity”.
Photography by Bill Whaley, www.billwhaleyphotography.com
