Realtors often use superlatives in descriptions of their waterfront properties but in the case of this property, “extraordinary” is an appropriate adjective. How else could one adequately describe a 51 acre property situated on 350 feet of the banks of Comegys Bight in the Quaker Neck area outside Chestertown? It is also rare to find a main house, pool, three other cottages; “Windsor”, a two-story cottage; a Caretaker cottage and a boat cottage all within the Critical Area buffer. 27 acres are tillable and 8 acres are fenced. Horses can live here too since one of the four barns has seven stalls. Nature trails, riding trails and woodlands complete this idyllic oasis less than eight miles from Chestertown.
The main house was built around 1900 and I loved the simplicity of the front elevation with its hipped roof. A porch with columns marked the front door and rockers were positioned for the owners to wait for friends to arrive. Pairs of windows, double windows, triple windows, and an accent window next to the double wood entry doors created a very appealing façade. The rear elevation was quite different-it expanded to become an “L” shaped two-story form stepping down to two one-story wings that embraced the water. One of the wings was a delightful screened porch with areas for seating and dining underneath a ceiling with exposed roof rafters and decking all painted bright white.
I loved the kitchen with its large true “farmhouse” vintage sink set into pale sage green base cabinets with slightly darker sage green upper cabinets. High windows over the sink and a French door with windows on either side made this a sunny place to work. Julia Child always extolled having a table for informal dining in the kitchen. She would have certainly approved of this warm wood table surrounded by six wood chairs with woven seats.
The kitchen flowed into the large family room with rose colored chairs opposite a flat file enjoying a new life as a coffee table and a sofa with a high chest behind it now being used as a sofa table. Arched topped millwork for books , a baby grand piano and other antique pieces created a warm and restful spot by the fireplace. The dining room glowed with its warm pumpkin-colored walls, wood antique pieces including a large oval table for family gatherings under two period pendants glass fixtures.
The bedrooms’ painted walls ranged from soft periwinkle, golden yellow and aqua-green and their beautiful antique furnishings made them restful retreats after a day exploring the grounds.
The guest cottages each had their own personalities and all were very close to the water. The diminutive Boat House was my favorite with its weathered wood siding and sage green doors and window trim. Inside the walls and ceiling were white with exposed studs open to the exterior sheathing. Wood floors, a wooden bed frame painted light sage green and nightstands painted light pumpkin added color as did the artwork and the wood stove.
A truly extraordinary property!
For more information about this property, contact Stacy Kendall with Cross Street Realtors at 410-410-778-3779 (o), (443) 480-3453 (c), or [email protected], “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.
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