Photography by Stephen Buchanan
If you have ever been in the position of getting something you didn’t even know you wanted until you got it, the story of this month’s feature home may just hit home for you. Its accompanying subplot of the small village it took to revive the home as a residence of intention and inspiration may strike you as relatable, as well. What we can say for certain is that the one-time mid-westerners who purchased the property in March of 2022 certainly now know what they have and can’t imagine being anywhere else.
Rare Find
While greater Annapolis is known for its exceptional waterfront properties and the people who love them, it is also home to properties nestled into its scenic wooded areas. This 6,300-square-foot residence plays the role of a wonderfully worthy counterpart with its rustic, Alpine aspect, and a flourishing forest backdrop.
Upon purchase of the 20-year-old property, the homeowner says, she had already put together a virtual village of service providers and craftspeople who would bring the home and its surroundings back to life. So, as soon as the home closed escrow, her team was ready to get started that day.
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
She remarks that one member of the team quickly called her attention to some signature characteristics of the home, such as its post-and-beam construction, tongue and groove decking, and its wealth of all-natural materials. This wasn’t just any house; this was a rarer find.
“The very first person that came to help out said, ‘Hey, you have a deck house.’ And I’m like, ‘What is that?’” The homeowner was thrilled to learn more about what that actually meant and then had the good fortune to find what she calls, “…a hidden gem in my closet,” which were the actual plans to the home. “So, I started doing my research.”
Sometimes nostalgically referred to as “…the next generation of modern housing”, an iteration of the first deck house initially came to fruition in 1947. It was the brainchild of American architect and Harvard grad, Carl Koch, who is noted for his association with the prefabricated packaged house movement.
Partnering with architect and engineer John Bemis, the aforementioned collaboration was known as the “Acorn House,” a structure based on a central core with rooms that “unfolded” around it. It would become the prototype for what would be known later as a deck house.
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
“The Acorn Deck Company is a very well-known company that does these homes with tongue and groove decking and post and beam (construction),” says the homeowner. “It’s a functional layout, and they look at everything about your house.” The homeowner learned that everything from the business plan to the sustainability of the house, is of the utmost importance with a deck house plan.
“It had to have the right foundation and the right orientation (for sunlight),” says the homeowner. “Everything about this home was done specifically for this area—the windows, the double panes, the heating, the cooling.”
What Gives a Deckhouse Its Signature Aesthetic?
Post and beam construction * wood panel ceilings * mahogany trim * window casements * walls of glazing * open floorplan * sloping roof rafters extending beyond the walls * tongue and groove decking * use of sustainable materials
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
Interior Curation
Because of that, the homeowner, who is not unfamiliar with renovation projects, says she needed a little time to pause and practice some mindfulness, before making any interior updates.
“[This home] is more of an art piece. It’s more of a, ‘…You can’t do anything to this house because everything is done intentionally, for a reason.’ And I had to take 20 steps back, not just 10, but 20, and slow everybody’s pace down a little bit and say, ‘Okay, what do we have? What’s different about this home? What makes it unique?’ And I had to learn about the home for a little bit.”
In the meantime, it was decided that it would be wise to proceed with the landscaping. So, the team at Fieldstone Nursery came in and began that stage of the updating, which would take the already stunning wooded backdrop and make it an outdoor oasis by adding in some colorful plantings and rare tree species such as dancing peacock Japanese maples and Snowboy dogwoods. Like the interiors would later reflect, the home and its surroundings would have a mid-century modern, with-a-splash-of-European/Asian flair, vibe to it, the homeowner explains.
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
The interiors, she says, did not require any type of gut job renovation, to be sure, but they were lacking love and luster. Fresh paint with more thoughtful colors for the homeowner, and a thorough cleaning of the hardwoods took place during the months of March, April, and May of 2022.
“We knew we had to do the floors no matter what, because before you ever move around this large space, you would want to do the floor. And that’s where Roland from Royal Oaks Flooring comes in. He is an incredible antique wood guy that I’ve used in the past. He knows all about wood floors and his team is incredible.”
The homeowner adds that he was quick to identify the floors as Brazilian cherry. While very pretty they were obviously dulled from years of waxing and general wear and tear. So, the flooring team proceeded to strip them, and the homeowners once again tapped their REALTOR who assisted in purchasing the home, Diane Mallare of Taylor Properties, to find them a rental.
“And then my team just got busy doing things. I wanted to do a very mid-century, modern Frank Lloyd touch, so to speak. Everything changed to mid-century modern. We got rid of all our old furniture, and I started looking around town, and started buying pieces that people were getting rid of that was mid-century, that fit my home perfectly, and I started redoing furniture.”
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
Nature’s Wallpaper
The overall result is a mélange of art and architecture—from the home’s exterior approach with its reflective façade of glass, stacked stone, and cedar—to an interior where one truly dwells.
The home’s show-stopping millwork starts with a prairie-style front door and seemingly never ends as it winds throughout all three levels of the residence. Just inside the door, the eye is caught by an architecturally stunning curved wall that beckons the visitor along into the dramatic two-story great room of post and beam construction. The home’s gorgeous all-mahogany den is tucked just to the right of the entry and is made even more private since visitors will no doubt be distracted by the wall of windows to the wooded wonderland unfolding straight ahead of them.
The living space uses an earthy combination of mahogany and western red cedar and then adds what appears to be endless panels of glass to create the primary focal point of the home that amazes the eye and feeds the soul as it blends so effortlessly with nature. A lush, green velvet sectional acts like an exclamation point to the well-written sentence of this space. It’s one of the few statement pieces the homeowner purchased new for the home.
“It fits the home. I didn’t choose the couch. The home chose the couch,” muses the homeowner.
From this vantage point, she attests to regularly seeing deer, fox, and all manner of woodland creatures meandering about the landscape. A stone-front fireplace soars to the great room ceiling, as does one of the home’s staircases of mahogany with a uniquely detailed prairie-style railing that leads to a loft that the family uses as a home office. Its views are picturesque to say the least, almost treehouse-like, revealing the exterior’s natural wallpaper that provides the ultimate in visual breaks.
Downstairs, as the space unfolds it leads to a formal dining area and a kitchen designed for the chef, as well as the entertainer. The homeowner remarks that her blended family, including eight grown children, and now their families, make exceptionally good use of this space, especially during the holidays.
“We have a cookie station, we have a bread station, we have a turkey station, we have everything,” explains the homeowner. “And that butler’s pantry is to die for!”
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
Just off the kitchen there is a breakfast nook overlooking the side yard and adjacent to that, there’s a screened-in patio accessible through the formal dining space. It also overlooks the tranquil and lush environs of the side and backyard, with its koi pond and Zen Garden. The home is especially well-situated among the woods, so it is secluded with no other homes in their community visible. The hardscape is thoughtful and is dotted with places for contemplation and others for gathering. The dipping pool provides the perfect water-based element to the well-designed scheme.
Gathering on the home’s themed lower level is also a special experience, as the homeowner points out that each family member was given the opportunity to conceive a space of their own design. The theme chosen for the lower level was “speakeasy.” So, there are cozy areas for movie streaming, board game playing, or just sitting fireside. The ambiance is enhanced with more of the homeowner’s local garage and estate sale finds, which includes an antique, western, wall-mounted telephone and a vintage saloon-like settee.
Given the homeowner’s apparent appreciation for value and for making what is old new again, the speakeasy theme, much like the house itself was a no-brainer.
“I took something that was very old, and just turned it back into what it used to be, because this house is beautiful. It’s beautiful on its own. The wood is beautiful. The glass is beautiful. The trim is beautiful. It didn’t need much, but it needed love; it needed attention,” says the homeowner.
“So, it’s all about that, turning something old into something new, and this home is just that.”
Resource Side Bar
The homeowner recognizes and appreciates everyone who helped revive her family’s classic deck house. “This team of people—we couldn’t have done it without them. I’m not joking; they were just amazing!”
Diane Mallare Taylor Properties Real Estate Kevin Trader Allied Power Washers Juro Letovenec Annapolis Tree Company Josh Cornett Cornett Heating & Cooling Bruce Crandell Crandell Electric Tony Nicro Cro’s Pest Control Mark Sullivan & Maripat Neff Fieldstone Nursery Julio Ramos JDA Painting Robert Oldham Milk Glass Work Steve Feldman Perry Moving Company The Carter Team Lisa Johnson Ray of Sunshine Cleaning Roland Arjukese Royal Oaks Flooring
SK Pizza & Subs
