Home & Garden • H O M E O F T H E M O N T H
Starting with Value… AND A HOME PRE-PRIMED F O R R E N O V AT I O N By Lisa J. Gotto
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fter three years of searching the mid-Atlantic seaboard for just the right property, our feature homeowners thought that their intention to relocate from their 10-acre homestead in Nashville to a new, waterfront residence would not be realized. However, persistence and a willingness to reassess their goals provided them with a unique opportunity beyond their imagination. As the homeowner explains, she and her husband had been looking for a place where they could take their true love of boating and finally get out on the water on a regular basis. “It was hard in Nashville because you had to drive an hour to get to your boat when you’re on a lake, and you’re kind of landlocked. So, we did a lot of research. We “WE KNEW WE WA N T E D went here, went there, and looked TO BE ON T H E E AST at oceanfront properties and stayed COAST ON THE WAT E R." for a week in different places along the East Coast,” she says. “We knew we wanted to be on the East Coast on the water, but we really wanted to have a dock or a pier and to be able to just walk out our back door and be on that pier and get on a boat and not have to get in a car to do that.” Along with the water requirements, the couple wished for a dwelling that was turn-key with little to no upgrades to be made. They desired a minimum of five acres of land, plus other features that would help accommodate their beloved dogs and cats—and there are five of each! Their last residence had been a total revamp of a historic home from the mid-1800s, so the thought of another large-scale renovation was a non-starter until—until it wasn’t. After numerous
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What’s Up? Annapolis May 2024 whatsupmag.com
scouting trips to Annapolis and finding properties that didn’t hit the mark because the lot was too small or the elevation too high, their real estate agent had one last property that she felt had merit, even though it wasn’t listed on the Multiple Listing Service—and the interior was a mere shell. There’s one word that turns a mere shell into a sold home…potential. Despite the structure presenting a failing, ’80s red brick façade, a crumpled front gable, and rough landscaping, the location along Duvall Creek was exquisite, and the lot was large and flat. “We knew that this was it as soon as we turned into the driveway,” she says. “I immediately saw so much potential. I saw the fencing around it for the dogs, a really beautiful gate. I could see the house, how it could look. It was just beautiful. It just needed somebody.” The 7,300-square-foot Georgian classic, which was up for private sale, had been in a state of perpetual renovation with no clear resolution in sight. Complicating the scenario, the home was also located in a critical area, which meant the new owners would need to find just the right team that could provide structural, logistical, and design expertise to address all that wasn’t working and then enhance what was working. The couple chose Purple Cherry Architects (PCA) of Annapolis after doing some thorough research. “We immediately knew Cathy [Purple Cherry] was the one; her personality fit ours.” In addition to the team at PCA, the couple chose Gate One Builders to execute the plan and Campion/Hruby Landscape Architects to dress the surrounding acreage.
BEFORE
Photography by Stephen Buchanan