By Carol Sorgen // Photography by Stephen Buchanan
It was the wooded lot with open views to the South River that drew Jerome Clark to the half-acre property in Annapolis that was to be the site of his new home. “It’s hard to find that combination of woods and water,” Clark says.
After purchasing the property and living in the existing home for several years, Clark realized that the remodeling job he had initially intended was not feasible. “Not with everything I wanted in the house,” says the USNA alum. “It turned out that it made more sense to build from scratch.”
Clark, now a portfolio manager with T. Rowe Price in Baltimore, turned to Lundberg Builders and custom home and renovations designer Bob Moreland to help refine the plan he had in mind for a striking contemporary home that would fit his bachelor lifestyle.
“This was a very environmentally challenging site,” Moreland says. “From the steep slopes in the area of construction to the flood plain at the bottom of the hills and very large trees throughout the wooded lot.”
Moreland worked closely with Annapolis civil engineering firm Drum Loyka & Associates to site the house on the lot to meet all of the state and local requirements for critical area construction and still maximize the views to the creek below.
“Jerome had in mind very specific ideas for his new home, ranging from a clean crisp interior and exterior design to the very complex electronics system,” Moreland details.
As client and architect explored ideas and visited other Lundberg Builders projects, it became apparent to them both that a wide open interior/exterior flow to the floor plan was in order. As a result, each level of the house opens to decks and porches, with folding glass walls allowing uninterrupted views and access to the outside living areas.
Working closely together, the two developed a plan that was essentially a one-room deep home allowing for most areas to have a view to the water as well as take advantage of the indoor/outdoor living areas. The few rooms that do not take advantage of this feature are, for the most part, utilitarian areas of the home.
The artwork that Clark collects was also to play a major role in the interior décor, requiring adequate display areas for both large and small paintings as well as some sculptural pieces.
The three bedroom, two full- and two half-bath home is spread out over four levels and close to 4,000 square feet. Throughout the home is an interplay between wood and metal—from the heated hardwood floors, cabinets, and trim to the steel interior staircase, kitchen pendant lights, and decorative furnishings.
“I like the contrast between soft and hard, warmth and coolness,” Clark says.
Working with Severna Park interior designer Christianna Harding, Clark carried that theme of yin and yang throughout the decor of the house as well with deep, masculine tones of charcoal gray and slate blue ightened with eye-catching pops of orange, red, and yellow.
Clark’s favorite parts of the house—when he’s not outside enjoying the fire pit on the ipe wood deck or his 42’ Regal Sport Coupe just steps away on his own dock—are the master bedroom with its expansive views, and the “away” room, a term from author Sarah Susanka’s “The Not So Big House,” signifying an area where you can go to get “away” from the everyday noise and commotion in the house. In Clark’s case, this is a small room adjacent to the great room with concrete wall panels used as wainscoting and wood paneling above—more evidence of the hard versus soft theme found throughout the house.
Clark’s plans for the future include adding an indoor/outdoor bar and a swinging bed on the patio, and having Harding redo the remaining rooms in the house.
Otherwise, however, after the long process of finally getting exactly what he wanted, Clark plans to stay put. “This is it!”
