Stephen Buchanan
By Carol Sorgen // Photography by Stephen Buchanan, and Kip Dawkins for Jodi Macklin
When these Washington, D.C.-based owners wanted to “freshen up” their Easton vacation home, they turned to a Bethesda-based architect. The result is a contemporary take on an early-20th century home with its “fairly vanilla” 1980s addition.
“There were no ties to the Shore,” says James Rill, lead architect. To remedy the lack of views, he added French doors that open to the porch, which then leads to the lawn, and finally to Peach Blossom Creek beyond. “We wanted to ing the outside in,” Rill says of his design plan.
To give the home a ighter, more open feel, paneling was added in the family room and everything was painted—including the beams and Brazilian cherry floor—a crisp, off-white so as not to detract from the views. Coffered ceilings also add a sense of space.
The 4,500-square-foot home, which sits on nine acres and features six bedrooms and five-and-half baths, was purchased by the owners three years ago. The restoration has also included finishing a room above the garage and re-doing the bathrooms, with future plans calling for the addition of a conservatory and the renovation of a detached barn to a private theater. The yellow exterior with white trim will also be painted a deep blue with stained shutters.
While the house required no major structural work, some “shifting” was done to make the interior flow less awkward, including the creation of a floating stair hall and a reworking of the entry into the master bedroom.
An interior designer was advised and gave the homeowners the “subtly elegant” look they were going for.
“We wanted to create a light, ethereal interior that related to the water,” says Jodi Macklin, the designer. Since the homeowners entertain frequently, they wanted the home to be comfortable and inviting for their guests.
Macklin, who has worked with the owners on their other homes, went for a more relaxed feeling in this property, choosing Farrow and Ball paint in hues of pale blues, greens, and neutrals for a sense of peace and calm. Wallcoverings were used in transitional spaces such as the first floor foyer and hallway. The furniture was custom-designed in terms of its size to fit the interior dimensions.
The architecturally clean lines and cool interiors now give the home the casual but elegant feel the homeowners desired, in addition to taking advantage of its enviable location. “This is a home that now relates to the land,” Rill says.
