More Than Meets the Eye: Touring an Unassuming Waterfront Cape Cod

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When you consider how much of our lives evolve within the walls of our homes, it only stands to reason that our homes would need to evolve as we do over time, while still honoring who we are and how we best live. The story of our Chester River waterfront feature home speaks of this evolving theme as it provides an accommodation of space and an abundance of style.

“The clients, recent empty nesters, desired a waterfront retreat that was comfortable for just the two of them and at the same time was designed with entertaining in mind. Their vision was a beautiful sprawling Cape Cod home reflective of the New England style of architecture,” explains Cathy Purple Cherry of Purple Cherry Architects (PCA) in Annapolis.

Characteristics of a Classic

While the clients’ choice of a Cape Cod may seem like a routine request for Purple Cherry, there were other factors, such as their desired square footage, the ability to age in place, and the way they wished the home to be viewed from its approach elevation, that would make the project more thought-provoking.

“They wanted a home that did not look large or over-powering to the property in general,” says Purple Cherry.

Yet this property afforded stellar waterfront views, so the scope of the home would need to play a significant role in taking advantage of that, and still deliver on the charm expected with a Cape Cod-style home.

So, upon approach to the residence, one sees a traditional, crisp white-on-white home (white exterior, and windows with white trim), a roofline with the Cape Cod’s characteristic eaves, a cozy, covered front porch with a warm, mahogany ceiling inlay, and an enduring cedar shake roof. 

As classically beautiful as the front of the home is, the back that faces the water, is where the team at PCA’s skills really shine. 

“It was that front Cape Cod façade that set the character for the whole thing,” says Alan Cook, Associate Architect at PCA. “And then due to the expansive nature of the backside, and opening it up to the view, we had to figure out what was an appropriate way of elaborating on it. Because the front façade is so simple and so white, the back side had to be more elaborate, but within the same character. So many of these design decisions with the certain classical columns and the Chippendale railing (on the rear upper deck) and the trim work, was done as an elaboration of that very classic front side. 

Shifts in Style & Design

When coming up with the game plan for how the interior spaces would work and flow to accommodate the clients’ request for a 5,000 square-foot home that maximized water views and minimized the home’s upper level, PCA took inspiration from the variety of images the clients provided and took special note of a wish list that would need to evolve with the project.

Top of mind on that list was something that needed to be considered from the bottom up, something that Purple Cherry says she is seeing as a trend in new-build floor plans—traditional lower-level, basement entertaining spaces are going away.  

Why? Simply put, various factors, including technology and the pandemic, are causing an evolution in where we are spending our money, as well as where we are now spending our time indoors. Case in point, Purple Cherry explains that a finished basement was a no-brainer in the ‘70s through the early 2000s because once the concrete was poured it seemed sensible to finish the space off by enhancing it for gathering. So, homeowners ordered pool tables, and crafted bars and viewing spaces for gathering around a big screen.

Fast forward to the 2020s and we have a very different paradigm. Young people now have all the entertainment they want in the palm of their hands, so Purple Cherry says that time at home is now spent around the kitchen island or even more often in their bedrooms. 

And since the pandemic, the cost of concrete has risen and may never go back to pre-pandemic rates, so homeowners are re-thinking the practicality of finishing a lower-level space where no wants to be. Purple Cherry says the basic trend of using lower levels for storage only, is the priority with revised versions of basements that do not require standard HVAC systems, but that do have what the industry refers to as “walkable, deep crawl spaces” that are well-conditioned and constructed. Homeowners, especially more mature homeowners, are said to be more comfortable with using these spaces for storage than they are with attic storage.

Interestingly, these factors are setting off a chain reaction of sorts throughout new builds which include some tweaks to the floor plan of this home. 

A Sense of Connection & Comfort

Remember, the kitchen island conversation we touched on earlier? This gorgeous, all-white traditional kitchen with twists features two center islands, one that combines a sink with a ton of functional storage beneath, and another with the capacity for seated gathering all-around, as opposed to just side-by-side seating for three or four. Its design not only provides better connections for communications during meals, but it also offers even more storage space below without compromising the comfort of those seated above.  

Part of the open plan living area of the home, the kitchen flows on one side into the family room with its custom white built-ins and central gas fireplace, and to another side into an elegant formal dining room trimmed with a series of windows. The entire area connects effortlessly via white oak-stained floors to a gracious back porch with pavers, all with eyes to the Chester River waterfront. 

“To create an entertaining space that is easy to move through and gather in, we placed the dining room immediately adjacent and open to the kitchen and family room,” says Purple Cherry. “The space is projected forward of the home’s rear façade, which allows it to connect to a large, covered brick porch with a beautiful mahogany ceiling. Ideal for outdoor entertaining, the perimeter of the covered porch includes recessed motorized screens hidden into the trim work that effortlessly create a screened-in porch in the warmer months.”

The play of detail, pattern, and texture culminate to unify these spaces within the framework of a traditional coastal home that hits its marks for performance and comfort, whether the clients are hosting a gathering, or are just two for dinner. 

The dining room uses a combination of blue fabrics to reinforce the stunning water views while a delightful lime green patterned chair was employed to bring in a whimsical pop of color inspired by the clients, Purple Cherry says.  

“The rug and silverware are vintage, family heirlooms that were lovingly passed down through generations. Our team is always happy to work with existing furniture pieces or accessories that clients bring to every project. We do our best to honor those important elements. In addition, the room’s coffered ceiling is detailed with a center medallion and utilizes stepped crown molding for an elegant, traditional, and emotional feeling.” 

According to Purple Cherry, another interesting thing happens when basements go away—the central open plan living area can, at times, end up feeling a tad too open and not as cozy as one might like. This phenomenon, she explains, gave rise within the last five years for a new escape within the home, and the answer is now known as the “winter room”.

Purple Cherry believes these are a type of derivative of what was once the smaller formal living room in traditional, smaller-scale homes. These secondary “family rooms” are great for mature couples when they desire to have personal space to watch something different on television than their spouse and have a cozier, quainter nook-like experience within the home.

Many times, she says, these rooms are painted a rich, deep color to set them off with a different vibe from the rest of the house. In this case, her clients chose a unique ceiling detail to distinguish the room in the form of a vaulted ceiling with contrasting white oak wood panels in a custom stain. 

Additional details, such as the home’s trim work and moldings, flow throughout the home and are also refined without looking a-typical of the Cape Cod aesthetic. Throughout the main level, there are numerous opportunities where the homeowners’ personalities and nods to their interests are thoughtfully integrated, such as her cheerful office space located behind the back kitchen and a mudroom designed beautifully for her, and yet totally functional for him and his keen interest in the outdoor sporting life so prized on the Eastern Shore. With separate “his and her” entries, this room provides all the gear storage he requires and smart access from the garage, so muddy shoes are never an issue for her. 

“The wife loved the idea of incorporating playful, colorful moments or small vignettes of bold stances throughout the home. Examples include the fantastic pink and coral bohemian Thibaut wallpaper in her office, as well as the playful dragon Thibaut wallpaper and blue lacquered vanity in the powder room,” adds Purple Cherry.

At the End of the Day

Checking the box for aging in place was expertly accomplished in this home’s primary suite located on the main level on the opposite side of the open living area from the busier kitchen, office, and mudroom areas. More sightlines to the tranquil river and the property’s luscious back landscaping with its mature trees create a peaceful sleep tonic for the soul. 

Thinking ahead and with guests in mind (the couples’ grown children fortunately live in the area, as well), the clients planned for an exceptional and flexible space on the upper level, that not only provides two complete guest suites with baths, but these rooms are also joined in the middle by a transitional living space that opens to a large, second-level deck overlooking the water.

While some homes’ second-level decks go unused, the clients envisioned better utility with the layout of a separate, second floor living area that would provide a unique opportunity for their guests to have an optimal level of privacy that includes an indoor/outdoor living space. 

And back outside, the addition of a charming side porch with sightlines to the property’s inground swimming pool, and outdoor entertaining area, leave little doubt the clients will be alone in their home more than these recent empty nesters wish to be.