An elegant makeover imparts timeless style to a waterfront home in Leonardtown

This is my happy place,” declares Sharon Cox, gesturing to dining room windows that overlook Breton Bay, a tributary of the Potomac River in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. “Almost every day I wake up and think, ‘I need to pinch myself because I live here.’” The cardiac recovery room nurse-turned-realtor was looking for a place to live with room for her grown children and grandkids to visit. A Leonardtown native whose previous house was just three miles away, Cox appreciates the community’s closeness to nature. So when she was looking for her forever home and found this property on the market, it seemed like fate.

After ensuring she’d be able to add square footage without changing the basic footprint (a requirement due to the abode’s proximity to the water), Cox reached out to her good friend and long-time designer Kate Abt, whose full-service studio is located nearby. “We viewed it together and agreed she had to buy it,” Abt recalls. “The location was just too amazing to pass up!”

Set on a sloping, acre-plus lot, the single-story, one-bedroom residence began life as a 1950s kit house with a dark, muddled floor plan that took little advantage of its scenic water views. The house needed a serious refresh by the time Cox moved in (think almond-colored appliances), but she wisely postponed the redesign “to get a better feel for what I wanted,” she explains. Now-retired architect Tony Hill drew up plans a few years later; Cox, Abt and builder Amos Ripple further tweaked the blueprints. Construction took about a year.

The redo expanded the dwelling to three stories and doubled its square footage to 2,800. The main level encompasses a large kitchen plus living and dining rooms; two bedrooms and two baths are situated upstairs. A finished, walk-out basement contains a bedroom, bathroom, family room and custom walnut bar. All bedrooms and public spaces enjoy water views.
However, the journey from dream to dreamhouse had its challenges. “When we started,” Ripple recalls, “we were just going to take off the roof and put in a second floor. But we discovered the walls weren’t square or plumb-level, everything was sagging and there were termites. We had to pretty much take the whole house down to the foundation and build it up again.”

In addition, the structure was oddly shaped and hard to work with. “The house was originally a pentagon, and over the years side additions had been created that made even more angles,” Abt explains. “Coming up with a livable layout that made the most of water views was a challenge.” Shifting the location of the front door made it possible to rearrange the living and dining rooms and kitchen. Glass sliders open to a wraparound deck along the back.

When it came time to design the interiors, Abt and her client went with a mix of old and new furnishings, many crafted by local or Mennonite artisans. In the main entry, an ornately carved mirror was discovered at a barn sale, while the mustard-gold, textured-weave poufs, Oriental rug and other objets are Cox’s own.

The dining area, bordered by a bank of windows, features a custom, white oak refectory table surrounded by olive-velvet chairs. Abt selected a Visual Comfort chandelier that wouldn’t interrupt the view above the table. In one corner, an abstract bronze sculpture by Steve Reinmuth makes a statement.

The cozy, intimate living room features all the essentials. A custom cabinet with a fluted front hides a TV that rises at the touch of a button. The cocktail table showcases a coiled rope under its glass top—a nautical nod to the home’s locale.

The kitchen reflects Cox’s love of cooking and entertaining. Lined with locally built, Shaker-style cabinetry, the space centers on an expansive, gray-green, quartzite-topped island set at an angle to maximize space. Over the stove is an understated range hood the same color as the cabinets, set against a textured, black-soapstone backsplash.

The second-story primary suite is a study in serenity, dressed in shades that echo sea and sky. The bedroom features a shiplap-paneled cathedral ceiling and oversized windows. In the bathroom, a soaking tub and white oak double vanity complete the spa-like feel.

Throughout the project, Abt was completely in sync with her client’s desire to create a grounding place for herself—a forever home “where you can live simply,” the designer says. “Put your feet up and concentrate on what really matters.”

Cox agrees. “It’s such a calm place. When my children come, they’re really happy. I hung a couple of swings under the deck, and the babies enjoy swinging outside, then walking down to the pier to see the crabs.”

Renovation & Interior Design: Kate Abt, Kate Abt Design, Leonardtown, Maryland. Renovation Contracting: Amos Ripple, Ripple Brothers Contractors, Mechanicsville, Maryland.

Home

Coastal Classic - Home & Design Magazine