Though stately from the street front, this Greenspring Valley home features a backyard patio that looks out over a serene natural landscape - perfect for relaxing with family or visiting with friends.
Building a house takes more than cement, stone, and brick. It also takes time, patience, attention to detail, and the expertise of building and design professionals to bring a dream home to life, so when a suburban Baltimore family wanted to build a new home in Greenspring Valley, they consulted architects, builders, and designers before deciding on a team that could realize their dream—a family home that would also be perfect for entertaining.
With Paul Lichter, principal and owner of J. Paul Builders, LLC, Michael R. Hall, ASID, president of Swann/Hall Associates, and Jay I. Brown, AIA, Vice President of Levin/Brown & Associates at the helm, this elegant and traditional Maryland stone residence developed though collaboration and teamwork, drawing the expertise of some of the regions top professionals.
Brown considered the architectural plan of the home using a process that he says ensures complete customer satisfaction. “I always first make sure that I understand all of the details that the client is hoping for. Then, I take into account what constraints we may encounter and go back to the client, then begin the design process.” According to Brown, it takes 6 to 9 months to complete the design and construction documents and then an additional 15 months for construction, which, in this case, was executed J. Paul Builders.
“Paul is one of the finest builders that I work with,” Brown says. “What makes him stand out is his vast attention to even the smallest details. Every project demands attention, that is a fact, but Paul takes it a step further, supervising the build every step of the way.”
“We pride ourselves on being sensitive and responsive to our clients’ needs,” Lichter says. “We limit the number of projects we engage in at [one] time, so that we are sure to deliver a superior product. We can promise that each project receives the attention to detail that it deserves, from concept to completion.”
Architectural details such as a freestanding curvilinear staircase, arched doorways, elaborate molding, tray ceilings, custom built-ins, and elegant stone flooring are balanced by gracious and graceful interiors.
“For this residence,” says Hall, “we [had] full reign over the interior,” which he describes as casually elegant. “We selected the interior layout in addition to all of the room furnishings.” While much of the décor relates to a collection of art purchased at Renaissance Fine Arts in Pikesville , Maryland , Hall exercised relative control over the interiors, which he says, “added an additional creative layer to our input on the home.”
A grand foyer and a sweeping staircase, done in a tasteful mix of textures, colors, and patterns that keep the space open greet guests as they enter the home.
Upon entering the home through a custom mahogany door, owners and their guests step into a two-story entrance hall. A sweeping, curved staircase leads to a second-story balcony that is silhouetted against a two-story arched window wall. French doors lead to an outside terrace and the gardens beyond. Hall notes that the floor of the entrance hall is travertine accented with Verdi marble. The walls have a parchment finish, designed by The Valley Craftsman, Ltd., and a large, chandelier from Jones Lighting illuminates from the at the center of the space. The staircase runner from Floors, Etc. features an oak leaf border, and an Italian centerpiece adorns the room, along with several other furnishings selected at the Design Center of the Americas in Florida.
To the left of the entrance hall is an office library, paneled in custom cherry millwork by David Wolff of Wolff Woodworking; the space also includes a built-in fireplace. Leather chairs by Baker Furniture provide the seating and Hall included a reproduction of a leather top writing table. A Euphrates Serapi rug from Alex Cooper Oriental Rugs inspired the color scheme for the library. “There is a beautiful cathedral ceiling in this room and French doors [leading] to a porch that is great for cigar smoking,” Hall says. Two handmade rocking chairs, sit on a covered, bluestone porch adjacent to the library.
Perhaps the most central room to the first floor plan, though, is the large, open kitchen and sitting room. “For this particular residence, we had to take into account that the family does a lot of entertaining, so the kitchen and the sitting room are connected,” says Brown. Hall describes the sitting room as “the biggest room on the first floor. It is a large, casually elegant room used for family gatherings. [The clients] did not want a separate family room, but [the room] is different than a conventional great room.” Seating is grouped around a cherry mantelpiece flanked by French doors. A large screen television with the sound system built into the wall is at the opposite end of the room. “Colors in the room include gold, olive, deep brick red, and black, and display brilliant contrast,” says Hall, who notes that it was one of his favorite rooms to design.
Details like custom cabinets, marble countertops, and Italian light fixtures make this kitchen appear soft, yet substantial.
The French doors lead from the sitting room into a large, elegant kitchen with glazed cream cabinets by Wolff Woodworking.
Three Italian light fixtures from Jones Lighting Specialists made of iron and Scavo glass hang over a large, L-shaped island done in sage green with Saint Cecilia countertops. Hall adds that at one end of the kitchen, there is a large, round table that is perfect for family dining and an antique hutch from Gaines McHale Antiques. “The hutch displays a collection of transferware pottery, which is quite extraordinary,” Hall says. Off of the kitchen, a small sunroom with a travertine floor holds a country French sofa and lounge chairs.
The dining room, which seats 14, was done in shades of gold with accents of coral. A Pakistani rug from Alex Cooper Oriental Rugs pulls these colors together. The client selected an exquisite gold and crystal chandelier on a trip to New Orleans that now hangs in the dining room along with gold silk draperies.
The lower level of the house includes a home theater, a gym, separate laundry room and billiard rooms, a butler’s pantry that supports entertaining in the dining room, and the master suite. “The master bedroom is quite spectacular, complete with a dressing suite and his and hers closets,” Brown says. Designed to be quiet and serene, the room was finished in creams, pale straw colors, soft golds, and accents of celery green. A tray ceiling with indirect lighting brings out the subtle gold and cream lattice wall covering. A second sitting room with French doors adjacent to the master suite creates additional space in the private suite for reading or relaxing away from the more public spaces in the house. A master bathroom refined with a soaking tub, a walk-in marble shower, marble floors, and his and hers vanities completes the restful retreat.
The second floor of the home has a guest suite and three bedroom suites for the children. “What makes the second floor so unique is that there is a family staircase built into a stair tower to connect the children’s rooms to the kitchen,” Hall explains. “The tower features high windows and a built-in window seat on the landing.”
The guest suite was designed with a soft French blue and creams, while the son’s room is done in navy and neutrals with accents of red and gold; his room is adorned with sports memorabilia. One of the daughters’ rooms includes soft greens, roses, and ivories, while the other daughter’s room is done in yellows, lavenders, greens, and corals. “There are generous-sized windows in all of the bedrooms, which makes for great natural lighting,” Hall says.
The team’s work resulted in what Brown calls, “traditional Maryland architecture with country flavor,” which matches the dominant style of the neighborhood. He adds, “All in all, it is a very naturalized living space. The details alone make this house elegant but also livable.”
But perhaps what makes the home most livable was the success of the team project. Lichter attributes the end result to the skill with which all members of the design and construction team worked together. “You have to work with the best to deliver the best,” he says. “After all, what we build is more than someone’s home. It is someone’s dream.”
Rebecca E. Jones-Paulsen is a frequent contributor to ChesapeakeHome.
Contacts:
J. Paul Builders, LLC: jpaulbuilders.com or 410-602-8070
Levin/Brown & Associates, Inc.: levinbrown.com or 800-296-9060
Swann-Hall Associates, Ltd.: 410-576-8780
Additional Contacts:
Alex Cooper Oriental Rugs: orientalrugsonline.com or 800-272-3145
Baker Furniture: kohlerinteriors.com or 800-59BAKER
Design Center of the Americas: dcota.com or 954-920-7997
Floors, Etc.: floors-etc.com or 410-484-4123
Gaines McHale Antiques and Home: gainesmchale.com or 410-625-1900
Jones Lighting Specialists: 410-828-1900
Renaissance Fine Arts: 410-484-8900
The Valley Craftsman, Ltd.: valleycraftsmen.com or 410-366-7077
Wolff Woodworking Co.: 410-356-0606
