The homeowners often use this cantilevered deck off the living room.
Cray and Suzanne Merrill have owned Brassworks, a Fells Point retail and restoration business that offers a collection of home furnishings, one-of-a-kind antiques, gifts, and accessories for over 30 years. The centuries old building where the Merrills live and work faces Thames Street and includes an apartment above the retail store with multiple views of the waterfront.
When the opportunity came to buy the entire building in 2002, the Merrills enlisted the help of their long-time friend and architect, David Gleason of David H. Gleason Associates, Inc., to convert this 1,600-square-foot living space into a light, open, warm, and inviting home. “I have known David longer than I have owned the Brassworks. We have been neighbors and friends for a long time. He seemed the natural choice for this project because of his passion for restoration and historic buildings,” says Cray Merrill.
Cray and Suzanne wanted to create a living area that fit with the architecture of the house. The Merrills kept traditional rooflines as well as exposed rafters in the ceiling to give it a loft-like appearance. “I wanted it to look like a modernized ship loft…more of a renovation of the existing space,” says Cray.
The 1780s building sits on the same original foundation though the structure itself was remodeled throughout the 1800s with the addition of a third level. “We didn’t want to create a new footprint for the building. Instead we wanted to create a light well in the middle of the home so the building could breathe,” says Gleason.
The design renovations focus around a second floor atrium that allows light in the center of this densely built lot. By doing this, the major living space located in the rear of the lot on the third floor has not only light and privacy from the street and views out towards the harbor, but also a light source at its interior edge. “We can be in our bedroom and look through our atrium and see all the way out towards the bay. It brings in an incredible amount of light,” says Cray.
This interior natural lighting source turned an otherwise dark and narrow urban residence into a spacious, visually appealing, and interesting structure. “We had 100 percent lot coverage, so we created this interior courtyard to give more opportunities for windows looking out to the outside. This allows the building to breathe and creates cross ventilation, which can also decrease the dependency on air conditioning,” says Gleason. High ceilings and circulating fans were installed to keep the air moving.
The light well and the careful situation of the interior rooms provide light without compromising privacy in the home. “Many of my clients just want as much usable square footage as they can get in a renovation, but Cray and Suzanne really saw the benefit of the light well in all the livable areas of the home,” says Gleason.
The homeowners enjoy views of the Baltimore Harbor
The atrium space is entered at the second level from a glass-enclosed gallery connecting the entry to the third floor stair. In addition to the atrium, the second floor has a den/guest room that faces Thames Street. Adjacent to this space there is a full bath along with the entry from the stair to the street. Storage and laundry facilities are located at the end of the gallery beyond the stair.
“The Merrills wanted as much storage as they could get so we created a storage wall with several built-ins opposite the kitchen,” says Gleason.The third floor has all the major living space including the master bedroom, the kitchen, the living room, a full bathroom, and the deck. The master bedroom, adjacent to the major third floor living space, is positioned along the northern perimeter of the atrium allowing ample light into the space. “The master bedroom faces the courtyard from the back alley side of the residence while the bathroom and walk-in closets face Thames Street and serve as a buffer for the street noise,” describes Gleason. The Merrills say they hear virtually no noise in their bedroom from the busy city street.
At the rear of the home, the design called for a cantilevered deck off the living room to take advantage of the waterfront views. “We have floor-to-ceiling windows with French doors and customized transoms. It gives us easy access to the deck and makes entertaining guests fun and easy to do,” says Merrill.
The homeowners enjoy having the harbor at their doorstep. “We have visiting ships from all over the world and we can sit and watch them with guests during a cocktail party. We have had the Pride of Baltimore in our backyard. We really enjoy the trappings of the harbor like the tug boats, the restaurants, and the shopping,” says Merrill.
The furnishings in the home are very traditional and complement the loft-like feel of the design. The architectural restoration has given new life to old spaces. “We love our new home. I only drive my car once a week now. We can walk everywhere,” says Merrill. “It’s like living in a little village with the modern conveniences of city living.”
Jennifer K. Dansicker is the Special Projects Editor for ChesapeakeHome.
Contact:
David H. Gleason Associates, Inc. Architects: gleasonarchitects.com or 410-728-1810
