Port of Call

Deep in the historic maritime town of Annapolis, Maryland, this lovely federal style townhouse received a near-complete gut renovation that restored it to its former period appearance, albeit evolved for twenty-first-century living. The family, with ties to the Navy, filled their home with personal and nautical ephemera for a warm, eclectic sensibility. Richardson & Associates took cues from the owners’ lively and comfortably classic interiors when designing the outdoor spaces.

Relatively narrow, the circa-1870 house sits close to the street as many homes do in the landmarked district. The family anticipated primarily using the side entry of the house, which is private and accessed through a wrought-iron gate from the street. Richardson & Associates created a lovely walkway of bluestone bordered with gravel mulch and plantings of hornbeam, boxwood, and low grasses on one side and clematis-filled planters with mounted trellises on the other. Serving as an outdoor hallway, the greenery and crunch of the gravel create a calming transition from the street. A garden path beyond the red brick entry stair is demarked by stepping stones, which indicate yet another layer of privacy.

Once at the rear of the home, the space opens up to reveal an approximately 30-foot-square garden room with flooring of full-range bluestone. A traditional material appropriate to the period of the house, this type of stone has the variety of color and character to match the tone set by the owners. A square-lattice-topped fence painted dark charcoal creates a striking backdrop for the neutral garden furniture and an abundance of blue and white pots—another nod to maritime history and international trade—from the owners’ large collection. More hornbeams emerge from the gravel mulch to shade this outdoor port of call.

  • Architect: J. E. Schram Architect, LLC
  • Interior Designer: Kelly Minifie Home
  • General Contractor: Winchester Construction
  • Landscape Contractor: Scapes Inc.
  • Photographer: Adam Macchia
A three-story light-colored house with a red front door sits between two other homes on a residential street. A woman in a white dress and sun hat walks past the house, next to a vintage SUV parked at the curb. Tree branches frame the top of the scene.
A narrow stone walkway leads to a dark blue front door with a small porch and lantern. Flanking the path are metal garden trellises, stone planters with greenery, and an open wrought-iron gate.
The back exterior of a light-colored wood-paneled house featuring a short staircase decorated with several potted plants. At the top of the stairs sits a small table and chair, while a larger dining table and chairs occupy the foreground patio.
A patio with light wood furniture including chairs with white cushions and green patterned pillows arranged around a central ottoman. A dining table set for four sits in the background near a black fence, with a banner reading Dont Give Up The Ship hanging on the adjacent house.
Outdoor patio seating with white cushions and patterned green pillows arranged around a blue-and-white striped ottoman. A green tray with a pitcher and glasses of lemonade sits on the ottoman, set against a dark fence and lush trees.

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