A Family Heirloom

When we think about passing down a family heirloom, we often think about jewelry or memoirs – something that is passed down for generations, through family members.  For this couple in Severna Park, Maryland, that ‘heirloom’ was a waterfront property that held many family memories.  Over the years, the property served the family well, but if it would stand the test of time, it would need to be completely transformed.  This client story explores the journey of completely transforming a waterfront home in the Fair Oaks on the Magothy community, for a modern family lifestyle and preserving a family heirloom along the way.

Accolades:

  1. This project won the 2024 Home Excellence Award for Waterfront/Critical Area Construction by What’s Up! Magazine.
  2. This project was featured nationally in the publication, Upgrade Your Farmhouse – a special issue published by American Farmhouse Style.  
  3. This project was also featured in Annapolis Home Magazine Nov/Dec 2023 Issue.

whats up magazine home excellence award custom builder
american farmhouse magazine upgrade your farmhouse
ANNAPOLIS HOME MAGAZINE 2023

Assembling The Team

Mueller Homes worked collaboratively with the client, Speight Architecture, Kitchen Encounters, Charles Henry Woodworking, and Absolute Landscaping to build this beautiful home on a family lot located on the Magothy River in Severna Park, Maryland.  

The Vision

When Katie and her husband Zach started a family, she envisioned creating memories with her children of boating, swimming, and enjoying a lifestyle on the Chesapeake Bay.  After all, her family had passed down fond memories about growing up on the water.  So, amidst the Covid crisis,
Katie’s dad offered to pass down the home and land he grew up on.   It was a generous offer, and the couple was excited to embrace the opportunity and create memories of their own, in this beautiful waterfront location. 

Katie defines her design style as coastal farmhouse.  She wanted the overall design to compliment, rather than overwhelm, the views.  Her
goal was to create a very cozy atmosphere that was welcoming and ‘homey.’  She wanted a place where they could entertain their large extended family while also providing a unique lifestyle for their children.

Building in a Critical Area on the Magothy River

The original home was situated on a parcel along the Magothy River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay.  While the property was located in a designated critical area, it was not located in a flood zone.  This was a huge advantage that the builder and architect could maximize to expand the footprint and create a more modern home, designed to suit the family’s needs.  The decision was made to do a complete tear-down and rebuild on the site.  As is the case with many critical areas on the Chesapeake Bay, they would be required to plant a variety of native vegetation, trees, and micro ponds for runoff, but these accoutrements would allow them to expand the footprint. 

“The team at Mueller Homes literally brought our dreams to life. The team helped us navigate the challenges of building in a critical area and the client concierge service was invaluable. This home is everything we imagined.”

Katie

Builder & Architect Collaboration

The couple selected Speight Architecture to assist them with the architectural design. The design process began with an extensive questionnaire that explored how they would use the home.  Katie described it as a “comprehensive ten page working document that formulated the basis for their design concepts.”  Stephanie Cook, the project’s architect, literally walked them through the house, on paper.  With her initial hand-drawn designs, they were able to envision how each room could be utilized or adapted to meet their needs. 

The design process continued as they selected their builder, Mueller Homes.  The couple interviewed several builders but felt that Mueller had the most transparent approach.  “Their craftsmanship really stood out and we liked their utilization of technology to streamline the process.  In addition, we really connected with PJ [president of Mueller Homes] and felt confident he and his team would truly carry out our vision,” notes Katie.

Working collaboratively, the team was able to further refine certain aspects and details of the design to appeal to Katie’s preferences for transitional styles.  The garage design was changed from a traditional L-shaped structure to a V-shaped element. The peaks and windows on the front of the house were softened, and an overhang was added to the front porch.  In the rear of the home, a pergola was added to the patio and the screened porch would be an extension of the family game room.  All of these discussions took place, as a team, so a variety of input and scenarios were considered, before the final plans were completed. 

Paul Mueller, Jr., president of Mueller Homes, notes, “We focus on the collaborative process and find that when we can really work as a team, it provides a rewarding experience for everyone involved.”  The couple noted that the collaboration between the builder and architect was always solutions-oriented and made the entire construction process easy and communicative.

Unique Design Capabilities

The original plans called for a ship lap ceiling, which Katie loved.  Mueller suggested they carry these architectural elements into other rooms of the home so the designs were further customized to add subtle nautical elements throughout the home, with uniquely handcrafted details.  For example, the living room built-in bookshelves have a ship lap background.  The stairs have a nautical board and batten design that beautifully combines form and function, with the integration of hidden doors that lead to the crawl space and attic.  Two custom benches were built into the game room and upstairs hall while the mudroom, office, and closets were all custom built to maximize space, enhance the design, and create functional use of these spaces.

Design Selections

Katie had a very clear, intentional design style and utilized Mueller Homes’ design services to assist with the selections process.  She comments on the ease of this process, “Kalyn would help us schedule appointments at showrooms.  She would give me a heads up about what we would be selecting, and my budget, so that I had time to research and gather ideas ahead of time.  When I arrived at the showrooms, she typically had samples or ideas already laid out for me to make the selections process so easy.”  Much of the furniture and accessories in the home were culled from popular brands like Serena & Lily and Pottery Barn.

The Overall Process

Katie noted that the overall building process, working side by side with Speight and Mueller, never felt overwhelming.  Although they had to work through a lot of post-covid challenges, with some supply issues, everything was handled in bite-sized pieces, and every challenge was met with a solution.  The communication was outstanding, and she felt like everyone on the team was approachable and solutions-oriented.

Today, this family heirloom of a priceless waterfront location, has been transformed into the perfect home and lifestyle.  She imagines the kids will spend a lot of time outdoors in the summer; boating, swimming, and having friends over, as the years go by.  Zach is already enjoying his man-cave style game room, complete with a hidden bar, which was a unique element added during construction.  Katie enjoys quiet time, in the sunroom, watching the fire and the water at the same time.  Life doesn’t get much better than this!

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