Dream home
Their haven on the waterfront
Queenstown residence is part of annual House & Garden Pilgrimage Tour
April and Michael Walter are readying their Queenstown residence for the forthcoming Queen Anne's County portion of the 2016 Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage.
Their house, built in 1996, is one of the newer houses on the tour, but it overlooks a reminder of Maryland's past.
To the left of the house, atop a slight rise, is the final resting place of William Grason, Maryland's 25th governor and the first one directly elected by the public.
Another vestige of the past is the first thing one sees when pulling into the driveway. It is a massive swamp white oak, designated as the oldest in Queen Anne's County and the second-oldest in Maryland.
“It's our favorite tree,” April Walter said.
Yet another piece of history is the residence one passes going up the lane. Now a residence, it was once Grason's carriage house.
The Walters moved into the house along the Wye River on April 9, 2012. Once their three children had grown, the Walters decided to look for a haven on the water. But they wanted a spot their children, sons-in-law and granddaughter, Olivia, would love visiting. They also sought a place for entertaining family and friends.
“Lots of family and friends come and stay the night,” said April Walter, an active member of the Queen Anne's Garden Club, which is hosting the county's portion of the pilgrimage tour. “We want them to feel welcome. We do a lot of parties. Everyone gathers here at Christmas.”
The trees — especially the old oak — first attracted them to the home.
“When we toured this house, we liked it,” said Michael Walter, vice president at BB&T-Atlantic Risk Management in Columbia. “It had trees, a great house, and the water.”
“There was no landscaping, though,” said April. “It was a blank canvas.”
Since the Walters arrived, they've pulled out much of the non-native growth, shrubs and plantings on the 2.6-acre property, replacing them with native Maryland plants and flowers. There's also a small henhouse, home to nearly a dozen hens.
Near the garden farm is the outdoor pool. A crystal chandelier dangles from the branch of a tree next to the pool area. Hung for a party, it was such an unexpected delight that the couple never brought it back inside.
The rear of the house faces Talents Cove, which flows into the Wye River. From the rear deck, the patio, shady areas with seats, and the pier, there is a panoramic view of the cove and nearby inlets.
Entering the house through a rear entrance, a painting on five planks of weathered, rough barn wood catches the eye. It was painted by April's grandmother Beulah Jackson, using wood taken from the family's barn.
All the professional-quality interior design and decorating in the four-bedroom, five-bathroom residence was done by April.
“April is very creative,” Michael said. “She does it with a flair. We just benefit from it.”
The main floor and second floor are softly illuminated by natural light from the home's many windows.
Some of the furnishings, the couple said, are family pieces and heirlooms. They occasionally go to the weekly auctions at the nearby Crumpton Auction barn and bid on pieces that catch their eye.
In the family room, beneath a display of butterflies mounted and framed in shadow boxes, is an old library chest. It belonged to Michael's great-grandfather, who owned a produce business in Baltimore.
The adjacent sunroom, where they spend a lot of their indoor hours, has a mix of heirloom and newfound pieces. A painted metal-and-glass terrarium is a Crumpton catch.
The spacious kitchen is home to a second flock of chickens, though these are ceramic. The figurine pairs scratch on the polished granite island, lurk near a basket of fine liquors, and hide near the stainless-steel refrigerator. April took a unique approach to the pantry, paving the floor with pennies. Every family member has a penny from their birth year, which they can find by locating the Canadian penny next to it. April glued the coins down, and cemented them in place with black grout.
On the wall are 13 black frames holding cards from restaurants around the region and world at which the Walters have eaten — and happily recommend.
The ceiling was a little bit more work — it's covered in a basketweave pattern of wine corks.
“It's taken years,” said April. “I glued up the outer border first. As we've opened bottles, more corks were glued in place. Friends brought their corks over, too.”
The basement features a combination sports center and library in the main room. A carved wooden pool table is the centerpiece. On two walls are framed photos of the Walters' children and of Michael togged out in team jerseys playing sports in high school and college, mixed with autographed photos of their sports heroes.
The room also holds a bar and kitchenette.
Down the hall is a movie screening room lined with eight chocolate leather La-Z Boy recliners. Another room is an exercise space filled with weights and exercise machines.
And upstairs, Olivia has her own pastel room, complete with a handsome gray wooden bed designed for an infant or toddler. A handmade pale pink and green quilt is folded over the bedrail. A floral upholstered armchair and matching ottoman await bedtime story hour.
One of the other bedrooms has a dark gray wooden sleigh bed and a deep red quilt. Another bedroom is a little softer, with a snowy bedcover and mounds of pillows.
In the master suite, a leather woman's travel case from the early 20th century is displayed. On a bureau in the sun-filled bedroom is a jewelry tree that belonged to April's grandmother. The conical shape is encrusted with the grandmother's costume jewelry — pins, brooches, earrings and charms.
The bathroom is its own day spa, featuring an oversized tub angled into a corner with ample views of the outdoors. The tub is separated from the large walk-in shower by a vanity.
The home's outdoor scenery is the biggest bonus for the Walters.
“We enjoy sitting outside, watching the sunset with a glass of wine,” Michael said.
April agreed. “We like having our family here. I love strolling around outside with my granddaughter on my shoulders,” she said. “This is like a living painting. A little color here or there. And, it changes from year to year.”
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