5222 Springlake Way

Ever since I was a child, with friends who lived around the corner, I have adored this house! And, as I have mentioned frequently, I adore stone houses. 

It's so unusual and quirky, hallmarks of Palmer & Lamdin, to be sure. It does not go on the market very often, the families tend to stay for decades. So it was fun when an old listing for it popped up recently in my searches. 

This house has an interesting history. It was the home of Mayor Howard Jackson, who was the father-in-law of opera singer, Rosa Ponselle, who also lived in a P&L house, Villa Pace, about which I have not yet written.

Interestingly, the block that the Mayor moved from, was on the same street as this P&L house. It seems that the Mayor bought the house at a Trustee's Sale in 1934. 

It looks like Mayor Jackson only lived there for eight years, or so, as it was back on the market in 1942. 

Let's look at some of the interior images.  

And some of the exterior images.

Landmark Palmer-Lamdin designed residence on "The Lakes" of Homeland with five bedrooms and five baths on upper level. Lovingly and extensively renovated in 2012, including 4-zone HVAC throughout, refinished paneling and millwork; marble serpentine Trish Houck kitchen renovation with custom Prevo cab. Luxury master suite with marble bath & sitting room. Casual lower level family room with fireplace. A truly rare offering for the discerning buyer. It sold for about $1.7 million a few years ago. Here's the last listing. 

224 Tunbridge Road

Palmer & Lamdin excelled in building stone houses, and this one at 224 Tunbridge Road is a perfect example.

From the 2018 real estate listing:

Beautiful stone and stucco Palmer Lamdin boasting character and style filled with natural light.

This completely renovated, turn-key gem is a combination of classic Homeland charm updated to the 21st century.

Floor plan good for larger parties as well as family gatherings.

Grounds designed by Wolfgang Oehme for year round beauty coupled with low maintenance. 

 This house, built in 1928, was in the earliest years of the establishment of Homeland. I love that all of the renovations over the years have kept the wonderful steel casement windows, one of the P&L signatures. I love the nod to the house's English roots with the wonderful patio off the back of the house. 

All in all, this is a completely charming house on a great street! Check the 2018 listing here.

On the Market: 3707 Greenway

The listing for 3707 Greenway says this:

      One of those houses you have always admired and now is your opportunity! Designed by renowned arhitect [sic] Edward Palmer, this is a rare opportunity to purchase a Baltimore gem. Elegant & stately Guilford home situated on double lot. Stone exterior with distinguished turret, Over 5,300 square feet, the house offers hardwood floors, gracious rooms, 2 zoned central air & loads of potential. Come make this your dream home in a most ideal urban location. Estate sale being sold "as is".

It's true! I have always loved and admired this house on Greenway. It's nestled into the landscape at the south entrance to Guilford. I am partial to stone houses, having lived in one when I was a child. This one always intrigued me because of the small turret, which is hard to see in the listing. 

It took me a few minutes to figure out what the turret housed, but after looking through the listing's pictures, I realized that it's the staircase. 

My understanding is that this house hasn't been on the market for several decades. An elderly person lived there and the house hadn't been updated at all, except perhaps for the addition of an elevator (in the living room?!?).

There is a copious amount of wallpaper in the house, including in the bathrooms. 

I love the steel casement windows in every room, and seriously PRAY that the new owners keep them. P&L loved these windows and used them in a lot of their designs. 

There is just a little over an acre of property that comes with this house and the house has a private driveway and a two-car garage... not that on-street parking is any problem. 

The house is priced at $795k, with the extensive renovations in mind. It's an estate sale, so there may be some room for negotiations. 

The house was built in 1930 and sold to an "unknown party,"

which was quickly revealed to be the local vicar.

While he died in 1955, his wife lived in the house until 1962! The house sold in 1974, and then again in 1977 which looks like the last time it was on the market. 

120 Churchwardens Road

Palmer & Lamdin designed several houses on Churchwarden's Road, including Palmer's own house at no. 100.

This house, at no. 120 is a really interesting one, with double octagonal extensions on either side. It is not dissimilar in style to 200 Churchwarden's Road, which is currently on the market. 

It's been on and off the market a few times recently, so there are still some interior images of it floating around the ether. Let's look...

From the real estate website: Gorgeous Georgian architecture abounds in this Palmer and Lamdin home. Upon nearly an acre of land on a spacious corner lot, lush landscaping embellishes the property. With a kitchen and first floor completely renovated and designed by Patrick Sutton, the huge first floor with an open feel leads to a gorgeous yard.

A potential of up to seven bedrooms makes this a dream spot for frequent entertainers or even those who need extra space for offices. Multiple fireplaces ensure a cozy stay at any time, and the symmetrical layout gives a sense of order.

New hardwood floors, recessed lighting and pendant light fixtures throughout the house bring a sense of light and accent, while the French casement doors and windows shed light on everything in the house.

Marble floors in the basement and sun room add an airier feel and are a perfect juxtaposition to the warmth of the hardwoods in other areas of Churchwardens. When in need of a respite from the lovely interiors, step out onto the lush landscaping that surrounds the property.

With a few different spots to enjoy nature, you can feel at ease under the pergola facing Churchwardens, the patio off of the kitchen and family room, or just enjoy the spacious yard itself. A large parking pad/driveway next to the kitchen door, along with a huge garage add a ton of convenience to this incredibly lovely home!

One of the great things about this listing is that the layout for the house was included! It really helps to understand how things flow. Although it looks like the two wings are octagonal, on the plans, the left one is square and holds the garage. 

Homewood Friends Meeting House

Although most of P&L's work was residential, they did design some other buildings, including the charming Homewood Friends Meeting House, just across from the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Wyman Park Dell. 

As you are heading north on Charles, the Friends Meeting House does not stand out among the other Georgian-style brick building along the streetscape. It is an unassuming two-story building, reflecting the Friends' philosophy of simplicity. 

Oddly, there are two Friends Meeting Houses on Charles Street, the other several miles north at the Friends School, and it is known as Stony Run Friends. Click here for a history of the Friends in Baltimore. There was a schism in the 1800's dividing the Friends into two branches. They have since reconciled.  

The Homewood Friends Meeting House was built in 1921, about the same time as Saints Philip and James a few blocks to the south, and the University Baptist Church, a few blocks to the north. Although the building doesn't look very big from the front, it actually goes back quite a bit. And there are solar panels along the south-facing roof.

Sadly, the few interior images of the Meeting House are not very good, bring tiny images and quite dark. But I did manage to edit one, enough to give you an idea. 

Next time you drive north on Charles, see if you can spot the Homewood Friends Meeting House.