Sands House Reveal

Having lived in Annapolis, Maryland for the past thirteen years, it had always been a dream of Laura’s to one day, own a home in the historic district. For years, she would walk-by with her family of five, taking it all in. When the chance came for her and her husband to purchase their dream home years later, they jumped at the opportunity!

A historic landmark, the Sands House has been a feature of Annapolis since the 17th century. Estimated to have been built sometime between 1681 and 1738, it is thought to be the oldest frame house in the Chesapeake region. As with any historic home, this one required a lot of work. Laura admits that, “there were many times throughout the renovation process where I looked back and thought, ‘oh, did we make a mistake?’” The Smith’s hard work and persistence paid off though when after an eighteenth-month renovation, they were able to move into their dream home.

Literally steps away from the United States Naval Academy, and downtown scene, the Sands House is in the ideal location for historic lovers such as Laura and Kevin. “|To know| that what I’m doing, people have been doing for the last 300+ years… [how amazing is that]?” Despite its size - 2,740 sq. ft. - we managed to make this grand house feel like a family home. While the look and feel of the home is quite traditional, we designed it in such a way that its still comfortable and liveable.

When Laura and her husband, brought us on towards the end of 2020 to assist with the interior design of the home, the home needed a lot of work. Much of the home is original (although there have been various renovations over the years) and really needed a through refresh. The Smith’s did just about everything - repaint the interior walls, install new light fixtures, refinish the floors, etc. You can follow along their journey here. Together, we breathed new life into the space.

OUR INSPIRATION:

Upon first speaking to the Laura and her husband, they were very clear that they appreciated the Early American look vs. colonial style. Rustic, simple, modern farm house… these were some of the words that launched our inspiration for the design. What they wanted most of all was for the design to honor the history and tradition of the Sands House, while still making it feel like a “home” for a young family of five.

While in the main living areas, we worked off an earthy color palette of greens, browns and rust tones; moving upstairs to the bedrooms, we used a good deal of blue and white. In all of the spaces you’ll find a mix of new and vintage pieces of furniture that help tell a story.

It was such an honor collaborating with the Smith’s on the design of their historic home. Never in our wildest dreams would we have thought that we would have the opportunity to work on a project like this… It fills our heart with gratitude to know that Laura and her family are so happy with the design of their home and how things turned out. In the end, we ended up helping the Smith’s with the design of their: family room, living room, home office/guest room, master bedroom, and daughter’s bedroom. You can view the entire project here.

INTERIOR DESIGN: Making Room for Peace | PHOTOGRAPHY: Jenna Miller Photography