6001 Overlook Place, North Roland Park.
Hot House: Secret minimalist house with maximalist gardens. 3 bedrooms/2 baths. 1,512 square feet. Asking price: $810,000.
What: Nestled at the bottom of a hill, behind Boys’ Latin School, you will find one man’s personal folly, a house and garden built with a singular vision. Built in 2003, this one-level, modernist house is sited in a series of gardens, courtyards, open spaces and flowering plants.
As you pull up to the property, you enter through a pergola and a pair of old doors with clear and stained glass windows. You enter The Fieldhouse through a 200-year old door and immediately see the long Library Foyer, filled with gridded bookcases which run the length of the house. To one side of the ell are the living areas and to the other, the bed and bathrooms.
The living room has five massive plate-glass windows, measuring 78”x60”, and opening the room to amazing views of the extensive gardens. There is a floating fireplace of French limestone, and also, hidden in plain sight, the kitchen, also in white French limestone, with two huge nine-foot panels which hide the pantry, laundry, and a half-bath.
The other end of the ell holds the sleeping quarters with a view of their own private courtyard, a dressing room, full bath and a small porch. Tucked within the ell, is another garden, covered by a trellis of English ivy and trumpet vines, perfect for a quiet morning coffee or a raucous gathering of good friends for a cocktail or two.
An integral part of the site is the small log cabin, brought piece-by-piece from Charleston, South Carolina and re-constructed here with modern conveniences like running water and air conditioning.
Where: If you go all the way to the very end of Roland Avenue, you will find this house tucked into what looks like a huge garden and woodland. But nothing will prepare you for what’s beyond the gates. It is conveniently located directly adjacent to Boys’ Latin School (no more carpools!), and down the road from the shops and restaurants on Roland Avenue.
Final Appraisal: While this house is listed as three beds/two baths, they are spread over two buildings, the Fieldhouse and the Log Cabin. Although the property is a half-acre, the various courtyards, secret gardens and small vistas make it read a lot larger. This is a property like no other that you will find in the area. The listing for the house is here.
All photographs from the listing.
Oh WOW! Absolutely magical. I would want it to stay exactly the way it is. The gardens, the rugs, the art the…everything! My husband (who love to cook) might have a problem with the kitchen but we’re not going to let a little reality get in the way of all of this ambience! The owner is certainly a very interesting person (or couple)