101 Woodlawn Road, Baltimore.
Hot House: Classic Roland Park shingle house; Architect-owned and updated with
6 bedrooms/5 bathrooms and a huge porch. 3,935 square feet. Asking price: $895,000.
What: When you think of classic Roland Park houses, they usually have cedar shake
shingles, a slate roof, a great porch and elegant details. This house on Woodlawn
Road has all that, plus a sympathetic update by the current owner, one of Baltimore’s
renown architects. For the owners, the renovation was about erasing the 50 years
that the house had been a three-unit rental and returning the house’s original
integrity.
As you approach the house, you first notice the large L-shaped front porch, with its
beadboard ceiling and the graceful arches which are echoed throughout the house. As
you enter the house, you are welcomed by a small vestibule with an arched doorway
and a coat closet! You then move into the light-filled entry hall with beautiful original
hardwood floors and a staircase with a window seat, perfect for curling up and
reading. The staircase also features unique wooden urns on several of the newel
posts.
A large living room with a wood-burning fireplace, large windows and built-in lighted
bookcases is to your left. To your right is a formal dining room with the original
pocket doors, as well as doors leading to the rear deck.
To the rear of the house is an updated kitchen which features Asko, Sub-Zero and
Wolf appliances as well as a wonderful center island and a breakfast nook. As with
many of these Roland Park houses, there is a full pantry off of the kitchen, which the
owners smartly kept intact during the renovation. The kitchen opens to a deck which
overlooks the spacious backyard with a custom treehouse and parking pad.
As you move upstairs, you will see the primary suite with a walk-in closet and an en-
suite bathroom featuring a steam shower. There are two more bedrooms, as well as a
den/home office/study and a recently renovated bathroom on the second floor. On
the third floor, there are three additional bedrooms, including one which retains the
original tub, and another with a shower.
The basement is partially finished with a large storage closet for out-of-season items.
Although the listing mentions a man-cave for the basement, I am currently boycotting
that term, so won’t mention it. The basement opens onto the back yard.
Where: This house is located on the south end of Roland Park, convenient to Miss
Shirley’s, Pekara European Bakery and of course, Alonso’s! It’s just a hop down Cold
Spring Lane to the JFX, and up Roland to Eddie’s, the Pratt Library and several
schools.
Final Appraisal: With so many of the beautiful Roland Park houses being completely
gutted and the original details being torn out for the latest trendy thing, it’s so
refreshing to see a sympathetic renovation that has kept many of the details that
make these houses so special, and which stand the test of time. The listing for the
house is here.
Love this House!