For Parker Rockefeller, the home he and his wife designed and built in Arnold has been an oasis, a water escape from the daily grind, a mere 10 minutes from downtown Annapolis.
» Property: 984 Stonington Drive, Arnold, Md. 21012 (Anne Arundel)
» Description: The contemporary cedar and stone colonial house has a three-car garage. It also offers zoned heat and a heat pump with oil backup.
» Price: $2.854 million
» Contact: Krauss Real Property Brokerage, 410-329-9898
Currently for sale for nearly $3 million, the 5,500-square-foot, five-bedroom and 5.5 bath house sits on 1.2 acres, overlooking a pond that connects to a wetland habitat and the Magothy River.
“The back of our house is very private. You can see no other homes, and it overlooks the water. We call it our ‘Wildlife Window,'” Rockefeller, 48, said, noting that ospreys, owls, blue herons and egrets often alight in the pond, and snapping turtles and red foxes visit the yard — reasons why the couple chose this area 14 years ago.
They also purchased the lot directly in front of the where they’d planned to build so their house remains invisible from the road.
“We turned that front lot into a beautiful garden with original 70-year-old boxwoods [and] wild azaleas and restored the fountain that had been part of the original estate,” he said. Ensuring greater privacy, 30-foot-tall magnolias line both sides of driveway that leads to a stone courtyard.
Family-friendly and warm, the rear of the house consists of a two-story great room, a breakfast room and a sunroom all interconnected to a large kitchen with cherry cabinets, double sinks, Sub-Zero appliances and granite countertops.
The great room features a two-story stone fireplace with a mantel crafted on the Eastern Shore, all offering an abundance of natural light and stunning views of the pond and the Magothy behind it.
A stone fireplace and cherry walls grace the library/den where a nautical theme includes hand-painted images of tall ships on the ceiling; a cedar double-decker deck fosters outdoor living.
“The stairs on the upper-level deck lead to the lower level where the hot tub is, all overlooking the water,” Rockefeller said, wistful that becoming empty-nesters is prompting a downsize.
“This is the kind of house that once you sell it, you’ll never get it back because it’s on the water, located in a great neighborhood and so welcoming. The neighborhood offers a private beach and picnic area and marina.”
Karen Marino, a neighbor, echoes Rockefeller: “This is a unique development in all of Arnold, built from an old judge’s estate and previously age-restricted.
“Now a nice mix of young and old live here, and Parker’s property is one of the premier ones, on the water and tucked back with the garden in front, with incredible privacy.”
