The Shepherdstown Observer's Thomas Harding visited the elegant and modern woodland retreat overlooking the Potomac River on Terrapin Neck. The home is a marvelous combination of sustainable design and artistic expression.

In the New Year of 2007 I was lucky to spend the afternoon with Martin Burke and Barbara Spicher in their new home on Terrapin Neck Road, three miles from Shepherdstown, W.Va.

Martin is recently retired as Associate Manger at the Harpers Ferry Center, National Park Service. He is enrolled at Shepherd University working on a fine arts degree with a concentration in sculpture. Barbara is a professional flautist. She teaches music in Maryland and West Virginia as well as working as an administrator at Shepherd and the Friends of Music.

Accompanying me on this journey into uber-design is Ron Blunt, fellow Brit and architectural photographer extraordinaire. Ron shoots for many of the country’s top magazines, including Architectural Digest, Washingtonian and Home Magazine. It was nice to have someone with me who hasn’t become used to the fields of neo-colonial McMansions that have sprouted across mid-Atlantic exurbia.

Martin picked up on the European perspective. He poured Ron and me a cup of milky Irish tea and handed over French cookies.

Martin tells me the story of how they found the land and built the house. “In 2001, we were living in an 1840s federal-style farmhouse on 20 acres in Kearnysville. We wanted to downsize. We wanted to build a home with natural materials and with minimal disturbance of the surroundings. We were inspired by the work and clean lines of architect James Cutler. We also like the look of the modern aesthetic we saw in Dwell magazine.”

Barbara chips in “We wanted to create something that we could put our creative energies together. For us we wanted more than a living space. We wanted a place for art.”

Martin and Barbara found 10 acres off Terrapin Neck Road, three miles from Shepherdstown. The land suited Martin. It was topographically interesting, with undulating land, rock outcroppings, and sinkholes, as well as being located next to the Potomac River.

The couple worked for the next three years with a team of building experts, including Andy Singleterry (concept and schematic design), Carter/Burton (exterior detailing and interior design), Dirk DeVault (construction detailing), as well as builder Michael Taylor.

The result is a stunning piece of modern design. Part West Virginian park pavilion, part New York chic loft apartment. The home is made of timber, metal, and glass. A contemporary icon nestled in the Shenandoah Valley woods.

I ask Martin about the design of the home. “Our aim was to blur the line between interior and exterior space. Most of the outside walls are filled with glass and wood. As a result, we notice wildlife more.” He tells me that he has seen a line of 20 turkeys walking past the house. He sees foxes run by. Birds fly past our windows at eye level. And of course too many deer, who eat all their plants.

An intriguing aspect to the design of the home is the way the outside wood siding flows ‘through’ the glass windows and becomes the inside wall of the hallway. This gives the illusion that you are onside when you look out, and already inside when you look in from the outside.

Barbara tells me the house becomes very dramatic during weather events. “When it rains, you become part of the rain. When the snow blows, it blows around the house. It looks so cold around you. It is mesmerizing to watch. You are drawn to watch outside.”

The floor plan is simple, comprising 2,400 square feet of single-level living, including master bedroom, two bathrooms, music room/guest room, formal dining room, and living room. Off the kitchen wraps a large deck overlooking a wooded gulley and views to the river. There is a separate building that serves Martin as a studio space for his avant-garde sculptures and as an office space.

The inside of the house is strikingly free of clutter. There are few pictures on the walls. There are no knickknacks on the shelves or counters. If there is an object on display, it is there for a reason. Martin says he gets asked where the family photos are. He points to a stylish I-Mac computer in the kitchen. He says the photos can be seen on a computer slide show.

The attention to detail is apparent throughout the home. One example is the metal brackets that hold the laminated beams. The brackets were sent away to be zinc galvanized so that they matched the chrome/ stainless steel look of the rest of the house. Another example is the kitchen bar stools. With low rounded oak backs and stainless steel legs, they too gel with the natural materials of the rest of the home.

The kitchen is a contemporary wonderland. A massive side-by-side wood-paneled fridge. A large angular granite island, with inset industrial gas range. Stainless steel bar stools. Floor to ceiling maple cupboards with simple stainless handles.

I ask Barbara if she is happy with the end results after all the discussion on design and construction. “I feel so fortunate to live in this space,” says Barbara. “I feel so at peace here. So quiet. There is no hustle and bustle. I have a very hectic and fast paced lifestyle with three jobs. I walk into the home and I let out an audible sigh of relaxation.” Barbara is right. This is a home of beauty, a home of calm.

copyright The Shepherdstown Observer Feb 2007