This Old New House

Bay Creek's Verandah Bay blends an antique look with cutting–edge conveniences

By Kelly King

As seen in Hampton Roads Magazine - August 2005

As you walk into the mahogany front door of Veranda Bay , the 7,000 square foot home of Bay Creek developer Richard "Dickie" Foster and his wife, Judy, you feel as though you have been transported back to the thriving, early-1900s homes once prevalent in Cape Charles, Virginia…until you notice all the lavish amenities and conveniences of modern-day life. Gas fireplaces, a 700-pound chandelier that lowers and raises with the touch of a button, walk-in closets and a media room make even the most tech-savvy visitors jealous. Just as its creators intended, the Eastern Shore's Veranda Bay harmoniously blends the personalities of yesterday and today.

The home is the first of four Bay Creek vision homes and is meant to be reminiscent of an early-20 th century Eastern Shore Manor House. It sits overlooking the Chesapeake Bay , lighthouse and green rolling hills of the Arnold Palmer Signature Course, and the traditional-yet extraordinary architectural details help capture the look and feel of an older-style home. Features such as the Chadsworth columns; custom-made, carved mantels; vaulted ceiling; and 14-piece crown molding are architecturally correct to the early 1900s but made with the modern technology of today. The exquisite trim work throughout the house is constructed from pine or the highest-grade poplar, and the Newell posts for the main entry steps are hand carved out of mahogany.

The overall style of these older homes was defined by the architectural details, " explains Jim Monaco, the custom homebuilder. "They were meant to showcase the wealth of the owner." The unique flooring grounds the home in history–the handsome heart of pine was salvaged from an 1890s Florida Seaport set to be demolished. Instead, it was reclaimed, cleaned, de-nailed and reprocessed. Foster made extra efforts to preserve the old patina and grain of the wood. "If you want to make a house representative of eras gone by, it's nice to put something in there that's not a replica but actually from eras gone by," he explains.

Intricately laid mosaic tiles, designed and supplied by the Eastern Shore 's own New Ravenna, cover almost all surfaces in the bathrooms, including floors, bathtubs and shower panels. The traditional treatment reflects classical Italian designs, and the marble has been honed to give it an aged feel. Foster believes the extensive use of the mosaic design still harkens back to the past because of the everlasting quality of the tiles.

Susan Pilatto, interior designer for Veranda Bay , explains the theme of old and new is particularly evident in the furnishings and décor. She says the home was meant to look as though it had been passed down form one generation to the next."If that were the case, you would have some antiques that had been passed down and some newer things that reflected your own tastes," she says. Many of the furnishings have a distressed feel and antique quality, while the original artwork features a contemporary flair.

Pilatto also focused on creating a clean and simple décor that would complement the rich architecture and natural setting. She kept the color scheme of the home neutral yet warm, splashed with the gold, green and terracotta found in the beauty of the natural surroundings. The picturesque views at every turn in the home serve almost as artwork, showcased with the proper accessories.

"When you walk into the front door, we have framed the focal point window as if it were a beautiful picture. The lighthouse, the rolling hills of the golf course and the water are framed with the large plaid of the curtains to set off, but not take away from, the picture," Pilatto says. The home's older feel ends with the design though, as it boasts a Geo-Thermal heating and air-conditioning system; self-closing drawers; and stand-by, industrial-level generator.

"The generator is large enough to keep the whole house going, should the power cut off," Foster explains with a sentimental tone. "To me, that is beautiful."