Stemmer House: A Rare Sale

For nearly 40 years, an old family friend has lived on an extraordinary property just outside of Baltimore – Stemmer House  – but now it’s time for it to be sold. Both the woman and the property are quite amazing. The house was originally built in the 1700’s, twenty-five or more miles from where it’s located today. In the 1930’s, the house was dissembled and each brick was numbered so when the house was rebuilt, everything would be in its proper place. The owners who had moved the house never lived in it, and it was given to their daughter, who sold it to our friend almost 40 years ago. During that time, the owner has created the most incredible gardens – everything from water lily and swan ponds to shade gardens to Asian gardens to formal gardens. She’s done most of the work herself, working in the heat of summer and the cold of winter to achieve her vision. The grounds are populated with swans and peacocks, as well as horses. The house’s interiors are a testament to the owner’s love of travel and her range of interests – including gourmet cooking of the highest order! The kitchen includes some fabulous antiques, as well as a massive Aga cooker. The living rooms are a mix of pieces that she’s collected on her travels, as well as artwork spanning several centuries. The wall-covering in the center hallway looks like it could be DeGournay, Zuber or Gracie. It’s stunning. The peacock feathers in the Chinoiserie urn are from the peacocks on the property. My mother has some of the feathers from these birds, too. And the paper in the upper hallway is subtle, yet striking and modern. The bedrooms are charming and cozy with fireplaces to warm them on a chilly night.This family’s previous house was an old church, and they have the steeple from that property as a garden folly at this estate. This amazing house and the surrounding grounds will be auctioned on Wednesday, August 2nd. Details are here. I have such admiration for the owner of this house and how she’s transformed the gardens into a showplace for herself and her friends and family. I know how difficult the decision to let this property go must have been for her. Isn’t this place amazing?