Home of the Week: Spa Creek abode of Bill and Louri Larash

Bill and Louri Larash's decision to downsize a little more than a year ago was not a rash one – but it happened quickly.

The couple, who married Aug. 11, 1984, raised their two daughters in a four bedroom home on Plum Creek in the Arden on the Severn community of Crownsville. It was encircled with lush gardens of Louri's design.　

Their daughter Danielle, an architect, married Mike Peters. Cosette, now 25, spent a year on a tropical island and was moving back home. She missed four seasons.

"We used to keep our powerboat and Captain Two, our sailboat, at a pier in Eastport," said Louri, explaining her familiarity with the waterfront areas around Annapolis.

"We didn't need a big house anymore."

Bill is a partner with West Street-based accounting firm Novotny Larash & Venters PA.　 Louri, a horticulturalist and landscape designer, owns L&M Residential Services. A Crofton native, Louri met Bill, who grew up in College Park, at their college: University of Maryland – Baltimore County.

Last year, a friend suggested the couple rent a house in the Eastport neighborhood they were considering to see if they liked the area and felt comfortable there. They found a place, moved in March 16, and stayed a month. Louri loved walking across the Spa Creek bridge into town and enjoying city life. Bill found he could stroll to work in under 15 minutes. A little longer if he stopped for a coffee.

The townhouse they occupied for four weeks faced the one they purchased.

Bill contacted a Realtor friend and asked if he knew of any townhouses for sale in the Eastport community. At nearly the same time, the then-owner also called the same Realtor and asked him to list the house for sale.

The couple closed on the house May 16.

The Larashes didn't move in right away, though. It took six months to sell their Crownsville residence. They continued to live there while they mulled and then moved forward with extensive renovations and upgrades throughout the townhome, constructed in 1974.

The home is on the water, with a panoramic view of the Annapolis shoreline and, literally at their feet, several long wooden docks stretching into Spa Creek, dotted with dozens of boats of all sizes. The view is awe inspiring, yet the house was designed with a kitchen on the waterside of the house with walls that blocked that scenic sight. The kitchen's counters, cabinets and appliances were outdated and worn. A bedroom on the main floor made the space seem even smaller. The two upper floors needed to be freshened and reconfigured. And, it was time to re-do the bathrooms, too.

They called Craig Martin, founder of Spire Architecture. After Martin and the Larashes agreed on a plan of action and sketched their visions onto drafting paper, contractors Dave Glessing and Tim Ball from On The Level LLC handled tearing out walls, pulling down faulty ceilings, removing most of the old kitchen and bathrooms and doing the transformative renovations, including putting in new, dark wood flooring throughout the residence.

"It was a huge undertaking," Bill said.

A major issue was the outdated HVAC system and the installation of a ventiltion system that could safely channel fumes from the kitchen and gas fireplaces. Martin, thinking like a ship designer, took dead space and turned it into useable nooks and crannies for storage and displays.

As the five worked together on the project, they became good friends.

Amazing view

When the front door is flung open, there is a tantilizing glimpse of the amazing water view beyond.

Inside the house, a visitor passes a powder room. Louri has created a tongue-in-chic artwork on the bathroom wall utilizing several rolls of toilet paper. It takes a moment to recognize the artful pattern of the mosaic tilework forming a panel on the wall behind the modern sink.

The real artwork is that view on the far side of the main floor.

Most of this level has been opened up to provide a space to cook, dine, relax, entertain friends – and look out on the water. A coat closet and utility closet are tucked near the front door where they won't interfere with the view.

The open room encompassing the kitchen, a dining area and a living room is further expanded by an additional living room area created out on the patio. When the weather is accomodating, the Larashes can fling open the doors for guests to circulate inside and outdoors. Colorful patio furniture is placed on an all-weather carpet. Louri's horiticultural artistry is on display around the rim of the patio. Day or night, it is a comfortable area inwhich to kick back and watch life sail by.

Inside, the kitchen is large, sleek and modern. "We have more counter space than we did in our old house," Louri said, sliding her hand over the smooth quartz "waterfall" countertop. Part of the counter is raised, to form a bar for dining or sipping a cocktail.

A 60-inch TV screen in one corner can be viewed from the kitchen, dining spot or across the room where the modernistic couches have been placed.

A primary reason for making the main floor so accessible and comfortable, Louri said, is because her mom and sister have limited mobility. They live in the area and are regular visitors.

A large slice of life

On the second level, the entire wall on the water side is lined with six large glass panes. Together they frame a large slice of life. The angle of the image of the boats, activity on the creek and, across the water, at the historic Charles Carroll and St. Mary's School campus is breathtaking.

Here, as on the main floor, the area facing the water has been enlarged and is used as an elegant, casual family room.

Louri, spelunking for new furniture, found three iconic pieces from the '50s that she refurbished and incorporated into the home's design. They were compact wooden tables or cabinets with enamelled metal tops. One, used on the second floor, was painted a lime green – which melded perfectly with the other tart lime and red accents in the family room.

One room on this floor has multiple uses. A nook – part of the blue box – forms part of Louri's office. There are places to read or relax in upholstered ivory leather armchairs. A drafting table gets a workout when she's planning a project for client. But, put the drafting tools away and pull on a sleek, brushed steel handle and a double Murphy bed quietly decends. The space becomes a guest room.

Most of the furniture throughout the open, airy house are what Louri calls "mid-century modern pieces." Several are finds from Crate & Barrel.

The dark wooden stairs, new to the house, lead up to the third floor.　

Here, the Master Suite commands the view of the creek.

The architect had to creatively deal with a support beam that could not be removed. So, he divided the space into a bedroom area and a walkway to the master bathroom near the front of the house lined with closet and shelving space. At the end of the walkway, overlooking the water, is a nook that was designed as Louri's vanity spot – complete with one of her refurbished '50s tables – and a view.

"My favorite time of day," she said, "is the morning. It's bright and fresh. I like to wake up to the sunshine."

In the bedroom, the stitched and patterned quilt looks intriguing. A family heirloom?　 "Nope. We got it online," Bill said.

The walls on this and all three floors featured paintings and photography by the Larash daughters. A pair of group shots from Danielle's wedding dominates one wall in the stairwell, colorful scenes from Cosette's tropical idyl catch the eye in another area.

"Their art and smaller scale furniture make this house more personal," said Louri.

Near the front is Cosette's bedroom. The room has a king sized sleigh bed and mahogany furniture from the 1950s.　 One of the room's chairs was carved by Gloria "Skip" Dobihal Larash, Bill's mother. "She did this by hand in a high school class," he said.

"We couldn't do this project by ourselves," said Louri. "Having an architect is the way to go."

The best part of their new home, Bill and Louri agree, is the view.

"I love watching boaters go by and paddle boarders glide past," said Bill.

What's it take to be a featured Home of the Week?

Have you ever wondered if your residence could be a Home of the Week? We are always seeking homes to profile, whether it is a house, town home, condo, apartment, cottage or cabin cruiser. Contact Wendi Winters for details at　wwinters@capgaznews.com.