Couple Creates Charm & Elegance for Future Generations

Story by Kathy Warren
Photography by Ed Mann

It wasn't that long ago that home represented a place where many people spent their entire lives in the same location. It wasn't unusual for property to be handed down from generation to generation with births and deaths all being a natural part of a home's heritage. Although the idea of a family homestead still exists, the number of families that stay in the same house throughout their lifetime has dwindled significantly. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, one in six Americans move each year and the average American moves 11.7 times in his or her lifetime.

Rick and Dorothy Hammond know all about relocating and changing homes frequently.

During Rick Hammond's successful career as a naval aviator, the Hammonds traveled the world and mastered the art of moving, but in 2007, they traded life in the fast lane for life along a country lane.

After a snowy three-hour-long commute one evening from their respective jobs in Southern Maryland to their former home in Annapolis, the Hammonds decided it was time for a change and began looking for property closer to work. What they found was 15 secluded acres set along a peaceful tributary in St. Mary's County. With the help of builder Don Cropp of Colony Builders, the Hammonds created a retreat, not only for themselves, but also a place for their five children and six grandchildren to gather and enjoy the natural beauty and slower pace of life.

Their 6,900-square-foot brick Georgian Colonial Revival-style home exudes the same charm and hospitality as its owners. Gracious formal areas welcome visitors inside where they are treated to nearly panoramic water views. The Hammonds have collected antiques of different styles and periods during their time in the Navy, which blend effortlessly with family heirlooms to create unique and inviting spaces that are aesthetically pleasing, warm and inviting.

With an innate sense of style, the Hammonds have filled their home with elegant furnishings and beautiful artwork, all without sacrificing comfort. They have managed to take a new home and infuse it with history both through the use of bold architectural elements and by choosing pieces to fill the house that have a history of their own.

Melding different styles into one home is often tricky and can result in a hodgepodge rather than a striking space, but when it's done successfully it can be stunning. The Hammonds have succeeded in creating just such an eye-catching space, with interesting vignettes around every corner and with a feeling that it's a place that has evolved over time. It just goes to show that you don't have to live in a house for generations in order to create a place where, for generations to come, family will want to call it home.