Art fills space in Annapolis’ Murray Hill
Residence built in 1920 was originally a three-unit apartment building
The home of Alexandra Fotos and Neil Harpe in Annapolis’ Murray Hill seemingly crowns a hill in a neighborhood bordered by Spa Creek’s Acton and Old Woman coves. The structure rises up from an ivy-covered slope.
Across the front of the stucco residence is a two-story colonnaded “Charleston-style” covered porch structure, a rarity in Annapolis. A driveway curves up to a separate three-car garage behind the house.
The front door is accessed by climbing 14 steps to reach the tomato-red front door. The wide first-floor porch has pale turquoise wood-plank flooring and a matching turquoise beadboard ceiling accented with a fan.
Fotos, a development officer at St. John’s College, knows the home’s history well. An Annapolis native, Fotos said three generations of Fotos family members have lived in the house since her grandfather purchased it in 1953. Her father and his sister were the next owners, followed by Fotos and her brother, Demetrios.
She was the sole owner for several years; now Harpe is a co-owner.
The residence was constructed as a three-unit apartment house in 1920. The polished brass plate covering the three mailbox covers and an intercom system remains on a wall just inside the doorway. When a fire damaged the structure in the late 1950s, it was repaired and restored as a two-apartment building. As part of the renovation, a second, narrow staircase was almost completely removed. On the second floor, only one lonely stair step remains, and the slant of a ceiling reveals the outline of the former staircase.
For several years, Neal Harpe’s mother lived on the first floor; now it serves as Harpe’s art studio and a guest room.
Both floors have 9½-foot ceilings, and large dining rooms, living rooms and kitchen areas with vintage heart of pine floors.
The upstairs living space was redesigned and renovated 18 months ago under the direction of another Annapolis native, Donald Booth, principal of D.A. Booth Architect. After getting his bachelor’s degree at St. John’s College, Booth earned his master’s degree in architecture from Harvard University. In the 1980s, he worked in New York for postmodern architect Philip Johnson.
“We redid the upstairs kitchen,” Fotos said. “We took out a pantry near the back wall and incorporated part of an outdoor porch into the new kitchen. We added on a small rear deck and a staircase.”
Fotos, whose name means “light” in Greek, was introduced to Harpe in the early 1990s by her brother. The two were together for 16 years before marrying six years ago. Harpe has two grown daughters from a previous relationship.
Harpe is a native Annapolitan, too. He teaches etching and printmaking at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, and creates and sells his artwork, which ranges in style from naturalistic to a bold type of abstract art with an almost three-dimensional appearance. .
In addition to his art — many of his pieces are on display throughout the first floor of the home — Harpe is a blues musician.
The home’s first floor is open, with most furniture arranged near the walls so Harpe can have some elbow room while creating art or rehearsing with his fellow musicians.
The living room, with a fireplace framed with a painted brick hearth, is a roomy display site for some of Harpe’s art. Most of his more recent, abstract works are on the walls of the dining room, where his printmaking machine is set next to a large side window.
In the rear of the house is a roomy bedroom and a full bath. The kitchen has lots of space to create a meal, and on the upper left side of the antique gas stove is an unusual roasting and broiling section that can be raised or lowered.
The cabinets are a cherry-stained wood accented with wood-grain formica countertops. Harpe has an office tucked in the back, too. It holds storage for his prints and other artwork, including portraits of long-ago African-American folk and blues musicians. Atop one case is a papier-mache hat molded to resemble a large, spotted fish.
Much of the artwork on the second floor, Harpe said, was created by mentors from his college years.
On this floor, the living room has a fireplace similar to the one on the floor below. A couch and chairs are placed around a round coffee table set with an artisanal pottery centerpiece. The furniture and furnishings are an eclectic mix reflecting the couple’s love of travel. Next to a Victorian armchair is a couch with a modern vibe and, between them, is a hand-woven Native American basket draped with a small Persian carpet.
En route to the upstairs kitchen is the renovated bathroom. With its reproduction claw-footed cast-iron tub with a shower rail halo above and the cross-hatch tile floor and pedestal sink, it resembles upscale bathrooms of the 1920s. It features white beadboard wainscoting and the upper walls are similar in tone to the ceilings of the two porches.
The kitchen offers a dynamic view of trees and neighboring houses. Like the bathroom, it too features white beadboard wainscoting. The beadboard continues on the cabinetry. Under the bank for waist-toceiling windows is a long, built-in, upholstered window seat.
There are brushed stainless-steel sinks on two sides of the room. The polished stone countertops offer a counterpoint to the white wooden cabinets and white tile backsplashes.
The master bedroom, also in the rear, is painted in cream and gold.
But the home’s best feature is the diversity of artwork on display — and the couple who live there.