Southport Magazine

404 Clarendon Avenue in historic Southport. Architect: Rich Bandera. Builder: Wes Cross. Photo by Bethany Turner

When you’re working with a 33-foot-wide lot on which to build a house, the design can get a little tricky. Such was the experience of husband-and-wife duo John Keiffer and Bonnie Bray.

“The house is only 24 feet and 11 inches wide outside to outside, but we didn’t want that narrow Charleston look with a long hallway with rooms on either side,” Keiffer told.

While the couple knew what they didn’t want, they had a lot of requests when it came to their desires for the new construction, too.

From left: Builder Wes Cross, homeowners John Keiffer and Bonnie Bray, and their dog, Gus. John designed the shades like the sails of a sailboat—both weather-resistant and unique, they appear throughout other outdoor areas around the house. Cross suggested showing off exposed beams on the ceiling, a nod to the arts and crafts architecture many cottages in Southport possess. Photo by Bethany Turner

Keiffer, a former builder who is also retired from the fire service in the Washington, D.C. area, knew eventually he would want to reside in the southeast U.S.

“I’ve been a recreational sailor for many years, and I’d been to Southport about 15 years ago—we brought our boat up from Fort Lauderdale to the Chesapeake Bay, and Southport was one of the places we’d stayed on the boat,” Keiffer shared. “I loved the town. So as I was approaching retirement, I said I wanted to live by the water, in a historic place with a good, eclectic art scene, a walkable downtown, bars, restaurants and all that. We did the search for several years all up and down the coast, and ended up coming back to Southport.”

Keiffer and Bray searched properties with realtor Steve Bowles, looking for a fixer-upper, and then almost bought a lot in Price’s Creek. But when Bowles called saying the lot at 404 Clarendon Avenue in historic Southport was available, the duo snagged it quickly.

By recommendation of Bowles, Keiffer and Bray were introduced to Southport architect Rich Bandera. Having met local builder Wes Cross, the couple brought him onto the job to complete construction. “We kind of did a design and build collaboration, the four of us working together,” Keiffer revealed. “Wes had never worked with Rich before. Rich is a trip—so creative. We brought Wes into the design process very early on so he could have his input for construction. It was game on from the first day we met Wes.”

The living room features red oak flooring and Benjamin Moore (BM) paints in Nimbus for the walls and Cotton Balls for the trim. Photo by Bethany Turner

The 2,649-square-foot house was completed and ready for move-in by October 2011. Since, Cross and Bandera have collaborated on multiple projects. It was the challenge—though they would just call it fun—of building 404 Clarendon Ave. that brought the team together.

The design began, Bray reported, from a need for bookshelves and gallery space. “We used to produce an arts festival in the Maryland area, and we found a lot of emerging artists, so we had a lot nice, original art that we wanted to display,” Keiffer agreed.

“Rich basically made it possible with all the angles and the flow of the house,” Bray offered.

Indeed, upon entering the home, the first thing one notices is the angles. The two couches are at a diagonal slant—facing each other rather than the TV, making conversation the focus of the room—but it’s the room that forces the couches to be that way. Eyes are drawn to the fork that divides the dining room and the kitchen, past which a zig-zag hallway provides one-of-a-kind gallery space for the artsy couple.

Living room, alternate view. Photo by Bethany Turner

“This style of work is kind of unique to Rich Bandera, but to this day is probably the most unique house that he’s done,” Cross told. “Rich really shined on this house. I wouldn’t say it was a challenge, but it was very exciting working on this house, trying to fuse everything together artistically. It really lends itself to an artistic quirkiness or funkiness, and it’s perfect for the arts and crafts style of architecture, which is what we applied to this.”

Keiffer said the couple had three major requests: that the first level be multi-functional and flexible; that there be a music and art studio; and that there be a separate guest suite with an exclusive entrance.

Of course, since Bray once owned a bookstore (the sign from which now perches on the courtyard fence), the house also would need lots of bookshelves. Anywhere Cross could find space where it made sense, he inserted a built-in.

The zig-zag ‘gallery’ hallway, painted in BM Nimbus, while the built-ins are a light maple stained with clear satin lacquer by Finish Shop. Photo by Bethany Turner

“Wes is the one who first said it, and I’ve said it several times since: ‘There is a surprise in every room,'” Bonnie mused. “It was a very fun process to build the house because, from my standpoint, it was really complicated, and we had to keep stepping back a little bit because something we thought was going to work didn’t. Then there were a lot of bonuses, too, because we ended up with rooms we didn’t count on, like one of the rooms upstairs was going to be a mechanical room, but we were able to put the hot water heater in the coat closet, and other things got moved, so we ended up with an extra room. We also ended up with a walk-in closet, which was unexpected, and extra built-ins.”

“I listened to what they wanted and tried to give it to them with my little flair, and maybe give them a little extra,” Cross said. “The most important thing to me is having my customers happy. When I build a house, especially in Southport, I try to keep a vintage feel or air to the place.”

Cross says the biggest compliment he can receive—and does receive often—is for someone to mistake one of his new constructions with a renovation to an older home. “It happened a number of times here,” he recounted. “They’d say, ‘Oh, I just love it. What year was this house built?’ and I’d say, ‘This year.'”

The kitchen offers custom hickory cabinetry with some open shelving, wood countertops, Marazzi tile in Walnut Canyon, and BM paint in Van Courtland Blue. Photo by Bethany Turner

Small details such as transoms above doorways within the house lend to the arts and crafts style and provide a feeling of more space. A gargantuan white farmhouse sink, probably from the ’20s or ’30s, was brought to the home by Bray from Maryland. So, naturally, Wes designed even the laundry room to appear from that timeframe, matching the counter to the sink’s distinct style. To complement it, Bray picked out vintage black and white tile.

“I think I do have an eye for the Southport style,” Cross shared. “There are a lot of things people see but don’t realize. I’ve had a number of people say, ‘I don’t know what you do different from everybody else, but your houses are different.’ We don’t have any commodity moldings. The door and window casings are all made right here on-site. Our window stools are nice, fat, beefy, window stools, which you would see that from 1930 and before. We just try to hold on to that kind of detail in our finishes. So basically, I listened to what they want, and then I gave it to them with my vintage style.”

“Each room in this house is so important,” Bray commented on its small stature. “No part of the house is neglected, even the closets. We’ve got every possible cubby hole out of this house.”

Another important feature of the home is its eco-friendliness. “We have a geothermal heating and cooling system, which was a challenge because we had to drill four wells on this small lot,” Keiffer revealed. “But we have, for a house this size, probably the lowest electric bills in town.”

“With the tax breaks, it’s really paid for itself already,” Bonnie added.

The dining room, complete with a passthrough to the kitchen, is painted in BM Bleeker Beige. Photo by Bethany Turner

Keiffer admits he and his wife brought a lot to the drawing board for Cross and Bandera.  “Wes and Rich really did a great job by their suggestions. Economically, we got the most value for the money, in a house that we’re very comfortable in,” he offered. “We hate to leave it. We bought a lot by the marsh and our plan is to have them build it again. We still need to work on the designs.”

Bray is not sure if they’ll stick with the angular design 404 Clarendon Ave. called for, thought it’s not because it’s not a stunning home, or that it doesn’t flow. Quite the contrary, it’s because she and her husband have a follow-their-heart attitude about their next custom home. “It’s just another adventure,” she chirped. “We had such a good time the first time, I’m looking forward to doing it all again.”

The house with all the angles is listed with Steve Bowles of Atlantic Realty Professionals for $589,000. For more info, visit www.gotbeachsand.com, MLS# 682523. Contact Bowles at (910) 274-2915 or stevebowles@yahoo.com.

The master bedroom offers a bay window, through which billowing breezes blow. Photo by Bethany Turner

Keiffer’s studio features his own original art work as well as some collected pieces. Photo by Bethany Turner

Keiffer’s studio, alternate view. Photo by Bethany Turner

Half of Bray’s personal office, which offers plenty of storage space within hidden nooks. Photo by Bethany Turner

A vintage drawing board awaits the owner’s next inspirational moment. Photo by Bethany Turner

Thanks to Bandera’s angular design, additional seating areas pop up throughout the house—an excuse for quirky and functional decor. Photo by Bethany Turner

The guest suite features a full bath and kitchenette. Photo by Bethany Turner

Exterior stairwell leading to the guest suite. Photo by Bethany Turner

The backyard courtyard Keiffer added after the house was completed, seen from the top of the guest suite’s exterior stairs. Photo by Bethany Turner

The courtyard features the sign that hung at the bookstore Bray once owned. Photo by Bethany Turner