Glass Act 

When Steve and Mary Duncan bought their waterfront home in Annapolis six years ago, they liked the cathedral-ceilinged living and dining rooms but thought the kitchen was too closed off—and wished it had more of a view of the water.

They hired architect Robert Gurney. “When we started, we were going to just replace the kitchen cabinets,” says Steve, laughing. “It was like pulling a thread.”

Gurney redesigned the house, turning a 1960s rambler into an open, airy, and very modern two-story home. The house’s back wall was torn down and is now mostly glass, offering dramatic views of the water from the kitchen, living and dining rooms, master bedroom, and new art studio.

The home’s clean lines are complemented by well-chosen art. The overall decor is calm and spare.

“Everyone always says, ‘Your home is not cluttered.’ That’s because the clutter’s in here,” says Mary, opening a storage cabinet built into a floating wall.

The Duncans—graphic designers who do corporate communications—haven’t always lived in modern-style homes.

“We like different kinds of houses,” says Mary. “This one felt like it needed to be modern.”

Resources

Architect: Robert Gurney, Alexandria

Landscape designer: Mimi Armstrong, Mimi Armstrong Garden Design, Riva, Md.

Landscape maintenance: Fredy’s Landscaping, Annapolis

Kitchen planner: Mark White, Kitchen Encounters, Annapolis; installation by D. McPherson & Co., Gambrills

Bathroom tile: Limestone flooring from Stone Source, DC; wall tiles from Waterworks, Georgetown

Furnishings: Roche-Bobois, M2L Collection, Design Within Reach, Contemporaria, and Theodore’s, all in DC

Art: Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown; annual American Craft Council show, Baltimore