By SABRINA BERNDT

Washington Daily News

 

When John T. Campbell bought the place at 176 Shady Banks Beach Road in 1937, it was a small, one-floor river cottage people used for fishing or swimming. The optometrist used the cottage as both a commercial and residential building and kept it in the Campbell family, where it remains today.

The river cottage is now a two-story house owned by Patti Campbell, John T. Campbell’s daughter-in-law, complete with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, two fireplaces, a garage and a pier. Although the house has grown and adapted throughout the years, it still has a classic, southern feel with its attention to detail in each room.

According to Patrick Campbell, John T. Campbell’s grandson and previous resident, the house has four additions, including three rooms on the first floor and the complete second floor. Patrick’s father, Tommy Campbell, was responsible for most of the additions, and he took great care to make them seem original.

“My dad always said, ‘The perfect addition looks as if it was part of the original construction,’” Patrick Campbell said.

Each room in the house has specific features that make it unique, but the style is consistent despite the numerous additions.

The dining room features large windows overlooking the Pamlico River and antique furniture passed down through the family sits beneath a crystal chandelier. A traditional chair rail and Concord dentil crown molding surround the room, drawing visitors’ eyes to  the small details.

The sitting room is also notable for its fireplace, with elegant mantle, and windows with hardwood valances. The tongue-and-groove hardwood flooring is made of heart pine, which complements red accessories dotting the room.

The real star of the home, however, is the porch, Patrick Campbell said. The screened-in porch, with a unique hardwood floor, fronts the river, making it the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing meal with family.

“Whenever we ate, we rarely ate in the house,” he said. “That’s what makes the house — the porch. ”

Although the Campbell house is modernized for convenience, there are several wooden cover-ups throughout that keep wires and cables hidden from view, staying true to the southern style in each room.

“Southern homes weren’t built for AC,” Patrick Campbell said. “Homes were built for the riverside.”