When Jerry and Traci Hilton joined Queens Lake’s community pool more than 10 years ago, they weren’t yet residents of the neighborhood.
But they had their eye on the perfect house, a stately white Colonial with large, eye-catching columns at 263 E Queens Drive.
“My wife said if this house ever goes up for sale, we’re buying it,” Jerry said.
And when the house did eventually hit the market, they followed through on the decision.
At the time of move-in, the house — built in the 1970s — was very dated. Old carpet, yellow linoleum and avocado green appliances original to the home were among some of the things that needed replacing.
Because Jerry and Traci had busy schedules and a son who was in middle school at the time, they took the renovations room by room.
“It was amazing to see it transform,” Jerry said. “My only regret was not taking more before photos.”
It was important to the couple that the décor gave a nod to Colonial Williamsburg. Every paint color in the house comes from Benjamin Moore’s Williamsburg collection. The dining room table was sourced from a store in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which made reproductions from the era.
Artwork from local artists, like Nancy Thomas, fills the walls. A star motif is consistent throughout the home, giving off an Americana vibe befitting of the military family.
Outdoors, Jerry made sure not to remove much by way of trees or landscaping because of the animals in the neighborhood.
“I wanted to leave it more natural for the wildlife–there’s a lot of deer, foxes, hawks, among others — so I didn’t want to take down trees with nowhere for the animals to go,” he said.
The abundance of trees and larger lot sizes are one of the things that characterize the Queens Lake neighborhood, which capitalizes on outdoor amenities.
In addition to two pools, three tennis quarts, a playground, and clubhouse, a marina offers access to both the York River and the Chesapeake Bay.
There’s several access trails positioned around the neighborhood to get to the lake by foot. The neighborhood also borders the 545-acre New Quarter Park.
Jerry’s favorite part of the house is still one of the things that caught his eye when he and Traci decided to buy the home ten years earlier.
“I love the columns in the front porch,” Jerry said. “They just remind me of an old, Southern home.”
Perhaps it’s for this reason Jerry and Traci take special pride in the home’s appearance.
“On some of the more of the patriotic holidays, like the Fourth of July and Memorial Day, my wife decorates the outside with flags and bunting,” he said “We’ve had people stop and take pictures.”
To learn more about the home, click here.
Where We Live is a weekly feature looking at homes in the Historic Triangle. Do you have a home, on or off the market, that our readers may be interested in seeing? Let us know at [email protected].
