Classic Beauty

Text by Ava Saric. Photos provided by Erica Deuschle.

The living room has the original refurbished fireplace. The stone was painted and a bluestone hearth was added. The original yellow pine floors were refinished.

Sometimes beauty is found in something old.

With modern buildings and residences becoming more common than not, historic homes and vintage architecture is now just sprinkled throughout the island of Ocean City. Fortunately for those who find value in the preserving the uniqueness of old homes, there are still some hidden gems that have maintained their traditional style, 417 Waverly Boulevard being one of them. 417 and 418 Waverly Boulevard in Ocean City were identically built in 1940 for two brothers and their families from Philadelphia. Following their ownership of more than 75 years, where love and laughter filled the Cape Cod style home, the residences caught the eye of one of Ocean City’s custom home builders, Mike Buck of Buck Custom Homes.

Circa 2017, Mike decided to purchase both units with the intention of tearing down and entirely rebuilding the land. For 418 Waverly, construction began almost immediately, but Mike could not bring himself to move forward with the home next door.

“I had grown up around the corner from 417 Waverly and always found it charming, although it had some peculiarities. In truth, I did not see the inside until after I had owned it,” said Mike. “The previous owner had called me to ask if I’d be interested in purchasing. I agreed to his asking price and that was

Family Room

The family room was once a “breezeway” when the home was built. The vaulted ceiling ties nicely into the pool room as both rooms are attached. Liza Nicole Interiors suggested a dark gray on the ceiling to mimic the slate tile floor used in the pool room.

Dining Room & Kitchen

This room also has the original yellow pine floors

“We spend a good amount of our summer in Ocean City, thanks to our ability to work remotely. There is something about this place that makes my family and I really want to be here,” said Erica. “It’s our anchor.”

that. After I took possession, it seemed too nice inside to immediately tear down and rebuild, so I kept it.”

After several years of renting, Mike decided to put the place on the market. Midway through 2020, during the pandemic, Erica and Dave Deuschle, realtors on the Main Line (the western suburbs of Philadelphia), decided to purchase 417 Waverly.

“We initially owned a home on the south end of Ocean City,” said Erica, “but as our kids grew, we were really looking to expand. Quickly, we fell in love with the Gardens and began our search. If I am being honest, when my husband and I first looked at 417 Waverly, I wrote it off almost immediately, because there was too much upkeep and work to be done. After our offer on another home fell through and my husband’s love for 417 grew, we decided to buy the long-lived, established estate.”

In similar fashion to Mike, Erica and Dave set out to fully reconstruct the property and bring a more modern layout to the area. But like Mike, there was something holding them back.

Although it was evident renovation was necessary, they set out to maintain the 1940’s feel, unable to tear down its significant and enchanting presence.

Ultimately, they knew of only one person who could preserve this aura while bringing forth cutting-edge designs: Mike Buck.

Pool Room

This room was once the original garage to the home that had an attic. Dave and Erica removed the old ceiling, giving them a much more spacious feel with a new vaulted ceiling. Liza Nicole Interiors helped bring their vision to life for this multi-functional space.

“(I was) aware of Mike’s well-known reputation as a builder on the island. I reached out to him to take on the project of our new home,” said Erica. “In minutes he responded, ‘When can we meet?’ and the rest is history. From the exterior renovations of roofing, siding, yellow cedar, trim, landscape, hardscaping, lighting, and driveway construction, as well as interior advancements, Mike worked to build our perfect family home.”

Pools and Spa Inc. built a pool in the backyard to bring more life to the outside of the house. Additionally, the Deuschles incorporated a pool room with the help of interior decorator Liza Nicole, who continued to revamp the original layout of the residence.

Fortunately, 14 years of experience in real estate developed Erica’s passion for design, which is evident in the coastal, yet classic décor of the home itself.

“We spend a good amount of our summer in Ocean City, thanks to our ability to work remotely, and there is something about this place that makes my family and I really want to be here,” said Erica. “It’s our anchor.”

In a sense, there is some magic surrounding 417 Waverly Boulevard as it was too special for both Mike Buck and the Deuschles to knock down. With no plans to sell, the home will continue to be filled with shared memories and summer fun.

“In the end, Erica entrusted in us the hopes of creating an oasis for her and her family to use and enjoy for years to come,” said Mike. “I hope we got it right.”