The House That Spaghetti-O’s Built

Did you know that Chef Boyardee was a real person? He was Ettore Boiardi, and he made zillions selling canned ravioli, spaghetti-o’s and other items that were some people’s first taste of Italian food. Penderyn, the house that his only son and heir, Mario Boiardi had built in the 1980’s on Maryland’s Eastern Shore is now on the auction market. Funnily enough, the architect who designed the house was my next-door neighbour at the time in Annapolis, so I knew all about this house.

The house covers 22,000 square feet, with “eight bedrooms, nine full baths, three half-baths, 11 wood-burning fireplaces, as well as elegant French doors and Palladian windows, private balconies and English chimneys.”

The house was partially modeled on a classic Maryland house, and compared to some houses of this size and era, some of it is actually quite lovely. Let’s take a look around.

I would have preferred more of a gallery wall below, instead of random paintings just dotting the walls. There are too few paintings for the expanse of the wall, and they are too small. They needed some epic painting.I remember hearing about the craftsmen who were working on this house, and it’s evident in the library…which almost looks cozy.I was talking to a friend about enfiladed rooms the other day, but this is almost too much.

I wonder what they serve for dinner?

They did go on a bit about the kitchen, but I am sure that there’s a catering kitchen somewhere. Here’s what the description says, “A gourmet kitchen features a large island with stainless steel Hobart appliances, a stacked double oven, six-burner gas stove and a state-of-the-art cast iron heat-storage oven.” Hmmmm.. wonder if they’re talking about the Aga in the kitchen?

What do you think of the no curtains look?Oh, no! Bad faux!

I wonder if someone’s studying the sequencing?Very nice, but is there any space for your knees if you’re sitting on one of the sofas?Please explain the curtains hanging from the ceiling. Acres and acres of marble. I think that the house wants to be a five-part Georgian, but it’s a little off balance. That would drive me crazy.You get a better idea of the layout here.I still can’t quite figure it out.Now, where in the heck is this?The house has been on the market for at least two years, with a price of $9.5 million, and now it’s at auction with no reserve! It’s open this coming Saturday and Sunday, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. For more information, and more pictures, click here.

There are some appealing things about this house, but it’s just too huge and there are too many parts to it. Even if I had the money, this type of house holds no appeal for me. It’s soulless. It’s conspicuous. I am never going to entertain 800 people at home. I don’t need a dock for 11 boats or a garage for five cars. I am never going to need that many rooms. And when the house sells, all of the stuff goes, probably for pennies on the dollar. Sometimes, it just seems like a huge waste to me.