 |
|
This
Saddle River, New Jersey home offers a sanctuary within the
woods.
|
HACKENSACK, N.J. - Reminiscent of the
pure, unadorned structures of the German Bauhaus architects, a Saddle
River, N.J., home offers a sanctuary within the woods.
Neil and Ruth Kilstein found the home
down a secluded road 23 years ago on what was then the property of an
old estate, and the dense forest was dotted with mainly contemporary
homes.
‘‘It was the architecture,’’
said Neil. ‘‘It was just different.’’
The cubic forms of the home, best seen
from the back, cleverly hide six levels, five bedrooms and 7 1/2
baths. A generous use of glass adds interest to the right angles.
Like the homes of the German
architectural movement, the dwelling’s exterior is free of fancy
eaves and cornices. The humble facade is broken up by cantilevered
rooms and decks that simultaneously provide a sense of balance.
And while the outside provides
seclusion, the interior is very open. Quarter- and half-walls and
interior windows allow for views into other rooms and levels.
A free-standing staircase and an indoor
atrium with a 30-foot ceiling form the heart of the house. Sunlight
pours in from the skylight above onto several plants and the turning
metal pieces of a kinetic sculpture.
The living room, which is open to the
family room below, offers a cozy corner overlooking the back yard,
in-ground pool and multiple decks, and has its own deck among the
trees.
Statues and sculpture that the
Kilsteins have collected from around the world bring color and
excitement to the numerous niches and display shelves that are created
by the quarter-walls.
With the clean lines of its metal
cabinetry, the classic St. Charles kitchen appears timeless. The work
area is ideal for entertaining, with two sinks and dishwashers, a
Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer and a Jenn-Air grill. A pass-through
visually connects it with the rest of the home.
Lush outdoor greenery forms a natural
backdrop through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the family room,
which has a fireplace, 12-foot-high ceiling, attached entertainment
center and bookshelves accessed by a library ladder.
But the lowest level holds the home’s
biggest surprise: a regulation squash court, which can double as a
racquetball court or a place for restless children to play.
To be fully surrounded in the beauty of
the 2-acre forested property, two places top the list: the windowed
sunroom off the dining room, or the stunning master bedroom with its
atrium-like sitting area on the home’s highest level.
To create the unique spot, the
Kilsteins hired an architect to bump out the room and fill the two
corner walls with two stories of vertical windows.
‘‘This is the place to be when it’s
snowing,’’ said Ruth. ‘‘It’s as if you could touch the
trees.’’
The suite also offers his-and-hers full
bathrooms and walk-in custom closets.
But perhaps the best places to enjoy
the outside are on the tiered decks and the brick patio that follow
the slope of the property down to the in-ground pool, each level
framed by terraced planting areas.
All bedrooms have decks, skylights and
full baths. A studio apartment has its own entrance over the four-car
garage and a living area, bedroom area, kitchenette and full bath.
The home is listed for $2.25 million.
|
