What’s old is new again at Faircourt, a Tuscan-inspired villa built for a wealthy industrialist in the late 1800s in the borough of Bernardsville, New Jersey.
Set on about 13 acres, the mansion in the Somerset Hills was reconfigured in 1916 to include such details as ornate woodwork, gilded ceilings and marble floors.
In more recent years, the estate home has been restored in keeping with its Old World style while being updated to suit modern living. Today, original details provide a counterpoint for a contemporary wing created by what were once service rooms.
The years-long renovation is the result of the labors of New York-based architect Annabelle Selldorf and interior designer Matthew Frederick. Period details in the entrance hall, living room, dining room and library have been refurbished including decorative plasterwork, oak paneling, Spanish tile and elaborate ceilings.
The grand spaces are in keeping with their past. Bronze-accented wrought ironwork graces the entry, which opens to a foyer and a 60-foot-long gallery.
The walnut-paneled living room, with a fireplace and intricate inlaid floors, is edged in gold leaf-accented moldings. The oak-paneled library is lined with built-in bookcases imported from France.
The glass-enclosed loggia featuring a checkerboard marble and granite floor has both casual dining and living room.
The expansive floor plan includes seven bedrooms, nine full bathrooms and two powder rooms. A four-room guest suite contains two of the bathrooms.
A sweeping staircase with scrolled railings leads upstairs. The four levels of living space are served by an elevator.
To bring more light into the interiors, the windows were widened and glass was inserted in the doors.
The new wing houses a center-island kitchen with an adjoining two-story family room. A retractable glass wall takes in pastoral views. The kitchen contains cabinets imported from Italy, top-of-the-line appliances and radiant-heated floors.
A wine cellar, workshop and greenhouse area are on the home’s lower level.
Upper and lower garages with a car lift provide protected parking for multiple vehicles. The parking courtyard is heated.
A tennis court, heated saltwater pool, three-hole putting green, lawn, gardens and an orchard with 72 peach, pear, apple and cherry trees complete the treed grounds.
Gerry-Jo Cranmer of Turpin Realtors is the listing agent for the property on Mountain Top Road, Bernardsville, New Jersey. The asking price is US $12 million.
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