The Ideal Victorian
36 Forest Drive
North Short Hills, NJ 07078
$2,195,000

Property Description

 

Welcome to 36 Forest Drive in the heart of Old Short Hills Historic District. Originally built in 1880, this sprawling Victorian home is one of forty homes developed by Stewart Hartshorn in his quest to create an “ideal town” for living close to nature. With original period details evident at every turn, the home’s recent upgrades have only enhanced the charm of this truly unique residence.

 

Features And Amenities

 

Upon arrival, you will enter the spacious entry foyer and instantly feel the.openness and inner warmth of this ageless beauty. The soaring 9'6" ceilings, recently installed period-correct oak herringbone floors and original woodwork details will give you your first taste of what the home has to offer. Turn right into the formal Living Room where the leaded-glass bay window with intimate window seat and original fireplace provide an elegant backdrop for quiet conversation or lavish entertaining alike. Alternatively, enter straight into the formal Dining Room through a grand double-width opening for an intimate dinner in front of another original fireplace.

 

Another double-width opening leads to the oversized Great Room with expansive views of the lush park-like backyard. Large skylights bathe the room in natural light. Truly a "GREAT" room with so much space, you'll have plenty of room for family fun or for entertaining guests as you serve drinks from the built-in bar. The Butler's Pantry, adjacent to both the Dining Room and Great Room, provides attractive glass-paned china cabinets as well as a granite counter top perfectly suited for serving an elegant buffet.

 

Just steps away, you'll find the well-appointed, spacious eat-in kitchen with sliding doors to the teak deck and bluestone patio, an extensive pantry storage area as well as a dual purpose Mud Room/Laundry Room. Turn right from the entry and you will find historic details abound in the home's charming Library adorned with knotty pine built-in shelving, oak pegged floors and an original fireplace with concrete surround. Cozy up in the window seat with a book and you'll think you've taken a trip back in time.

 

When it's time to retire for the night, you'll stroll up the grand staircase to the second level, also with extraordinary 9'6" ceilings, where charm exudes throughout the sleeping quarters. Two fully renovated modern baths constructed only with the highest quality materials mesh seamlessly with all the original period details. The Master Suite is drenched in light from its southern and western facing windows and its large walk-in closet with built-in custom cabinetry provides ample storage and a convenient dressing area. Enter the spa-like Master Bath with Calacata Gold marble vanity, radiant heated floor and marble tiled walls. Unwind in the large freestanding soaking tub or in the thermostatically controlled marble shower.

 

Two bedrooms, one with an original fireplace, the other lined in bookshelves, and a completely modernized hallway bath complete this level in the central part of the house. From the second floor landing, the East Wing is easily accessed through the bookcase-lined room or by the rear staircase and provides an additional two bedrooms and bath for exceptional privacy for family or guests alike.

 

The completely renovated lower level includes a large Recreation Room and an adjacent Game Room that proudly displays the original exterior stone foundation wall of the 1880 home. Continue on to the newly constructed 1,200 bottle capacity wine cellar and "tasting room" with decorative fireplace; any wine lovers dream. An additional windowed bedroom and brand new bath, a dedicated workshop fitted with pegboards, a utility room with storage space and loads of additional storage space in assorted separate rooms complete this modernized lower level.