Lisa Chamoff, Contributor • Forbes Global Properties
Original article featured on forbes.com/sites/forbes-global-properties Mar 29, 2023
Classic European Touches And An Illustrious Home Theater Are This Majestic New Jersey Estate’s Crown Jewels…
A home theater from a renowned designer, a wine cellar and tasting room that feel plucked from Tuscany and a solarium with a fireplace that sits in a lion’s mouth are just a few of the glamorous features of a palatial estate in Saddle River, New Jersey.
The home on Fox Hedge Road is nearly 20,000 square feet and sits on 4 private, gated acres, perched at the top of a hill on one of the area’s most desirable streets, according to listing agent Vicki Gaily of Special Properties. It is listed for $7.995 million.
Custom built in the mid-1990s, the home’s European stucco exterior features stone accents. A paved horseshoe drive features a fountain surrounded by trimmed hedges. The entryway leads to a dramatic foyer with an imperial staircase. There are high-end materials and fixtures throughout, including numerous plaster reliefs.
“There was no expense spared at all,” Gaily said.
One of the home’s showpieces is a theater designed by well-known home theater architect, Theo Kalomirakis, who considers the art deco design one of his favorites, according to Gaily.
The wine cellar and tasting room stores several thousand bottles and has a thick, curved wooden bar at its center, which Gaily said has hosted many gatherings. It’s filled with wood and stone accents reminiscent of Tuscany.
Gatherings can also take place in the home’s large ballroom, with windows that overlook waterfalls spilling over into the uniquely shaped free-form outdoor pool, surrounded by lush landscaping and two koi ponds.
Another standout is the solarium that overlooks the outdoor cabana area, which features a “showstopper” fireplace that sits inside the mouth of a lion’s mane, carved in solid stone. The room is wrapped in silk via silk-lined walls, ceilings and window coverings.
The nine bedrooms include a master suite with a large boutique-style closet and dressing area, which a previous owner fashioned from another bedroom. A multilevel office and library paneled in cherrywood is set up for remote work. The library leads to both the front foyer and the back promenade and also has private access to a bar area.
There is also a state-of-the-art wellness center with an indoor pool and spa, yoga room and gym with steam room and dry sauna. The multiroom kitchen includes a spacious area for cooking and serving, a large pantry with stove and multiple refrigerators designed for catering, plus dining space in the back.
The Saddle River market has seen several multimillion-dollar deals close over the last year, including a Versailles-inspired home on about 4.8 acres. The property, which was also listed with Special Properties, sold last year for $10.995 million, making it among the priciest deals historically for the area.