Castle on the Kern
Luxury meets the outdoors in Barry and Pat Rosenfeld’s Rancheria River Estates home The dream home of Barry and Pat Rosenfeld is nestled in the Sierra foothills, just 15 minutes east of downtown Bakersfield. Pat worked with local architect Steve Keike and builder Don Mitchell in 1992 to bring her vision to life. Her castle includes two turrets and a courtyard entrance with a rectangular, chlorinated “moat” crossed by a bridge. This 5,300-square-foot, country French-style home sits on a one-and-three-quarter acre lot, and according to Barry, “Almost every room has a view of the Kern River.” Not surprising on a lot with more than 330 feet of river frontage. A 27-year Rotarian, Barry enjoys the outdoor features of this property: “With the river views and natural vegetation, I just love the outdoor ambience of this property.” Notable features inside this five-bedroom home are an ornate bar/ice cream parlor in the great room, a dumbwaiter between the two floors, a bedroom apartment above the garage, an observation room at the top of the tower and hand-carved wood throughout. If it sounds like this could be your ideal home, the Rosenfelds are looking to simplify their lifestyle, and have currently listed their castle on forsalebyowner.com/listing/44365. “We’ve loved our 20 years here and really hope that a nice family can enjoy the next 20 years,” Barry explained. 70
Bakersfield Life
September 2012