LIFEST YLE ARCHITECTURE
First-floor master suite
Luxurious master bath
One of the four bedrooms 18
Spring 2017 |
LIFESTYLE
njlifestyleonline.com
Housewarming The house on Lagoon Drive is a minor miracle, at once coolly minimalist and warmly welcoming, with walls of windows and a total of 11 skylights to bring nature’s big show indoors. “Almost all the windows in the house are casement-style, without any inserts, to maximize the view and give it a very clean look,” says architect Clement Wasleski, who also designed the couple’s first home. “The house is oriented toward the water, which has such a magic pull for the human psyche. We’re all 97% water, aren’t we?” For a living area that’s simple, serene and almost Zen-like, interior designer Jay Leistner used muted tones in the wall colors and furnishings, in the light-wood accents and organic bamboo flooring. The fireplace and recessed flat-screen television are set into a wall of ivory marble. “People sometimes say a neutral palate is too vanilla, and though we literally used vanilla here, the textures do a lot to make it feel very warm,” says Leistner, of Phase 2 Architecture and Interior Design in Jenkintown. “There are velvety, nubby area rugs, pebbled walls in the powder room, plush carpets, a fluffy llama skin, and striations of silk in the wallcovering.” Even the kitchen cabinets have a finish that feels like linen to the touch. “The homeowners were looking for something contemporary yet very inviting,” Leistner adds, “quality and comfort in a sort of sleek, lowmaintenance space.” It’s not all neutrals. Though occasional Lucite-style “ghost” chairs almost fade into the background, color is introduced in vibrant artwork and big potted plants. Black end tables and bar stools add depth and “a bit of an anchor” to the open-plan living area, says Leistner. The custom Neff kitchen, which overlooks a casual dining area, features an island with twotiered granite countertops, two sinks and soft-close doors and drawers. Master Plan The first-floor master suite — more like a master wing — includes a luxurious bath with heated floors, a six-foot, extra-deep Jacuzzi tub, and expansive step-in shower with multiple spray jets. Each of two his-and-her closets is roomy enough to be converted to an office, nursery or music room. Wraparound windows in the master bedroom offer dazzling views of the waterfront. “It’s a lot like the master suite in our other house, but bigger, and with a magnificent water view,” raves the woman of the house.