Spruce Hill Farm is a landmark estate in Mendham Borough.  The historic all-brick mansion is set on 27.9 acres overlooking a two-acre pond, manicured grounds with formal gardens and stone walls, windswept meadows and a 1,000-tree spruce farm.  In 2002 the Bernardsville Office listed the estate which sold for $4.55 million.  It was again successfully marketed by the Mendham office of Turpin in 2008.

Originally built in 1917, the 22-room main home was completely updated in 2003 and shows pride of ownership throughout.  A long, gated and tree-lined drive leads to the handsome Colonial Revival home, which was designed by the New York architectural firm of Lord & Hewlett.  Its elegant presence amid the open land is reminiscent of a grand manor found in the English countryside.

Timeless interior design details such as hardwood and parquet flooring, ten fireplaces with unique mantelpieces, many original interior doors, wood paneling and hardware, multiple sets of French doors and oversized windows lend character to the spacious rooms.  A delightful layout includes a grand center hall, a paneled library, and a sunroom overlooking the formal garden. Additionally, this noteworthy home has a billiards room, a private study, elevator and a staff wing. There are seven bedrooms, each with a full bath, many large walk-in closets, multiple kitchens, wet bars and powder rooms.

Spruce Hill Farm also features a pool and multiple outbuildings, including a two-story caretaker’s house with an attached six-car garage, chauffeur’s cottage, equipment barn, brick shed, wooden shed, and root cellar. 

Turpin took great pride in handling the transfer of Spruce Hill Farm on two occasions, giving it the same amount of care and attention as it does to every Mendham home for sale, or for that matter, every New Jersey home the firm represents.

Gated Far Hills Estate on Over 26 Acres

This spectacular Far Hills estate home, built in 2000, offers a unique escape from the mundane world. The hilltop site overlooking approximately 25 acres of farmland assessed property, provides expansive views of Ravine Lake and the Somerset Hills beyond.

This exceptional home was designed by Jeffrey Beer of the renowned architectural firm of Beer & Coleman. The sixteen-room main house, with its open floor plan, has four bedrooms, six full and two half baths, as well as a four-car garage complete with radiant heat. An enormous great room, reminiscent of the most elegant Adirondack lodge, with its rich paneling, soaring rustic beamed ceiling, and striking raised stone fireplace, is breathtaking both in its scale and attention to detail. The stunning open gourmet chefs kitchen is complemented by a highly functional butler’s pantry. The first floor master suite includes a silting room, dual dressing rooms, two full baths, and a laundry room. The lower level, complete with an exercise room, full bath, and multi-person sauna, includes both a playroom and an “Orvis” room with a wet bar, and a home theater, providing entertainment for all ages.

The caretaker’s cottage, designed with the same exterior architectural detail as the main house, includes a full kitchen which opens into the living room, full bath, a generous bedroom, and a huge additional multifunctional room. The cottage also houses the additional four-car radiant heated garage.

Marked by private entrance gates, this architectural masterpiece represents a rare opportunity in sought after Far Hills real estate. Surrounded by open land and wooded property, the setting is at once private, yet close to local amenities. Shopping, dining. excellent schools, train service, and a network of local and interstate highways are a short drive from this gated estate.

Turpin Real Estate sold White Oak, a timeless country property in Peapack-Gladstone, for $4.61 million in 2006.  Listed out of the Far Hills office, perhaps the most memorable aspect of this wonderful listing was the beautiful rolling property surrounding the main home and barns.

This Hunt Country farm presents an incredibly private setting on 50 acres with countryside views of rolling fields and distant panoramas.  The main residence, a substantial antique Colonial farmhouse, has been expanded numerous times through the decades. 

An architecturally interesting barn was built during the early 2000s on the foundation of the original antique barn that burned down in a fire.  A portion of the old barn remained and houses the horse stalls and tack room.  Outbuildings on the acreage include two cottages and several barn/garage structures. 

For recreational purposes, the swimming pool, tennis court and pond add to the relaxed country lifestyle at White Oak.  Additionally, much of the acreage is protected by a conservation easement, ensuring the future of this remarkable piece of New Jersey real estate.

Red Gate Farm was successfully marketed by Turpin’s Bernardsville office in 2005.

Listing agent Molly Tonero recalls the home’s 2005 sale: “The house was in sad disrepair but the bones were fabulous, and I still think of it as one of the two greatest houses in a town full of special properties.  The buyers have since done an historic renovation and the house is, again, fabulous. It seemed destined to happen, and again it was a terrific honor to work with such an important property.”

Red Gate Farm was built in 1925 for Seth E. Thomas Jr. and his wife, the former Josephine Van Beuren Reynolds.  Thomas was president of the clock manufacturing company founded by his great-grandfather in 1813, and his wife was descended from one of New Jersey’s earliest families. 

The estate’s elegant stone Georgian manor evokes timeless images of hunt balls, tea parties on the terrace, and moonlight dances.  This landmark was designed by Harrie T. Lindeberg who, along with Stanford White, was at one time part of the McKim, Mead and White architectural firm. The impressive 27-room home features seven bedrooms—most with their own fireplace–, eight full baths, seven staff rooms and a charming two-bedroom cottage.

All the hallmarks of fine design are found within Red Gate Farm.  The front-to-back foyer opens onto a rear terrace which captures lavish scenery.  Rooms for every conceivable use include a formal dining room, den, family room, media room, kitchen with refrigeration room and more.  An enormous living room was once used as a ballroom and offers a multitude of uses for entertaining on an extravagant scale.  Raised paneling, barrel ceilings, plaster crown moldings, original hardwood pegged oak flooring and marble fireplaces are just some of this home’s impressive interior highlights.

Located in the desirable Red Gate area of New Vernon in Harding Township, the estate property’s 9.27 acres encompass a long entry drive, mature trees, sweeping green lawns and a secluded, brick-walled courtyard with swimming pool. 

As one of the most notable transactions among New Vernon real estate, Red Gate Farm is now a stunning example of how an appreciation for and dedication to the preservation of historic New Jersey homes can revitalize a property!

Maplefield– masterpiece of Far Hills real estate– was listed by Turpin in 2006.

Brandes-Maselli Architects of Bernardsville brought their visionary design approach to this iconic Shingle Style estate home set on ten bucolic acres. 

What began as a 1970s ranch style home was completely re-built using the existing foundation and chimney.  The result of this stunning transformation is an elegant residence created with attention to detail both inside and out.

An ingenious exterior combines brickwork with cedar shingles, a tribute to Old World style seen in country estates at the turn of the last century.  The home is capped by a cedar shake roof and edged with copper gutters.  A seven-car carriage house offers excellent potential for car collectors or future finished space. 

Inside the main home, a gracious floor plan contains over 20 rooms, including six bedrooms and seven full baths.  Thoughtful architectural details include four fireplaces, custom handcrafted millwork and five-inch wide quarter sawn white oak flooring on the first and second levels.

Other highlights of the layout include sun-filled gathering spaces, a mahogany terrace, a chef’s kitchen with finely-detailed cabinetry, a master suite featuring a private stairway and a walk-out lower level with distinctive entertaining areas.

Of special note is the ten-acre parcel, which offers an ideal setting characterized by sweeping lawns, open pastures and captivating countryside views.  Additionally, the property adjoins Natirar’s over 400 acres of protected parkland acquired by Somerset County, assuring an extra degree of privacy for generations to come.

When Turpin successfully listed and sold Rathmelton in 2002, it was a landmark transaction among New Vernon homes for sale.  The beautiful estate residence is an authentic reproduction of a James River, Virginia plantation.  It was sold through the joint efforts of Turpin’s Far Hills and Mendham offices after having been listed in November of 2001 for $5.7 million.

The three-story Georgian style mansion on six acres was built by European and American craftsmen over a three year period, concluding in 1928.  Renowned architects Peabody, Wilson and Brown designed the home for New York financier and vice president of the Columbia Trust Company Howard Bayne, the namesake of Harding’s Bayne Park.  Rathmelton was named for the town in northern Ireland which was the birthplace of family patriarch Samuel Bayne.

According to then listing agent, Ashley Christus, the estate was built after the Bayne’s previous house burned down, so each floor was constructed of poured concrete—a fireproofing feature of the times– and the entire house is made of stone.  Architectural details that would be difficult to recreate today include 20-inch thick walls, tongue in groove teakwood flooring, teak over slate main stairway with teak banister, raised paneling, original silver wall sconces and silver and brass hardware.

According to a 1916 article in The New York Times, the property surrounding Rathmelton was originally part of Lord Sterling’s estate, and in the early 1900s a stone house built in 1782 by Gideon Riggs was still on the property.  The Times called the predecessor to Rathmelton “one of the oldest and most interesting landmarks in that part of New Jersey.  It was held by Nathaniel Armstrong and his descendants for several generations.”

The Rathmelton estate is approached by a long graceful drive, where it sits regally amid a grove of mature oak trees.  The acreage encompasses specimen trees, stone walls, a sunken garden with fountain and gazebo, and a stone and grass terrace overlooking the exquisitely landscaped grounds.  There is also a heated pool, two-stall stable and a charming pool house with stone fireplace.

In 2002, the Mendham Office of Turpin Real Estate handled the sale of Fox Chase Farm in Chester which had been listed for $5.8 Million.  Composed of 58 picturesque acres of orchards, pastures and woodland streams, the 22-room main residence was originally an old stone mill combined with a farmhouse.

The sale of Fox Chase Farm came about after much persistence and patience, notes Doris Ju, the selling agent from Turpin.  “My buyers had been looking for quite some time and just could not find that special house. However, as soon as we drove down the winding drive, over the babbling brook, and saw the stone manor house, we knew immediately that Fox Chase Farm was a very special property. I’m not sure when my buyers became totally enchanted with the house but I imagine it was sometime after passing the sugar maple house on our way from the main house to the beautiful new post and beam barn. The buyer turned to me and said, ‘I think this is it.’ Although Fox Chase Farm was a true manor house, stately and somewhat formal, they saw that it was also an amazingly warm and cozy country home and the perfect place to raise their four children.”

Transformed by Eberle Builders and Hiland Hall Turner and Associates Architects, the approximately 6,800-square-foot country mill built in the 1900s served as an unusual starting point for the majestic 13,000-square-foot manor.  Much of the exterior stone was reclaimed from the original structure or from old barns and hedgerows. New millwork was made on-site to duplicate original moldings.  Other materials were recycled for this authentic re-creation. The results are so seamless is that it is almost impossible to tell where the original house ends and the new one begins.

Additionally, landscape architects created perennial gardens bursting with color amid the stonewalled terraces and patios.  Five fenced pastures, a post and beam Amish-style barn, a riding ring, garage apartment, and a three bedroom stone cottage overlooking apple orchards are further amenities at Fox Chase Farm, truly a classic piece of New Jersey real estate.

The spectacular Bernardsville Mountain estate owned by real estate entrepreneur Dick Schlott was listed and sold by Turpin Real Estate in 2007.  Dick Schlott is known to many New Jersey residents as the founder of Schlott Realty, which he later sold to Coldwell Banker.  The fact that he chose Turpin to manage the sale of his home speaks volumes about the company’s outstanding reputation for successfully representing Bernardsville homes for sale.

Styled to reflect an elegant English manor home, this estate is sited on about 15 mountaintop acres.  Built in 1999, the 18-room residence includes five bedrooms, five full baths, two powder rooms, eight custom-designed fireplaces and an attached three-car garage.  Attached to the newer structure is the original home, which was completely renovated to become a large guest wing.  The exterior is an appealing combination of stucco, stone and ash beam, capped by a wood shingle roof. 

One of the unique aspects characterizing this home begins right at the point of entry, where a custom-created oak door is fitted with a leaded glass window and antique English hinges.  Interior appointments showcase a variety of unusual architectural details such as antique ceiling beams, hand painted murals, glazed walls and leaded glass windows imported from France.  In keeping with the British feeling of the home, an authentic bar from an old English pub is the focal point of a billiards room with ten-foot coffered ceilings.  In the luxurious master suite, a fireplace framed by a French limestone mantel is a charming centerpiece, while a secluded sun terrace, dressing room and opulent master bath with polished limestone floors are further amenities.

An outdoor living room and an outdoor dining or “folly” room set beyond an antique garden gate from France takes in wonderful views of the surrounding countryside.  Enhancing the bucolic setting are a three-bedroom guest cottage, two-bedroom carriage house, a 40-foot Roman-shaped swimming pool, formal English gardens and spacious bluestone terraces.

Moggy Falls Farm is a glorious expanse of Far Hills real estate sited on approximately 14 acres of rolling property.  This magical estate was sold by Pam Goss in the Far Hills Office for $5.6 million in 2005.  The stone manor home’s unique name comes from its location near Moggy Hollow, a 29-acre wooded stream valley at the neighboring Leonard J. Buck Garden.  Several cascading waterfalls on the acreage add to the serene mood of the surroundings.  Moggy Falls Farm was created for the owners in 1997 to replicate the look of the area’s exquisite mansions.

Vast living, gathering and entertaining spaces are found within the ornate 29-room floor plan.  Interior highlights include detailed millwork, exposed ceiling beams set into high ceilings, four fireplaces, arched doorways, hardwood and stone flooring and custom finishes designed by Butler’s of Far Hills.  Over 13,800 square feet of interior space provides five bedrooms, seven full baths and three powder rooms.

The classic approach –a long, private drive leading to a circular entry—showcases the majestic architecture of this imposing home.  Steeply pitched rooflines capped in wood shingles and the home’s massive stone faced center point flanked by dual wings give the structure an imposing appearance.  Linking the interior and exterior are large stone terraces and porches for outdoor entertaining.  These outside spaces take in sweeping views of manicured lawns, flowering tress and perennial gardens.  The elaborate pool complex features a gazebo, stone patio and meandering stone walkways.

Inside, a stunning collection of rooms includes an elaborate chef’s kitchen, observatory, garden room encased by stone walls, conference room, first floor master suite, in-law suite, and wine cellar.  Secondary bedrooms include the maid’s quarters with a living room, bedroom, full bath and kitchen.  A finished attic and lower level contain more square footage, such as the lower level’s media and recreation areas.  A home for the ages, Moggy Falls Farm is an outstanding example of New Jersey real estate.

Listed by Turpin’s Oldwick office for $5.95 million and sold out of that office as well, Tandabrook Farm near Pottersville in Washington Township represents the pinnacle of Washington Township real estate as well as equestrian property sales.

A rare offering in New Jersey real estate, especially in terms of its size and scope, Tandabrook Farm presents 121 acres of prime land including a 5,500 square foot main residence, a 1,900 square foot manager’s residence, and an 11-stall main barn with living quarters above.  There are two separate three-stall barns and seven in-and-out barns dotting the property.  Lessons or recreational riding are handled easily in an indoor riding arena with all-season cushioned riding surface, outdoor jumping arena, outdoor sand dressage arena, numerous cross-country jumps and fourteen fenced-in paddocks.  As a working farm, amenities include miles of riding trails, a four-bay garage for tractor storage, 2,500-hay bale production fields and a compost area.  Constructed in 1998, this New Jersey equestrian estate is a world-class facility.

Sellers George and Linda Tucker, who have since relocated down south, recall the transaction.  “Over the years we have purchased or sold four homes with Turpin Real Estate in Morris and Somerset County. Catherine Weinstock has represented us in three of these sales. The highlight was Catherine’s successful marketing of our horse farm in Pottersville about four years ago in a very difficult market. It was a unique property that would appeal to a very limited number of people in the equine community. In a short period of time, the Turpin office found a qualified buyer that would carry out the traditions of our beloved farm, and the purchasers have even become friends!”