391 Claremont Rd, Bernardsville, NJ 07924

Misty Acres: A Sublime Bernardsville Mountain Estate Designed by George B. Post & Sons in 1899, Misty Acres is a landmark estate on the Bernardsville Mountain. Post's noted architectural firm incorporated many of their signature features into the home design such as a striking two-story columned façade, timeless details rooted in classicism and a railed rooftop Widow's Walk. This impressive example of the Colonial Revival style is surrounded by over six acres of property containing gardens designed by landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman in the 1920s, a heated free-form pool, a caretaker's cottage now serving as a gym, and a carriage house featuring a multi-vehicle garage, two horse stalls and a two-bedroom, two bath apartment. The main house presents up to six bedrooms, six and a half baths and an attached two-car garage. Extensively improved through the years, restoration work maintained the architectural integrity as seen in the stone work, ornate woodwork, a graceful three-story center hall staircase winding through the center of the home and numerous built-in window seats, bookcases and cabinetry. Newer additions such as a chef's kitchen with adjacent wine nook, butler's pantry, newer windows, remodeled laundry room, mud room and powder room and backup generator are among the modern amenities. A stone-pillared entrance frames the home's artful symmetry which is softened by a circular drive and rounded boxwoods. Introducing Misty Acres' layout is a central hall which contains the railed staircase serving all three levels. Flanking the entrance are billiards and dining rooms, both exquisitely designed with fireplaces, quarter-sawn hardwood floors, deep crown moldings and charming window seats. The billiards room steps down to a garden room filled with natural light from four sets of oversized glass doors and arched windows. This bright, airy space opens to the pool, rear bluestone terraces and exquisite gardens. Set apart from the public spaces is a handsome wood-paneled library featuring a fireplace, built-in bookcases and gleaming wood floors. An expansive chef's kitchen presents ivory-toned Christopher Peacock cabinetry, a center island with breakfast bar seating and prep sink and pastry station; high-end appliances including three dishwashers; an ornate tile backsplash; granite and marble counter tops; a window-walled dining area and a cabinet-lined wine nook with seating, a fourth dishwasher, wine cooler, under-counter refrigerator and icemaker. The second and third floors offer six bedrooms and six bathrooms serving them. A master bedroom retreat is arranged with a separate sitting room, spacious bedroom, remodeled spa-inspired marble bathroom (2016. Two additional bedroom suites have a full bath and sitting area, and another is an en-suite bedroom. Accessed by a separate drive are the completely remodeled two bedroom, two bath carriage house with two horse stalls and attached multi-vehicle garage. The approximately 1,560-square-foot carriage house has a covered front porch two-story living quarters with a beautiful center island kitchen, open to the living room and dining area, and full bath on the first level. On the second level are the two bedrooms, a second full bathroom, media/family room and laundry. The heated and air conditioned caretaker's cottage has been transformed into a fitness facility with workout room, kitchen and full bath. This is accessed, too, by the separate drive. Spectacular grounds feature stone walls, a heated pool surrounded by a blue-stone terrace, a formal garden lined in boxwoods leading to a pergola and reflecting pool, a shady tree-lined allée with random-size stone path, an orchard and pea-gravel walkways meandering through the inspirational setting. Misty Acres is close to fine public and private schools, restaurants, shopping and golf courses. Its central Somerset County location is approximately 45 minutes from Newark Liberty International Airport and about an hour from Manhattan by car or Midtown Direct train service from downtown Bernardsville.