TREETOPS 

In an era when horse drawn carriages were being replaced by automobiles, a wealthy sugar baron named Julius Stursberg decided to build a first class carriage house on his original 108-acre estate. The year was 1916 and the carriage house was designed to match the architectural standards of his grand Tudor home. When the current homeowners first viewed ‘Treetops’ in the spring of 2004, the passage of time had done little to alter the original design commissioned by Mr. Stursberg. As stewards for beautiful old buildings, they embarked on a two-year renovation of the current residence, currently situated on 6.1± acres and farmland assessed, that was completed in 2006. The end result was nothing short of an architectural triumph.

Many of the original doors, windows, and floors were seamlessly blended into the restored living spaces. The stone façade on this Tudor style carriage house is accented with stucco and timber dormers, copper gutters and leaders, original wood shutters with custom cut-outs, designer lighting fixtures and a wood shingle roof. A gracious circular floor plan on the first floor connects a spacious foyer, powder room, library, and formal dining room with a grand living space. The former four-bay garages became the main living area, contiguous yet beautifully scaled with separate functions as a gourmet kitchen, breakfast area and living room. The kitchen features top-of-the-line appliances, punctuated with original wood cupboards, drawers and cutting boards that were salvaged from the chauffeur’s workshop. White glazed brick along one wall functions beautifully as a backsplash and a subtle reminder of what once covered the garage walls. Quarter sawn oak hardwood floors in a herringbone pattern run the length of the room, unifying the space, along with four sets of French doors that open to a gravel courtyard. The glazed cabinets and drawers that once lined the walls of a chauffeur’s office now fill the walls of an enchanting library, complete with a wine closet.

The second floor was reconfigured to yield a large master suite with a bedroom, bathroom and dressing room, along with two generous guest bedrooms, a full bathroom and a laundry. Exposed beams in the cathedral ceiling of the new master bedroom serve as a stunning reminder of the architectural achievements of a bygone era. They are balanced by a soaring brick fireplace with a granite keystone and bluestone hearth. A newly constructed three-car garage compliments the original Tudor design and offers a finished second floor with an office studio, full bath and sitting room.

6.1 acre lot.