Hey guys! Well today I had the privilege of touring one of the most amazing homes that I’ve ever stepped foot in; THE STONE MANSION. Yup, that’s right, the $56 million Stone Mansion estate in Alpine, NJ! The owner’s son was kind of enough to give my friend and I a private tour of the estate this afternoon. What a very humble and down-to-earth guy he was! However, I couldn’t take any pictures, which I understand.
About the house:
My breath was taken away the minute we drove past the large iron gates. As we drove up the driveway, we were greeted by a fountain in the motor court. The front facade isn’t actually as imposing as I thought it would be. It’s stately, yet very elegant at the same time. Beyond the massive front door is the AMAZING 2-story foyer. WOW! The ceilings are super high and your eye goes straight to the sweeping staircase, which is definitely a lot larger in person. The staircase is different than most and isn’t the typical double bridal staircase which you tend to see in most mansions nowadays. To the left of the foyer is the gorgeous formal dining room with its huge crystal chandelier. There is also a hidden panel in the wall of the dining room that opens up and reveals a wood paneled china room. All of the rooms on the 1st floor are quite spacious and open; they all flow very nicely into one another. The great room has a huge fireplace and opens up to the terrace. The circular bar room is quite impressive as well. Beyond that is the ballroom, which is a masterpiece. Then you walk towards the office. There is a custom built-in bar between the ballroom and office as well, which is a nice break up between the two. The office itself has a phenomenal coffered ceiling and built-in bookshelves. Right next to that is the wood paneled den/library, which is twice the size as the office, but not double height. At the opposite end of the 1st floors is the large Christopher Peacock gourmet kitchen with TWO islands. The main island is massive and at least 15 feet long. The adjoining breakfast room and family room are quite nice as well. All the rooms at the back of the home look out to the backyard.
As you ascend the grand staircase to the 2nd floor, you can’t help but admire all the amazing details including the custom wrought iron and wood banisters. The entrance to the master suite is very IN YOUR FACE and features a huge rounded mahogany door. You enter into the sitting room, which is the size of a regular person’s bedroom. The bedroom area is twice the size of that. You then walk through a hallway into the his-and-hers bathrooms. Both are equally impressive. His bathroom features a built-in tv behind the mirror as well as a steam room! All of the secondary bedrooms on this level are huge and feature gorgeous bathrooms; all have jetted tubs and marble showers.
Okay, now for the most impressive part; the BASEMENT. The ceilings are super high; I’d say 12′. The wine cellar is acccessed by a fingerprint system and can hold over 3,000 bottles. Next to that is the home theater which boasts a a lobby. The theater itself is lavish, but not over-the-top. It’s in a neutral color, not like the gold and red that you see all too often. The rest of the basement is quite open and you can see all the way to the other end. There is a huge custom bar and multiple open spaces with mounted televisions on the wall. These areas all overlook the HUGE indoor basketball court with scoreboard and changing rooms. Past that is a gym and a 2nd kitchen with all stainless steel appliances.
The backyard is maintained nicely and isn’t too big; it’s the perfect size. It features a swimming pool and a cabana with kitchen and bathroom. There is also a tennis court and different leveled lawns.
I’m sure I forgot some things, but hopefully you liked what you read. All in all, this home is an extremely well done home. The attention to detail is apparent. What I liked about this home were all the GORGEOUS light fixtures throughout. From huge crystal chandeliers to old-world looking sconces, every room has some type of fancy light fixture. The doorknobs and other fixtures were quite beautiful as well. The sink in her bathroom featured an LED light underneath! Also, the handles on the built-ins in “her closet” had little crystals in them. What a fancy little touch!
I am so grateful that I had to opportunity to tour this magnificent mansion and hopefully I’ll be rich enough one day to buy it! =)
