Twin Maples Show House’s Carriage House, Green at its Best

In previous articles, I have filled you on the green building elements added to Twin Maples Centennial Show House in Summit, New Jersey to make it more energy efficient as well as the green glam in the Main House. My last installment deals with the green jewel, the Carriage House pictured above. The Carriage House is decked out in green design from its head to its toes.

The bottom floor contained vintage and antiques boutiques with one of a kind finds from Bonny Kielty Neiman Antiques and Interiors (see picture above) and The Muddy Boot, among others.

In addition, Beautylounge features its jewelry, which is made out of reconstituted metals.

(Photo by Marisa Pellegrini)

The tack room created by Enchantment Lives and Paints Plus features recycled leather tiles, recycled glass mosaic with embedded horse shoes, textured grass cloth wallpaper, and a bamboo ceiling. The outside the hallway leading to the second floor contains both recycled wood and eco-friendly printed wallpaper as well as conveyor belts as molding. The staircase contains flooring made of conveyor belts as well, reclaimed from a food processing plant.

The walls of the staircase were painted by Dionizio’s Painting, Inc with eco-friendly Christopher Peacock low VOC paint, and then glazed. The staircase is framed with beautiful bird engravings, lithographs, and period photograph, which birds are either extinct, endangered, or threatened. The bird theme was picked by Danielle Ann Millican, Inc in keeping with the ecology of the American countryside and its inhabitants.All frames are made out of recycled, reclaimed or reforested woods.

Once you step into the upstairs apartment of the carriage house renovated by Polo Master Builders in conjunction with Hiland Hall Turner Architects, you are transformed into a nautical Zen experience.

Everyone needs a kitchen, but Peter Salerno, Inc. created one that is just right for a captain. It is not only sleek, but eco-friendly as well. The kitchen has no-formaldehyde-added cherry wood cabinets with concrete countertops, farm sink and accent drawer faces by J& M Lifestyles, and high efficiency appliances. Across from the concrete center island is a built-in aquarium adding to the nautical feel of the apartment.

NICHE’s soothing green Captain’s Study incorporates eco-friendly sofa and chairs, inlaid sea grass and straw carpeting tiles with a reclaimed wood floor bordering the carpet tiles. The walls are draped with hemp tied down with hemp rope. In the center of the room is with a shimmering glass fixture with recycled bicycle chains to boot. The glass prisms remind me of dangling pieces of ice.

The flooring, donated by Shehadi Flooring of Chatham, was sealed with Bona’s water based Naturale sealer. This Bona product does not add any sheen to the floor. It only protects the floor, and let’s the wood stand out on its own complimenting the earthly tone to the space. A dramatic deep blue Christopher Peacock’s low VOC paint adorns one of the walls giving the space a punch of color.

Adjacent to the kitchen is the bathroom by Joan Picone. It is the epitome of sustainability with its bamboo flooring and cabinetry, recycled blue based granite and glass tile, dual flushing Toto toilet, and automatic sensored sink facet by Hans Grohe. Bamboo towels and bathrobe are hung from the wall towel warmer, which functions also as the radiator for the space.

Photo by John Martinelli

The bedroom by Iron Gate Interiors is an eclectic mix of vintage and modern pieces. Cork adorns the ceiling and some of the walls. Other walls are draped in green hemp. The bed is upholstered in bamboo chenille with Coyuchi organic bedding

Green hemp drapes outline the closet area which dormer wall contains a goat willow mural. Underneath the mural is a California Closet eco-friendly built-in and closet system. The room contains an old Indonesian dresser and old door as a writing table in keeping with the Zen feeling of the Carriage House apartment.

For more information as to where tickets can be purchased, time of operation of Show House, directions, and other special events scheduled through the month, please check the Twin Maples’ Centennial website. This is one show house that should not be missed.

Twin Maples’ green face lift is sure to be admired by both green enthusiasts as well as those who adore fresh, great design. Each one of the designers created livable and colorful spaces, many working within the confines of smaller rooms, nooks and crannies of an older home. Twin Maples at 100 years old is the home of the future: sustainable, energy efficient with great design. Like a good wine, Twin Maples gets better and better with time.