With its serene ocean and river views and expansive design, this Sea Bright home is at once peaceful, elegant, and discreet

by Jessica Jones-Gorman

When Daniel P. Ranger and Dr. Gregory Greco purchased a stretch of property in Sea Bright peacefully nestled on a jetty of land between the Shrewsbury River and Atlantic Ocean, they commissioned New York City architect Robert Rich to design their dream—a custom built manor.

“We chose Robert because he had a lot of experience with Manhattan townhouses, which tend to have enormous volume inside even though they look small from the outside,” noted Ranger, who helped plan and design the layout of the expansive home, which was finished in 2009. “In Sea Bright, where many of the homes are shoulder to shoulder, we thought he could have the same effect for us. We wanted a discreet exterior with a voluminous interior, and that’s exactly what Robert allowed us to do.”

Greco (a plastic surgeon with offices in Red Bank and Manhattan) and Ranger gave the architect their ideas and requests, around which Rich constructed his designs.

“We presented him with a plan of how we wanted to live on the property,” Ranger said. “We told him where we wanted to sit in the evening, where we wanted to play the piano, and where we wanted the master bedroom to be.”

Once the design was completed, a small house that stood on the property needed to be demolished. Construction then began on the 7,000-square-foot estate, which was completed after about four years.

“It was an arduous process from start to finish because we wanted the property to be perfect,” Ranger said. “The construction was complex because of pilings and foundation, of which we took extra care, because we were aware of how perilous it could be to live between bodies of water. The work paid off, however, as we were completely untouched by Hurricane Sandy.”

Ranger designed the interior himself, choosing everything from the artwork and color scheme to the candles and matchbooks.

“Greg is a busy, hardworking guy, so I wanted to give him a place to come home that was nothing but serenity,” said Ranger, who selected a minimal color scheme that would serve as a fitting backdrop for the couple’s many pieces of art. The upstairs, for example, is done completely in black and white.

“We kept it discreet…elegant,” Ranger said. “I think that makes for a very peaceful way to live.”

The main house has a 50-foot entrance hall and includes a master suite, guest rooms, and smaller dressing rooms. Living and dining rooms boast 12-foot ceilings and offer splendid views. There’s also a gourmet kitchen and an upstairs library. Bespoke plaster moldings, custom oak floors, and wood-burning fireplaces add special touches throughout. In all, there are five bedrooms and seven baths.

As a thoughtful extra, a separate carriage house offers a two-car garage, oceanfront suite, a kitchenette, and laundry and bath facilities.

“The kitchen is modeled after my grandmother’s in Boston, which had these beautiful subway tiles and dark grout,” Ranger said. “It’s separated by a butler’s pantry and cannot be seen from any open door, because I believe that when you entertain formally, the last thing your guests should see are the dirty dishes.”

And because the pair entertains regularly, a large dining room was paramount.

“We have a table that seats 14, which has proven to be very comfortable and accommodating for u,” Ranger said. “We host a couple of parties each year for different organizations, so it was very important for us to have that space.”

A waterfront living room features views of both the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers, but almost every room in the home offers a glimpse of nature.

“One of the most wonderful things about living in this area is all of the beauty that surrounds it,” Ranger said. “And this property takes full advantage. There are ocean and river views everywhere you turn.”

And the home’s minimal interior helps accentuate that enviable array of views.

“When someone does a lovely job designing all of your details, as Robert did with ours, I don’t think it’s necessary to add a lot of action that could distract from all of the beautiful lines,” Ranger said. “I believe our home is special because of all of the simplicity and beauty that can be found within.”

Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate
110 Avenue of Two Rivers, Rumson, NJ 07760
Office: (732)-530-2800 / Fax: (732)-758-9507