THIS STUNNING COUNTRYSIDE RETREAT IN RUMSON IS A MASTERSTROKE IN THOUGHTFUL DETAILS, TUCKING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS BEHIND A TAPESTRY OF GLASS, WOOD, AND STONE

BY AMANDA McCOY PHOTOS BY DON PEARSE PHOTOGRAPHERS INC.

An old adage professes, “A house is built with hands; a home is built with heart.” A contemporary farmhouse-style family hideaway in Rumson echoes that philosophy, born from its owners’ vision of a vibrant gathering hub for everything from holiday dinners and milestone celebrations to movie marathons and lively game nights. The regal two-story stone exterior, shaded by leafy plants and old-growth trees, reveals a treasure chest of modern amenities behind its double glass front doors, from disappearing TV and gaming systems to a sumptuous basement spa encased in smart-tinted glass.

Dan Tapolow, principal of Infinite AV Solutions in Little Silver, understood the great amount of thought and intention that would go into a space designed specifically for making memories. Through his boutique electronics design and integration firm, Tapolow had worked with the homeowners on several projects in the past, establishing a strong baseline of trust. In 2020, he met with his clients to flesh out their latest concept. They had big ambitions, and Tapolow jumped at the challenge.

“It’s not a gigantic house in overall size, but so much thought went into every square inch of the property,” noted Tapolow, who oversaw all electronics and lighting systems for the project. “We’re not a one-size-fits-all tech company. We are extremely open about being advocates for our clients to figure out which solutions work best for them.”

Tapolow and his team were faced with an invigorating task: how to seamlessly blend tech systems into the space without sacrificing functionality. “The idea for the space was to be a relaxing family retreat warm and inviting. So even though it’s loaded with tech, you don’t immediately see any of it.”

Upon entry into the home, denizens are greeted by a grand double-height foyer, anchored by a floating stairwell in front of a beautifully intricate stonework wall. Past the foyer, a sun-drenched living room features 25-foot ceilings accented with wooden barn beams. Here, motorized window shades by Lutron are controlled via a smart home app, yet there are no brackets, fascia, or headboxes visible to the eye. The shades are tucked into the barn beams themselves, and deploy through custom slits in the sides of the beams.

“I’ve been in the industry for decades, and the integration of the shades into the structural beams was a unique challenge,” noted Tapolow. “Every detail was spoken about extensively over the course of several meetings, from the size of the pocket to the placement of HVAC vents on the floor. We split the shades up in such a way so the clients could raise a portion of them to open a door while not raising an entire shade.”

The owners did indeed want a TV in the space, but a large black display screen would clash against the stonework fireplace when not in use. To find a solution, Tapolow and his clients got creative. “We were trying to figure out how to have a nicely sized TV without it being an eyesore. One of the homeowners painted a piece to the exact measurements of the TV to hide the screen.”

A single app is used to control all automated functions, from the sprinklers and fireplaces to the thermostats and lights. “We oversaw the entire lighting design,” noted Tapolow. “Every product in the house is Lutron, which is the gold standard of lighting, and rather than banks of wall switches, we used elegant machined keypads. The owners can select different lighting scenes based on their mood or time of day. The lights can dim down to one-tenth of 1%, mimicking old incandescent lights. In my experience, I’ve found that lighting doesn’t always get the attention it deserves in home builds, but we take it very seriously. It sets the tone for the entire space.”

Rounding out the first floor is a large country-style kitchen with exposed beams on the ceiling, custom royal blue cabinetry, and a sprawling center island with seating for eight – the perfect perch for leisurely breakfasts or casual bites. Meals are also served atop a 20-person table in the great room, which Tapolow described as “one of the largest and grandest dining tables I’ve ever seen.”

An open-concept loft area and bedroom reside on the second level, while the basement features a contemporary wine room with a built-in dining table, game and recreation suite with arcade machines and a poker table, and a wellness spa. Featuring side-by-side stone showers, a glass-fronted dry sauna, glossy ivory-hued floors, and a custom slab vanity, the spa rivals the finish of a luxury five-star resort. It also provided another novel challenge for Tapolow and his team

“For privacy, we wanted to implement smart glass that could transition from clear to frosted at the touch of a button,” noted Tapolow. “But it was tricky because of the heat from the sauna, and as we got into the design, we realized we would need to go farther than placing a smart window film on the glass. We contacted a glass manufacturer and had the film placed directly in-between two sheets of glass.”

It’s these small but significant details that made this project particularly meaningful for Tapolow. It takes great collaboration between multiple firms to build a custom home Infinite AV worked closely with Period Architecture, C. Raymond Davis & Sons, Ursino Interiors, and Hess Landscape Architects to bring the clients’ vision to life and Tapolow noted he was lucky to work with clients that placed a tremendous amount of trust in him. (As a testament to Tapolow’s work, the home even earned praise as a finalist nominee in the Lutron Excellence Awards.)

“I’ve been in this business a long time, and I love when clients are truly interested in what we are doing,” noted the two-decade industry veteran. “They saw how much thought and care went into each and every detail. It was so rewarding to get to experience how amazed they were with how everything turned out.”

Infinite AV Solutions

732.924.5900 / i-av.com