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Faircourt Mansion

Bernardsville, New Jersey

Constructed in 1897 and reconfigured in 1916, Faircourt Mansion contained the staple features of a gilded-age classic: extravagant woodwork, vast sweeping ceilings and versatile use of marble. In 2015 architect Annabelle Selldorf was tasked with updating the property to reflect modern tastes. The result is a blend of old-world heritage and functional modernism, with Selldorf creating a contemporary wing out of former service quarters, along with a new kitchen, glass showers and retractable glass wall that helps to frame the view from the two-storey family room. The grand period details, however, remain: elaborate plasterwork, panelling and wallpapers have been meticulously restored, as have statement spaces such as the entrance hall and dining room. 

Unique location 
Faircourt is located in Bernardsville, a New Jersey borough with a charming small-town feel and ample green space. Schiff Nature Preserve, which features 311 hectares of dense woodland and winding hiking trails, is just a few kilometres away. But links to New York are solid, with train routes taking you from the tranquillity of the town into the bustle of Manhattan in about 90 minutes. 

Lighter touch
An appreciation of natural light is one of the key elements of a healthy home. As part of her reimagining of the property, Selldorf set to work ensuring that Faircourt contained the correct elements to properly achieve this. She carefully widened a selection of openings while adding glass doors to improve light’s ability to travel through the residence. The new wing features floor-to-ceiling windows, giving rooms an airy quality and amplifying the view of the house’s pastoral surroundings. All of this comes together to lend Faircourt the quality of an old Tuscan-style villa: a grand, extensive property that never overwhelms. 

Space to host 
A home such as Faircourt is best enjoyed with friends. Luckily it was built – and updated – with this in mind. The time-honoured warmth that pervades its vast rooms harmonises with the newer open-plan structures, meaning that there are a variety of areas in which entertaining can occur – be it champagne on the terrace or a cocktail under Adam-style ceilings in the library. What’s more, the building’s eight bedrooms include a four-room guest suite, guaranteeing that there is more than enough room for people to stay over if festivities carry on into the night. A swimming pool and tennis court help when it comes to clearing heads the following day. 

Rich history 
A property such as this one tends to come steeped in tradition. Previous residents of Faircourt include industrialist Anthony R Kuser, who donated the land that now contains High Point State Park, and writer and philanthropist Brooke Astor. The 1.2 hectares land on which Faircourt sits was landscaped by Charles Olmsted, whose father, Frederick Law, co-designed Central Park. But its reach is not just historical: Annabelle Selldorf counts Brown University, The Frick Collection and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego as clients. 

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