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Italian Delights in an English Cottage

The word “cottage” usually conjures up images of small, cozy dwellings. This house begs to differ. Today, I am touring an English cottage by design, and at 3,375 square feet, small is not in this home’s vocabulary.
I had no idea what a treat I was in for, but Realtor Patricia Tompkins of Weichert Realtors in Monroe did. She insisted the owners, Colin and Julie Poccia, be present for my visit so I could hear all their stories. Colin is a contractor and several years ago, was asked to build a house in Pine Bush for his cousin. While building it, he bought the adjacent 2.8-acre lot — a peaceful country setting with beautiful views of the Shawangunk Ridge. Julie designed her dream house, and now, I’m standing in it.
The living room has cottage charm, as double French Doors lead onto a 14-by-14 foot porch. We open the doors on this 60-degree day and the fresh air is invigorating. If the weather had been cold, though, I’m sure Colin would have had a fire going in the marble-encased fireplace, fitted with a high-efficiency Heatilator. And so I begin to learn of Colin’s specialty: heating and cooling. I will later hear of radiant heat in floors, kickspace heaters under cabinets and a fully heated basement. Colin boasts that this house is designated as an Energy Star home.
From the living room I am drawn in to the kitchen's spectacular beauty. Colin opens a corner door of the Mandarin cherry cabinets. “Look!” he says proudly. “Independently spinning shelves. You don’t see this often.” But I'm distracted by the distinctive sink. “Tell her the whole story!” Patricia says smiling. I enjoy hearing how Colin struggled with the heavy Zucchetti faucet on the plane from Italy. This is the most unique fixture I have ever seen, as it is attached to the wall, not the counter or sink. “That’s how it’s done in Italy,” I learn. Another feature, an “insta-hot” spigot, can give you an immediate cup of English Breakfast tea to go with your biscotti.
The Italian flavor dominates the decor. Colin’s cousin owns a marble mountain in Italy. “One day while we were building, these showed up on the doorstep.” Colin is referring to the unpolished tumbled-marble tiles used for the backsplash. But I think the floor tiles are the real treasure. I have never seen a more gorgeous floor. The 16-inch square tiles have etched and painted corners, and they are absolutely exquisite.
Speaking of floors, the golden oak hardwood throughout much of the house has a special feature in the dining room. It’s laid on the diagonal, and inlaid with a double mahogany border.
Extra wide oak stairs lead to the second story, complete with four bedrooms and two full baths. The Poccias used the largest bedroom for a master suite, but I see the 25-foot-long room having potential for a kid’s get-away area or an entertainment/game room as well.
The real master bedroom is on the first floor, and I have saved the best for last. A true retreat, this room, like the living room, has double French doors, with access to the porch. The ceiling is especially unique — a tray ceiling with ambience lighting built in. A huge walk-in closet brilliantly connects to the master bath. Again, the details impress me. There are dual heads in the oversize shower, and a heated whirlpool Jacuzzi with the same Italian tumbled-marble tiles as the kitchen.
So much to tell, so little space: the lights come on magically when you open the closet doors. There are built-in bookcases in the bedrooms. The antique closet sink in the upstairs bath is lovely, and I can’t omit the functional mudroom with laundry area and half-bath between the garage and kitchen. Oh, there's a stacking washer/dryer on the second floor. The Bahamas-inspired fan on the ceiling of the porch ... the central vacuum system ... the bay window in the eat-in area of the kitchen ...
I think Colin and Julie must be crazy to sell this house. They are ... so crazy about their grandchildren in New Jersey that they have to move closer. Colin is proud of his handiwork. “I have gold here,” he says. I must agree.
You can start prospecting now for this gold by viewing the house on the Weichert Realtors Web site at www.weichert.com. In the quick- search box enter 401268. To get a first-hand look, join Patricia at today’s open house from 1 - 5 p.m. Call her at 845-782-4646, ext 256, or 914-589-8792. E-mail her at Ptompkins@weichert.com.
—Tammy Porter is a freelance writer who lives in Neversink.