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Fit for a King - The Klings
08/25/2009 - By Michael Berman
Photoraphy by Al Kruper
The Castle-Inspired Kling Estate
...a True Work of Art!
John Kling, a native of Staten Island, discovered his flair for building early in life. His experience building homes and working with the various tradesmen necessary to excel in the custom construction industry taught him many important lessons that have continued to serve him well as owner of John Kling Custom Homes and Renovations.
John and his lovely wife Elan moved from Staten Island to Colts Neck in 2005. John and Elan have similar taste and wanted to build a dream home for their two beautiful children: Tristen, 10, and Kayla, 5. John glows at the mere mention of his children’s names, and he had a strong desire to build a dream house for his family to enjoy, as well as a place that would showcase his attention to detail and exhibit his love of classic architecture. John finds inspiration in the sword and sorcery style of gothic castles and spiraling stone turrets that can be found throughout England and France. The homes he builds are dramatic, and feature natural materials and quality construction throughout.
John’s own home features many of his signature touches, and he takes pride in his work, whether he is entertaining friends and family or giving future clients a personal tour of his family home. John defines his design inspiration as a French Manor Castle. The Kling home sits on 8 acres of property and totals 13,000 square feet. This spacious estate features seven bedrooms and 11 baths. The house took only 11 months to build, and John credits his organizational skills and his talented construction team for making an 11-month construction schedule viable.
Colts Neck has been a pleasure of a town to live in, according to the Klings; the family is thrilled to call such a warm, friendly town home. John and his family believe in giving back and recently hosted a Board of Education fundraiser at their home; they have also sponsored the fireworks display at the Colts Neck Fair. John believes work is important but he never loses sight of his family as the ultimate “work in progress.”
The Klings’ home features a Florida-style pool with Jacuzzi and natural landscaping that includes specimen trees, a waterfall, and natural stone. The stucco exterior and chimney’s stonework accents give this home much of its “old world” charm.The Klings’ prized Rhodesian Ridgeback Genius thoroughly enjoys a run around the pool area on a warm summer’s day. The spacious outdoor cabana is the perfect place to enjoy a cold drink or sit back and enjoy a movie on the widescreen TV. On a warm summer night John, in particular, likes to enjoy a quiet moment, relax, and enjoy a cool drink in this getaway space after a full day of work. The large patio is made from travertine marble, which is also used inside this grand home. The horse motif weathervane atop the roof was chosen by Elan and seems right at home in the horse country setting of Colts Neck.
The grand salon features an amazing amount of detail and architectural elements that combine to create a dramatic and romantic effect. Agostino’s of Red Bank furnished much of the Kling home, and Nevada Exchange of Shrewsbury supplied many of the hand-made oriental rugs featured throughout. The ornate carpets, upholstered furnishings, and hand-painted murals soften the overall presentation and make the formal setting a most comfortable place to spend an afternoon. The family’s beloved miniature poodle, Sandy, seems right at home as queen of this castle!
The Klings’ kitchen is a grand workspace for Elan to make Latin-inspired meals, or for John to put together one of his culinary masterpieces for friends and family.The antique-white center island is the centerpiece of the kitchen. The counters feature a quadruple OGedge granite slab with butcher block cutting and prep area built in. The beamed ceilings and Tudor-inspired light fixtures harken back to a much earlier time of chivalry and knights. The stone turret and spiral staircase are favorite places for the children to get lost in their own worlds of imagination. The wine cellar keeps John’s fine wine collection at just the right temperature and humidity. When full, the cellar can accommodate up to 1,500 bottles.
The gentleman’s parlor is a perfect example of creating a classically inspired space using modern materials. Maple and poplar paneling and custom moulding details combine with an antique-stained finish, accented with gilding, to bring out the carved details rarely found in today’s architecture. The double mantel and Palladian-style windows, along with the antique-finished chandelier with crystal prism drops add light and sparkle, continuing the romantic theme of this memorable space.
The formal dining room, furnished by Agostino’s of Red Bank, continues the classic design theme. Coffered ceilings, fluted columns, and a grand crystal chandelier blend seamlessly with the Chippendale-style dining room set and colorful Oriental rug provided by the Nevada Exchange.
The Kling family considers comfort as important as classic design, and with two growing children even the most formal of settings needs to be family-friendly.The plush leather and upholstered sectional and circular, tufted ottoman allow for a kick back and relax moment for the family to catch up on the day’s adventures. The unique salmon color used on the walls contrasts off the antique white of the circular ceiling mouldings, as well as the box moulding treatment found throughout the room.
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