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PREMIER ISSUE
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ISLAND OASIS: One Man’s Dream Home CHAMPION MOTORS: The only way to buy a Lamborghini TREASURE HUNT: Uncovering the Perfect Home Accessories
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718-317-0400
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EDITOR’S NOTE S H E L T E R MAGAZINE was
Publisher Herman Herrera
created to inspire our readers to the
Editorial Director Kristen Gugliara
beauty and culture of high-end living
Editorial Staff
on Staten Island.
Sian Ballen Market Editor
Our goal is to enlighten our readers with first-class editorials and vivid imagery of extravagant estates, architecture,
Lesley Hauge Freelance Writer Nancy Ruhling Freelance Writer
interior design, local events, and high-end luxury products and services in a way that is
Marion Lachoff Freelance Writer
vibrant, fun, and informative. We will endeavor to tempt you with features on luxury living and
Photography Brennan Cavanaugh
to give you the opportunity to learn something new about Staten Island each issue. Staten
Michael Guglielmo Contributing Photographer
Island is a unique component of the greatest city in the world and our intention is to showcase the luxurious lifestyle that exists here. We welcome you to Shelter magazine. We hope that by embracing Shelter you will learn more about this amazing island and the luxurious lifestyle it has to offer.
Design, Production and Distribution Matthew Harrigan Tenchi Custom Publishing (917) 373 - 5253 For Advertising Information contact Kristen at: (718) 317 - 0448
Sincerely, Herman Herrera Publisher
Shelter Magazine is published by
ShelterLuxuryLiving.com
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Island Oasis one man’s dream house designed for all to enjoy
By Nancy A. Ruhling Photography by Brennan Cavanaugh
A
t the end of a private street in Staten Island so discreet that only the owners know it is there, a contemporary castle soars boldly to the sky.
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A four-poster, king-size canopy bed is the focal point of the master bedroom. Inset: balcony overlooking pool.
The three-level, 12,700-square-foot mansion, a mini-White House with Tara touches, was designed to make a big statement from the top of its 35-foot-high entrance foyer to the tip of the downhill drive that leads to its partially subterranean three-car garage. Its heart, however, is even larger than its palatial proportions. “It’s an enormous house that makes you feel cozy whether you’re alone or with a group of people,” says owner Nick Ciarcia, who is with Ozone Park-based Five Star Electric Corp. “It offers the ultimate in comfort, and it’s a very livable house.” Ciarcia, who designed the monumental manor and who acted as general contractor for the project, was inspired by other houses he had owned. “I made a Styrofoam model of exactly what I wanted and then hired an architect,” he says. “It has clean lines, and it is virtually maintenance-free.”
“It’s an enormous house that makes you feel cozy whether you’re alone or with a group of people...”
He sited the house in a secluded spot. “It’s surrounded by salt water and fresh water and designated open space,” he says. “There’s only one other house on the block. The house itself has a wide, open feeling. You can stand at one point and see many rooms at once and see all the water outside without someone viewing you. Yet you have total privacy.” This base of this special two-wing retreat – it’s really like an oasis without a desert – is clad in 8-inch-thick unpolished tricolor marble blocks imported from Vermont whose white, black and pink veins complement the structure’s upper-level stucco elements. “It’s a very special marble,” he says. “We cut the blocks from 40-ton stones.” Completed in 2005, the house, where Ciarcia raised his son, Robert, is on the market for $3.2 million. “We always have had lots of people in the house,”
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he says. “A large family would enjoy it tremendously, and there’s plenty of room to add more bedrooms.”
“I love to hold Texas hold’em tournaments,” . . . I once set up 40 tables and hosted 155 players and their families.”
The lower level, a full-service, independent entertainment center, features a gym, sauna, full bath, bedrooms, kitchen, pool table, video room and laundry room. This is where all the big events in the Ciarcia household are celebrated. “I love to hold Texas hold’em tournaments,” Ciarcia says, “and the space is ideal for this. I once set up 40 tables and hosted 155 players and their families.” The main level, which is framed by a 33-foot-high Palladian-style window inset with art glass ribbons that wind their way through the glass panels of the four front doors that measure 34 feet by16 feet, includes the 24-foot by 27-foot living room, the 33-foot by 24-foot den, the 24-foot by 16-foot library, the 24-foot by 17-foot movie theater, the 22-foot by 34-foot kitchen with two islands and the 24-foot by 33-foot dining room that has a custom table that seats 16. Upstairs, one wing is devoted to the 26-foot by 44-foot master bedroom, which includes separate his and hers baths that feature cathedral ceilings and electric-powered skylights. A circular glass-encased Jacuzzi room links the baths and a pair of 8-foot by 7-foot walk-in closets. The other wing contains three bedrooms, two baths and a laundry room. The solid-oak floors throughout the house have radiant heating, and the In the movie theatre, a 70-inch viewing screen dominates the oak cabinetry. The chairs are super comfortable – they recline for better viewing. Lights inlaid in the ceiling and floor enhance the cinematic feel.
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The three-level mansion of marble and stucco is in a contemporary castle style.
ceiling is illuminated by 310 high hats. Seven central air conditioning units keep things cool in the 85 heating-cooling zones, state-of-the-art systems control everything from the level of illumination to the security system, and a 68-speaker stereo system fills the house with the sound of music. “My favorite room is the movie theater,” Ciarcia says. “It has reclining chairs and Surround Sound, and I can go in there and close the door and forget about everything. And I do.” The outdoor spaces are as inviting and relaxing as the indoor ones, and they were designed to merge with the landscape. The focal points of the 60-foot by 60-foot patio, which is made of stamped colored concrete and marble blocks, are the 20-foot by 40-foot swimming pool and the 8-foot by 8-foot Jacuzzi, whose water flows into the pool and changes colors like a rainbow. “The pool was sited to catch the sunrises and sunsets,” Ciarcia says. “And every bedroom has a balcony that The dining room features a custom table that seats 16. overlooks it.” Ciarcia hopes the new owners – whoever they may be – will love the house as much as he does. It’s my dream house, and it’s designed to be everyone’s dream house,” he says. “I really hate to let go of it, but with my son in college, it’s time to move on. Somebody’s going to be very happy in it just as I was.” S
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Ankasa's round ottoman is so versatile it would look equally good in French chateau or a beachside cottage. Hand embroidered in a brown and white zebra pattern on cotton duck, it's available at Ankasa's new store at 135 East 65th street or www.ankasa.com
TREASURE HUNT by Sian Ballen
Get Ready, Get Set, Go . . . . . . and uncover these fabulous finds that will bring a fresh new look to your home.
Add a touch of British Royalty to your home with the elegant Lord Lindsey Spoonback Chair from Robert Lighton. Handmade and hand finished out of mahogany, with brass wheels on the bottom, the chair's versatility works perfectly in a variety of design settings. Available from Robert Lighton at 150 east 58th Street or www.britishkhaki.com.
Leave it to none other than Giorgio Armani to design this eye-catching and sophisticated screen. Designed with three doors in a geometric openwork pattern and covered with gold leaf, the Tutor screen is available from Armani Casa, at 97 Greene Street, or www.armanicasa.com.
Grab onto this unique Sculpted Arm lamp by Gray Morrell Designs and you'll never want to let it go. Made locally by California artisans out of gilded wood, it's available through Niermann Weeks at www.niermannweeks.com.
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So sophisticated is the new Monmatre Mirror Table that you'd think it came straight out of a Claudette Colbert, Hollywood film. Made out of white lacquer finished wood, with brass rings and a mirror top, the table measures 29.25”H by 30.25” D and is available through www.vaughandesigns.com.
Kelly Wearstler's new collection of rugs is like nothing out there. Zephyr looks new and vintage at the same time, with drips of colors flowing across the hand-knotted Tibetan wool. Available in a variety custom colors and sizes from The Rug Company 88 Wooster Street or www.therugcompany.info
Make a grand statement with this stunning sixteen-arm Cloud Chandelier by Venini. Made from a 1920s design, out of mouth blown crystal in amethyst, this extraordinary fixture is available through Moss at 150 Green Street or www.mossonline.com.
This Morrocan style table will perk up any room. Made out of out hammered metal, with a glass top, its star-shaped base can be custom colored to any Benjamin Moore paint.The table measures 31.5” D by 18” H and costs $1,625. Through www.casamidy.com.
You'll know it's a good omen when you hang this ethereal Ashanti Mirror in your home. Made out of dark cherry wood and gold leaf and measuring 48” round, this stunning piece is available from Niermann Weeks at www.niermannweeks.com.
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THE THRILL OF THE
PURCHASE By Nancy A. Ruhling
A
t Champion Motor Group, it’s all about the experience of purchasing a new or pre-owned luxury automobile. That’s why the cars – new Bentleys and Lamborghinis, a select selection of exotic antique classic Bentley and Rolls-Royce motor cars; restored muscle cars; and pre-owned Porsches, BMWs and Ferraris – are displayed like works of art in a chic Manhattan gallery. And that’s why the new 67,000-square-foot showroom in Jericho, Long Island includes an 11,000-square-foot boutique that features a movie theater that screens car-related promotional films, a putting green, a play area, an espresso bar and a computer/business section.
“We are more than a dealership,” says Michael Todd, co-owner of Champion, the largest Bentley dealer in the world and one of the top five Lamborghini dealers in the country. “We are a destination. Because time is so important, we know how important it is to get the undivided attention of potential buyers. People come with their spouses, their friends and their family and they are distracted, so we have provided distractions for their distractions.”
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Adds co-owner Gary Brustein, “We are the most advanced and the most innovative dealer in the country.”
“We want to make things as easy as possible for people who are enamored of these cars.”
Champion Motor Group fosters the camaraderie of its car buffs with a couple dozen invitation-only special events that range from weekend rallies in the Hamptons to golf outings that raise money for charities. Recently, Todd and Brustein hosted a Lamborghini test drive at Republic Airport in East Farmingdale, where Champion’s family of drivers started their engines on a runway that was surrounded by displays of private jets. “The whole idea is to meet and greet our customers and make them happy,” Todd says, adding that Garage Wear, the showroom’s clothing and accessories emporium that sells everything from Bentley Breitling watches to model cars, was popular right out of the box. “We want to make things as easy as possible for people who are enamored of these cars.” Champion Motor Group, which was founded by Todd and Brustein two decades ago, is Long Island’s only Bentley and Lamborghini dealership, and if Todd and Brustein have their way, it will always be the go-to place to purchase. If future plans are any indication, Champion Motor Group is going full-speed on the fast track. A large outdoor space, where Brustein and Todd plan to host barbeques for clients and friends, is in the works, and there are other exciting innovations in the pipeline. “We have big plans for the future,” Todd says. S
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TODT HILL NEW CONTRUCTION 7,000 sqft mansions with ocean views, gourmet kitchens, elevators, inground pools. Different models to choose from. $1,699,999
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EXQUISITE ALL BRICK 8,500sf mansion on 22,000 sf manicured grounds nestled on private street, unrivaled 2 story entry, radiant heat,banquet sized formal dining room,gourmet kitchen, family room with fireplace, incomparable mastr suite + 3 additional suites, private library/spiral stair to loft. Theater, aquarium, maids quarters, 3 car garage, every amenity. $3,599,999
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718-317-0400 622 Main Street, Staten Island, NY 10307
www.Mecca-Properties.com Herman Herrera • Broker/Owner
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Lamborghini Long Island
Lamborghini Long Island Authorized Dealer 115 South Service Road Jericho, NY 1 1753 Phone 888-858-2602 www.championmotorgroup.com
CONTINENTAL GT. HOLD THE BALANCE OF POWER. 552 hp. All-wheel drive. Impeccable balance. Take control at Bentley Long Island. BENTLEY LONG ISLAND 115 South Service Road, Jericho, NY 11753 For information call 888 858 2602 www.championmotorgroup.com ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B in wings’ device are registered trademarks. © 2006 Bentley Motors, Inc.
BENTLEY LONG ISLAND