° The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, November 4, 1998 7 House for Sale Contemporary has surprise in the hasement By MEIRA ZUCKER . Post Correspondent DALLAS - Saul and Shirley Troy loved the water. Every day, they swam laps, both for exercise and relaxation. They awoke at 5 a.m., drove from their home in Kingston to Wilkes-Barre, and did laps in the pool at the Jewish Commu- nity Center. Some days, they re- turned after work for even more laps. Therrone summer day, in 1972, there was too much water. The Susquehanna flowed up and out and destroyed their Kingston home. That's when they decided to build a new home in Glendalough in Dallas. The contemporary house is now nestled under a canopy of mature maples and oaks. Lush rhodo- dendrons surround the house, and fallen leaves cushion the driveway. But push open the purple front door and a warm rustic interior awaits. The house is of post and beam construction, based on a design from American Barn Company. Natural woods abound; the ex- posed beams are unfinished, as is the door and window trim. Ham- mer-head nails on all of the trim continue the rustic theme. “We wanted to live on one floor,” said Saul Troy, so they designed the house with a first-floor master bedroom and bath. They loved to entertain, so they opened up the living room and dining room and created a great room with tower- ing beams and a two-story ceiling. In 1990, when they were ready for a smaller house, the Troys sold their barn in the woods, and it is now owned by Maryellen Giannuzzi, an interior decorator. “It has a wonderful feeling,” says Giannuzzi. “They put alot of them- selves into it when they built it.” Unique treats set the home apart from the standard subur- ban home. Small round muted tiles lead from the foyer to the the foyer. A unique clock face chandalier lights A carved loveseat swing hangs in the two-story-high living room that also features a floor-to-celing fireplace and bookcases. : kitchen. The kitchen features cabi- nets sponge painted and glazed a light maroon by Giannuzzi. A door leads to a wood deck from the kitchen, and diners can see through the trees all the way to Hildebrandt Road. The outside deck connects to a cozy screened porch, which also connects to the large multi-purpose living room. oak, and walnut — are used in its many levels. The second floor design allows flexibility. Folding doors open and close off rooms as needed, creat- ‘ing bedrooms or sitting rooms or open party areas. Wallsdon’t reach the ceiling, and triangular win- dows highlight the house's angles. “You have a lot of options here,” notes Giannuzzi. “It’s a great party house,” says Giannuzzi. Both she and the Troys have done a lot of entertaining there. The wide-planked pine floor upstairs easily transforms into a dance floor, and a DJ there can overlook the entire first floor liv- ing area. The open first floor plan permits plenty of room for guests. “It's like being in a tree house,” says Giannuzzi. ; The two-story-high living room features a floor-to-ceiling brick* fireplace that warms the room. A long slab of walnut creates a stun- ning mantel over the fireplace. A one-of-a-kind carved loveseat swing hangs from a ceiling beam. It was made by an artist from New York State, and won a design award. “That swing was the talk of the valley,” laughs Saul Troy. “People used to sit in it to soothe their nerves.” High wooden bookshelves separate the living room TAR from the open stairway in the foyer. The deep shelves accommodate books, a ste- reo system, and decorative pottery on both the living room and the stairway sides. “I designed the bookcase myself,” said Troy. Three kinds of wood — mahogany, Hildebrand Rd. Just the facts grounds, mostly wooded. 7 Raintree Rd. has three bedrooms, one of them 24’ by 12’, three baths and a 35’ by 16’ living/dining area. There's a two- car attached garage, a drilled well and an on-site septic system. Heat and air conditioning are electric, and taxes are $3,685 a year. The price of $249,900 includes 2.8 acres of The listing is held by Nancy Eckert at Lewith & Freeman Real Estate. She can be reached at 696-3801. 7 Raintree Rd. sits high on 2.8 acres. The view reaches across Let It Snow! Now, when you open a Luzerne National Bank Christ- mas Club, you can measure the snowfall in your own backyard. New Christmas Club Accounts of $10 a week or more receive this charming country snowman. He’s a hand-painted wooden snow gauge that will brighten your winter days. Come to any Luzerne National location and open your Christmans Club Account today. Then, place your snowman gauge in a favorite place in your yard, and let it snow! ¢ Luzerne °¢ Swoyersville e Dallas ¢ Plains Twp. LUZERNE NPS He) NV VB =V:ANT Member FDIC It's not too late! UGI Utilities, Inc.—Electric Division will provide free home winterizing to their qualified customers. Based on a UGI home inspection, weatherization services could include adding insulation, fixing drafty doors and/or windows, replacing an appliance with an energy-efficient model, and more. To participate, you must be a UGI residential customer (homeowner OR renter) and meet eligibility requirements Call UGI today for more information at (717) 830-1210, (717) 830-1228, or toll-free 1-800-962-1212. or dirt. Speakers linked to the The house’s biggest surprise is revealed when the door to the laundry room is opened. A narrow spiral staircase winds down to the basement, which opens to the outside via three huge sliding glass doors. Look across the room to see a floor-to-ceiling greenhouse mural. Look down to see a kidney- shaped swimming pool! “It’s very easy to care for,” says Giannuzzi, as she notes the dif- ferences between an indoor and an outdoor pool: no leaves, bugs, ter, he said, because it adds the right amount of humidity to the dry winter air. “I had an old Pittston coal stove by the pool,” mentions Troy. “I used to bake muffins on it, and give the ashes to my friends growing tomatoes.” Neighbor Judy Rosing has fond memories of the unique house at 7 Raintree Road. “My children loved the swing,” she says. “Our kids went in the pool and loved it.” The house has had only two own- ers, the Troys and Giannuzzi and her former husband. Now it's Maryellen Giannuzzi in this large home, and she has’ made the decision to move on, | just as the Troys did. : Some good things never change. Saul and Shirley Troy still swim everyday. upstairs sound system are in the basement pool area, as is another full bath and a dressing room. The sliding glass doors face south, allowing the maximum amount of sunlight and heat. In the winter, swimmers can watch the snow falling; in the summer, the doors can be opened wide. “We excavated the pool so we'd have the minimum amount of humidity,” said Saul Troy. The pool helps the house in the win- . Editor's Note: We're always on the lookout for houses to feature. Give us a call at 675-5211, or tell your realtor to tip us off to your House for Sale. Surprise! Swimmers in the kidney-shaped pool in the basement look out a set of three glass doors. Maryellen Giannuzzi sponge painted and glazed the kitchen cabinets. The house's post-and-beam construction is evident in the kitchen. ELECTRIC SERVICE UGI provides this service through the Low Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP), which is administered by the Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO). *To qualify, you must meet certain income guidelines and must have lived at your current address for at least one year.
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