On the Market in the Jersey Highlands: Original Craftsman in Mt. Arlington

Craftsman houses have come back into style of late, but why buy a reproduction when you can have the genuine article? This house designed by Arts and Crafts movement founder Gustav Stickley sits on the shore of Lake Hopatcong at 497 Windemere Ave., Mt. Arlington, N.J. 07856 | Garden State MLS images via Exit Neighborhood Realty

The listing agent for this handsome house on the shore of Lake Hopatcong in New Jersey mistakenly checked the “new construction” box when entering this listing into the local multiple listing service.

They can be forgiven this error, for this 116-year-old Mt. Arlington Craftsman house for sale looks as spiffy as it did when Gustav Stickley built it sometime around 1904.

And as the photo above should indicate, this house is still being updated and improved.

Living room

As it is, it’s impressive, and it has an impressive pedigree. Stickley, a noted furniture designer who took up architecture later in his career, is one of the founders and leading lights of the Arts and Crafts movement, which sought to promote a philosophy of simple design, skilled craftsmanship, and honest use of natural materials around the turn of the 20th century. The magazine Stickley published with Syracuse University professor Irene Sargent, The Craftsman, also lent its name to the house style that remains influential to this day.

Dining room

The Craftsman philosophy pervades every room of this impeccably maintained house. Hardwood paneling, beams, floors and trim impart a simple elegance to every room on the main floor, and wood trim and built-in Stickley-designed furniture can be found in most of the second-floor bedrooms.

Kitchen

The kitchen, while upgraded with new appliances, remains true to the Stickley spirit too.

Bedroom

Huge bay windows looking out on the lake bring the wooded surroundings inside in the living room, dining room and two of the upstairs bedrooms.

Sunroom

Downstairs in the walkout basement, a more recently updated sunroom has lighter-colored wood and even bigger windows to let the lakeshore in.

Backyard and rear elevation

Also in the basement, a fifth bedroom, a full bath and a second kitchen allow you to use the floor as a guest suite. Or you could use it as an in-law or au pair suite.

Boathouse and dock

From the looks of it, the boathouse on the rebuilt dock could serve as a guest cottage too. It also has a kitchen; permits for its renovation have been issued, and the rest of the boathouse, the garage and paths leading to both it and the main house are under construction. Several restaurants and bars directly accessible by boat ring Lake Hopatcong, and you can reach all of them from here.

Approvals have also been received for several other improvements, including raising its roof, expanding its top floor, and adding an indoor pool and a handicap-accessible elevator.

Popular as a resort in the early decades of the 20th century, Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey’s largest freshwater body, is now a year-round residential area, but it’s also popular with vacationers and nature lovers too. If you love sunsets, you won’t find too many better ones than those you can see from here. And this part of the Jersey Highlands is just a half-hour east of Delaware Water Gap, which means that you can take advantage of recreational and entertainment opportunities in the Poconos as well.

If history, great architecture and design, boating, fishing, lovely sunsets, mountain air, or all of the above appeal to you, then you should make this Mt. Arlington Craftsman house for sale your own.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 5

BATHS: 4 full, 1 half

SQUARE FEET: 2,921

SALE PRICE: $1,700,000

OTHER STUFF: Because the basement can function as a separate apartment with its own entrance, you might be able to rent both it and the boathouse out as Airbnb lodging, but inquire with the listing agent about local ordinances and regulations first.

497 Windemere Ave., Mt. Arlington, N.J. 07856 [Christine Gardner | Exit Neighborhood Realty]