Hartford Courant May 14, 2004

Burlington Luxury With Windows On Nature

Over the mountain and through the woods - those are the general directions you need to arrive at this beautiful home atop North Ridge Road in Burlington.

Built in 1999 by Patrick Snow of Premier Development, this contemporary colonial with cream clapboard exterior is in pristine condition. The first and current owners, Jeffrey and Judy Pardo, are originally from Miami Beach, Fla.

Jeffrey Pardo "adores the seasons" and has grown accustomed to the rhythm of New England. From any room in this lovely house, and from anywhere on the surrounding property, he has been able to keep a close and steady watch on nature for the past five years.

He also speaks fondly of "the volume within the house" and "each room's roominess." There's 4,225 square feet here. The grounds feel spacious too, set on the edge of 80 acres of forest. Rock ledges overlook wild blackberries and the Nepaug Reservoir. There's a sweeping lawn with an automatic sprinkler system, and two connecting driveways -- one that leads to the three-car garage and one that winds its way to the front door.

That door is graced with a panel of etched glass, and to either side are outsized single-pane windows. These are similar to sidelights, but are larger and separate from the doorframe. Set high above is a single-pane fan window, which admits considerable light into the two-story foyer.

The floors throughout are hardwood or ceramic tile, which adds to the crisp, clean, overall design. To the right of the entry is an office. It has double glass doors for privacy, and a closet, but could also be used as a formal sitting room or a library. An attractive bay window faces the front of the house, and two more windows provide views of the side yard, which is bordered by trees.

Most of the walls are painted white, but in the formal dining room, which is to the left of the foyer, the color is soft apricot. This room measures 16 feet by 12 feet and also has a bay window. The lowest ceiling in this house rises to nine feet; many of the rooms have cathedral ceilings. The great room has hardwood floors and a wood-burning fireplace with a slate apron and a panel of red brick that extends all the way up the wall to the vaulted ceiling's crest at 18 feet. There is a baby grand piano set into the corner, augmenting this wonderfully roomy and livable space. Directly off the great room is a splendid 20-foot-by-30-foot deck, an ideal spot for entertaining a crowd or enjoying intimate family barbecues.

The deck also may be reached from the 13-foot-by-23-foot eat-in kitchen. The abundant cabinets are bleached maple. The ceramic tile floor is inlaid with a decorative border in pale tones of beige and off-white with pastel accents. The double white porcelain sinks are framed by an off-white ceramic backsplash. Providing contrast are the darker granite countertops. There are several pull-out drawers in the pantry, and although there is no built-in island, the Pardos have installed a rolling butcher's block in the center of the room. There are two overhead racks for pots and pans. The stove is electric.

The eat-in portion of the kitchen is oversized, easily accommodating a big round table and six to eight chairs in front of a picture window overlooking the gorgeous deck and wooded backyard. The well water, according to Pardo, is "the most fabulous and delicious water I've ever tasted." He especially enjoys the fact that it runs so cold. The back hallway has another pantry, a door leading out to the garage, a laundry room with a sink and a counter for folding, and a half bath.

The unfinished basement is enormous; Pardo, whose hobby is woodworking, has set up a workshop in a small part of this vast space. Off the hallway that leads to the first-floor master suite is a full bath. The 19-foot-by 17-foot bedroom has a large alcove that currently contains a full-size treadmill, but which could be used as a sitting room, nursery or office. Handsome bay windows, hardwood floors and a huge walk-in closet complete this room. The bath, with tile floor, has a Jacuzzi tub, a separate shower and dual sinks with gold faucets.

Up the attractive wood staircase is a spacious landing that overlooks the great room to the rear and the foyer to the front. From here, gazing out the fan window over the front door is like viewing a magnificent Ansel Adams's landscape photograph. "I look out and I see woods like that and I want to melt," Pardo says. There is one full bathroom and two half baths on this floor. The two bedrooms in the front of the house each have a Palladian window, a cathedral ceiling with an overhead fan and a walk-in closet. They measure 16 feet by 12 feet and 17 feet by 12 feet, respectively.

The other bedroom faces the rear of the house. It has a walk-in closet and access to an unfinished attic, which extends over the garage. Pardo converted the "bonus room" into a fantastic cedar closet at his wife's request. Having a woodworker in the family clearly has advantages. Other amenities include central air conditioning, a central vacuum system and a security system. Oil fuels the heat and hot water.

The house is at the top of a cul de sac, in an enclave of homes that are set a comfortable distance apart. "The neighborhood is families, and you can almost set your watch by them," Pardo says, referring to the time of day that parents and children customarily are out walking their dogs. The area is "secluded, but connected," he concludes.The location is "a complete refuge," he said, "quiet, peaceful, and tranquil...Living in this house has been a lot like living on an island." Pardo actually lived on an island off Miami Beach. "Yet it's a short hop down the mountain and across the Collinsville Bridge into civilization."

Joan Walden is a free-lance writer based in west Hartford.

• Price: $539,900
• Style: Contemporary Colonial
• Acreage: 2.0
• Rooms: 8
• Bedrooms: 4
• Bathrooms: 3 full, 2 half
• Mill rate: 31.5
• Best feature: An immaculate and spacious home with an open floor plan, plentiful windows, and high ceilings, set at the end of a secluded cul de sac at the top of a rise
• Contact: Carole Etzel
• Agency: Partners Realty Group, Ltd.
• (860) 675 4855 or 1 (800) 824-8598

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