This Historic Residence with 4 income generating Casitas is a unique and wonderful blend of Northern New Mexico and Europe. Known as Star Waters by the Taos Native Americans, this original property was created and built over a fifty-year period by Nan Lipsett, a Taos resident and artist.
Nan worked with passion and vision combining the unique lushness in the garden to become a perfect Zen setting for the variety of plum bushes, sage, lilacs and fruit trees. She was also a master carpenter, creating many of the doors by hand including several wood wall carvings, which have been restored in the main house, as well as in the other structures.
The property was purchased fourteen years ago from the Nature Conservancy.
It is known as the magical oasis called “Lumina Gallery”, reflecting the impeccable aesthetics of its next creator, Felicia Ferguson. It was a sleeping beauty needing to be gently awakened with thoughtful planning and detail according to Nan’s vision, taking a total of thirteen years to complete restoration of the grounds and the buildings.
The structures are New Mexico thick adobe walls with the traditional straw plaster and soft white hue interiors and stuccoed exteriors in the same soft hues. Large windows bring in an abundance of natural light. The gentle sound from the water cascade and the striking stainless steel water fountain permeates throughout the main home and gardens.
The Main Residence…
… is thick adobe walls, hard troweled white stucco interiors with five Kiva fireplaces all-varying in design and size.
A Kiva is the beehive fireplace traditional to the Taos Pueblo Indians. All the fireplaces were rebuilt by Carmen Velarde, acknowledged by the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, as the last of the master Kiva builders.
No need for air conditioning in traditional thick adobe homes, they stay cool in the summer!
The Main Residence includes:
3037 square feet, thick adobe walls downstairs, pumice walls in office and front patio, frame upstairs
Three bedrooms and three baths, one with steam room. The office may be converted into another bedroom suite. Computer room and office are not adobe but pumice.
Upstairs bedroom is 600 sq. ft. and has a Kiva fireplace, gorgeous mountain views, a walk in cedar closet and full bath featuring a tiled tub surround and beautiful translucent blue counter tops.
The second bedroom is downstairs and includes a bath with a tiled shower and steam room.
All double pained, Iron Clad Windows w/ lifetime warranty throughout building
Security System, hard-wired sound system in each room
Beautiful gallery lighting with dimmers
Radiant heat, clay tile floors, upstairs carpet
Kitchen has granite countertops and stainless appliances
Stainless steel patio grill and Kiva fireplace in main patio. Side portal faces the stream. Stainless steel sculpture fountain included in sale as well as two stone fountains. Four water features on grounds, one by garage needs pumps but ready to go. Art in gardens and main house available for purchase at artist cost.
The beautiful kitchen offers expansion possibilities through the large patio.
Included in the main structure is a large hacienda-style patio graced with a fifty year old Wisteria and featuring a stone fountain in the center of the space with whispering water sounds that enhance the experience of the great views of the Taos Mountains.
The roof is brie and also covered with Italian tiles, all new with the restoration thirteen years ago. The restoration included new electrical, new broiler, laundry room and a full size pantry, with a cedar closet. Upstairs in master bedroom you’ll find another cedar closet. The guest suite on the main level includes a tile steam-shower room and an enclosed high walled patio.
Acres: 2.58
Main Building: 3037 sq ft.
Casitas 2, 3, + 4: 2567 sq ft.
Casita 1 “Felize”: 1311.33 sq ft.
Studio over Garage: 865.50 sq ft.
TOTAL: Approximately 7780.83 sq ft.
Casitas 2 Azule, 3 Blanca & 4 Verde are one large adobe structure, also fully restored with new stucco, new windows, roofing and restored Kiva fireplaces. Square footage for entire building is 2567 sq. ft.
The ceilings have vigas and there are five restored fireplaces by Carmen Velarde: One Kiva in Studio 3, two in Casita 4 and two in Casita 2.
Casita 4 Verde
Casita 4 Verde has beautiful large-slab dark-slate floors, and the Indian ceiling with cross hatch latillas, large windows with views of the mountain and the garden. A large patio, new windows, and handmade doors by Nan Lipsett. Tile bath with sunken tub and a view of the small herb garden enclosed by a high wall. New appliances, lighting, heat is gas or fireplaces. Possible room for an office.
Casita 2 Azul
Casita 3 Blanca
Casita 1 Felize
Casita 1 Felize is isolated in the back and stands alone with three patios and great views of the mountains. It is 1311 square feet with three patios. An authentic adobe with vigas throughout, two Kivas, all brick floors, gas heat, new appliances, carved loft bed in living room. Large new windows, glass side doors, lots of natural light, tile kitchen and bath counters. Bathroom with shower and a skylight. Wood stove and gas are the heat source as well as the Kiva fireplaces. It is surrounded by plum bushes, lilac bushes and sage brush and has coyote fences for privacy on two back patios. The front patio is walled and sunken in front of entrance.
Eagle 8 Studio Apartment
Two car garage with workshop and storage room on sides, New garage doors, brie roof and Italian tile!
Eagle 8 is an 865.50 square foot restored studio apartment upstairs with Kiva fireplace, gas heat, new appliances, new shower and floors, a fenced side patio with large vines and side storage room, surrounded by Russian Olive trees and natural grasses.
Japanese Tea House
Two buildings, the garage and the Japanese Tea House, are wood structures, both restored with new brie roofs and Italian tiles. The teahouse houses a large hot tub and the garage has a side storage room and Nan’s work-room w/ fireplace waiting to be used and completed!
The Landscape
The landscaping was professionally updated, bringing in large boulders to create the beautiful waterfall and pond. Also adding new plantings, pruning of all the trees, the bridges were also rebuilt, sprinkler systems installed, as well as the entire property cleared, leaving a back field ready for a future lavender field. The waterfall cascade flows from a natural artesian spring that runs underneath the Tea House, the water is recycled. This mature fifty year old garden, with its incredible variety of trees, tall bushes, lilacs, sage and plantings has become an oasis from its many sources of water, including a stream running through the heart of the property year round. This lush habitat has become a home for owls, rare birds, fox and a silver wolf who visits on special occasions. The Indians also came many years ago to honor the waters by singing, fishing and resting in this small Shangri-La.
Conservancy guidelines have been followed to ensure the gardens, natural habitat and the waters were left safe and pristine, which includes the septic system installed thirteen years ago (at a cost of $50,000.00), in accordance with the Nature Conservancy. There are also two wells on the property, one that provides all the water to the property, one as a backup is not in use.
The property faces the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and is across from the Taos Pueblo Reservation, ensuring a beautifully tranquil view.
Included in the sale:
Ceramic Rose in front entrance by Candice Resnick
Stone Fountain in main patio and front
* The other art consigned is available for purchase directly from the artist at wholesale cost
All furnishings in the rentals as well as appliances included in sale
* Most furniture in the main home and gallery may be purchased.