American dreamland: Juggler Meadow

Pass through the gates of the 60-acre Juggler Meadow estate and you’ll enter into one man’s dreamworld – over 120,000 sq ft of family fun and entertainment. It’s the creation of Michael Kittredge II, founder of Yankee Candle, who over 25 years transformed the original colonial-style house and plot of around 1,800 sq ft into an expansive site with eight structures including two guesthouses, a club house, a pool cabana and 55,000 sq ft spa, and more besides.

“My dad really cherished what he owned, and over the years, instead of selling the house and moving on, he improved upon his home and added to the land,” says his son, Michael Kittredge III, who estimates the house has undergone eight different iterations to become what it is today. Juggler Meadow’s story captures Kittredge II’s ethos. Coming from nothing, he built his business into a global household name, never forgetting his friends, family and co-workers along the way. He built the estate along the same lines, as much a sprawling family home as an excuse for a party. “The largest Christmas party we had was for over 400 people,” Kittredge III remembers, an easy feat for the estate’s capacious entertainment facilities.

The massive auditorium hosts an indoor tennis court with spectator seating running along a 25 feet long oak bar, and doubles as a concert venue, with performers including Hall & Oates and The Doobie Brothers having graced the 4,000 sq ft stage over the years. Fun-focused features don’t stop there, either. There’s a nine-hole golf course, a three-lane bowling alley, a billiard and games room, and a basketball court, while the two-storey arcade is equipped with pinball machines, slots and carnival-style skee-ball. There’s an indoor water park too with ‘blue sky’ free-form pool, slides and waterfalls inspired by the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile in the main house, the two-storey great room, with its atrium-like ceiling, balcony and oversize fireplace, stand as testament to Kittredge II’s dedication to a generous welcome. The main dining room is banquet-worthy, while a high-vaulted kitchen boasts five islands for prepping, custom cabinetry, granite countertops, seven sinks, and commercial grade appliances designed to accommodate a team of cooks. The basement contains two glass-walled dining rooms surrounded by wine cellar storage for thousands of bottles.

Whatever your passion, there’s room to pursue it. Two climate-controlled barns hold space for 60 collectible cars. There are two more tennis courts outdoors (with lighting), a music room, and even a dog room. “It’s like a village all in one estate, but the quality and attention to detail isn’t overlooked anywhere,” says Knight Frank Partner, Stacey Watson. “It’s a candy store of a property, where any fun idea you could think of has been brought to life.”

But the estate lends itself to intimacy too. “Out at the lodge you’re surrounded by nature, and although it’s only 30 seconds from the main house, you can imagine you’re deep in the woods of Vermont,” Kittredge III adds. “There are all kinds of different vistas throughout the property. The way the estate is designed, with twists and turns, makes you feel that you’re in your own world.”