But the whole compound never reveals itself from the road, where the crisp crunch of tires on crushed stone is all that announces your arrival. It is only when you are right on top of it that you see it in all its grandeur, and that is just the way the owners planned their secluded weekend retreat. "This house definitely is off the beaten path," says interior designer Mark Christofi, who is based in North Reading, Mass. "And it fits in beautifully in this wonderful, picturesque old New England town. Nobody even knows that it is here—it really belongs in this wilderness."  read more >