Haven: A home where beauty, art and tranquility dominate

Once Dora Siemel saw the cedar house on the Unami Watershed in Green Lane, Montgomery County, she knew she had found a place Buddha would have yearned for. The setting is calming, verdant and serene.

"There is no ugly way to get here," she says of the journey through abundant woodlands, where creeks snake past colossal boulders. The land is home to fox, deer, trout, and several species of salamander.

That tranquil spirit also exists inside the two-story, 2,200-square-foot house where Siemel and her husband, Bob Wolfarth, have lived for 22 years.

Siemel, a youthful 71-year-old, is a dedicated yoga practitioner and holds black belts in karate and Arnis, a Filipino martial art. She inherited a love for nature growing up in Brazil, from her Latvian-born father, Alexander "Sasha" Siemel, an avid outdoorsman and adventurer.

That's why she has filled the house with animal-themed and exotic treasures, artifacts and objects that evoke visceral reactions. She has surrounded herself with beloved keepsakes: a vintage ocelot skin; brass owl andirons; the bronze elephant her father gave her when she was 10.

"People get so excited about life on Mars. Just look around and be amazed," said Siemel, who worked as a teacher, computer programmer, and customer rep before becoming a full-time artist.

Her sculptural pieces - such as the trio of upward-grabbing hands or the regal bust of Chicomecoatl, an Aztec goddess - add an element of mystery to the surroundings. She also produces abstract works composed of screws, desk knobs, bones, or other salvaged material.

"Another reason for buying the property was because it had a studio," Siemel said, referring to the light-filled structure that is home to her kiln, art supplies, and many works-in-progress.

In the great room, whose ceilings soar past the upstairs mezzanine, the couple spend their time listening to music and reading. Handsome carmine floor tiles establish a rich foundation in a room with floor-to-ceiling windows showing off the marvelous forest.

A chandelier of elk antlers made by a Bucks County taxidermist spreads above two tufted sofas and a coffee table. Proudly standing against the foyer wall is a spear belonging to Siemel's father, who as a young man was a professional jaguar hunter.

Several vintage pieces rescued by Siemel - such as two dentists' cabinets, one in the great room and one in the dining room - add interest. An ornate chair bought 18 years ago at a used-furniture store lends sophistication.

Upstairs in the master bedroom, the animal theme continues, with a leopard-print coverlet, jungle prints, and tiger-striped pillows. Down the hall are a sitting area, Siemel's office and bathroom, and the "library," a transformed walk-in closet.

Wolfarth, 72, who hails from North Jersey, was a college athlete, then spent a short time in the Detroit Tigers' minor-league system. He shares a fondness for nature, preferring to lodge in a tented campsite in Africa and a hut in Australia during trips years ago with Siemel.

Fit and strong, he quips that his main job is to chop wood from the many trees upended during Hurricane Sandy, which now offer an endless supply of fuel for the great room's wood-burning stove, which is kept ablaze all winter.

"I love the solitude," Wolfarth said of working on the land, where two sheds hold tools and machinery. Often, the couple hike together on the two-mile trails, which he carved out of the 22-acre tract.

Wolfarth, who has been in the construction business for 27 years, praises his wife's decorating style, which he adores. A "locker room," the original master bedroom, is his favorite area of the house, where he has a flat-screen TV, a desk, a burgundy sofa, and a bathroom.

He's also quick to point out Siemel's awards and press accolades for her artwork.

It seems that artistry is in the DNA of Siemel's family. Cat paintings by her feline-loving daughter Edith adorn many walls.

A 400-square-foot deck off the kitchen, overlooking a shade garden, added significant outdoor living space. A hot tub yields a special retreat for the couple and guests, especially Siemel's grandchildren, Xander, 11, and Jillian, 7. Her son Michael made and mounted a long-arm wooden hinge for Siemel's bird feeder for easier filling.

Unmistakable in personality but harmonious in character and energy, all their rooms inspire equanimity, awaken sensations, or kindle memories.

"I tell people this is my vacation house," said Wolfarth, "but I get to enjoy it all the time."