The house was where they wanted, and where they stayed

Some prospective home buyers explore over a wide area, hunting for a new dwelling in previous unknown territory.

That was not the case with David and Sylvia Jacobs when they sought to replace their starter home in Moorestown with a larger one back in 1977.

For them, location was precisely pinpointed. The new house needed to be in the same elementary school district where their son, Daniel, was enrolled. They loved the school, and so did he.

"We were probably a little fixated on that," says Sylvia. "But it definitely narrowed the search."

They found the prize in their geographical treasure hunt when they spotted a private sale sign on a stately three-story home with a front porch on one of Moorestown's main streets. It was within easy walking distance of town, and yes, in the perfect sending district for Daniel.

No matter that this 1920 house would need work. Its charm trumped that.

"I absolutely fell in love with the foyer," says Sylvia, who feels the same way about the space 39 years later.

Her busy life in technology transfer, which involves applying modern technology to unexpected, non-technological purposes, keeps her on the move. But coming home never fails to delight her.

"I love the staircase, I love the woodwork, and there's something special about having an entry that is so welcoming," she says.

David also recognized the potential of this classic home, situated on an expansive treed lot. A lawyer, now partially retired, with a long career as a state of New Jersey public defender, he recalls the first major renovation step the couple took: a kitchen makeover that coincided with the birth of daughter Elissa.

It involved some wizardry, such as relocating the entry to a powder room, and yes, it was the kind of project that undeniably disrupts routine. But out of that kitchen redo also came a cozy family-room nook, a place to kick back.

Today, the kitchen/family room is a charming, utilitarian space that spawned yet another very special addition.

The next project was the creation of an unheated eating area with a wall of windows that offers perfect views of their grounds.

"This is where we can eat when it's not bitterly cold - and we do," says Sylvia, who notes that the space now is a perfect retreat for the couple's twin granddaughter and grandson, little 20-month-old Manhattanites whose booster seats are always at the ready.

Their son and his wife are less frequent visitors because they live in Colorado, but they, too, love this cozy space with its expansive views when they're back home.

The sun porch, like other parts of the house, holds the couple's large collection of travel mementos and a much-loved arts-and-crafts collection.

David and Sylvia, both 71, are inveterate international travelers who have journeyed to Scotland, Iceland, Morocco, the Galapagos, and numerous other destinations. Seldom do they return without some reminder of those trips.

One particular piece in that room has special meaning for Sylvia, whose parents were Holocaust survivors.

On a family trip back to the German town where Sylvia's mother had lived, the travelers found a clock depicting local scenes. Though the memories are bittersweet, that clock has become an important touchstone to Sylvia's mother's history.

Unlike many homeowners, this couple actually use their handsome dining room, whose walls are a rich blend of warm Santa Fe colors - a perfect backdrop for the largest collection of their abundant art.

Eclectic is probably the best word to describe the collection here, and its colors, textures and subjects express the couple's wide-ranging taste. There is not one theme; rather, visitors are likely to find themselves captivated by the striking variety.

The living room, which is off the foyer at the front of the house, also has assorted art in abundance. Its original pine floors are set off by a treasured rug from Turkey.

Comfortable sofas coexist with a treasured upholstered chair in pristine condition from the home of David's late mother. It is another reminder of roots.

On a recent afternoon, the outdoors beckoned "Charlie," the couple's much-loved 12-year-old female Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, whose real name is "Charlotte."

And no wonder.

The grounds of the Jacobs home are a blend of the manicured and the rustic, with caladium, coleus, hostas, wonderful hedges, and sweeping lawns.

Charlie has clearly found her own paradise, and so have her owners.

"We had no idea when we moved here that we would still be here for all these years," says Sylvia. "But in so many ways, there's no place we'd rather be. And that's a good reason to just stay put."