Historic house becomes home to tranquil day spa BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer KAREN BOWES The waiting room at Orange Skye shows off the beautifully restored interior of "Lily," the name owner Maggie Paterno gave to the building. MIDDLETOWN - Thinking about going organic? Perhaps a trip to the spa might be in order. Orange Skye, Route 35 and Pine Street, is a new and completely chemical free day spa devoted to pampering the body inside and out, sans artificial ingredients, harsh toxins or manmade preservatives. Owner Maggie Paterno has transformed a neglected gem into a warm and cozy, right-off-the-highway retreat. The historic building, once a rickety old house that sat vacant for years, now boasts six service rooms, wrap-around porch and patio. The entire building has been meticulously restored with many of the original built-in cabinets and other features left intact. The labor-of-love effort earned Paterno a special citation from Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger. "They came in and really kept the house intact and refit it for a spa," the mayor said of the building. Scharfenberger attended the July grand opening of the establishment. KAREN BOWES Maggie Paterno, owner of Orange Skye, promotes all-natural products and services at her new spa on Route 35 in Middletown. Downstairs, upon entering, guests are greeted in the old foyer and sitting room. This waiting area, which features a unique stone fireplace and plush Victorian style furniture, offers a peek into the manicure and pedicure center located in the home's original dining room. Those in the mood for artificial nail tips will have to look elsewhere. The spa offers only natural nail treatments such as French manicures, at $25, and pedicures with a paraffin dip, $50. Paterno likes to customize her manicures to each customer, allowing them to choose their personal scents, treatments and snacks. Hot stones and reflexology can also be added to any pedicure. Paterno especially favors the hot stones, which she says is great for releasing toxins from the body. Upstairs the four bedrooms have been reborn as space for massage and facial treatments. The master bedroom, by far the most impressive of the suites, includes a two-person dryheat sauna, two massage tables, a café table set for two, and a special footbath called the Aqua Detox foot spa, a machine that deep cleans toxins from "the 4,000 pores on the feet," according to the spa's menu of services. Paterno is marketing the room as a couple's retreat, with a one-hour aromatherapy massage, one-hour chocolate body wrap, champagne and facials, and candlelight meal. Prices range from $275 to $400. All of the food at the spa is also organic, catered by nearby Whole Foods. Any customer can choose to add lunch or dinner to their treatment for about $20. The spa offers up to eight different types of massage: Swedish, sports, deep tissue, prenatal, aromatherapy, hot stone, shiatsu and reiki. Prices vary on length and type. For example a Swedish massage runs $45 for 30-minutes or $110 for 90 minutes. Facials are also customized to each patron, with deep-cleansing and enzyme masks, extractions and gentle massage included in most. A mini massage costs $45, while a European facial costs $75 and includes an entire upper-body massage and various products. All makeup applied and sold at the spa is made of minerals, is talc-free and contains an SPF of 20. A stack of eight mineral colors, $45, can be blended into lipstick, gloss, eyeliner and nail polish, according to Paterno. "No one believes me when I tell them," Paterno said of the chemical-free makeup kits, adding that each stack of eight colors is coordinated to a particular skin tone. Other services include "moon tanning," an all-natural spray tan process, hair appointments and services for men. For more information, visit the spa's Web site at redbank.orangeskye.com or call (732) 530-9003. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The spa is closed Mondays. Paterno recommends booking an appointment at least 24 hours in advance.