The placement of the house at the western end of the Shultz property was critical, for this was the highest point of elevation. Oriented towards the east, with a front lawn sloping down to North Mountain Avenue, Le Brun positioned the house to capitalize on the views of a rapidly growing Montclair as well as New York City. Thus, the verticality and the grandiose scale of the structure is accentuated by the surrounding topography, lending to the structure an even more imposing presence on the street.
Le Brun, in collaboration with the well-traveled Shultz, drew on a variety of sources for his design of Evergreens. Shultz was eager to see half-timbered walls and red tile roofs, which he admired while in Europe during 1894, be incorporated into the house design. Working within the parameters set by Shultz, Le Brun came up with a scheme that was quite fashionable for the period.
The house is defined by its tall windows, which are larger on the lower floors and smaller on the top floors, further accentuating the verticality of the structure and adding to the variety of the house. Le Brun cleverly used the windows as a means of giving the exterior added appeal.
The main building is three stories with a roof deck at the top, and the kitchen extension is two stories. The facade, with its formal center entrance, is balanced but not perfectly symmetrical. The long horizontal line of the veranda, interrupted only by the arched hood detail over the central entrance, adds to the perceived symmetry of the house. It also offers a panoramic view of the grounds.
The mansion has a foundation of brownstone, rough granite blocks, and brick. The masonry of the exterior walls on the first floor are also a combination of brick and rough granite stone. The upper floors, back staircase, and kitchen are wood frame with a stucco and chestnut half-timber finish. Orange-red terra cotta tiles accentuate the roof. The cedar shingles of the kitchen extension are treated with a linseed oil finish, giving the wood a rich dark tincture. Unlike earlier “shingle style” houses in late nineteenth century America, the Shultz House does not have a horizontal emphasis. Instead, verticality and height define the structure. This verticality, in keeping with the designs of Richard Norman Shaw and advocated in this form of picturesque architecture, effectively echoes both the mountainous terrain of Montclair as well as the shape of the Evergreens on the site.
The plan is ordered by asymmetry, giving the structure character in its complexity. The solid proportions of the house are weighty, and the high gables, molded chimneys, gingerbread-decorated dormers, finials, and cresting along the roof deck give the building a great variety of outline, contributing to the overall intricacy of the house. Shingles cover much of the outer wall area. The veranda, the bay windows, and the rooftop deck effectively connect Evergreens to its picturesque setting.