NJ Home February/March 2024

FEB/MAR 2024

RIDGEWOOD REDESIGN

RIDGEWOOD REDESIGN HITS THE RIGHT NOTES USING HAPPY HUES IN A FAR HILLS MAKEOVER MATAWAN FAMILY FALLS FOR THEIR HOME—AGAIN

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DESIGNER’S OWN HOME A LIVINGSTON PRO GETS WHAT SHE WANTS

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Let’s Make Your Home an Oasis This Spring

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TRANSFORMING LIVES

BY TRANSFORMING LIVING SPACES

A tradition of delivering value for over 20 years

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CONTENTS FEB/MAR 2024

FEATURES DREAMING IN NEUTRAL | 34

A designer/homeowner gets to live her “effortless” vision in a new-construction Livingston home.

LOVE REKINDLED | 50

A family of five on the verge of selling their Matawan home finds, in a new design, powerful reasons to stay put.

CUE THE COLOR | 56

A cottage-style home in Far Hills gets a vibrant makeover for a homeowner who welcomes happy hues.

THE BEAT GOES ON

The redesign of a Ridgewood Tudor reflects a family’s love for bright colors—and for music. pg.

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10 NJHome

ON THE COVER Michal Rubin gets exactly what she wants when she designs her own home.

Photo by MG InFocus

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YOUR CLOSET IS A CANVAS

Reinspire

WALK-IN CLOSET CLOSETS • GARAGE • HOME OFFICE • ENTERTAINMENT • WALL UNITS • WALL BEDS • PANTRY • CRAFT • LAUNDRY • MUD ROOM • WINE ROOM

We are an honored to be a member of the trusted and celebrated ASID. Call (908) 322-8270 for a free in-home or virtual design consultation and estimate. Visit us onlineat closetfactory.com. ©2022 Closet Factory. All right reserved. Lic. # 13VH10549800

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CONTENTS

FEB/MAR 2024

56 34 50 DEPARTMENTS GUIDE | 17

What’s up, what’s new and what to do.

ASK THE EXPERTS | 22

Three local pros dispense wisdom about lighting, plates and area rugs.

MATERIAL WORLD | 24

Elegance and style are tough to hide with this cozy, natural fabric in your home.

HOT STUFF | 26

Patterns and textures in neutral colors can bring relaxation and warmth.

12 NJHome

TREND REPORT | 28

Turn back the clock with funky furnishings that instantly add good vibes to your space.

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ART | 30

Believe it or not, you can have a few pieces from the genius who personified 20th century art.

ANTIQUES | 32

Accents from ancient dynasties add a dash of flavor to any room in the house.

TOP CHOICES | 64

These gorgeous consoles are prizes on their own, whether they’re used to stow extra belongings or stash your riches.

FINISHING TOUCH | 66

26

Do your storage needs cry out for an elegant solution—in the mathematical sense? An oft-neglected area might help.

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S E I Z E

T H E

T H R O N E

O F

deFianCe

T H E F I N E S T M E A T S D E M A N D P E R F E C T I O N

The JennAir Culinary Center is a step-by-step digital sous chef, with a connected probe and precision sensors, that takes you from prep to plate.

WiFi & App required. Features subject to change.

For details and privacy info, visit jennair.com/connect.

SEE FOR YOURSELF AT

RENO'S APPLIANCE 235 McLean Blvd / Route 20 North Paterson, NJ 07504 973-247-1860 www.RenosAppliance.com

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MEMO

IT’S ALL ABOUT SPACE

W“nothing.” That’s precious real estate down there, and it’s only logical to put it to use. The area can serve as a pet’s headquarHAT’S UNDER YOUR STAIRCASE? I HOPE THE ANSWER ISN’T

RITA GUARNA EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITOR@WAINSCOTMEDIA.COM

ters, a cozy reading nook or home “office.” You’ll find a host of “under the stairs” tips on page 66.

There’s a larger point here. Employing space efficiently is a practical concept, but every good designer knows that getting it right helps aesthetically as well. Together with other facets—like a room’s design style, color palette, materials, “statement” pieces and traffic pattern—it helps to create a visual impression.

When space is limited, of course, making the most of it is imperative. Take the Matawan home we showcase on page 50. The family who lived there loved their neighborhood and their town. (The wife had grown up there.) They were also fond of their house, but while it had been perfect in 2005 when they had one baby, it had now become snug; they feared they would have to move to make room for three school-age boys. Then designer Sheila Rich came to the rescue, and it turned out that packing up wasn’t necessary. By tearing down some walls (as structural integrity was protected with a steel girder), opening up spaces and assuring that the all-important kitchen was a commodious gathering place, she made their old-but-new-again colonial fit just fine.

Putting space to effective use can be an aesthetic assist even when it’s not a matter of tight quarters. In a cottage-style home in Far Hills, for example, the addition of a custom storage unit in the dining room made sure the doorway to the living room wasn’t blocked (page 56). In a Ridgewood renovation that emphasizes “antiquestore finds,” comfort meets utility in the paneled den that on “work from home” days does double duty as office space (page 42). And in a new-construction Livingston home for her own family (page 34), designer Michal Rubin put her projected deployment of space to the ultimate test: a spouse. “As I do for all my clients,” she says, “I mocked up every single space in the house and presented the concepts to my husband, who gave me complete artistic freedom.”

Think of designers as intrepid explorers of space—not outer space, of course, but interior space and how it’s best utilized. You’ll get ideas aplenty from them in these pages, right down to the appropriate dimensions for a rug and how a Delft plate can best be positioned to serve up aesthetic beauty (page 22).

Enjoy this issue!

Creative Director STEPHEN M. VITARBO Senior Associate Editor DARIUS AMOS Assistant Editor KIRSTEN MEEHAN Contributing Editors

MARISA SANDORA CARR, DONNA ROLANDO, NAYDA RONDON

Contributing Photographers

LAUREN HAGERSTROM, MG INFOCUS, MIKE VAN TASSELL, VIC WAHBY

Publishing Staff Publisher THOMAS FLANNERY Advertising Account Executives

JODI BRUKER, CHRISTIE COLVILLE, KIM FIO RITO, PEARL LISS, MARY MASCIALE

Marketing, Digital & Operations Director Of Marketing & Digital Media NIGEL EDELSHAIN

Director of Operations CATHERINE ROSARIO

Advertising Services Director JACQUELYNN FISCHER

Circulation Manager

KATHLEEN WENZLER

Production Artist CHRIS FERRANTE Accounting

KASIE CARLETON, URSZULA JANECZKO, BRUCE LIBERMAN, STEVEN RESNICK

Office Manager PENNY GLASS BOAG

Published by Chairman CARROLL V. DOWDEN President & CEO MARK DOWDEN Senior Vice Presidents

LIZETTE CHIN, RITA GUARNA

Vice Presidents

NIGEL EDELSHAIN, THOMAS FLANNERY, NOELLE HEFFERNAN, MARIA REGAN, STEVEN RESNICK

NJ HOME magazine is published by Wainscot Media, 1 Maynard Drive, Park Ridge, NJ 07656.

Copyright© 2024 by Wainscot Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

Editorial Contributions: Write to Editor, NJ HOME, 1 Maynard Drive, Park Ridge, NJ 07656; telephone 201.782.5730; email rita.guarna@wainscotmedia.com.

The magazine is not responsible for the return or loss of unsolicited submissions.

Subscription Services: To inquire about a subscription, to change an address or to purchase a back issue or a reprint of an article, please write to NJ HOME, Circulation Department, 1 Maynard Drive, Park Ridge, NJ 07656; telephone 201.573.5541; email fern.meshulam@wainscotmedia.com.

Advertising Inquiries: Contact Thomas Flannery at 201.571.2252 or thomas.flannery@wainscotmedia.com.

14 NJHome

Editor In Chief RITA GUARNA

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DianeDurocherInteriors.com 201.825.3832

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THE GUIDE

What’s up, what’s new and what to do.

R&B

Paramus Design Center, a design and shopping destination, is expanding by nearly 40,000 square feet and offering homeowners and designers alike more options for buying and browsing. One example: Room & Board, a design company that prides itself on its balance between modern and timeless, is opening its first Garden State storefront there. “We are excited to introduce New Jersey to the incredible brand of craftsmanship that we’ve built working with makers around the country,” says Lee Testa, Room and Board’s director of customer experience for retail stores.

Room & Board offers American-made furniture and design options for everything from outdoor seating to lighting fixtures. This new two-story showroom offers near-endless options, as well as a knowledgeable professional staff to provide free design consultation and advice.

762 Route 17, Paramus, 888.985.4568; roomandboard.com

BOOST YOUR HOME’S IQ

Two tech powerhouses want your smart home to get even smarter. Samsung’s smart device branch, SmartThings, and electric-car trailblazer Tesla are teaming up to help you create a more seamless integration among your home, your car and your personal devices. With this collaboration, SmartThings Energy will be able to connect with Tesla’s rechargeable home energy system Powerwall and Solar Inverter, as well as Wall Connector charging and EVs. This will allow your SmartThings home devices to display information about your car’s energy production, storage and usage.

Not only will this streamline the number of devices in your home, it will also keep you safer and better informed during emergencies. Integration among all these devices ensures that, in case of extreme weather events or blackouts, an AI-powered monitoring system can conserve and extend the remaining energy in the Tesla Powerwall. This technology will be available in the second quarter of 2024.

WHEN 1 + 1 > 2

NJHome

We’re told that two heads are better than one, and design firms can doubly wow when their talents converge. We’ve been treated to a recent wealth of collaborations, including this trio: • Rabanne and H&M: Legendary French fashion house Rabanne is known for its innovative, futuristic use of metal and plastic in wearables, as well as a distinctive 1970s disco flair. H&M’s Designer collections are famous for blending accessible price points with high-end looks. Together, they’ve created a glittering line of home goods—H&M’s most extensive line ever—that stand out with sleek lines, unexpected shapes and high-shine stainless steel (pictured).

• Serax and Ann Demeulemeester: Those who can’t get enough of ultra-modern lines will fall in love with this collab, which unites a fantastic furniture brand and a cutting-edge Belgian fashion designer. Each design of the exclusive 18-piece collection has a little avant-garde twist, such as long black fringe trailing off a white couch or a cross-base silhouette on a wooden stool.

• Draga & Aurel and Todd Merrill Studio: Italian design studio Draga & Aurel and Todd Merrill Studio, a New York-based firm that focuses on contemporary fine art and design, have created a feast for the eyes in the Flare Collection. The joint effort includes sculptural, multicolored Lucite tables that change color from different angles. Consider each piece a colorful example of how light plays off transparent surfaces.

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THE GUIDE

MUST-READS

You can’t use a crystal ball to predict the real estate market’s future, but statistics can lead prospective buyers and sellers in the right direction. Take a look at these numbers from March of last year before you consider a search for a new home—or before you decide the time is right to list your current one:

THE FUTURE OF DESIGN?

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) can make it feel like we’re living inside a work of science fiction. Machine-generated text and images have been changing nearly every field, and interior design is no exception. Architects, designers and homeowners have been experimenting with this technology for faster rendering, elevated brainstorming and a means to push their creations to the next level. In addition, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Kean University, among other schools, are discussing ways to include AI into their design programs.

While apps like Interior AI and RoomsGPT can help generate ideas, particularly when homeowners simply want to redecorate a space, the tech won’t replace trained interior designers any time soon. “People want to know how AI can help them, and they love the idea of expediting projects,” says Brittany Rae of the Rae Design Group in Rockaway. “But, as a creative, having something that is uniquely yours and reflects your brand is pivotal.”

AI also may take away the personalization of a design, and there’s the possibility that AI-generated spaces will end up being generic and repetitive. “I think AI will widen the gap between run-of-the-mill ‘free design’ that people can get easy access to through brands like Pottery Barn, and design that reflects not only your style and function, but also the relationship of one human to another,” Rae says.

12,929

Number of single-family homes for sale, down 14.5 percent from March 2022.

4,671

Number of single-family homes closed, down 19.2 percent from the previous year.

6,906

New listings for single-family homes, down 26.3 percent from the same month in 2022.

$568,516

Average sales price of a single-family home, up 1.4 percent from March 2022.

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18 NJHome

Average days properties stay on the market, up 23.1 percent from the previous year.

Source: New Jersey Association of Realtors

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DESTINATION FOR DESIGN

Looking for design and décor ideas in North Jersey? Head over to River Edge, where the reimagined Ethan Allen Design Center has opened. As part of the company’s Interior Design Destination initiative, the new store features refined furnishings under Ethan Allen’s “classics with a modern perspective” umbrella. This includes contemporary living- and diningroom furniture, bedroom sets, home office pieces, lighting, rugs and flooring.

Ethan Allen, 85 Rte. 4, River Edge, 201.488.5757; ethanallen.com

From left: Andy Leeds, owner, Ethan Allen of River Edge; Thomas Papaleo, River Edge mayor; Farooq Kathwari, chairman, president and CEO, Ethan Allen Interiors; Philip Esposito, owner, Ethan Allen of River Edge and Ethan Allen of Northern N.J.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ETHAN ALLEN OF NORTHERN N.J.

MARCH HOME SALES

If you have an eye for history and a passion for architecture, Midcentury Houses Today by Cristina A Ross, Jeffrey Matz and Lorenzo Ottaviani (Phaidon, $60) will mesmerize you. An update to a 2014 edition, this book focuses on a concentration of midcentury houses in New Canaan, Connecticut, while documenting and celebrating how they have aged into contemporary life and design. Above all else, this book is a visual celebration of preservation and renovation.

For those interested in how some of the greatest creative minds of our time used their space, Turn of the Century: Portraits of Creative Interiors by Robin Muir, Pilar Viladas and Jane Withers (Rizzoli, $75) delivers an in-depth look at just that. Filled with photographs of the residences and studios of some of the world’s most important artists, architects and designers, it offers a visual exploration of the way a constantly evolving society affects our personal physical surroundings.

Timeless Modern Interiors: RRP/Rees Roberts + Partners by Pilar Viladas (Rizzoli, $75) presents an in-depth study of the work of Rees Roberts and the RRP design firm. The tome captures the essence of modern living, as each designed home featured in the book reflects the owner’s character as well as the needs of everyday life.

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LONG ISLAND

M A N H AT TA N

NEW JERSEY

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MAKE IT VINTAGE

After many years as the dominant design ethos, straight-on minimalism has lost some steam. We’re moving away from the age of wide-open floor plans and less-is-more décor, and into a cozier sensibility. Some call it warm minimalism.

We call it a great opportunity.

Thankfully, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel—simply pull out and display an old one. Antiques have always been a great way to add history and a personal touch to a room. If you’re looking to bring such magic into your home, you’re in luck: New Jersey’s antiques dealers are experts ready to help you make the perfect selection.

Montclair Antiques Center, Montclair This shop exudes old-world class, from its understated shop window to the selection inside. It brings together more than 50 dealers, specializing in everything from wooden furniture to clocks to porcelain dolls. Not only is there something here for everyone; there’s also a dealer to suit every need. The center’s website spotlights only a fraction of its inventory, so it’s well worth stopping by to browse for your next statement piece.

• 34 Church St., Montclair, 973.746.1062; montclairantiquescenter.com New Jersey Antique Buyers, Maywood This dealership declares its commitment to service and carries on a long legacy of antiquing.

Owners Jack Kleczkowski and Gordon Breslow have decades of experience in evaluating antiques both individually and together. They offer personalized consultation whether you are looking to purchase or sell, and are willing to schedule meetings after hours if needed.

• 3 E. Pleasant Ave., Maywood, 201.820.4565; njantiques.com Hamburg Antique Center, Hamburg This shop’s wide selection of furniture spans everything from iron stoves to marble-top dressers. If you’re interested in something stately, wooden and drenched in history, this is the place to visit.

Check out the wrought-iron signs dating back to the 1800s and the folk art from the 1970s—there’s something here to elevate and add character to any space.

• 1 Main St., Hamburg, 973.823.9700; hamburgantiquecenter.com

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

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New Jersey is lucky to have a thriving arts and design community, and participating in it will take you far. Each of these events brings together artists and patrons, designers and clients, and creative minds all over the state. They all aim to inspire and awe, as well as to forge connections: • Through March 24: Monmouth Museum’s annual Juried Exhibition showcases the works of more than 100 artists in a variety of media. See the creative talent and contemporary art trends from across the state, country and world. The exhibit is held in the museum’s Main Gallery. For tickets and more details, visit monmouthmuseum.org.

• March 21, April 18: Don’t fret if you missed the first two parts of the four-part Living in the Art gallery series; these two dates remain available. Each event takes place at a different New Jersey arts center—Boonton’s Broadfoot & Broadfoot Gallery in March and an exclusive private home in April—and offers access to some of the state’s best designers. These showcases aim to explore how art selection

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRIZO

THE GUIDE

WELLNESS IN THE KITCHEN

The Global Wellness Institute defines “wellness” as “the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles.” With that in mind, creating healthy food must go beyond the food itself; it’s about the way—and place—in which it is prepared. Here are ways you can boost the health and wellness impact of your kitchen: Steam it: A steam oven, as the name implies, cooks food with steam instead of the hot air of a convection oven. Not only does steam preserve vitamins and minerals better than a conventional oven, it also reduces the food waste that comes from burning and keeping protein extra juicy.

Filter it: Though that old “eight glasses a day” recommendation is more myth than medicine, drinking the proper amount of good, clean water is the baseline of any healthy lifestyle. We’re all concerned about the quality of our water, and adding filters to your kitchen is the best way to ease that concern. Installing one on your faucet encourages you to hydrate more constantly. It also reduces our reliance on non-sustainable bottled water in our everyday lives.

Monitor it: Sometimes the food we cook can affect the air we breathe for the worse. Smart oven hoods, installed over the stove as usual, use technology that monitors and controls air movement. They sense when to turn air filters and fans on or off, whether or not you notice the air quality dipping.

Make it hands-free: How many times have you paused after washing your hands, as you reach to turn the faucet off and realize you’re once again touching something contaminated?

Hands-free faucets have been the public works solution to this for years; now they’re making their way into homes.

Moving to a motion sensor-activated faucet can reduce the number of germs you interact with, as well as cutting the risk of cross-contamination in your kitchen.

should resonate with both your personal style and the style of your home. Go to walden-interiors.com further information and ticket rates.

• April 26–June 7: Studio Montclair’s ViewPoints 2024 series aims to showcase the newest, most innovative and highest-quality visual art of today. Held at the Leach Gallery and curated by founder Sally Morgan Lehman, the series is the ideal place to discover what up-and-coming artists have to offer. See studiomontclair.org for details and ticket information.

• April 27–28: For access to a wide selection of designers, associated professionals and vendors, head over to the New Jersey Home Show, held in Toms River. Whether you’re fully remodeling, looking for advice for a persistent problem, or browsing for décor inspiration, this show is certain to please. Kitchen or bathroom, bedroom or living room, indoors or out—you’ll find something here to go home raving about. Visit njhomeshow-pb.com for registration information.

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ASK THE EXPERTS

WANTED: ENLIGHTENMENT Answering questions, three designers illuminate light bulbs, precious plates and area rugs that aren’t too tiny.

HOW DO I DETERMINE THE SIZE RUG I NEED FOR MY LIVING ROOM, AND CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME IDEAS FOR OPTIONS THAT MIGHT WORK WITH A SOLID CHOCOLATE SOFA?

PHOTO BY LILLY BROWN; COZETTE BROWN PHOTO BY ALLISON DEMARCO

The conversation area in a living room is where I start for an area rug’s size. At a minimum, the front legs of a sofa and chairs or sectional should be placed on the area rug. Be sure to measure side tables as well; this will give you the length. For the width, measure to the opposite side, ending before the focal point, which is typically a TV console, fireplace or built-in, and leave space to reveal the floor between them. More space is needed for a fireplace, as embers may spark.

Also, consider a wool carpet for flame resistance.

A mistake I commonly see is area rugs that are too small.

Larger area rugs make a space feel bigger, keep furniture in place, absorb more sound and add warmth.

Whether it’s a ready-made or a broadloom customized to the size you need, these tips will help guide you.

Working with several chocolate-brown leather sofas, I have used a powder-blue Persian-style, off-white-and-gray loop and tan with a light blue-and-green pattern.

—Cozette Brown, Allied ASID, Cozette Brown Interior Design; cozettebrowninteriordesigns.com

I INHERITED MY GRANDMOTHER’S

I DON’T KNOW A LUMEN FROM AN LED.

DISPLAY THEM?

FOR KEY AREAS OF THE HOUSE.

Trying to incorporate antique items into a current design aesthetic can be challenging.

One way to show off Grandma’s Delft plates could be to artistically create a layout on the wall, perhaps above or around a chest or console table. It could be done symmetrically or off to one side and balanced with a mirror, a lamp or a tall accessory on the opposite side. Another option could be to create a Shaker-style frame applied to the wall around each plate or a grouping of plates. Just get creative to highlight these special heirlooms.

—Jill Ryan, Jill Ryan Interiors, Allied ASID, CID; jillryaninteriors.com

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PLEASE SUGGEST THE BEST LIGHT BULBS

JILL RYAN PHOTO BY JASON EAGLESON

DELFT PLATES. HOW BEST CAN I

In simplest terms, a lumen is a unit of the total amount of light visible from a light fixture. LED stands for “light-emitting diode” and is a component in a light fixture that conducts electricity and emits light.

LED is revolutionizing lighting not only for its energy efficiency but also because of its ease of use and compactness. The key to using LED lighting in homes is remembering that our traditional source of light originally was fire, PHOTOS BY TOMI STUDIO which emitted a warm color and temperature.

Using LED light bulbs in living and dining areas with a 2700K temperature will cast a natural light within the space, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. In kitchens and bathrooms, we recommend LED light bulbs with a temperature of 3000K, which have the brighter, crisper feel needed for task-oriented spaces.

And it goes without saying, installing dimmers is non-negotiable! Dimmers allow each light fixture to be set at different levels; with them, homeowners can adjust the tone or mood in each space depending on the activity.

—Cynthia Peralta-Brito, ASID, CID, CPB Interiors + Design; cpbdesigns.studio

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MATERIAL WORLD

L’AVIVA HOME LEATHER PENDANT LIGHT Available at 1stdibs.com

TAMPA SWIVEL CHAIR Available at zurifurniture.com

WIRE FRAME LEATHER COUNTER STOOL Available at West Elm, multiple locations

GIO OTTOMAN Available at polyandbark.com

MORGAN REDDISH BROWN RECTANGULAR CHEST Available at lampsplus.com

BETTER IN LEATHER Elegance and style are tough to hide with this cozy, natural fabric in your home.

BARCELONA LOVE SEAT Available at modernclassics.com

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ROUND MIRROR LEATHER Available at jamieyoung.com

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HOT STUFF

MYA TRAVERTINE COFFEE TABLE Available at interioricons.com

EFTOWEL PLUG-IN PENDANT LIGHT Available at amazon.com

MORSE ACCENT TABLE Available at Raymour & Flanigan, multiple locations

FOUR HANDS ROMY CHAIR Available at fourhands.com

A MUTED PALETTE

Patterns and textures in this modern color scheme bring relaxation and warmth.

HONEYBLOOM CERAMIC TRAY Available at At Home, multiple locations ENDON BLOOM TWOLIGHT FLOOR LAMP Available at onlinelighting shop.com

26 NJHome

DEKAYESS SOFA Available at medleyhome.com

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THE EXPERTISE YOU WANT. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE YOU NEED.

Photography

by John Martinelli Photography

by John Martinelli

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FIND YOUR STYLE. Let our showroom consultants bring your bath, kitchen and lighting visions to life.

Designing a beautiful room is unexpected inspiration mixed with classic design principals.

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Photos by Vic Wahby

Owner, Pam Cooper, focuses primarily on residential design in New Jersey and the Shore.

Her style is described as “effortlessly elegant” yet “casual enough to function well” for each family, couple or unique personality that invites her into their home.

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“Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.”

—Pablo Picasso

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DREAMING IN NEUTRAL A designer/homeowner gets to live her “effortless” vision in a new-construction Livingston home.

DESIGN by MICHAL RUBIN

PHOTOGRAPHY by MG INFOCUS TEXT by NAYDA RONDON

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Strategic placement helped differentiate “two living rooms,” notes designer Michal Rubin. “The West Elm velvet sofa acts as the perfect divider,” she says.

“Its forest green is ideal for an otherwise all-neutral space.”

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This page: The sitting area features a brown-spotted cowhide rug, bouclé swivel chairs and an espresso-toned cocktail table. “I absolutely love this area,” says Rubin (pictured). Opposite page: “The built-in was the single best decision I made in designing the house,” the designer/homeowner shares. She had the unit—custom-built by Fredon-based Good Shepherd Fine Carpentry—painted in the same Benjamin Moore Silver Satin as the walls and incorporated the crown molding and added trim work to the cabinet doors, finishing them with sleek CB2 brass hardware.

Hactually make our dreams come true? Michal Rubin of OW OFTEN DO WE GET TO

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Livingston-based MR Interiors truly did when she got to design her family’s Livingston home. She lavished all her creative energy on realizing her vision—a 5,000-squarefoot new-construction with six bedrooms and five bathrooms—that not only reflected her personal style but also fit the needs of her husband and three young boys.

“My experience working with other clients gave me the tools and confidence I needed to complete this project,” Rubin says. “As I do for all my clients, I mocked up every single space in the house and presented the concepts to my husband, who gave me complete artistic freedom.” This labor of love started in December 2022 with the design phase and ended— for now—in summer 2023 with the move-in.

“I wanted the home to feel cool and effortless,” Rubin says.

“I love putting together looks and playing with patterns and colors. That said, I was particularly interested in playing with monochromatic design for the communal areas, especially the dining room, kitchen and sitting/family room.”

Creating that effortless vibe took considerable work, involving room conversions, agonizing over design choices and making tough thematic calls. For instance, the dining room was initially meant to be a first-floor guest bedroom, but after a re-envisioning epiphany, Rubin decided to knock it down and transform it.

Similarly, a would-be guest bathroom became a whimsical

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wet bar and a guest closet was turned into a convenient pass-through to the kitchen. “We like to entertain, so a formal dining room was important to us,” the designer/homeowner explains.

This reimagining freed up the original dining space, initially intended as open with the living room and kitchen. Rather than designing the resulting space as one extra-long living room, Rubin divided the area into an informal sitting section—centered on a fireplace accented by a Calacatta quartz surround—on one side and a more formal space—anchored by a custom built-in unit—on the other.

All this creative freedom was heady, but Rubin knew when restraint should rule. “I wanted what I wanted, but I also needed to ensure that the concepts were grounded and would stand the test of time.

“My biggest challenge was knowing when to take off my designer hat to make certain that I wasn’t forgoing the practicality my family would need in the future,” she says. “For example, my youngest son, 4 when we moved in, begged for a themed room. As a designer, I badly wanted to design one because of the fun creative process, but as a practical homeowner, I knew that in a few years he’d

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Opposite page: For the kitchen’s “cool” vibe, the designer/homeowner chose Birch Lane’s oversized island pendants with jewel-like brass chain detail. Plumbing fixtures are in the same brass/champagne family; West Elm bar stools feature sleek brass legs. This page: The custom-built breakfast bench is upholstered in custom Sunbrella fabric. “Stain-resistant, it’s a must with young children,” the designer emphasizes.

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This page: The designer wanted the foyer to feel minimalistic in color, but rich in interest. Opting for Benjamin Moore Simply White on walls and a white console table with fun legs, she played with millwork on the walls and a herringbone pattern on the custom-stained hardwood floor. Opposite page: In the dining room, Everly Quinn velvet-upholstered chairs, Seabrook Designs Tikki Natural Ombre wallpaper and a Joss & Main chandelier combine to create a setting of sophisticated simplicity.

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outgrow it and we’d need to start new.”

Rubin’s disciplined design— characterized by an artful balance of clean, cohesive neutrals with subtle, sophisticated elements of sensory interest—was also evident in the dining room. She wanted wallpaper for the space, but she didn’t want it to dominate.

Her solution: a monochromatic Seabrook Wallcovering design with movement and interest in its pattern, which she framed with wainscoting and trimwork. Pairing them with her existing wood table, she introduced new Everly Quinn dining chairs. “They’re the perfect stone color, pulling in the wallpaper’s gray and ivory and the table’s walnut tone,” Rubin says.

For the “sophisticated and sleek” kitchen of her dreams, Rubin paired white cabinetry with dark wood accents such as a Fabuwood stove range hood.

Not “too golden” or “too yellow,” the brass cabinet hardware pieces exude a just-right “moody” glow. From Reliance Surfaces, the Oyster Quartz used on the countertop and the backsplash gives the impression of marble while offering higher durability and affordability.

Says Rubin: “I had my fabricator cut stone that had the most ‘bubbles’ because I wanted it to make the biggest impact.”

Every step of the process felt surreally satisfying. “I love all my clients and end every project feeling grateful for the opportunity,” Rubin says.

“But the ability to design for yourself is an out-of-this-world experience.”

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THE BEAT GOES ON

The redesign of a Ridgewood Tudor reflects a family’s love for bright colors—and for music.

A and Rich received a baby grand piano. But it wasn’t just any set of ivories. This was an heirloom that Robyn S A WEDDING GIFT, FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS ROBYN

inherited from her mom, and a key feature in a Ridgewood home design that reflects the family’s essence.

DESIGN by DIANE DUROCHER INTERIORS PHOTOGRAPHY by MIKE VAN TASSELL TEXT by DONNA ROLANDO

Like a well-orchestrated melody from this Ridgewood family’s heirloom baby grand, styles in the more feminine living room (foreground) and the masculine den harmonize despite contrasts.

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“It was my great-grandparents’,” says Robyn.

“Music has always been a big part of my life.”

So it was only natural for “baby” to take center stage in the living room when Diane Durocher orchestrated the redesign of the couple’s 1929 Tudorstyle home, a multi-year project concluded roughly two years ago. The goal was for this family treasure to “shine” at gatherings where any number of guests might entertain, and perhaps even the kids, ages 3 and 5, once they grow into piano lessons—the older child already rockin’ the keys with potential.

“We wanted to show [the piano] off and make sure it was in a space where it could shine,” Robyn says, admiring how the blue, yellow and green palette harmonizes with the grand’s tiger-striped mahogany.

Durocher, of the eponymous firm in Ramsey, recalls how a chinoiserie drapery fabric (Balanaisia by Vervain) “set the tempo” for the color composition in much of the house and infused a playful sophisti-

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cation into traditional style. With Durocher’s help, this would be the fresh look they could embrace as a couple, after each growing up with different home styles—Robyn surrounded by chinoiseries and Rich country French.

Born to socialize, the living room exudes femininity with pale yellow walls and satin white trim. In a space defined by an Oushak rug, a tufted blue velvet sofa and pale-yellow swivel chairs beckon conversation by the piano or the stone fireplace. For elegance, there’s brass and glass in both the cocktail table and bar cart enhanced by decorative wall plates.

An exception to the color saga is the rubbed black, refurbished china cabinet discovered by the homeowner, who with Durocher looked past its taxicab yellow paint to its standout frame. “It’s one of the pieces that, when people come to my house, they say is so beautiful, and I chuckle to myself,” Robyn says, gleeful over how she saved on the purchase.

This page: It took vision to see beyond the taxicab yellow of an antique-store find to the living room’s diamond of a china cabinet. Opposite page: With a nod to the couple’s love for tennis, the paneled den merges the function of dual desks with the coziness of a navy loveseat and fauxleather ottoman.

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This page: The dining room is a carefully meshed celebration of youth-infused traditional furniture that started with a Chippendale corner cabinet. Opposite page: A blue-and-white trellis pattern by Thibaut in the center-hall foyer is a hint of great things to come.

echoed in the living room’s bergère chair. While the living room embraces femininity, the paneled den just beyond the original glass doors is bolder and more masculine with a faux-leather ottoman, a navy love seat by Master’s Interiors and a striped Robert Allen window treatment. The den doubles as office space for the couple, with two desks heavily used during the pandemic, but also capitalizes on comfort.

The dining room is a soothing apple green, which draws from floral Stout draperies by Steve’s Custom paired with floral contemporary art. Completed within a strict budget, the space again found Robyn contributing decorative gems to the mix, such as the Chippendale corner cabinet that launched this room’s design.

Overall, the room is a showcase for antique-store finds, like the Sheridan table and server. While the bamboo-motif side chairs are a “nod to Chippen-

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With this antique-store find and the palm décor flanking it (another reclaimed treasure), she gladly joined Durocher in the adventure of sustainable design.

Durocher explains that traditional can be a hard sell with younger couples, but the right palette and design can make it feel “youthful and fresh.” She conquered this potential obstacle throughout the four-bedroom house with a rich palette of apple greens, blues and yellows.

“When you interview your clients, one of the most important things is to listen to what it is that they want,” Durocher says. “And they wanted to have a more traditionally designed room—but they also tended to like happier colors.”

Though each room demonstrates its own character, harmony was a must. So Durocher repeated elements for continuity—for example, how the trellis pattern in the entry hall’s Thibaut wallpaper

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dale,” Durocher introduced fresh with the custom Parsons armchairs and warmth with the woven rug. Joining apple green in the basket of color, these elements each deliver a complementary pop of navy. Completing the look is a traditional iron chandelier originally purchased for the kitchen.

The family room stands out for its Ralph Laureninspired hunt-scene window fabric and a Virginia vibe that reflects Rich’s school days. “We just loved that Ralph Lauren cozy aesthetic,” says Robyn, who envisioned cuddling up on an oversized leather chair before the grand stone fireplace.

Design met function with a room that lets the couple’s boys be boys, courtesy of a distressed walnut cocktail

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table by Fremarc Designs and a durable custom chenille sectional. Liberated from dark paneling, the room is bathed in sunshine from a window transformation. Its palette is alive with green, sand and red tones, the last reflected in the rug. Though prohibited by plaster and age in much of the house, recessed lighting was a go in this ’70s addition.

Overall, Robyn appreciated that Durocher let her actively contribute to the creation of their happy home, including shopping for treasures.

“I’d say our home is now a true reflection of the life that we made together,” Robyn says. “It’s allowed us to entertain and feel confidence. There’s no place like home, and we truly feel that way.”

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This page and opposite: New windows flank the stone fireplace, creating a light, bright family room inspired by Ralph Lauren and designed to withstand the exuberance of two little boys.

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LOVE REKINDLED A family of five on the verge of selling their Matawan home finds, in a new design, powerful reasons to stay put.

DESIGN by SHEILA RICH INTERIORS

PHOTOGRAPHY by LAUREN HAGERSTROM TEXT by DONNA ROLANDO

T invention, and a Matawan family had necessity times three. That’s three school-aged

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HEY SAY NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF

boys for a colonial that suited a young couple plus one baby.

“We thought that this was going to be our first house and then we would move,” says their mom. They just didn’t count on falling deeply in love—with the house, the neighborhood and the small town where she grew up. “We had sentimental feelings toward the house,” she explains, “bringing my children home when they were born and everything like that.”

Instead of packing it up, they reached out to Sheila Rich of the eponymous Monmouth Beach design firm. She found the secret of reinventing the center-hall colonial and, in doing so, reinventing this family’s lifestyle.

As Rich transformed the space, she encouraged the lady of the house, who is not ultramodern in taste, to expand her horizons just a

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This page: This kitchen bar alcove gets its good looks from a uniquely angled counter space.

Opposite page: Holiday gatherings were a key to the design of this family’s kitchen, with a Galley sink workstation and two Wolf ovens.

Vanguard stools in kid-friendly fabric. Removing the dining room’s step-down feature ties these rooms together and eliminates the need for a kitchen table.

In place of a dated dinette, Rich provided a kitchen bar alcove with a beverage center, spotlighting the distinctive angled space along the new bay windows. The setup also makes room for a 4-foot Galley sink to slice and dice in a jiffy. To maximize the treetop view, Rich confined her upper cabinetry to one stove area wall but made sure to give this family with growing boys a full pantry, also on the wish list.

Limited wall space didn’t knock down another request: two Wolf ovens. Rich just got creative with under-counter space.

“They love to entertain around the holidays,” says Rich, who was up against a deadline to complete the work before Christmas of 2022. “This kitchen works perfectly. The cooking is concentrated in one area with access to the Sub-

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bit. The redesigned five-bedroom home is transitional with clean lines, soft gold hues and an occasional contemporary accent.

Rich quickly realized that for this family to function, in everyday life or in the parties they love to throw, walls had to crumble. The old layout’s fatal flaw: “The rooms were standard rectangles next to each other,” says Rich. Sacrificing a load-bearing wall posed a challenge, but Rich forged ahead with a steel girder for structural support. Today, the kitchen, dining room and family room all flow together, and “everything is just light and airy and welcoming,” says the homeowner.

The couple naturally gave priority to an island big enough to seat the entire tribe. No longer would the family have to wrestle with a tiny island and dinette, as the quartzite slab-topped island (PMI International) welcomes five

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Echoing the aureate effect are dual lantern pendants—a classic look from Visual Comfort—over the island and a big single lantern in the dining room. Not only the Newport Brass faucet and cabinet hardware, but also the brass nailheads on the counter stools all join in celebrating the look of gold. Yet another focal point is the whitewood hood, born to be noticed.

In the nearby dining room, the two-leaf table (Vanguard) won’t disappoint at big gatherings. Practical, yes, but its pedestal base also delivers style points, while the flower triptych

by Wendover Art Group stands out against Benjamin Moore’s Reflection gray. “It looks very three-dimensional,” says Rich.

As she strove for serenity, she infused warmth with a flat-weave

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Zero and sink. Everything else is available and open.”

But what’s a kitchen design, however functional, without stunning style? One of the highlights is the Fantasy Macaubas quartzite countertops, which offer “character,” says Rich, with blue and gray veins, while contrasting with the high-gloss, white crackle of the subway backsplash. White Shaker-door cabinets (Medallion) with thick crown molding find their contrast in the island base, which resembles furniture in a Biscotti wood stain, harmonizing with the dining-room table, chairs and island stools.

Soft gold-tones add oomph to a “picture-frame” accent at the Wolf stove, which features a handy pot filler.

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wool rug in a geometric pattern (Creative Touch).

To transform the sunken family room, Rich again demolished the walls for an open, airy atmosphere.

Because parties can spill over into the family room, Rich maximized seating with a gray tweed sectional and two geometric club chairs. The gray-leather double ottoman gets “a little pizzazz” from nailhead trim, while an ultra-modern martini table offers soft gold tones and convenience. For the room’s pièce de résistance, look to the fireplace, a sleek, white combo of marble and wood. “We redid the fireplace completely,”

says Rich; it was previously green marble. Another style home run is the 3D string art (Uttermost) that “really makes a statement” –times 12, she says. A charcoal geometric rug on dark-stained wood defines the space, while soft, sheer panels offer motorized convenience—and a gold effect in the curtain rods.

“I think we took a very standard house and gave it entirely new life,” says Rich, reflecting on the awardwinning design.

The homeowner is more sentimental: “She made us fall in love with our house all over again.”

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This page: The family room’s marble fireplace is meant to take center stage, but could the 3D string-art be a close second? Opposite page: The dining room stands out for its triptych art in full bloom and a two-leaf dining room table that lets everyone feast.

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CUE THE COLOR A cottage-style home in Far Hills gets a vibrant makeover for a homeowner who welcomes happy hues.

DESIGN by PAMELA COOPER

PHOTOGRAPHY by VIC WAHBY

TEXT by MARISA SANDORA CARR

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Designer Pamela Cooper created a custom storage cabinet for the corner of the dining room so it would not block the doorway to the living room—and it adds another fun dash of raspberry to the color scheme.

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An oversized ceiling medallion was used in the dining room to give the white metal chandelier with tulips and leaves a stronger presence, says Cooper. She selected a wooden chandelier for over the kitchen island and thinks it “looks sweet.”

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paper from Schumacher as the jumping off point for the dining Ienlisted color and pattern the way Gina Lyons does. So when she room, and Lyons loved it.

Pamela Cooper of Cooper Interiors in Watchung for her T’S NOT EVERY DAY THAT A CLIENT IS WILLING TO EMBRACE

“It definitely makes a statement when you walk into the room,” she says. “Many people have commented on how pretty it is and how nice it is to see color.”

Cooper used coordinating materials for the custom upholstered dining chairs and a wing chair that Lyons’ mother had given her, tucking it into a corner of the room. A cheerful raspberry and white trellis-patterned broadloom carpet from The Rug Company was cut to fit and also used on the stairs.

The Bermex dining table features a mossy green top, and even the white linen window treatments sport green decorative tape.

“It’s such a happy space,” says Cooper.

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home renovation project, Cooper was thrilled. “The majority of my customers want gray and white, so this was so much fun to do,” Cooper recalls.

Lyons’ three-bedroom home in Far Hills, built in 1934, reminded Cooper of an English cottage with small but cozy rooms and plenty of character including original hardwood flooring and arches.

Knowing that Lyons loved color and pattern, Cooper ran with an English cottage design featuring floral and chintz-style patterns and lots of pink and green, which are Lyons’ favorite colors.

To that end, Cooper chose a green and pink hydrangea wall-

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Colors abound in the kitchen as well, where a buttery yellow was used on custom beadboard cabinets from Ingrained Cabinetry in another nod to English cottage charm. Simple Shaker-style cabinets in white were chosen for the uppers in an effort not to overwhelm the small space, says Cooper. A gray backsplash “neutralizes all of that yellow and gives it some pattern and happy informality,” she says. “There wasn’t much room for the backsplash, but it gives the room a lot of impact.” White quartz countertops with gray veining coordinate nicely.

The footprint of the kitchen was kept intact, although they eliminated a window in order to gain more upper cabinets and moved a door so they could create a small pantry for more storage.

They also added a small island and replaced all the appliances with

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new ones from Frigidaire, which is much-appreciated by Lyons, who loves to cook and bake and works at a bakery. “I spend so much time in the kitchen, and I love the way it turned out,” she says. “It’s just so functional and beautiful.”

Upstairs, a guest room was transformed with colorful blue wallpaper from Schumacher. “Because the wallpaper is so bold, everything else had to be quiet,” says Cooper, who dressed the bed in a beautiful white coverlet with a blue scallop trim. A small chair found at an antique store was reupholstered in blue linen and proved to be the perfect size for the intimate space, which can only be described as charming. “I wanted it to be a beautiful guest room that people would be happy to walk into,” says Lyons. “I just had my parents stay here, and they loved it.”

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Arranging the furniture in the guest room proved challenging, but Cooper finally decided to put the bed in front of the window in order to create space in a corner for a small chair and mosaic-top table. The whimsical, 36-inch mirror above the sitting area “had to be something that could stand up against the large scale of the wallpaper,” she says.

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SOUTH ORANGE

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From the top of Bergen to the bottom of Monmouth, we cover New Jersey like nobody else.

If you want to reach the most affluent households and influential businesses in these counties and places in between, contact Publisher Tom Flannery today at 201.571.2252 or thomas.flannery@wainscotmedia.com.

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FINISHING TOUCH

THE MIRACLE UNDER THE STAIRS Do your storage needs cry out for an elegant solution—in the mathematical sense? An oft-neglected area may help.

S keep spaces beautiful by reducing clutter and optimizing organization, enhancing the overall aesthetic. If you think you’ve exhausted all

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TORAGE IDEAS ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES OF EVERY HOUSE—THEY

areas in your house for storage space, glance over at your stairs, particularly the area beneath the steps. What you may perceive as an empty space is a blank canvas to an architect or designer. With professional savvy and attention to detail, this real estate can be put to good use.

In homes that don’t have multiple staircases built on top of one another, “you can split up the lower-level stairs and the main-floor staircase that would go up to the second floor,” says Rosario Mannino, principal architect at RS Mannino Architects & Builders in Rutherford. “That would allow you to utilize a ‘storage staircase’—for storage or desk space.”

Install drawers and cabinets, for instance, to create a stealthy spot for everything from phone chargers and laptops to scarves, gloves and other seasonal accessories. Want a place to stash larger items such as coats or a Christmas tree? Install a closet with a swinging door to keep items hidden but well within reach.

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Those with more room under the stairs can turn the space into a cozy nook for Fido—along with all his pet toys and food—or add a lamp, pillows and ledges for your collection of novels to make a hideaway you can use for reading (or scrolling). Wine storage is also a possibility, Mannino says. Assemble racks and shelves for glassware and bottles red and white.

Whatever your wish for beneath the stairs, you’ll want the new feature professionally installed to ensure the structural strength and integrity of the staircase and avoid any potential fire hazards. “Proper planning is key. Looking at all of the project’s requirements and implementing them needs to be done not just by a professional but by an experienced professional—someone who will put the thought into it and add some creativity,” Mannino adds. An experienced architect, he says, will ensure that “the space will feel appropriate based on the project as a cohesive whole and not just something that feels unintentional but functional.”

This smart storage innovation can give a bright new meaning to the well-worn phrase “below stairs.”

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