By Jessica Ganga and Victoria Zielinski
Unique Homes Magazine had the opportunity to visit the Princeton Aspire Show House, where designers showcased their elegant and creative designs for each room and area of the home. Located just minutes away from downtown Princeton, this home seamlessly blends modern design with art, creating the perfect balance of the two.
Foyer
Foyer of the home that leads to the offices.
Walking into the home, the first thing you can’t help but notice is the accent wall that travels from the bottom to the top of the staircase. It’s designed by Joe Berkowitz of JAB Design Group. Inspired by a black and white photo he saw, the basis of the foyer is a mix of “edgy” and “traditional contemporary.”
It’s warm and inviting despite the accent color being black and white. The textured wallpaper is a subtle twist, which adds an eclectic focal point. An added touch: Walk up the steps to find the exact image Berkowitz admired for his design.
Library
From the foyer, to the right, is the library, a “dark, mesmerizing, and thought-provoking room,” as described by the designer, Amy Manor of Red Bank Design Center. Manor drew from a childhood memory to create a space that welcomes diversity and is a space without judgement. Continuing with the theme of the home, Manor incorporated art from artists featured in Parlor Gallery in Asbury Park, N.J.
The home’s library featuring art from Parlor Gallery.
His & Hers Offices:
Gentleman’s Office: When designers Vivian Hung and Joe Giamarese approached the design of the masculine office space, they took into account the pandemic of 2020. What was important to them when creating the space was keeping in mind how this place will function as a work-from-home space. According to Hung, the design duo loves texture, but didn’t want to be bold with it. They incorporated pattern and texture with the carpet and the drapery that created a calming energy throughout. The main centerpiece of the office? The desk that played with the mix of materials, contrasted well with the carpet and fit perfectly into the space.
Lady’s Office: A true creative escape. This space is one that evokes fun, creativity and a place to genuinely retire for work. Designed by Vicki Kelly Gindy and Tram-Anh Poprik of Red Bank Design Center, the use of color and art combine to make this escape for the “mind, body and spirit.” At the center of the office sits a piece by artist Ray Geary that brings the whole look and feel of the office together. The flow of the colors can’t help but make anyone entering the office stop and say “wow.”
Kitchen + Mudroom
“Overall Asian styling with a cool California modern flare” sets the tone of the home for designer Ginny Padula of Town & Country Kitchen and Bath, providing the cabinetry and permanent fixtures for the kitchen, butler’s pantry, mudroom, bathrooms, and more. The kitchen, showcasing design elements that are sleek, earthy and natural, creates a modern, yet comfortable and warm space for cooking, dining, and entertaining. Unique touches, such as the cozy breakfast area, matching countertops and backsplash, and large island, add to the cohesive flow of the space, making it the perfect space for gathering with family and friends.
The lady’s office featuring art from the Parlor Gallery in Asbury Park, NJ.
The kitchen and breakfast nook look out to the backyard featuring a small pond.
Moving toward the mudroom, designer Tamu Rasheba Green of Lux Pad Interiors sought to create a transition space offering a calming atmosphere from the outside world to inside the home. The mudroom, featuring custom built-ins, closets, and an enclosed powder room, allows for the homeowners to “remove physical baggage” and “release tension of the day” by providing a personalized space to decompress before entering the home’s main quarters.
Designed by Anna Maria Mannarino from Mannarino. The great room flows seamlessly from the kitchen and features a floating stand-alone fireplace that is the centerpiece of the room. For more photos and for Anna Maria’s contact information, click here!
The floating fireplace is the great room’s focal point.
Dining Room
Designer Sam Ciardi of Samuel Robert Signature Spaces was tasked with incorporating the homeowner’s 12 antique wooden panels that depict the Chinese New Year zodiac signs. The result: an earthy room filled with plants, earth tones and “the ultimate expression of minimalist design.”
Drawing Room
Celebrating the atypical and unexpected, the drawing room, the work of designer Alirio Pirela of Pirela Atelier, creates an inviting space with a medley of different styles that blend together seamlessly. From American Art Deco to European Mid-Century masters and modern emerging artists, the result is a multifaceted space perfect for a serene retreat from the day-to-day.
The dining room was designed around the antique, Chinese wooden panels.
The drawing room features stunning art and sculptures.
Master Bedroom + Bathroom
A truly opulent and sophisticated space, the master bedroom, designed by Judy King of Judy King Interiors, embraces comfort and style. A soft mural wall blends with a striking full-wall fireplace and unique accent pieces drawing attention to the room’s distinct decor, and an impressive walk-in closet and master bath highlighting the experience of getting ready for and ending the day.
Boy’s Bedroom
A 9-year-old’s imagination and curiosity about the world, travel, and life inspired designer Diane Durocher of Diane Durocher Interiors to create a timeless bedroom that will grow with him. A walk-in closet and bathroom provide plenty of space, and the decor, such as a large canvas map hanging from the ceiling above the bed, create infinite possibilities for discovery.
The master bedroom features a warm and inviting sitting area with a fireplace.
Carefully curated pieces add some fun to the home’s guest bedroom.
Guest Bedroom
Designed by Gail Davis of Gail Davis Designs, the guest bedroom of the home is a warm and inviting, en suite space for guests. The warm space is accented by the statement bed that features the soft and comfortable linens by Deborah Sharp Linens. For lighting, the room utilizes the natural light that floods in through the large windows, but also uses shorter, standing lights, creating a cool-toned atmosphere. For more photos and Gail’s contact info, click here.
Lower Level — Wet Bar and Gallery Space
The lower level of the home is a large, open space with plenty of amenities. Designed by Ginny Padula of Town & Country Kitchen and Bath, the area was envisioned as “an entertaining space that was both cool and modern yet comfortable and soothing.” Features of this level include a yoga studio, simulation golf room and a theater. The main space, where people would gather, is relaxed with soft-toned fabrics, which perfectly contrasts the main staple of the floor: the bar.
The downstairs bar is the perfect spot for family and friends to gather around.
Acting as an art gallery, the lower level features a painting by American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein.
For the Showhouse, though, the lower level was transformed into a pop-up art gallery featuring work provided by Chelsea Art Group, which is based in New York City. There were so many interesting and beautiful pieces in the space, featuring a painting hung up near the bar area by famous pop artist Roy Lichtenstein.
The 2020 Princeton Designer Showhouse was sponsored by the following: Benjamin Moore, Cosentino, Kallista, Kohler, Florense, Signature Kitchen Suite, and LG Signature.
Featured photo: A perfect entertaining space, the lower level features a nice sitting area, golf simulation room, and home theater.
Photography by Mike Van Tassell Architectural Photography
Photo courtesy of Meshberg Group
Smart Home Technology
“Voice-operated technology is the future of smart homes and we’re already seeing a taste of this with Amazon’s Alexa. The newest smart-home technology is designed as a flush, glass-fronted touch screen TV behind your bathroom mirror.”
— Adam Meshberg of Meshberg Group.
Colored Kitchen Cabinetry
“Many are beginning to incorporate colored cabinets in kitchens while moving away from all white cabinetry. Making a statement and creating a mood with cabinetry in black and colors like deep or grey-washed blues and greens is in high demand. These are being beautifully paired with fixtures and hardware in brass and other contrasting metals.”
— Sara Ianniciello, director of design at Whitehall Interiors.
Photo courtesy of Whitehall Interiors
Photo courtesy of The Design High
Exposed Shower Plumbing
“In bathrooms, we’re incorporating more exposed shower plumbing and expect to see more of it in 2019.”
– Highlyann Krasnow, founder and creative director of The Design High.
Shades of White
In terms of wall color, “the white that we see clients liking more is Chantilly Lace, a very pure white that does not have any grey in it, and therefore gives a very luminous feel to the room. We start to use softer white like dove grey to warm up the modern spaces. Basically, we are going away from the cold whites of the last few years.”
— Sybille Schneider, director of interior design for Leroy Street Studio.
Biophilia
“For 2019, there is greater interest in biophilia, emphasizing the relationship between humankind and nature. We are looking at material palettes that use rich, ‘galactic’ depth for saturated colors, combined with supporting layers of organic, biophilic materiality that’s sourced responsibly, and has a circular strategy for reuse or recycling after its useful life. Natural, organic materials, such as wood floors, stone, and daylight and plant life, remind us of the exterior and brings the outside and nature, in.”
— Sybille Schneider, director of interior design for Leroy Street Studio.
Photo courtesy of DBOX
Photo courtesy of Meshberg Group
Porcelain Tiles
“Faux stone or large format scale tile will soon replace natural materials like concrete or Italian white marble. Emerging technology and improvement in printing and material quality has allowed for the creation of new porcelain tile that surpasses expectations in looking identical to the real natural materials but easier to install and less expensive.”
— Adam Meshberg of Meshberg Group.
Use of Wood
“People are increasingly seeking connections from nature. BCV is a big proponent of the flexibility and beauty of wood — we use it widely in our residential and hospitality projects to create a welcoming and calming environment. … In many of BCV’s projects, we see a growing desire for lighter, airier spaces, and wood is a wonderful material to incorporate to achieve this.”
— Chris von Eckartsberg and Hans Baldauf, co-founding principals of BCV Architecture + Interiors.
Photo courtesy of Vance Fox
Whether it’s an old-fashioned sofa, refurbished dresser or antique painting, vintage decor has never been more popular inside the home.
Century-old furniture, artwork and accessories often merge style with luxury, with antique prices ranging anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.
Designers and homeowners alike are beginning to use online marketplaces, such as Ruby Lane, to search for one-of-a-kind, antique pieces — buying anything from delicate vases to large, kitchen tables.
For homeowners seeking a vintage vibe, an old-fashioned accent — such as a lamp, table or rug — can help to bring your home back in time. Here are five vintage pieces perfect for the creative homeowner.
French Pastry Table
Between the decorative brass hardware and bright red paint, this 19th-century French wrought iron pastry table is truly one of a kind. Available for $6,000.
Glass Lamps
Featuring original polished brass fittings, this pair of exquisite Murano glass lamps is made up of latticino ribbons of green with Zanfirico white stripes. Created between 1940 and 1950, the ornate tiered base also features delicate embossed floral detail and serpentine loops.
Available for $2,800.
Old-Fashioned Partition
Hand-painted by French artist Jacques Ceria Despierre, this four-panel folding screen dates back to 1939. Available for $28,000
Chinese Oval Rug
Tracing back to the 17th century, the dragon heads displayed in the main border of this rug are representative of ancient Chinese design. Complete with shou symbols and bats, the rug was meant to bring good luck to all. Available for $2,750.
Silver Tea Set
Dating back to 1890, this silver tea set exudes true French-inspired elegance, complete with detailed carvings of leaves and garlands. Available for $6,900.
Photos courtesy of www.rubylane.com
Handcrafted using ancient techniques, Noble Souls is the first sofa range ever made using 100 percent natural vegetable dyes, feathers and natural linens.
The Noble Souls sofa collection is based on a simple idea that today’s real luxuries are those moments of blissful reconnection, when we feel ourselves truly alive and can deeply reconnect with one another.
In today’s globalized, virtualized world, those moments are too rare. We live in our heads, on our phones and in our screens, and we risk becoming more disconnected than ever from real life.
British furniture and interior designer Timothy Oulton wanted to figure out how to create more of these joyful moments where we feel closely connected to our surroundings and the world around us.
With a passion for materials and craft, Oulton unearthed answers on a journey that crisscrossed the globe, rediscovering ancient craftsmen, their techniques and the pure, natural materials they have used for thousands of years.
Timothy Oulton designs the Noble Souls collection to help people reconnect.
“We wanted to go beyond the sofa, to think about the space in someone’s home, and the context of their life,” Oulton says. “It’s not just furniture. Noble Souls gives you permission to relax and truly let go. In a home, these sofas become a hearth, a place where you can reconnect with each other more deeply, or even just with yourself.”
The collection features three sofas: Realm, Nest and Oasis. Each one offers a different seating contour, from extremely laid-back to more supportive profiles, ensuring there is a sofa perfectly suited to complement any lifestyle. The modular design ensures each sofa is endlessly configurable, to suit any space.
The Noble Souls collection is of disarming softness and epic comfort, made using natural materials and ancient craft. Each sofa is filled with goose down feathers, the simplest form of all feathers, creating thousands of tiny pockets of air within the sofa. Seat covers are all natural linen, using only 100 percent natural vegetable dyes.
Noble Souls linens are colored using only 100 percent natural vegetable dyes, applied the same way it has been done for thousands of years, which is using only dye stuffs and water. Blue hues are achieved using indigo, and grays using gallnut. Color fastness is achieved with a gentle stone washing treatment.
Accompanying the sofa collection, a select range of furniture and lighting is available. The collection also supports the three key “realms of reconnection” in any home — the sofa living area, the dining space and the bedroom.
AGORA LIVE EGDE DINING TABLE
ANCHOR PENDANT
FAMILY RUG — BLUE
ENGLISH BEAM COFFEE TABLE
OASIS SOFA IN LINEN WHITE
SAHARA CARAVAN RUG — BAMBOO
SALVE CUSHION — OLD WOVEN STRIPE
SANCTUM DINING CHAIR
Photos courtesy of www.timothyoulton.com
The invisible collection began with two friends who saw a need for a website that offered some of the most exclusive items from the best names in French design in one marketplace.
The Invisible Collection has added its first British interior designer, Sophie Ashby, to its list of revered international designers and architects who contribute to its selection of furniture and household accessories.
The Invisible Collection is a website that provides people a way to online shop the private collections of Europe’s interior designers and architects. The website began with two friends, Anna Zaoui and Isabelle Dubern, who saw there was a need for a website that offered some of the most exclusive items from the best names in French design in one marketplace. From there, Zaoui and Dubern expanded to include designers from other European countries to make their company international.
A few noteworthy designers who contribute to the Invisible Collection are India Mahdavi, a French architect, industrial designer, graphic designer and furniture designer, Hubert Le Gall, a French designer, sculptor, scenographer and painter, and Federica Tondato, an Italian architect and interior designer. The addition of Ashby, the creative director of Studio Ashby, to the list of designers has widened the scope of the Invisible Collection to include pieces by British designers.
Studio Ashby’s first furniture collection in collaboration with the Invisible Collection consists of 17 pieces. The collection was designed for private residential projects in the United Kingdom, including a riverside penthouse on the Southbank, a holiday home on the coast in the new forest and a family home in Holland Park.
The collection draws inspiration from art, nature and the places Ashby has traveled to and experienced. From the works of Yves Klein to Jean Arp, and the Japanese Kyoto gardens of Holland Park to the colors of the Karoo, Ashby’s nomadic upbringing and love for travel, combined with her artistic sensibility, grant a unique personality to her designs.
Ashby’s different experiences have each fed her understanding of design, its power and its possibility — from the vast nature of the south African landscape to the small rooms of a Victorian house in the city, and the urban intensity of New York to the rural charm of the English countryside.
Photos courtesy of www.theinvisiblecollection.com