NJ Inspire IT’S NOT where you go,
IT’S WHO YOU MEET along the way.
ASID NEW JERSEY MAGAZINE ISSUE II 2016
NJ INSPIRE EDITORIAL STAFF
DepartmentNEWS
SUMMER 2016 ASID NEW JERSEY CHAPTER OFFICE P.O. Box 323 Midland Park, NJ. 07432 T: (732) 787-5981 F: (201) 689-1259 www.asidnj.org CHAPTER ADMINISTRATOR Isabelle Lanini administrator@nj.asid.org ASID NATIONAL 608 Massachusetts Ave NE Washington DC 20002-6006 Tel: (202) 546-3480 Fax: (202) 546-3240 Toll free: (800) 610-ASID (2743) asid@asid.org | www.asid.org EDITORIAL STAFF Anne Marie Soto, Editor Nada Alzoubi, Student ASID, Co-editor Katy Arredondo-Angeles, Student ASID, Co-editor Abigail Cuevas, Student ASID Jodi Heimowitz, Student ASID Ruth Hymanson, Student ASID
New Jersey Chapter News DepartmentNEWS 4 4 5 6
President’s Message 2015-2016 Board of Directors Calendar of Events 2015-2016 Committee Chairs
Spotlight ON MEMBERS 7 8 9
Industry Partners Up-Close Welcome New Members
Preview the Day Meet the Sponsors
13 13 14
21
Atlantic Builders Convention HouseSmarts
Online Member Benefits Community Service LPCCD Update April Meeting Recap
Meet Four Members Who Push the Envelope
View POINTS 25 26
Make Way for the Senses The Benefits of Volunteering
StudentNEWS 27
ChapterNEWS
Effectiveness Training Recap
WeAre ASID
Public Relations Report
ASID NJ Expo & RESOURCE DAY 10 11
16 17 18 20
Jay Slack Memorial Student Educational Scholarship
27 27
Career Day 2016 Student Design Competition
Tech + Spec
ASID NJ INSPIRE EDITORIAL DEADLINES Vol. III – 2016 • August 5, 2016
Index Of Advetisers
ON THE COVER ASID New Jersey Expo & Resource Day
2 PUBLISHING STAFF Advertising Sales Duff Tussing • (972) 747-7866 Ext: 311 dtussing@dsapubs.com Dawn Lyon, Art Director • ad@dsapubs.com NJ Inspire magazine is published quarterly for the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers by DSA Publishing & Design, Inc. Editorial content and NJ Inspire magazine are controlled and owned by the NJ Chapter of ASID. Reproduction of this publication in whole, in part, or in any form is strictly prohibited without the written permission of the ASID NJ Chapter.
Alvarez Unique Furnishings
26
California Closets
11
CMI Interiors, Inc
28
Design NJ
5
Hallmark Floor Company
9
Larry Gerber
15 5 19
NJ Inspi pire
ASID NEW JERSEY MAGAZINE ISSUE II 2016
IT T’S NOT T whhere h you go, g
IT T’S WHO O T
Peter Rymwid Schwartz Design Showroom Warshauer Electric Supply Company
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 3 -
H
ello ASID NJ Big things are happening for you at ASID NJ and I hope you're not missing out! This year's team of volunteers is so jazzed up and having a blast seeing their efforts make a difference for our pros, students and IPs.
President’s Message
They're delivering what we all need: - industry insight -business training -technical expertise -resources -community
Industry Insight - Did you join us at Pirch in May to learn how successful designers turn their talents into money while creating loyal professional relationships? Business Training - Did you make it to Effectiveness Training in March and get blown away by the real world answers to managing your workload and effective collaboration? Technical Expertise - Our Tech + Spec series is officially launched! After a successful start addressing technical considerations and options for undercabinet lighting at Warshauer Electric Supply in Parsippany and Tinton Falls, we moved next to AF Hardware, Bath & Spa in Fairfield and General Plumbing Supply in Matawan to learn all about specifying ADA compliant baths and showers with no thresholds. Resources – What we all need: Pros who understand that we are control freaks and want options that are just right for our clients. Meet them on September 29th at the ASID NJ Expo & Resource Day! Community - Do you have a fast list of friends to turn to for answers? Now I do! Events like our Design Excellence Awards Gala in June are the perfect places to build your friendships and celebrate design achievements. And don't miss the summer garden party on July 19 at the beautiful Van Vleck House and Gardens in Montclair. If you're not yet engaged, come to the next event and say hello to me personally. I'll see that you have a great time! Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Jana Manning, ASID President, ASID NJ Chapter
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2015-2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Jana Manning, ASID (732) 299-7010 president@nj.asid.org President-elect Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID (732) 741-1444 president-elect@nj.asid.org Financial Director Baki Ildiz, IP Rep for The Creative Touch (201) 866-1933 finance@nj.asid.org Communications Director Denise Jones, ASID (908) 621-0559 communications@nj.asid.org Professional Development Director Sheree Goodman, Allied ASID (201) 848-5061 professionaldevelopment@nj.asid.org Membership Director Virginia Zonfrilli, Allied ASID (973) 674-7400 membership@nj.asid.org At-Large Board Member Brooke Altidor, Allied ASID (908) 754-0933 at-large@nj.asid.org Student Representative Ashley Lacen, Student ASID (845) 341-7902 studentrep@nj.asid.org Parliamentarian Suzan Globus, FASID (732) 530-4121 suzan@globusdesign.com Advisor/Past President Michael M. Mariotti, ASID (201) 384-1294 michaelasid@michaelmariotti.com
Schwartz Design Showroom
DepartmentNEWS
Calendar of Events
INJUNE 15
Design Excellence Gala The Grove Cedar Grove, NJ
more than a showroom, experience the difference.
INJULY 12 13-16 19
ASID NJ Board Meeting CLC (Chapter Leadership Conference) Minneapolis, Minn. Midsummer Night's Networking Van Vleck House & Gardens Montclair, N.J.
INSEPTEMBER 13 17 29
ASID NJ Board Meeting Career Day Brookdale Community College Lincroft, N.J. ASID NJ Expo & Resource Day (formerly Trade Show) Hyatt Regency New Brunswick, N.J
Allow us to be your partner a as you create dynamic e environments for your clients.
Runners • Rugs • Broadloom Wood • Luxury Vinyl Tile • And More Family Business since 1978 In-house installation crews • Custom fabrication
For 70 years we have supported the design community bringing our commitment to excellence to each project.
Susette Schwartz + Alexis Varbero FURNITURE ● LIGHTING ● ACCESSORIES ● RUGS
SHOP IN TOWN AND SAVE
Hallmark Floor Company 48 North Maple Ave. • Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201.445.5886 www.hallmarkfloorcompany.com
287 AMBOY AVENUE, METUCHEN, NJ
●
732.205.0291
SCHWARTZDESIGNSHOWROOM.COM
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 5 -
DepartmentNEWS
Committee Chairs ASID NJ 2015-2016 CHAPTER AWARDS
Mary Sferra, ASID
MEMBERSHIP
Tracey Taylor, Allied ASID
mary.sferra@verizon.net
DEVELOPMENT
tracethemark@gmail.com
(201) 384-8965
tracey@dx321.com (551) 206-8139
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Sabiha Jan, Allied ASID sabihajan@yahoo.com
NEWSLETTER
(973) 835-6422
Anne Marie Soto ams_assoc@prodigy.net (201) 692-8087
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Contact Chapter Administrator to apply NOMINATING
COUNCIL OF PRESIDENTS
Michael Mariotti, ASID michaelasid@michaelmariotti.com
Michael Mariotti, ASID
(201) 384-1294
michaelasid@michaelmariotti.com (212) 753-2220 PROGRAMS DESIGN EXCELLENCE
Sandy Cabelis, Allied ASID
AWARDS
sandy@cabelisid.com
Maryellen Perone, Allied ASID maryellenperone@yahoo.com (732) 974-7976
(973) 998-7045 PUBLIC RELATIONS EMERGING
Diane Goté, FASID
PROFESSIONALS
dianeg@designworksnj.com
Anne Marie Soto ams_assoc@prodigy.net (201) 692-8087
(908) 277-2522 STRATEGIC PLANNING ETHICS/LEGISLATIVE
Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID president-elect@nj.asid.org
Brooke Altidor, Allied ASID
(732) 741-1444
at-large@nj.asid.org (908) 279-5618 STUDENT AFFAIRS IP STEERING
Jill Shobe, Allied ASID jillshobe@gmail.com
Keith Drucks, IP Rep, Wolf-Gordon
(201) 538-2328
Keith.Drucks@wolfgordon.com (973) 223-3614
LEADERSHIP
Judy Fosshage, FASID
DEVELOPMENT
j.fosshage@verizon.net
TECHNOLOGY
Contact Chapter Administrator to apply
TRADE SHOW
Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID
(201) 768-4016
president-elect@nj.asid.org
Karen Topjian, ASID
(732) 741-1444
mcmdesigns@gmail.com
MARKETING
(201) 894-5381
WEB SITE
Contact Chapter Administrator to apply
Nancy Mikulich, Associate ASID
WORKPLAN & BUDGET
Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID
nancy@nlmdesigns.com (732) 775-5151
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president-elect@nj.asid.org (732) 741-1444
Spotlight ON MEMBERS
Public Relations R E P O R T
By Anne Marie Soto, ASID NJ Public Relations/Marketing Consultant
The following publications recently highlighted ASID NJ interior designers. Many of these placements came as a result of our chapter’s PR Alerts, which are emailed to professional, allied and associate members. This list, updated regularly, appears in the In the Press section under the Media tab on our chapter’s website (www.asidnj.org). If available, a live link is included for each placement. Many of them are also posted on our public Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ASIDNewJersey).
ASPIRE
Spring ’16 issue: “Modern Serenity” (pp.82-87)-Satomi Yoshida-Katz, Allied ASID BERGEN HEALTH & LIFE
May ’16 issue: “Spicing Up the Kitchen” (pp.34-35)-Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID
HouseSmartsTV (www.housesmartsTV.com)
May 21: Design Smarts“Age in Place Bathroom”- Episode 161 -Marlene Wangenheim, Allied ASID
April 29: Design Smarts “Pro Decorating Tips”- Episode 160 – Jana Manning, ASID April 16: “Living Thru a Reno” – Episode 159 – Kingsley Belcher Knauss, ASID
April ’16 issue: “Step Lively” (pp.40-47)-Diane Durocher, ASID; Camille Waldron,
Our ASID NJ blog covers both the residential and the
ASID
commercial design field. It can be accessed through
www.asidnj.org’s home page. A notice goes up on our
public Facebook page every time a new blog entry is
DESIGN NJ
June/July ’16 issue: “Strokes of Brilliance” (pp.82-92)-Sheila Rich, Allied ASID;
April/May ’16 issue: “Unexpected Mix” (pp.72-74)-Philip LaBossiere, Allied ASID;
posted.
Thank you to the following for their recent contributions to our blog:
“Dining Plus” (pp.76-78)-Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID; “Pretty in Pink” (pp.84-
“The Art of Decluttering” by Vanessa Deleon, Allied ASID
“Art Smart” (pp.104-113)-Barbara Noud, Allied ASID
“Make Way for the Senses” by Wendy Cruz-Gonzalez, ASID
86)-Diane Durocher, ASID; “Under the Moon” (pp.88-89)-Sharon L. Sherman, ASID;
“Downsizing Done Right” by Deborah Leamann, Allied ASID
If you would like to contribute, please contact me at ams_assoc@prodigy.net for
(201)
details. Writing help is provided!!
(201) HOME
MEMBER NEWS
April ’16 issue: “Dutch Dream” (pp.86-93)-Laurence Carr, Allied ASD
Spring’16 issue: “Going for Glam” (p.28)-Anthony Passanante, Allied ASID; “Creating
a Quiet Haven” (p.31)-Danielle Palmadessa, Allied ASID; “Showhouse Stunners”
(pp.48-61)-Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID; Mary Sferra, ASID; Mark Polo, Allied
ASID; Judi Schwarz, Associate ASID; Sharon L. Sherman, ASID; Philip LaBossiere,
Allied ASID; Diane Durocher, ASID
THE RECORD & THE HERALD NEWS
HOMESCAPE Section
May 5: “A Colonial Revival Bath” – Lori Jacobsen, Allied ASID
April 7: “Staging Can Make the Sale When Selling a Home”-Sandy Levin, Allied
ASID
THE STAR LEDGER
Congratulations to the following ASID NJ members who have received 2016 Best
of Houzz Awards!
Best of Houzz 2016 – Design Julie Liepold, Allied ASID
Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID Best of Houzz 2016 – Service
Jacqueline Brathwaite-West, Allied ASID
Diane Durocher, ASID Teri Fiori, Allied ASID
Ria Gulian, ASID
Sandy Levin, Allied ASID
Sheila Rich, Allied ASID
Tracey Stephens, Allied ASID
Julie Liepold, Allied ASID Mark Polo, Allied ASID
Sheila Rich, Allied ASID
Tracey Stephens, Allied ASID
Karla Trincanello, Allied ASID
May 14: “The Ultimate Man Cave” – Gail Whiting, ASID
April 15: “Why This Couple Said No to an Indoor Pool” – Heather McManus,
Associate ASID
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 7 -
Spotlight ON MEMBERS
Industry Partners U P - C L O S E
We are grateful to the IP’s who support our chapter programs and events. American Brass & Crystal sponsored our April meeting, “Brighten Your Sales; Brighten Your Bottom Line.” (See page 20 for more about this meeting.)
AMERICAN BRASS & CRYSTAL
American Brass & Crystal casts a finer light than other products on the market. The company works with masterful artisans who put attention to every delicate detail of their products. With an abundant supply of raw brass, the company produces one-of-a-kind lighting fixtures only they have the capabilities to manufacture. As their products are handmade, they make sure every step of the production receives the attention and mastery it deserves. America Brass & Crystal only use high quality raw brass from Breccia, Italy. This region is known for masters who can cast the most intricate details and brass components. In fact, many brands around the world seek the services of these masterful artisans. The company’s crystals, on the other hand, come from the best suppliers in Egypt. They are hand cut mainly in the Czech Republic following the traditional style of cutting crystals. Style American Brass & Crystal brings the elegance of classic lighting fixtures to your home. Their products are designed to last for generations and are even perfect as heirloom lighting fixtures.
Assembly room: electrifying the piece
Designers looking for durable and stylish lighting fixtures will love products from American Brass & Crystals. You can be confident that your chandelier or floor lamp won’t go out of style.
American Brass & Crystal 835 Lehigh Ave. Union, NJ 07083 www.abclighting.net/ Martin Grodman, IP Rep martin@abclighting.net (908) 688-8615
Plating room: cups are immersed in a nickel tank to turn raw brass into polished nickel Plating room: raw brass has been transformed into antique nickel
Pinning room: each crystal is hand-pinned for each fixture, then labeled and tightly wrapped for shipping
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Drill press: 10 different drill presses are used to create the right size hole for each crystal
Polishing wheel: removes imperfections from the raw brass before it goes to the plating room
Spotlight ON MEMBERS
Welcome
NEW DESIGNERS
NEW
MEMBERS
Zoran Lazovski MASTER OF UPHOLSTERY LLC Fair Lawn, NJ 07410-1823 majstor@optonline.net (855) 802-6868
Jennifer Alexis Busler, Allied ASID Edna Burrell, Allied ASID
Simone Desantis, Allied ASID Sara Golomb, Allied ASID
Linda Martinez-Rosario MP PAINTING CONTRACTOR Elizabeth, NJ 07207-2615 linda@mpapainters.com (908) 799-0052
Angela Gutekunst, Allied ASID Joan Martinelli, Allied ASID Marisa Scinto, ASID
Thomas B. Sweeney, Associate ASID
REGIONAL Ahmet Koyuncu BAZAAR HOME DÉCOR AND CARPET LLC RUGS AND HOME BY HORIZON Paramus, NJ 07652-2730 ahmet_koyuncu92@hotmail.com (832) 273-5660
NEW STUDENT MEMBERS
Hasnaa Abohomos, Student ASID Gracelyn Delucia, Student ASID Rosa G. Duran, Student ASID
Matthew R. Edwards, Student ASID Giselle Hymanson, Student ASID Donna L. Kahan, Student ASID
NATIONAL Michelle Donovan SIGNATURE KITCHEN SUITE Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632-3302 (201) 266-2418
Annemarie Macejka, Student ASID Julian Merola, Student ASID
NEW INDUSTRY PARTNERS
Farhana Sachdev COCOONS FINE SLKS LLC Monroe, NJ 08831-2918 cocoons2011@gmail.com (732) 290-7455
Michael Jon Fabrics
www.fremarc.com Chairs & Case Goods
www.michaeljondesigns.com Upholstery Fabrics
www.charlestonforge.com Custom made American made Iron
Gianti Fabrics and Wallcoverings
Old Biscayne Designs
Christopher Guy
www.gianti.com
www.oldbiscaynedesigns.com Custom Beds, Casegoods & Furniture
www.christopherguy.com Fine Furniture and Mirrors
Hartmann & Forbes
Ren-Wil
Charleston Forge
David Francis Furniture www.davidfrancisfurniture.com Indoor & Outdoor Wicker and Rattan
Delos Rugs
www.hfshades.com Handcrafted Natural Wallcoverings, Natural Wood Blinds & Natural Shades
Leathercraft www.leathercraft-furniture.com Custom Leather & Upholstered Furniture
www.delosrugs.com Made to Order Custom Rugs
Lisa Taylor Designs
DeMajo Lighting www.demajoilluminazione.com Murano Glass Lighting & Chandeliers
Elements Trade
www.lisataylordesigns.com Contemporary Polished Chrome Seating
Kittinger Furniture www.kittingerfurniture.com Traditional Hand Crafted Fine Furniture
www.elementstrade.com Lighting
Magitex Fabrics
Fabric Quilters & Window Fashions www.fabricquilters.com Window Treatments & Bedding Design Workroom
www.renwil.com Art, Mirrors, Lighting & Accessories by Original Artists
Selva Furniture www.selva.com Traditional & Transitional Italian Made Furniture
Shine by S.H.O www.shinebysho.com Contemporary Furniture & Seating
The Natural Light www.thenaturallight.com Specialty Lamps
www.magitexdecor.com
Unique Fine Fabrics
Massoud Furniture
www.uniquefinefabrics.com Drapery Fabric & Hardware
www.massoudfurniture.com Upholstered Furniture
Walters Wicker www.walterswicker.com Indoor & Outdoor Furniture
R
L
E
E
GERB
SA
Amy Mensching FLEMINGTON GRANITE & ARCHITECTURAL SUPPLY Flemington, NJ 08822-6021 amymensching@comcast.net (908) 806-8860
Fremarc Designs Furniture
www.brimarinc.com
P
Emily Young BRASS AND BURL INC Hackensack, NJ 07601-1003 emily@brassandburl.com (202) 257-4671
Brimar Trim and Hardware
U
Tamika Nosworthy BACKYARD LIVING Ridgewood, NJ 07450-3207 tnosworthy@bylnj.com (201) 689-9111
GERBER SALES
TH
LOCAL ARCHITECTURAL IRON DESIGNS INC. Plainfield, NJ 07063-1302 traccy@archirondesign.com (908) 757-2323
E S
O G R
Larry Gerber Email: larry@gerbersales.com | Office: 973.335.7430 Fax: 973.299.8332 | Mobile: 201.704.1966 Jesse Gerber Email: jesse@gerbersales.com | Office: 973.387.1196 Fax: 973.387.1198 | Mobile: 609.647.9797 www.gerbersales.com
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 9 -
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ASID NJ Expo AND RESOURCE DAY
ASID NJ Expo & Resource Day SPONSOR
PROFILES
We are grateful to those IP’s who came onboard early in the planning stages to become sponsors for our Expo & Resource Day on September 29th: SherwinWilliams (Diamond Sponsor), ASPIRE HOME AND DESIGN magazine (Media Sponsor) and Design NJ (Media Sponsor). As more IP’s join in as sponsors, we will profile them in the future issues of NJ Inspire.
DIGITAL COLOR ExPLORATION New digital tools also allow you to explore color. With the ColorSnap Visualizer for iPhone, iPad, Android and at sherwinwilliams.com, you can scan the color chip with your iPhone or Android smartphone for instant access to room scenes featuring that color, options for coordinating colors and more. The tool also matches the color in a photo to a specific Sherwin-Williams color, allowing you to virtually paint a room before ever picking up a paintbrush.
PARTNERING WITH YOU TO HELP MAKE COLOR WORK FOR ANY DESIGN As a design professional, finding the precise color to match your vision is key to creating an extraordinary result for your customers. You may want to recreate the perfect blue of a robin’s egg in a new bedroom, showcase the playful colors of the rainbow in a daycare center, or add the soft, soothing color of beach sand to an oceanfront apartment complex. You may also have certain colors in mind to create a specific effect that your client never imagined. With SherwinWilliams as your partner and its fully integrated ColorSnap® system of colors and tools, selecting the perfect hue has never been easier.
IN-STORE COLOR RESOURCES Exploring color in-store is also easier with the ColorSnap Studio display, which groups color by families, such as red, yellow or blue, then displays color by saturation level. Each color family is set on one of 24 rotating panels. By turning a panel, you see a curated selection of nearly 50 paint chips of specific colors within that color family.
DIAMOND SPONSOR: SHERWIN-WILLIAMS
ADvANCED COLOR MATCHING TECHNOLOGY Color that’s “close enough” is not good enough. Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap Precision technology seamlessly integrates with the ColorSnap system and calibrates color formulas specifically for every product and sheen, ensuring
Your home in a whole new light Shading solutions that put you in control
TOOLS FOR EFFECTIvE COLOR SELECTION An expanded set of tools is available for professionals, the ColorSnap Design Pro Suite, which includes a new fan deck, portable and desktop kits, a complete palette guide for easy reference and more. As part of the ColorSnap Design Pro Suite: the desktop or portable color sample kit contains eight binders organized by color family, with 4”x4” color samples; the sleek fan deck is organized by color family and then by saturation levels; a sheen and gloss reference is available, as well as a ColorPrime gray-shade primers reference; a Palette Guide that allows you to see the complete color palette all in one place; and a wallet-style color folio that holds 24 4”x4” color samples in a waterfall format for easy viewing. Using these tools, you’ll be able to design with a color system engineered to match your vision.
973-912-0922
contactus@cmiinteriorsinc.com
www.cmiinteriorsinc.com
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 11 -
ASID NJ Expo AND RESOURCE DAY outstanding color accuracy and consistency. Color matches can be delivered with astonishing gallon-to-gallon accuracy.
MEDIA SPONSOR: ASPIRE HOME AND DESIGN
Contact your Sherwin-Williams Designer Account Executive, Rebecca Smith, (Rebecca.h.smith@sherwin.com), to request the ColorSnap Design Pro Suite today. For more information, visit www.colorsnap.com or www.sherwinwilliams.com.
MEDIA SPONSOR: DESIGN NJ
For more than 15 years, Design NJ magazine has provided interior design and landscape information, inspiration and ideas to thousands of homeowners throughout New Jersey. Their award-winning content is recognized nationally for being well-researched and accurate. Using only experienced architectural photographers and home fashion writers, Design NJ strategically selects and presents the finest home fashion in the state.
Editor-in-Chief Ren Miller is a regular attendee at ASID NJ meetings and events. He shares, “I truly enjoy the relationships that I have developed with the ASID NJ designers and Industry Partners. I value their insight and their talent, and it is my honor to showcase their work in our publication.” Asked what major changes he has seen during his tenure at the magazine Ren says, “This decade has seen tremendous advances in technology and communication. Yet, so much remains the same. Readers know they can count on our digital channels for support and quick information. But when they truly want to enjoy content and learn something, we find they place a very high value on the printed page. That is why we continue to invest in our printed product with the most current and accurate printing and proofing technologies. Today it is possible to achieve a higherquality image on paper than it was 10 years ago. That’s exciting because we place a high value on the reader experience.” In addition to a strong print product, thousands of New Jersey consumers actively engage with Design NJ on various social media platforms. As marketers, Design NJ staff uses the data gained through these channels to develop content that inspires New Jersey consumers to hire design professionals and invest in their homes. Design NJ offers ASID members a special professional subscription rate of $10 for six issues. Contact designer liaison Barbara Venezia at 800-969-7176, ext. 264, or bvenezia@designnewjersey.com.
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ASPIRE HOME AND DESIGN magazine publisher Steven Mandel with Barbara Corcoran at the Blackman Mahwah grand opening
IN PRINT Each Season, ASPIRE HOME AND DESIGN magazine delivers a one of a kind luxury design media experience to our discriminating audience comprised of savvy consumers and design professionals from New Jersey and New York. Our print magazine presents all facets of design through the use of exquisite photography, compelling and thoughtful content, gorgeous layouts and the most advanced printing methodologies in the industry.
ON-LINE The ASPIRE experience continues on-line at aspiremetro.com and through social media with new and original content specifically curated for the design obsessed.
SOURCE-BOOK The ASPIRE Source-Book is a fully integrated digital database comprised of the region’s most accomplished and highly reviewed design service firms. To learn more about source book and to see how your firm can be featured, email sourcebook@aspiremetro.com.
EvENTS Advertisers, readers and real estate professionals converge and network more than 20 times per year at our well attended events where lifelong connections are born.
TRADE SUBSCRIPTIONS ASPIRE HOME AND DESIGN magazine offers ASID members complimentary subscriptions to our print publication plus exclusive VIP access to all of our events. To subscribe please go to www.aspiremetro.com/subscribe and enter offer code ASID.
OUR COMMITMENT TO ASID Aspire Home and Design is proud to support and partner with the ASID in many ways including trade show sponsorship, editorial specifically designed to support the trade, ASID advertisements and beginning September 2016 as publishing partners to the ASID NJ member newsletter. ASPIRE HOME AND DESIGN magazine 246 Main Street, Cornwall, NY 12518 aspiremetro.com (845) 534-6110
Atlantic Builders Convention
In late March, ASID NJ exhibited at the Atlantic Builders Convention in Atlantic City. Our booth was staffed by Chapter President Jana Manning, ASID; Sandy Levin, Allied ASID and Michael Toro, Allied ASID. Here’s what Michael had to say about the experience: “Speaking with a number of vendors and custom home builders I received very positive feedback as we discussed the benefits of working with an ASID designer. Enthusiasm to join ASID was also expressed as we discussed the value of joining ASID as an Industry Partner. I believe we may have a few new Industry Partners as a result of this venture!”
ChapterNEWS
By Anne Marie Soto
ASID NJ members have been getting some television time, thanks to HouseSmartsTV. HouseSmarts is a 30minute syndicated home improvement program hosted by Lou Manfredini. As a contractor and a broadcaster (NBC's Today Show, WGN Radio), Lou has created this high-energy half-hour weekly program to combine the best of both worlds for television audiences: useful home improvement knowledge and an entertaining look into the projects of real homeowners.
The program airs all over the U.S. Here in the metropolitan area, it airs on Saturday morning, 4:30 am, on WNBC. So why would a designer want to be on a television show that airs at such a time? Turns out there are lots of reasons! Shows are rebroadcasted on the HouseSmarts website (www.housesmartstv.com) and on the HouseSmarts YouTube channel. In addition, the designer can post the segment on his/her website and have full bragging rights on other social media outlets. Our chapter posts them on our public Facebook page and will be adding them to our YouTube channel.
Chapter members who have filmed interview segments this spring include Kingsley Belcher Knauss, ASID; Jana Manning, ASID; Marlene Wangenheim, Allied ASID; Wendy Cruz-Gonzalez, ASID; and Cozette Brown, Allied ASID. In addition, projects from two other designers—Jim Cline, Allied ASID and Jill Ryan, Allied ASID—were shot to be used as background scenes during segment introductions. (In TV jargon, these are called “wraps.”) All the designers receive credit – on screen and/or online.
Sandy Levin, Allied ASID and Chapter President Jana Manning, ASID at the Atlantic Builders Convention
We anticipate more opportunities as the producers love working with us. Says Margo Bruton, “When we're developing story lines for our audience, we always want to make sure we're giving our viewers the very best advice and the newest trends and products in the marketplace. When it comes to matters of home design and decoration, I have relied on ASID for years to introduce me to the most qualified, creative and professional interior designers out there. Their membership has a deep in knowledge of the industry and without exception, they have been such a pleasure to work with." Tina Cowles, the other producer we work with regularly in the NY/NJ metropolitan area, says, “ASID NJ is a wonderful resource for finding new faces to participate. The designers have so many interesting projects, are so generous with their time, and their expertise is wonderful. When I’m finally on site to film a project, it is always more interesting than I was imagining!”
Requests are distributed to our designer members through email PR Alerts. Of course, it’s television so when requests come into the chapter, the turnaround time is usually FAST!
Behind the scenes during Kingsley Knauss' segment
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 13 -
TECH + SPEC
ChapterNEWS
The Basics of Under Cabinet and Cove Lighting
60-watt bulb's energy is emitted as heat, rather than light. By contrast, an LED
By Linda Kitson, Allied ASID
“The Basics of Under Cabinet and Cove Lighting” was the
topic of a recent program in ASID NJ’s Tech + Spec series.
The program (0.2 CEUs) was held twice at Warshauer
Electric: on April 22nd in Tinton Falls and on May 6 in
Parsippany.
It was presented by WAC Lighting, a leading manufacturer of LED lighting.
WAC is a 30-year-old company who leads technology advancements in LED
lighting and is headquartered in Port Washington, N.Y. with distribution nation-
wide. I attended the presentation in Tinton Falls and am happy to share some of
my notes.
Chi Chow, Northeast sales manager for WAC, presented visuals and passed
samples while discussing the latest in planning beautifully effective and energy
has an estimated life of 25,000 hours (or more) which is more than 25 times the
longevity 9 (*see the math below). Contrary to the image of an incandescent
bulb “blowing out” instantly, an LED's useful life comes to an end not with a
pop, but rather as a slow fading of clear bright light. The bulb could require
changing 10 years from now. For areas involving high ceilings or other difficult
settings, this can be a strong advantage. Math hypothesis:
a light is on 10 hours per day, for 365 days.
10 x 365 = 3650 hours on.
25,000 hours (life of an LED bulb / 3650 = 6.8 years. IL-LUMEN-ation. Lumens = Illumination.
Understanding
efficient lighting for today's interiors. LED has advanced significantly in the last
lumens, the
energy efficient and optimal lighting throughout the world.
output, was a key
LED is the acronym for Light-Emitting Diode, a technology that is neither based
information
five years and may not be well understood. It is an important movement in
on gas (incandescent) nor on a vacuum (fluorescent). It is a technology of solid
matter and the movement of electrons that as a result emits light.
The advantages of LEDs were discussed in detail and would include:
• Very high level of brightness
• Minimal use of energy
• Compact size. Each diode is about the size of a pin-head and are usually clus-
measure of light
element of the
session since
understanding
lumens is critical to
differentiate
between light
emitted (measured
in lumens) vs
tered. This small size allows for manufacturing of smaller, less visible fixtures.
energy used
heavy metals, so LED requires no specialized disposal.
watts/kilowatts)
• Environmental advantage: they are free of halogen gas, mercury and other •
•
Color range versatility
has greatly improved
Safe handling since LED
is not housed in glass.
These attributes were
compared to standard
incandescent bulbs as well
as fluorescent options,
formed as either a straight
tube or CF bulb.
When comparing charac-
teristics to a 60-watt stan-
dard incandescent bulb,
Jim Dunn, Executive VP, Warshauer, welcoming the group in Parsippany
- 14 - ISSUE II | NEW JERSEY CHAPTER
which has an estimated life
of 750 hours, most of the
(measured in
Sarah Barton, Warshauer; Chi Chow, WAC Lighting; Laura Bufaino and Dana Guzzo, Warshauer Electric.
which we are accustomed to thinking of. As a familiar example, the standard
60-watt incandescent bulb consumes just that, 60 watts of energy, and emits
approximately 700 lumens of illumination. The same 700 lumen output in LED
form consumes approximately 10 watts of energy, less than 20% of the power
expended. Energy efficiency is both demanded from government and desired
by customers.
Color temperate, measured on the Kelvin scale, was also discussed. The desire
for today's illuminated spaces is for clean, clear, true white light. LED can be
produced in an array of color temperatures from slightly warm to middle-clear
to slightly cool.
Transformers are required with LEDs and those transformers are generally
quite small, but must be planned for, either nearby or in a remote location. The
mechanical portion of today's transformer is about the size of two C batteries,
but its casing is smaller than a soda can. A few lights can be wired to one trans-
former, but not all. Some decorative fixtures incorporate their own transformer.
ChapterNEWS The lighting professionals at the program mentioned they have planned trans-
formers atop the cabinets themselves, inside a closet, in a nearby space or even
in the basement.
LED options exist today in bulb-shaped, non-glass housings, pucks and bars for
under cabinet use, as track fixtures, and as "click and stick" skinny tape for
coves, closets, and cabinet shelf areas where a thin profile is needed.
LED offerings, I can understand that LED is the lighting of our near future, and
beyond.
A comprehensive understanding of this topic couldn't be more timely. Thank you, WAC and Warshauer!
I find it ironic that the wire filament look of the "Edison bulb" has become
popular while the technology itself is actually becoming extinct. Having been
made aware of the tremendous benefits and wide availability of LED, along
with a quick search of some of my favorite lighting manufacturers and their
At the Parsippany presentation
Attendees in Tinton Falls included Mary Hausman, Allied ASID; Linda Kernis, Allied ASID; Linda Kitson, Allied ASID; Donna Domenicali, ASID; Jean Podesta, ASID
NEW COVER NEW WEBSITE Beautifully photographed rooms Yours maybe there too! PETER RYMWID PHOTOGRAPHY SAFAVIEH Magazine Cover Photography Peter Rymwid Architectural Photographer
Professional Architectural Photographer 973.628.1527 • www.PeterRymwid.com
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 15 -
ChapterNEWS
RECAP: Effectiveness Training: Skills for Success
“The goal is where we want to be. The objectives are the steps needed to get there.” −Anonymous
These words fairly describe the purpose for this skill-building seminar given by Brad Withers, a nationally known speaker with SkillPath, Inc. This interactive, full of energy and instructional roundtable event was offered to ASID NJ members in March to specifically meet our needs, helping us “develop the skills to succeed in the 21st century.” The day was a rousing success! Read all about it from two perspectives.
A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
By Katy Arredondo-Angeles, Student ASID, Kean University At the start of this day we had a light breakfast and we all took the chance to network and connect with each other. By the time the seminar began, we were excited and motivated to listen and learn from Mr. Withers.
Much of what was presented I had heard before. However, our speaker, Brad Withers from SkillPath Training, presented the information in a way that was fresh and interesting. He posed questions that were meaningful for now.
What I took with me, from many elements of this presentation, memorable and worth pursuing, were his tips at the beginning, including: To Show Up (physically, mentally and spiritually), To Listen (with your ears, your eyes and your heart), To Take Notes (getting it out of your head and putting it on paper) and To Give Voice.
So what did I learn that I didn’t know before? I kind of did a lot of what Brad spoke about automatically. But he asked us, “What are you going to do differently after today?” That resonated with me. Brad talked about time management and making it work for you. I often find myself taking a lot of time first thing in the morning checking email. So time consuming! Now I prioritize. I go down the list, delete everything that is not important, open the important ones and read them over, and only answer the ones that are critical at that moment. I designate a later time to answer the lesser important ones and continue with the day. Brad handed out a schedule we could use to organize each day including people, email, phone, meetings and social activities. Seeing something concrete in writing is a good visual for designers.
After this, he asked us about topics we had concerns about, for example, how to stay focused, tools for motivation, when to say “no,” and many others; Mr. Withers made these topics his “to-do” list and as his presentation went on, he answered them all, giving scenarios and guidance according to every topic of concern. This seminar was meant to inspire us and to guide us to try new approaches, including how to create our own “to-do” list. Step by step he explained how this list is supposed to work and how to stick to it by prioritizing and timing our activities and ourselves respectively. This was such a game changer for me because it helped me to understand the differences between which tasks are urgent and which are important. It was enlightening! Many more valuable topics were discussed and I feel very lucky to have been part of this event. It was fun, energetic and challenging, especially when we had to build the tallest tower using only marshmallows and noodles. What an amazing experience! Even as we were having fun, we were learning about what role each of us played in the building of this tower, from beginning to end. It was a successful event.
A DESIGNER PERSPECTIVE By Rona Spiegel, ASID
On March 11, 2016 we all got up early and spent six hours in a course to learn how to make ourselves more effective people/leaders. As a former President of the Chapter, I have been privileged to have taken many hours of training so I approached this course with a bit of skepticism, wondering what I would gain from it.
- 16 - ISSUE II | NEW JERSEY CHAPTER
Getting a good balance in your life is the benefit of planning your time. Can you envision where you are going to be in ten years? Ten months? Ten minutes? One of the most important skills we discussed is being able to identify the different types of personalities and how they work together when forming a team. A team could be a work related or organization related group. Since people play different roles in a group situation, knowing who your people are and having a mixture of different types of people is useful. Imagine if everyone was a worker and no one was a planner? How could you ever get anything done? This is great information for leadership when they are forming committees. One of the best experiences you can have is working together with a team of others to reach a goal. Bonding with your group brings you closer together and forges friendships and relationships. Working towards the goal gives you purpose and teaches you how to do things that you may never have done before—new skills are learned. Achieving that goal makes you feel great and gives you pride in your accomplishments. Then evaluating and learning from what didn’t go as well as you planned helps you pass on what you learned to the next group so they improve on what you did. This is what leadership in ASID has been for me and I hope it can be for you. My six hours were well spent.
Online Member Benefits
By Tracey Taylor, Allied ASID, Membership Development Chair I’ve often heard members ask “what is ASID is doing to promote (her/him)?” “What is the value of her/his membership?” Is it possible to instill value online? The internet has changed global commerce and interconnectivity. Consumers now purchase not only from brick-and-mortar retailers, but also from PURE online retailing corporations. (In 2013, 41% of global internet users have purchased products online.) Are you a part of that? Have you purchased anything online?
ChapterNEWS
Did you know that National has a public profile on Facebook, regularly promoting the value of interior design and its impact on the human experience through un-ending programs and promotions? ASID National feeds relevant information through their profile page, where one can catch up on developing news and topics in the Design+ Build Industry. Imagine the HOURS you’d have to invest to gain access to this information in ONE PLACE! Your National team does this for you! Nice!
Have you joined the 1+ (www.TheOnePlus.org) program? Did you know that ASID National promotes (through Facebook) those that have joined The One Plus program? Not only is this great marketing for your business, but what a great endorsement by our National organization!!
Sometimes the value of what one does is inspired by the end user – if the enduser finds value, then that value is shared with other end-users. Most apparently, this sharing of value is done online. What are you sharing? Have you shared something you thought valuable online with others?
HOUZZ – With 35 million+ monthly unique users, Houzz was launched in 2009 and is an avid supporter of ASID. • • •
• • •
You may identify your uniqueness by adding your ASID badge to your site. Have you won a competition, received an ASID NJ Design Excellence Award or recently completed a Show House? Upload your photo(s), and promote your accomplishment(s). Upgrade to Pro Plus, and SELL product from your Houzz page, such as that beautiful wallcovering, window treatment or furniture in your photo(s); or be featured in the Top Four for interior design services where you do business or would like to do business. Need to boost your sales? Offer a promotion, like a 30-minute free consultation, or a package deal (e.g., buy window treatments and get a discount off of your area rug purchase). A brand NEW feature for Houzz is their “sketch” feature, allowing you to share with potential clients what a space would look like before purchasing. Houzz also has a Facebook page.
Houzz allows you to set up your page for free, but you may also invest in their reasonable ProPlus package for additional targeted marketing. Not only is Houzz a great medium, but their market is targeted toward individuals and organizations actively engaged in home decorating, home remodeling or the building process. It’s where you need to be. FACEBOOK - Founded in 2004, Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what’s going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them. •
ASID National for Practitioners: https://www.facebook.com/ASID7 (or search “American Society of Interior Designers/ASID)
•
ASID National for Students and Emerging Professionals: https://www.facebook.com/ASIDStudentsandEmergingProfessionals (or search “ASID Students and Emerging Professionals”)
Getting ready to graduate? Looking to intern, or land your 1st career in interior design? It’s all about Student and Emerging Professionals on National’s public profile on Facebook (separate from aforementioned; not that you can’t “Like” both!!).
LINKEDIN – Launched in 2003, LinkedIn is used primarily for professional networking. This is the place where one can list their accomplishments, education, affiliation(s) and skill set(s) like a résumé. It’s a low-key alternative to the more visual sites like Houzz and Facebook. Where the aforementioned are lacking in the ability to job-search, LinkedIn is the perfect place to research candidates, make connections on a professional level, or look for interns and/or jobs. •
ASID National: https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-society-of-interior-designers (or search “American Society of Interior Designers”)
•
ASID NJ: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2388560
Share valuable insights Re-post something you read or saw online Engage with others on Interior Design Share, Like or Re-Tweet ☺
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 17 -
ChapterNEWS
Lincoln Park Update
Three great projects – Three great designs Kudos to the ASID NJ Community Services team! We have successfully
delivered designs for three of the five LPCCD projects: The Façade, stage
and seating, and senior community rooms.
Marina Klima Goldberg, Allied ASID, of Klima Design Group, recently presented
designs for meaningful spaces for the seniors at 33 Lincoln Park, Newark. The
presentation was attended by Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins of
Newark, who truly appreciated the efforts of ASID and saw the value we bring
to the organization.
Marina Klima Goldber, Allied ASID making a presentation to LPCCD
LPCCD has given us a great opportunity to exhibit
how interior design enhances human experiences
with the environment. We hope that the imple-
mentation of these designs leads to long term posi-
tive experiences in the realm of social interaction,
community development, comfort and education
of the elderly in the community.
The next project in line is the CCKM, Coast
Common Kitchen and Marketplace. Those inter-
ested please contact our Community Service chair,
Sabiha Jan, Allied ASID at sabihajan@yahoo.com.
Chapter President Jana Manning, ASID; Jodi Heimowitz, Student ASID; Carmen Passos-Goldberg, Rutgers School of Business; Anthony Smith, Executive Director, LPCCD; Sabiha Jan, Allied ASID; Marina Klima Goldberg, Allied ASID
Proposals for new senior center space
- 18 - ISSUE II | NEW JERSEY CHAPTER
n g i s WE e D THE EXPERIENCE n YOU EXPERIENCE THE esig D
LIGHTING DESIGN
800 Shrewsbury Ave. Tinton Falls, NJ 732-741-6400 warshauerlightingdesign.com *Appointments Recommended for Personal Assistance
LIGHTING CONTROL
AUTOMATED SHADES
ChapterNEWS
APRILMEETINGRECAP By Tracy Fochesto, Allied ASID
Every one of us would like to brighten our sales and our bottom line, right? What’s holding you back? On April 19th, Kevin Shulman, the founder, president and CEO of Shulman & Associates, presented invaluable strategies on how to enhance our profitability as designers. The meeting was hosted by American Brass & Crystal in Union, N.J. Kevin shared techniques that will enable us to be more successful in today’s competitive market. Whether it’s finding ways to bond on a deeper level with our clients or really knowing how to read our clients’ personalities, these techniques will help us reach our full potential. What holds you back from being even more successful? While listening to Kevin, he made us aware that there are obstacles that hold us back in many facets of our business . . . be it attitude, behavior or technique.
Gathering information
Don’t we all want to close more deals with more clients? Kevin’s abbreviated seminar that evening was a great introduction to how important it is to work with business development experts like him if you desire a brighter bottom line. Choco, the official greeter at ABC
Marvin Grodman, IP Rep, ABC
behind-the-scenes tour
Speaker Kevin Shulman
- 20 - ISSUE II | NEW JERSEY CHAPTER
Ross Kirschenbaum, owner and president of ABC
WeAre ASID
Meet Four Members Who Push the Envelope By Taryn Dunigan-Poole, Allied ASID
When the newsletter committee approached me, I was delighted to take on the assignment of interviewing fellow professionals about their lives, inspirations and experiences. I wanted to find out what motivates them and sets them apart from the rest. These four people have pushed the envelope and discovered a new way to approach their field and there’s no stopping them!
Jennifer Vreeland McDermott, Allied ASID, JV Design Style
Jennifer is a woman of many different hats. She’s an interior designer, editor and stylist for magazines, and project manager, just to name a few. She graduated from F.I.T. in New York, and has been in front of the camera on QVC (selling quilts) to behind the scenes, working on sets for HGTV shows. With all your different titles, did you always want to be an interior designer? Well, my goal was to be an interior designer but I also wanted to get into set design, designing for magazines and TV. At that time, there was no degree for set design or a formal name for a stylist. My boss at the time was good friends with the Editor in Chief of Country Living magazine and she thought I would be good as the Home Building and Architecture Editor. Every year we would do a show house, which was a huge undertaking, so I learned about styling, set up, inventory, and marketing. I became the liaison for the editorial team, not only using my design skills but also my organizational skills. I worked with the advertisers and publishers of the magazine to negotiate what products and companies they wanted to profile and highlight and I would have to work with whatever they gave me. I was there for almost 20 years and I was in the thick of it where we launched other magazines, rebranded our magazines and even launched products in Wal-Mart before there was a Martha Stewart!
How do you stay so creative? I’ve been completely obsessed with design, since I was a child. I’m obsessed with magazines, Pinterest, Houzz, and other designers. I love to see what everyone else is doing and I compare myself to others to stay fresh. I think it’s also important to go to industry events, High Point, the Architectural Digest show, trade shows. Every visual thing out there, I suck it up!!
You were a production designer on the show. What did that entail? Being a production designer, I wasn’t featured on the show. It’s all behind the scenes, but I was in the credits. It was me and the contractors hitting the ground for six weeks, working very closely with Cineflix, the production team out of Toronto. I understood the use of branding from working on the magazines so when we had to use Wayfair, Overstock, or an appliance company, I knew I had to pick from those products. You are on a super tight budget and everything moves super quick. The whole place is gutted, including ripping up the flooring, take down walls, gut the kitchen, redo steps to the attic (which was challenging), we had to get fire codes, put in heating/cooling units, egress windows, all new lighting, I mean it was a huge project! It was six weeks of full construction with another four weeks prior for finding the client, designing it, etc. I had to order things very quickly because it had to be there before the deadline for shooting. It’s a good way to brand yourself and get your name out there.
How did you get the job on “Property Brothers”? Thanks to Anne Marie Soto, for being such a good PR person, I responded to one of her PR Alert emails. If I wasn’t in ASID I probably wouldn’t have found the job! It was a call out and I emailed the contact, sent them my résumé and portfolio, had an interview and I had the job!
How was it working with the Scott brothers? We worked through emails and phone calls for a lot of it. They are very accommodating, great guys to work with! They are talented and they know what they are doing. Both are educated in the field they are in, real estate and building/construction. They are very giving and I got recommendations from them, which is another perk!
How did you get into such different lines of work? I always said “yes” and pushed myself and challenged myself to do more. I was always networking and always being out there to build relationships, that’s what did it for me. You should always look for new opportunities to get your name out there.
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 21 -
WeAre ASID Do you think being part of ASID had helped you in getting work? Absolutely! Yeah, I think it’s one of the most important thing an interior designer should do because it really sets you apart from “decorators” or people who call themselves interior designers. We have the schooling, mechanicals. It’s not just having a good eye. It’s being able to have the education of construction. It’s imperative on a project to be a real interior designer. I wear that badge proudly.
Heather McManus, Associate ASID, Artistry Interiors LLC
Heather is a graduate of Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and has been an interior designer for four years and in the field for 16. She’s been featured in Traditional Home, Best of Houzz ’13 and ’14 and writes some interesting blogs on her website. Included in her successes is the recent publication of a book, “Love Where You Live- Dream Homes Made Real.” What inspired you to write a book? Well, I’m dyslexic, diagnosed with a “learning disability” but I can write creatively. I took classes in high school and at that time I had a goal to write a book. Didn’t know about what, but it was always in the back of my mind as a bucket list item. With my learning disability, I knew it was going to be an extra challenge. I worked with a business/life coach who was very encouraging of the idea. So basically, I had the idea of doing it for a while and when I finished a job that was worthy of professional photography, I would go ahead and do it. Not only for the book but for my website, social media, etc. I feel it is an investment where you don’t necessarily get the money back, but it’s the cost of business. The book is three years of professional photography and each chapter is the story of a client: why they called, what we worked on, what we solved. They were all at different stages of life: a retiree who downsized from a fivebedroom house, to a two-bedroom apartment, then to a 55+ community; then there’s the girl with two young daughters who got divorced and wants a fresh start; the young couple who had two babies with toys all around; then the crazy, enormous family with lots of pets, utter chaos, living in a McMansion. Very different houses, different points in their lives and different reasons why they called. It’s not a “how to” book; it is a look into how a designer works with a client to present different ways to approach a problem.
- 22 - ISSUE II | NEW JERSEY CHAPTER
What was the hardest part of writing the book? Coming up with the story and figuring out how to organize it was probably the hardest part. After that, it kind of fell into place. Did you research how to lay it out? A little bit. I went Borders and flipped through other design magazines and books. It took nine months to make it happen, with writing, editors, putting it together myself, and self-publishing it. Amazing! Did you look into getting a publisher? I didn’t. I thought that it would waste time and I would probably wind up getting rejected, or they would say you need 17 more photos, etc. I just wanted it out there. Is it hard to write so often for your blogs with dyslexia? I write like I talk. So, my voice is definitely in there. I have gone through different types of editing and people that have helped me with that. There were periods where I have thought, “you know what? I’m doing ok, I can do this,” then only to go back and read it and be horrified!! So, I am learning my lesson and I hire someone to help me write my blogs. She definitely improves my sentence structure and apparently I like commas but it’s more about correcting spelling and grammar. I can communicate what I want to say but I can’t necessarily spell it correctly or I’ll start the sentence with the end so I need some help flip-flopping the words so it reads better. Are you planning on writing another book? I think if I were to write another one, I would make it a shorter book and a funny one. I got the idea from a client of mine who was arguing with her husband; it would be like a Battle of the Sexes! The title might be: How do you deal with loving who you live with now? Every couple deals with this. I see it as a coffee table gift book but I don’t plan on it anytime soon! It’s very expensive and very time consuming, I mean nights and weekends for nine months for the last one! How do clients find you? I knew no one in New Jersey, no family, not a stick of friends. I grew up on Long Island and my husband is from Rochester and we met at Pratt. So I did a ton online with my website, social media, spent the time and money to get it done right. The first few years the majority of my business came from my website, from people Goggling interior designers in New Jersey. Clients also came through Houzz and from my premier profile on the ASID NJ website. About 50 % of my clientele still finds me online. This year, I am getting more press in the local newspapers for my book so people are finding me that way. They call me up and say “I haven’t read your book yet, but can you come over and help me?” The other way is from referrals from a trade partner that I work with.
WeAre ASID LuAnn Nigara, IP Rep & Co-Owner, Window Works
Window Works is a company that designs, measures and installs window treatments, awnings, tinting and offers services/repairs as well. Along with her husband, Vince, and cousin Bill, they have had a successful business for 30+ years. Now, LuAnn is setting her sights on interviewing designers, artists, business consultants, business/marketing strategists and editors of design magazines for her new podcast venture, “A WellDesigned Business.” Broadcasted on their website, iTunes and Stitcher, she makes it easy for everyone to listen in on her talks with talented business professionals in many design-related specialties. Tell me about your business model. We don’t have a workroom and we don’t fabricate. What we do is order from other people. When you are a retail consumer and you call Window Works, we get the products made for you. We are a concierge service for designers. For instance, we measure, write up the work order, get it made for you and install it so you can be out there selling your next project. The value comes from not worrying that it’s done right. Window treatments can be very expensive, very complicated and very easy to make mistakes on. So if you hire that end out and you build it into the process, you are much safer. If there is a mistake or a problem, I own it and I have to replace it. How and why did you decide to start up the podcast after being in business so long? The podcast is a perfect example of recognizing what your talents and skills are and figuring out a way to make them work for you. When I decided to do the podcast, I didn’t know what it was going to be about, but I did this exercise where you make a list of all the things you know how to do and then, next to it, a list of what you like to do. The point of the exercise is to start to think about yourself and when you are finished in a few days, to recognize what you know and what you are passionate about and see where they intersect. Now that’s the birth of the podcast! The podcast is a whole other business but it does support and enhance Window Works. It’s not like I went out and started a vitamin line.
Window Works owners Bill Campesi, Luann Nigara, Vince Nigara
How often do you tape your podcast? I set aside two days a week for interviewing and it depends how many are in the pipeline. I can do three interviews one day and then have none the next. It mostly depends on people’s schedules but the ideal situation is to have three a week so I am always ahead of the schedule. How are you getting the talented professionals to interview? The beginning ones, the first four or five, were from personal connections, designers I work with or know through ASID. Most of them said “yes” to support me as a colleague because the podcast wasn’t even out yet. They had no idea if it was going to benefit them in any business way at all. The next seven or eight, I’ve researched and found them on Instagram, or through their blogs and just literally cold called them because again, it’s my thing, sales. I send them an email saying, I saw your platform and I think you’re great at this, this is what the podcast is about, and would you be on the show? Now the podcast is at the point, only eight weeks in, that I’m already getting designers and more importantly, PR people, reaching out to me saying that “I heard about your podcast and I have a client who is a designer in Chicago that I think would be a great fit!” I believe that in the next four or five months, I will have as many people approaching me as I have approached them. It’s a sign that I am hitting my mark. Who are some of the ASID designers you have interviewed? ASID NJ members include Rona Spiegel, Sandra Funk Levy, Heather McManus, Vanessa Deleon and Robin LaMonte (now in Georgia, but a former ASID NJ member). ASID NY members include Jeff Brooks, Charles Pavarini, and Barbara Ostrom. How well is the podcast doing? At this point we are at 7,000 downloads at eight weeks, so it’s pretty crazy. There are people listening in Russia, China, Taiwan, New Zealand, Australia, Iraq, Iran, and Canada! We have a platform that has a site with our analytics, so every single day I can go on it and see how many are listening and from where. Right now, we have the largest group of listeners from New Jersey and California. The rest are scattered all over the world!
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 23 -
WeAre ASID Larry Goren, IP Rep & Co-Owner, Hardware Designs, Inc.
Hardware Designs Inc., located in Fairfield, N.J., is a 10,000 square foot, hands-on showroom that showcases the finest manufacturers of kitchens, baths, doors, knobs/pulls, mirrors, lighting--you name it, he’s got it! They been in business for 38 years. Larry recently started making interesting, short videos called “Spectacular New Jersey Kitchens and Baths” that are featured the company’s Facebook page.
Your videos are much different from working in the showroom. Yeah, they are fun to do because I go to some of these homes that just blow my mind! Houses that are 10, 20 and up to 30,000 square feet, that cost up to 130 million bucks! It’s hard to pull it all in.
How did you decide to start making these fun and interesting videos? The idea was pretty simple. There are two sides to it: 1) We’re giving the designer a chance to show off what they can do, promoting their name and 2) Frankly, I’m
selling my brand name, not my products. It’s selling the Hardware Design brand. When you go to Facebook, companies are selling their brand, who they are and what they do. It’s about my company as an entity, what we can do for people.
Do you think the super stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s have hurt
your business? Those big box stores have to be there for the average family that doesn’t have a lot of disposable income. There they can find stuff that is the least expensive and it will carry them through until it breaks. That’s what they specialize in. The founder of Home Depot, Bernie Marcus, was my first boss at
Builder’s Emporium in Wayne. He was a nice, kind man and he knew what he was doing with this big box store idea. Ninety percent of his stuff is made abroad because they are looking for price points only. They also have part-time people and when you are building a house or renovating, you have full-time questions. Full-time questions don’t match well with part-time help. So when
you ask me if they affect my business, any incidental sales like buying one faucet, one towel bar or one door lock, sure it affects me. However, if you have disposable income or want over-and-above-the-standard, you come to me. It
also helps that we stay up-to-date with our showroom and our help is topnotch. You always gotta stay on your toes so in a sense, competition is good for you. It makes you better then what you could have been.
So our thoughts were really simple, to go on Facebook and get as many followers as we can. Realizing that the future is in social media, we wanted to warm it up by actually conducting interviews between humans rather than digitizing everything. The internet is so cold! So, our thoughts were to go out on Facebook, toward the design, architectural and building community and get them to sign up to see what we are doing. I’m trying to connect with them to
make it a little more personal. It’s what I’m all about, it’s what I do. The whole idea of social media is to get more followers to get a larger chunk of the market. Without it, no one will survive. How do you find your designers to interview? When we do these videos, I want every designer that has quality work and something a little special, to send me their stuff. I want to interview those people, bring them in and get in to see the house. We don’t
Larry Goren and Diane Boyer, ASID “on the set.”
mention any homeowners’ names because most of them want to be private. We’ve done nine videos so far and I’ve only met three of the homeowners.
Can you tell me some of the ASID designers you have interviewed? Diane Boyer and Anthony Passanante, I can say off the top of
my head. Most of the designers I work with are ASID or affiliated in some way, every one of them. Any designer that I work with who is
that qualified is from ASID. The ASID appellation is a calling card for me; it says that you are qualified. Becoming an interior designer is a lot of work and not a joke. My wife is a retired ASID designer so I’ve seen what she’s gone through over the years. It’s tough!
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Larry Goren and Ken Goren in Hardware Design’s showroom.
Make Way for the Senses
By Wendy Cruz-Gonzalez, ASID
Designing interiors grants us the opportunity to support the function and flow of an interior environment. Through each design project, we are able to express design concepts inspired by our client’s personality and design insight which celebrate the uniqueness of the space and add to the overall design experience of the interior. For me the reality of the design experience recently became more alive than ever. Last fall I had the opportunity to meet someone for the first time in their own home and as I walked into her house I began to realize that something in my own state-of-mind was changing. Outside, the seasons had already begun to change. In fact, fall was already well underway. But I hadn’t accepted it. To me it had become a waiting time between the mild temperature and the time when it would really get cold, in other words, a period of time in which to dread the cold weather ahead. However, a few minutes in a thenstranger’s house completely changed my perspective. Her house felt cozy and warm, the fragrance that filled her house immediately made me feel like it was fall, the words written on the artwork of her home inspired confidence within me. I remember stepping inside her home and suddenly not just accepting that fall had arrived but also feeling the urge to embrace the fall season and bring it into my own home as well. By incorporating design details that can be identified by our five senses—sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell—and adding seasonal touches, we can help our clients express what they enjoy most about each season while allowing them to experience an interior that creates a lasting impression. SIGHT Seeing a space is part of experiencing it and careful planning of the lighting design will broaden the design experience. Lighting plays a big role in the ability to see but what is seen is just as important as the unseen. Iin other words, creating a hierarchy of light is essential in order to highlight accent areas, provide areas for focus, and set an overall mood. Using lighting to support a room’s function can also help our clients preserve their daily routines and tasks. Providing higher light levels in a
ViewPOINTS
room to work through concentrated tasks can help support focus; lowering light levels in the same room will help loosen the mood of the room and create a more relaxed and sociable space.
HEARING The sounds in an interior can enhance or detract from our experience of it, helping us feel relaxed or uneasy, allow focus or keep from concentration. The size and shape of an interior is important. Balancing the types of finishes that are incorporated into a space will play a large role in how sounds will carry through the space. Sometimes the goal is to minimize sound, other times to enhance it. The type of construction of the interior elements will also make a difference in the volume of sounds coming into and transferring through a room, helping to maintain confidential discussions safely in a room or share music through the confines of a space. TASTE While taste may be the hardest sense to incorporate into a room in literal terms, giving careful consideration to how people will use a dining space will help design it in a way that enhances the dining experience. We can enhance the experience by creating an atmosphere with a color palette that complements the colors of food and the season. Incorporating unique artwork and accessories into your project will further personalize the space for your clients and provide conversation starters for their guests as they enjoy the food and atmosphere.
TOUCH We can think about the sense of touch as being a physical and a perceived sense in an interior. Soft, supple fabrics on seating finishes, cushioned floor finishes, even textured floors add their own character to a room. From a perceived sense, materials like flowing drapery and textured wall finishes will add their own personality to a room. SMELL This sense has the opportunity to create an instant transformation in the mood of a room while promoting relaxation. The aroma in a room can help prepare you for the seasons ahead. Bringing live plants into indoor environments can be challenging due to pollen allergies. However, by taking advantage of seasonal scents in candles and scented accessories we can create the experience without the added side effects. When approaching your next design project, consider incorporating design elements that will directly engage the senses and provide a connection to the natural world. The design concepts that engage each sense should create a distinct atmosphere in a space yet unify all design concepts as a whole. Experiment with creating distinctive color palettes, incorporating varying textures, multiple sources for lighting, aromas and sounds to help you bring your design concepts to life. In doing so, you will discover how making way for the senses and the seasons in interior design can help us feel better connected to the natural world.
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 25 -
View POINTS
Confessions of a Reluctant Volunteer By Denise Jones, ASID
Just like all of you, my dance card is full. I’m a mother of three teenagers, a wife, a partner in two businesses, a dutiful sister, aunt, daughter and niece, a volunteer for multiple organizations and a caretaker of my home and even the household pets. Some days I think, “I have a valid passport…I could just find an island somewhere…” but we all know that’s not going to happen. Quite frankly, if I did skip town, eventually I would probably end up with the same old dance card.
Given these facts, I don’t instinctively jump at the chance to do MORE. I think I’m doing plenty; wouldn’t you agree? So why on God’s green earth would I find myself as a member of ASID’s Board of Directors, chairing a task force, becoming a panelist at a business development event and mentoring new volunteers? Good question… why exactly did I agree to this? Upon reflection, I find both selfish and self-less reasons.
The first is the positive influence volunteering can have on public perception. When we give freely of ourselves to a cause or organization and invest in something we feel is valuable, we in turn validate that cause and simultaneously become perceived as an influencer and thought leader in that space.
Second, learn, learn and learn some more. Key to my decision to volunteer was the opportunity it would grant me to grow both personally and professionally. Just about every “Personal Success” book or training seminar will dictate that we must constantly embrace challenges and take risks in order to stay relevant and remain successful. All true, if we don’t compromise ourselves in the process. By all means, do not serve a cause or committee unless truly compelled to do so. The moment we compromise our values, potential successes quickly transform into failures.
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- 26 - ISSUE II | NEW JERSEY CHAPTER
The last conscious decision I made to serve as a volunteer was based on my history with this organization and its members. Being the daughter of a designer, I observed this chapter take shape and overcome challenges from protecting our right to practice, defining our role as a necessary component to the planning and building process through certification and licensing and being on the leading edge of embracing technology in this rapidly growing and ever changing age of technology. I felt called to serve as my mother did before me to make a contribution to the organization that quite literally helped raise me.
Finally, the unconscious and unexpected benefits of my reluctant volunteerism are the collaborations and relationships I’ve developed with students, trades and peers. The support, knowledge and power we all provide to each another is unique and impressive. This much talent concentrated in one organization could transform our industry.
For many years I was a member on paper only, ignorant to all the growing, learning and relationship-building I could accomplish. I’m amazed and impressed by our students and emerging professionals who know instinctively that the road to success is to sign up and get busy connecting, learning, growing and doing. I’m in awe of our seasoned members who built this legacy with their time, talents and wisdom. Imagine us all united, learning and growing together, each making small individual investments toward our common purpose. What progress we could make, what leadership we could demonstrate, what a difference we could make to our industry, to our clients, to our communities, to each other! Take the challenge, risk pushing yourself and be part of something better for you, your peers and our future.
Announcing the 2016 Jay Slack Memorial Student Educational Scholarship! To assist talented students of interior design in meeting
their educational costs, this scholarship seeks to encourage and support the professional development of tomorrow’s designers. With three $750 awards, write up your brief
financial needs and submit your statement with your official transcript and two letters of recommendation from your
teachers. Login and easily submit online. Winners will be announced in the next issue of NJ Inspire.
Career Day 2016
StudentNEWS
New Date and New location! Brookdale Community College, Lincroft Saturday, September 17th
Several of the topics available to students on Career Day: • Meet with professional designers and Industry Partners specializing in all aspects of design to learn about career opportunities within the industry • Learn about Technology in Design and the tools that are available for designers • Learn how to use Social Media to create a professional Web presence to build your business • Learn how to develop a résumé and prepare for an interview • Hear an inspiring Keynote Speaker you won’t want to miss! Save the date (9/17/2016) and engage in the variety of career paths in interior design!
NEW JERSEY CHAPTER | ISSUE II - 27 -
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