13 minute read
Home & Design
Advertisement
Climate • Planet • Elevate
“Bill Driscoll and his team took care of the entire process, and expertly installed our panels.”
—Lisa Johnson, Linwood
Bill Driscoll, Owner
CONTACT US FOR A FREE PROPOSAL! 609.277.4354 | OCEANSOLAR.COM
Energy Independence for America®, Own Your Solar®, & Solar is the Present® are all registered trademarks of Ocean Solar, LLC
Bring the Beauty of Nature into your Home
Kristian Gonyea’s love for capturing local landscapes & seascapes is available for purchase at kristiangonyeaphotography.com.
As American as apple pie, a place to detach from the hectic workday, and yet connect to the world around you; the front porch is enjoying a renaissance. A wellappointed front porch is a lovely extension of the comfort and protection of your living space, while also allowing you to socialize with your neighborhood, community and the outside world.
Following the Revolutionary War, the front porch steadily grew in popularity. “Over time, the porch evolved, getting more expansive and becoming an even more functional meeting space. This continued into the 1920s. As our cities and towns grew, porches became a social phenomenon because homes were being constructed so close together,” says Ted Roberts, Industrial Design Manager at Allegion and architectural historian, Schage.com/blog. Their popularity began to wain following WWII and the inclusion of televisions in living rooms and garages for cars.
However, the front porch is making a comeback and has been doing so steadily over the past several years. From nostalgia to design aesthetic to a human desire to socially connect, the front porch proves that this American custom is here to stay. “Based on what we’re seeing, it’s not going anywhere. The porch has become a unique space and a showcase for one’s fashion sense and is important to the curb appeal of a home. While it’s not your living room, people are bringing the same design sense to the space,” Roberts says.
It’s the first part of the house guests see, yet so often receives the least amount of attention. It can be a tricky space to define. It’s partly an extension of your living space, but also an outdoor threshold that separates your home from the public. Local decorator and owner of Rae Rose Interiors, Anne-Marie Nistico, has step-by-step tips to help you bring style and curb appeal to your front porch while also maintaining its functionality. “When a house has a pretty front porch that’s been nicely decorated, it absolutely adds a welcoming vibe and organic curb appeal, but definitely needs a different approach to décor. Obviously, you need to start by considering the elements and how you want to use the space,” Nistico says.
1) Find the Vibe
How do you envision spending time on your porch? “Do you want to sit in a swing or rocker and read a book or sit back and relax with friends on a couch and arm chairs? Are you going to sit outside and drink your morning coffee, or eat lunch? Maybe a table and chairs would be better. Picture the activities you want to do on the porch,” Nistico says. Once you define how you want to use the space, you will know what sort of furniture you will need. “The possibilities are endless but your space and functionality will determine the direction you need to go in,” Nistico says.
2) Define the Space
Once you determine how you want to spend your time on your porch, you can figure out the logistics. Does your front porch have the infrastructure to hang a swing? Do you have enough space for the furniture that you want? You want to make sure that there is cohesion and that everything fits together. How will you define the space? You don’t want your furniture to look like it is just floating in an empty space. You want to add elements that pull everything together.
An easy way to do this and to define the space is with an outdoor rug. “An outdoor rug can really extend the interior feeling of the home to the porch, creating a very cozy space. It’s also a great way to add personal style, fun colors, and fashionable patterns to the space,” Nistico says. Just be cognizant of the moisture and airflow on your porch. “You want to make sure that the space gets sun and enough air flow to dry out the rug after rain, so that you avoid damage to your porch,” Nistico says.
3) Finishing Touches
Even though the front porch is outside, you want to bring the same interior design sensibilities to the area. The space still needs finishing touches. The easiest way to refine the area is with throw pillows, just make sure that they’re for outdoor use. “I love outdoor pillows! They’re so easy to use and bring so much to the space. You can even change them up when you want to add a new pop of color and fresh feel, without spending a lot of money on new furniture,” Nistico says.
4) Bring the Outdoors to the Porch The best part of a front porch is the fact that you’re enjoying the outdoors from the comfort of your
MULCH • TOPSOIL • SAND • FIELDSTONE
Delivery, Installation or Pick-Up
DECORATIVE • CRUSHED WALLSTONE • BOULDERS
Landscape Center GET READY FOR THE 2021 SEASON! 609-646-2200
GREENTREESWORKS.COM 1333 DOUGHTY ROAD | EGG HARBOR TWP.
Follow Us on Facebook
So you bought insurance for your phone... And not your family?
Coverage is more affordable than you think! Call us for a Royal Quote today! 609.270.1669
Business • Personal • Life Insurance A Personal Interest Protecting What You Value
A Community Association Management Firm
Management Services for Condominium, Homeowner and Community Associations Since 1991
Courtyards At Smithville
28 S. New York Road, Suite B6 • Galloway, NJ 08205 609-652-8793 • DPM-NJ.com
From concept through construction, Ben Chapman Development is dedicated to building high-quality, luxury homes.
home & DeSign
home. To take advantage of this unique, hybrid space, you definitely want to incorporate plants. “There are so many things you can do with the space simply by placing plants,” Nistico says. Plants can bring texture and softness to the space and help you define it even further. “You can use large ceramic pots with oversized ferns or hibiscus on a lattice planter to create a privacy wall, if you need to block off a not-so-great view or traffic. You can also add some color in flower boxes on your railing or hanging plants,” Nistico says. She also recommends framing the front door with potted plants. “I feel like it softens the space and makes your entrance more inviting,” Nistico says. A front porch is an ideal setting to celebrate the seasons. A fun and simple way to celebrate the season is with a wreath. “I think wreaths are very welcoming at any time of year. It’s fun to change them every season or holiday. They add a pretty pop to the front door and are so easy to change that your décor never needs to feel stale,” Nistico says.
5) Have Fun
Ultimately, your front porch should reflect your individual style. “Have fun with your front porch! Don’t make it too serious. You can make it a little oasis where you can spend time with your family and neighbors,” says Nistico. With Nistico’s tips, you’ll be enjoying your front porch in no time. Just be careful, the hardest part of the design may be getting your friends and neighbors to leave. n
Anne-Marie Nistico has more than a decade of experience in home decor. She began her career specializing in hard surfaces and branched out to form her own company in 2019. “I love interior décor and helping my clients achieve their dream home,” Nistico says. For more style ideas, reach out to Anne-Marie Nistico, Rae Rose Interiors LLC, 609-457-6041.
The Revival of Sophistication and Elegance
n Lighting n Shower Doors n Plumbing Fixtures n Decorative Hardware n Vanities n Ceiling Fans n Medicine Cabinets n Steam and Sauna n Accessories n And More!
LifeStyLe LeADeRS
Lisa Bee (left) and Susan Long
STREET ANGELS
A personal heartbreak becomes life’s work for Lisa Bee. When it comes to helping people battling the disease of addiction, she is a driving force.
By Molly Golubcow Photos by Nick Valinote
Ahero does not always wear a cape or possess superhuman powers. Many times, heroes reluctantly find themselves in circumstances and situations that propel them to act in extraordinary ways to help others. Lisa Bee, Executive Director of the Matthew Bee Memorial Fund and Co-Director of Angels in Motion NJ, seems to be able to leap tall buildings at a single bound. When it comes to helping people living on the streets in the Atlantic City area battling addiction, she is their rock.
The need to provide help for addicts and their recovery as well as support for their families is something Bee, unfortunately, knows all too well. In 2017, she tragically lost her 21-year-old son to the disease and has been relentlessly helping others to cope with this national tragedy with compassion and understanding ever since. Bee explains how her quest began, “My personal heartbreak would now become my life’s work. As a result, the Matthew Bee Memorial Fund was founded through a tremendous outpouring of love and generosity from family, friends, and the community.” To date, Bee has helped raise over $300,000 to support individuals and their families providing scholarships for life-saving treatment, sober living, resources, and emotional support.
Bee answered the call to help others only a few months after losing Matthew. A friend, Susan Long, introduced Bee to Angels in Motion New Jersey, a remarkable group of volunteers who search the streets for people who need a hand or a shoulder to cry on. Bee eagerly volunteered her time and heart hosting sandwich-making parties at her home and
Lisa Bee and Susan Long in Atlantic City distributing “blessing bags”
DAYS of OLDE
ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES
NEW LOCATION! NOW OPEN!
Visit our new 21,000 square foot facility! It’s bigger & better! New Dealers Welcome! Come on over & check it out! 150 S. New York Road (Route 9), Galloway, NJ Less than a 1/2 mile south of our old location 609.652.7011 • DaysofOldeAntiques.com
Jersey Shore’s Largest Co-Op • Open 7 Days a Week • 10am-6pm
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Enjoy our world-class golf course and facilities at South Jersey’s favorite place to play! Our full-service clubhouse features a fully-stocked pro-shop. Dine in our Grill Room and savor our ever-changing dinner features, along with live entertainment on Friday nights, and the option to dine al fresco. We also specialize in outstanding weddings, banquets, and special events for any occasion with unsurpassed attention to every detail.
We’re celebrating our 25th Anniversary with 25 Weeks of Giveaways!
HEALTH WATCH
eventually participating in street outreach alongside Long. Bee shares how helping others helped her, “I knew I had found my passion for helping people, and my love for the people we served helped to heal my heart. “
The 2020 COVID year only made those suffering from the disease bear even more than they were already carrying — homelessness, addiction, poverty, and despair surrounded the community. One
day, Bee organized a sandwich raising need via a simple Facebook post of her son that resulted in four hundred sandwiches arriving at her porch the following morning along with water, fresh fruit, and snacks. All in all, over 30,000 meals were served in 2020 through the works of Bee and her Angles in Motion Wednesday outreach project. Also, Bee has developed partnerships with other helping organizations in the area including Hansen Foundation, Adelaide’s Place, Salvation Army, Boys and Girls Club, Turning Point Day Center for the Homeless, Hope One, Jewish Family Services, Covenant House, and other “angel”
Angels in Motion works with hundreds of volunteers that make “blessing bags”. In 2020 alone, 25,000 blessing bags were made and distributed by Angels in Motion throughout our community.
organizations that provide social services, treatment, counseling, and food crisis relief.
Bee believes consistency serves as the greatest impact for the people she serves on the streets — they know her angels can be counted on no matter what. She explains how she has seen with her own eyes how kindness works and spreads, “I believe we have greatly impacted our community by bringing awareness to the issues of addiction, homelessness, and poverty. I have watched them be the change we want to see in the world.”
Currently, Bee works with hundreds of volunteers that make “blessing bags” — a package of kindness containing food, snacks, clothing, hygiene products, and resource information when they are ready to seek help, as well as a note of encouragement. In 2020 alone, 25,000 blessing bags were made and distributed by Bee and her volunteers throughout the community.
Bee and her angels fall into the special category of caring people who want to give for the simple sake of just giving. They feel that the people they serve truly give them as much joy as they give them. Bee explains, “Their thankfulness is always spoken, and they greatly appreciate all the blessings they receive and always bless us back with their words of gratitude.”
Although Bee is surrounded by 100s of volunteers that tirelessly support her cause, she wishes there was one more angel at her side, “If I could ask any person to walk alongside me while I volunteer, it would be my son Matthew, who is my guardian angel, my love, and my reason for all I do.” n
Your idea of investing today may be different tomorrow. We get that.
David Shelly
Branch Leader 430 Consumer Square Mays Landing, NJ 609-910-4807
Our Mays Landing office has options and guidance that grow with you.
Here in Mays Landing, David is just one of many Schwab Branch Leaders ready to offer guidance and a wide range of investment options for your changing needs. David works to put you first. Even if you’re not sure what comes next.
Get started at schwab.com/eggharbor
© 2021 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (“Schwab”) Member SIPC. All rights reserved. (1120-0JP6) SCH3241-6 (2/21)
CONSTRUCTION LAW TEAM
Trusted by the largest contractors on the East Coast
