It Starts in the Kitchen

One room can be the key to Party Planning 101—says a Ho-Ho-Kus hostess—when it’s designed just right.

Text by Donna Rolando Design by Rina Capodieci-Quinn Photography by Peter Rymwid

Even a chef-serious kitchen needs eye candy, such as the crystal and metal chandeliers that inevitably draw compliments and the three-dimensional porcelain accent under the standout hood.

Left: Designer Rina Capodieci-Quinn tapped into the power of contrasts, playing custom-blend oak floors against white perimeter cabinetry with a deep-griege stained finish for the island base. Right: Just beyond the island there’s a trio of fullheight Sub-Zero refrigerators, the center one for wine, and a coffee niche cleverly tucked into the cabinetry.

If you as a fly on the wall peer into the next Schultz family shindig and find happy, smiling faces all gathered around the kitchen island, don’t think hostess/chef Karen didn’t give the dining room a try. Sure, this Ho-Ho-Kus homeowner sets up the formal space for holidays. But most of the time guests gravitate toward the real heart of this family of five’s home: the kitchen. And, thanks to a gut-job renovation, that space is ever-ready to welcome one more.

“We’re always in the kitchen,” says Karen. “It’s definitely the hub.” A far cry from the tiny kitchen the couple marked for demo upon purchasing the house, the spacious 2019 design was built with extended families in mind. Both Karen and husband Gene come from big families, and theirs is the go-to house.

Letting Entertainment Central have its day, the new design almost tripled the kitchen’s size, with Rina Capodieci-Quinn, principal designer at Ramsey’s RCQ Design, configuring the space plan for a perfect canvas complete with raised ceilings and plentiful natural light.

“I really wanted something spacious, with high ceilings and very functional, because I do love to cook,” recalls Karen. “I wanted it practical, but still wanted that wow factor.”

Kudos to the Taj Mahal quartzite-topped island, not only for its singleslab elegance but for mastering comfort with six swivel stools and a 12foot frame, great for congregating. Capodieci-Quinn says of this guest magnet: “The island does exactly what we wanted it to do.” The slab was a precious find from Stone Surfaces.

That wow factor Karen so wanted in addition to her entertainment essentials—such as warming drawers, a six-burner Wolf stove, double ovens and a Sub-Zero wine fridge—is undoubtedly the lighting. This modern take on a crystal chandelier by Metropolitan Lighting “almost looks like a piece of jewelry,”she says.

Another “ta-dah!” is the backsplash, with oversized glass subway tiles in a soft sage, which complements a three-dimensional focal point below the dramatic hood—white like the cabinets. With touches of green and gray, the stove accent pulls in the deep griege stain finish of the island base, the designer says.

Connecting elements in just the right measure was Capodieci-Quinn’s recipe for design success in a kitchen that’s always cooking, be it a special occasion or just the everyday for the couple and their three sons. For instance, the rich tones of the oak hardwood floors give a pop to the white-painted perimeter cabinets accented with bronze hardware and glass features. “Those areas are lit cabinetry, and it adds relief,” the designer explains. “When everything’s solid it gets a little heavier.” From Hardware Designs, polished nickel was a better match for the island— that’s Capodieci-Quinn connecting the dots for aesthetic balance again.

All the countertops are veined quartzite, but the similarities end there. Rather than a leathered Taj Mahal like the island, the perimeter dazzles with Aria, a softer pattern and polished surface.

Because “there’s nothing like natural light,” Capodieci-Quinn maximized windows and delivered bursts of teal, blue and rust with a crystalbead-trimmed Fabricut treatment over the kitchen sink.

If the walls could talk, they’d tell how Benjamin Moore’s “Par Four” gives them what the designer calls a fresh look in a more vibrant sage.

“I think what makes it timeless is that when you mix the materials you don’t go too far in any direction,” she says. “It’s always that blend of traditional and contemporary that makes it work—and the blend of materials.”

But the real test was family, and any fly on the wall can see that this redesign aced the challenge. “Rina did a great job,” says Gene, with Karen adding: “If I had to do it all over, I’d do it again.”

Special Advertising Section

CELEBRATIONS

SHOWCASE

CELEBRATE YOUR SPECIAL DAY AT AMERICAN DREAM!

WITH ONE-OF-A-KIND SPACES AND EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, our venues serve as the perfect backdrop for your birthday, corporate outing, or any special celebration. Let us make your dream come true-from luxury amenities to over 3 million square feet of unique space, we offer a variety of options to suit every need. Let our knowledgeable event experts turn your dreams into reality. The bigger your vision, the better! With so many Amazing Venues to choose from, it might be hard to pick just one! Do you want to host a concert, soccer tournament on turf, or turn a theme park into your private playground? Book a party in one of the country’s largest indoor waterparks -with record breaking rides, relaxing cabanas and an 81 degree tropical climate all year round! Maybe you are looking for something more elegant? Take a look at our luxury space in The Avenue-it is picture perfect. Invite your guests for a round of mini golf or hands on fun at the Tilt A Tracy Lee Stum Museum. Special events are more fun at American Dream!

Plan Your Perfect Party with American Dream’s team of event experts!

1 American Dream Way, East Rutherford, NJ 07073

MARITIME PARC

A ONE-OF-A-KIND DINING AND PRIVATE EVENT DESTINATION FEATURING CUISINE THAT MATCHES ITS STRIKING VIEWS

Dreaming of a dining experience that heightens the senses or hosting a private celebration/corporate event that transfixes you and your guests on the beauty of the experience? Overlooking the Liberty Landing Marina at Liberty State Park, with the NYC skyline and the Statue of Liberty for neighbors, resides a venue whose food and service shines just as brightly as the lights from across the river.

Maritime Parc’s one-of-a-kind location along the Hudson riverfront offers three event rooms including its restaurant – which while open to the public is also available for private hire – featuring the culinary talents of executive chef and owner Chris Siversen. Siversen, the driving force behind the extraordinary destination, with an interior that can be described as ethereal, airy, and modern, designed to complement the beauty of its surroundings. Guests are enticed to enjoy the sights and sounds of the sea whether on the restaurant’s large deck & outdoor bar or the wraparound terraces found above.

Come indulge in a little slice of heaven very close to your Bergen County backyard.

84 Audrey Zapp Drive, Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ 07305 201.413.0050 | www.maritimeparc.com