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OUR GUIDE TO NEW IDEAS, TIPS, TRENDS AND THINGS WE LOVE IN OUR COUNTIES.
WHAT’S HOT IN THE KITCHEN Before you tear down cabinets and put a sledgehammer to the wall, upgrading a kitchen takes plenty of thought and planning. Colors or neutrals? Traditional or smart appliances? Morris/Essex Health & Life asked Jenn Klaus, a marketing manager and showroom builder for the Northeast District of Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, for some insider info on the latest in kitchen design. Experiment with color. White is still the it choice for kitchens, a number of homeowners are adding accent colors. “Many are going the two-tone route with their cabinets, often installing white upper cabinetry with colored bottom cabinetry,” Klaus says. “The most popular colors we are seeing right now are navy blue, hunter green and gray.” She adds that accent lights in bright colors or those with natural elements such as rattan or crystal are also trending. Smarter kitchens. Many vendors are syncing their appliances with smartphone apps, with ovens—which were used so often during the quarantine—leading the way. “And to extend the life of appliances, many manufacturers are including technology that alerts homeowners when it is time for routine maintenance or when there is a potential problem,” Klaus notes. “And some appliances can communicate directly with the manufacturer to help diagnose performance issues,” which can spare a costly visit from a repair person. Water…from above. Another growing trend that Klaus has noticed is a suspended faucet in lieu of countertop- or wall-mounted fixtures. “Why not free up some space and install a ceiling-mount faucet?” she says. “A suspended faucet can be adjusted to any preferred ceiling and hanging height. It’s a great option for those homeowners looking for a sleek, modern and smart kitchen faucet.” See it in person. While consumers may shop for items such as faucets online, Klaus warns customers to do all their homework or visit a showroom first. “Online shopping may be a good option for small items or to replace a similar item, but when purchasing large items online, such as an appliance or new bathtub, many consumers don’t purchase all of the additional parts needed to complete the installation,” she says. “This means they may not know what they are missing until it’s too late and, in the end, they spend more money and time correcting problems.”
KUDOS Best station in the nation: We’ve got the best pizza— turns out we have the top college radio station too. Montclair State University’s station, 90.3 WMSC, was named the country’s best college radio station for colleges with more than 10,000 students at the Annual Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Conference for collegiate broadcasters. MSU also took home the award for Best Use of Sound Effects. Skillful hands: Also scoring big in a national contest is Belle Schwartz, a crafter from Succasunna who’s been named one of the winners in Joann’s Fabrics Handmade Heroes competition. Schwartz used her knitting and sewing skills to help others during the pandemic, making and donating fabric face masks, mask extenders, pillowcases and knit hats for babies and preemies to local hospitals, first responders and soup kitchens. Help for the homeless: Finally, there’s Jenny DePaul, who in early March drove homeless folks in Newark to her “Kindness Closet” in Rockaway. The closet was a place for them to escape the cold and choose whatever garments they needed, along with sandwiches and nonperishable food items all donated and put together by volunteers. This is in affiliation with DePaul’s nonprofit, Project Kind. If you’d like to donate money, clothing, blankets, toiletries or packaged food, you can do so at projectkind123.org/how-to-help.
TREAT MOM ON HER DAY Breakfast in bed is always a hit, but spilled coffee and burnt pancakes aren’t— so why take the risk? This Mother’s Day, treat the lady in your life to a special brunch at one of many restaurants in our counties. Our local eateries are open and are following all safety guidelines (and the meals are expertly prepared), so a midday meal with Mom will go exactly as you planned—and will be exactly what she deserves. Here are six places that go out of their way to make every mom feel special. • Calandra’s, 118 Rte. 46 East, Fairfield, 973.575.6500; calandras medgrill.com • Jockey Hollow Bar & Grill, 110 South St., Morristown, 973.644.3180; jockeyhollow barandkitchen.com • Il Vecchio, 234 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell, 973.226.8889; ilvecchiocafe .com
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• The Office Tavern & Grill, 3 South St., Morristown, 973.285.0220; 240 Rte. 10, East Hanover, 973.386.5850; officetaverngrill.com • Restaurant Serenade, 6 Roosevelt Ave., Chatham, 973.701.0303; restaurant serenade.com • Samba Montclair, 7 Park St., Montclair, 973.744.6764; sambamontclair.com
APRIL/MAY 2021
4/6/21 12:10 PM
