DesignNJ_JuneJuly2023_Digital Issue

editorinchief | LETTER
Cost is always a consideration when my wife
and I plan a home improvement project. Does the expenditure seem reasonable? If
we move, what about our return on investment? Somewhere in our deliberations,
we probably consider how happy the change would make us. But that’s hard to
quantify. I’ve never seen a study on how much pleasure home improvement projects
bring. Until now.
We learn not only the cost recovery but also the “Joy Score” for home projects
in the latest “Remodeling Impact Report,” a study conducted for the National
Association of Realtors® (NAR) and the National Association of the Remodeling
Industry® (NARI). The Joy Score measures the happiness that homeowners reported
for particular renovations on a scale of 1 to 10.
Who knew that refinishing floors could be such a plus-plus: 147% cost recovery
and 10 on the Joy Score. Also of note — and just in time for the inspiring stories
in this Before + After issue: a complete kitchen renovation (75% cost recovery, Joy
Score of 10), complete bath renovation (71% and 9.8) and converting an attic into
living space (75% and 10). Also earning the coveted Joy Score of 10: painting the interior, renovating a
closet, installing new wood flooring and adding a home office. See more study results at NARI.com.
Whether renovated or newly constructed, the homes featured in this issue would all receive joyful ratings
from the owners. In Skillman, builder Richard Wonsala and his team rebuilt a home on the former Gallup
estate (yes, those Gallups) to replace one that had an impractical layout, the result of multiple renovations
over the years. The project included transforming the property into a working farm (“A Farmhouse with
Modern Flair,” page 30).
To whet your appetite for spending time outdoors this season, we visit designer Barbara Batesko’s home
in Avon-by-the-Sea, where she created an ideal environment for get-togethers just steps from the Shark
River (“Riverside Reverie,” page 42).
Upon their return to New Jersey after 18 years in California, designer Jennifer Muirhead and her husband,
Christian, chose an 1885 Victorian farmhouse in Harding Township’s horse country as the perfect place
to raise their daughter near extended family. The home was in good shape, but some updates were in order
(“Old House, New Story,” page 48).
The owners of a 1930s maze-like home in Essex County called on designer Sandra Cosimano to fashion
more open, modern spaces. She began by creating a main artery from the front door to allow access to
every room and then added a serene vibe with a predominantly gray palette (“Brighter Grays,” page 58).
A Bergen County couple built a new home after their former one was heavily damaged by fire. Architect
James Paragano and interior designer Robyn Karp created spaces for quiet contemplation as well as
entertaining family and friends (“Fresh Start,” page 64).
Also in this issue, we unveil the latest in outdoor furnishings (“Fresh-Air Fun,” page 21) and in products
designed for the heart of the home (“In the Kitchen,” page 24).
We hope you will take us with you in print and online as you spend the summer in the places that
bring you joy.
REN MILLER, EDITOR IN CHIEF
rmiller@designnewjersey.com
16 June/July 2023