DesignNJ-FebMar 2024-Digital Issue

editorinchief | LETTER
Raise your hands. Who thinks
function is important in a home?
As we page through home design magazines and scroll through photos online, what
captures our attention is how a room looks. Exquisitely woven natural fiber rugs. A
luxurious soaking tub under a large window with a beautiful view. Bedrooms in a bold
color. A kitchen with open shelving. A fridge-freezer sheathed in gleaming stainless steel.
There’s nothing wrong with beautiful rooms — that’s what we aspire to present in
print and online. But just as important — and often less visible — is the function factor.
Is anyone in the home allergic to certain natural fiber rugs? Does that large window over
the bathtub show the neighbors more than you want them to see? Will that bold color
keep you awake at night? Is open shelving a dust trap? Is that fridge-freezer close enough
to a landing spot so you don’t have to cart a 15-pound turkey through the kitchen?
Trained designers are founts of knowledge about function as well as beauty, as
shown in every story in this issue. In our cover story, a storage-packed butler’s pantry
in a Mendham home also functions as an extra prep space to keep the mess out of the
kitchen when entertaining, designer Marissa Sauer says (“Custom Blend,” page 24).
Function was top of mind for Peter and Tracy Salerno when they redid the kitchen in their Bergen County
home. “Aesthetics was important,” Peter told Assistant Editor Marirose Krall. “But in our last kitchen,
aesthetics took over and the functionality wasn’t there.” Read how they took a different approach this time
(“It Takes Two,” page 30).
Suzanne and Bob Veninata wanted to update the kitchen in their 1980s Rumson home to be lighter,
more inviting and functional enough to tackle day-to-day life yet refined enough to host stylish gatherings.
Designer Jessica Fischer found the solutions (“Opposites Attract,” page 36).
The French manor architecture and the gardens at Three Fields, site of the 2023 Mansion in May Showhouse
& Gardens, inspired the beautiful interiors. But function was equally important for Robin Mitilenes and
Susan Farcy, who designed the kitchen and keeping room, respectively. The kitchen’s cabinetry was handmade
to look a hundred years old but with features that accommodate modern needs. The adjacent keeping room
functions not only as a sitting area in front of an original fireplace but also for dining, working at a desk and
even sitting to remove shoes after walking in the gardens (“European Adventure,” page 40).
Adding functionality and their own personal stamp was important for Daniel and Melissa Tassé after
they purchased a Colonial-style home in Summit. They chose Libby Langdon, an interior designer, product
designer, author and television personality, to guide the interior redesign. The result is a refreshingly colorful
home that also meets the couple’s functional needs (“Personality & Panache,” 51).
Also, don’t miss Associate Editor Meg Fox’s top picks for desks and game tables, a true combination of fun
and function (“At Work — or Play,” page 22).
As we enter into the year’s coldest and most blustery months, we hope you will cozy up with these stories
of beautiful and functional spaces.
REN MILLER, EDITOR IN CHIEF
rmiller@designnewjersey.com
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16 February/March 2024