Page 24 - CooperatorNews New Jersey Spring 2022
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24 COOPERATORNEWS NEW JERSEY   —SPRING 2022  NJ.COOPERATORNEWS.COM  With locations in Northern and Central NJ  Visit us on the web at www.WilkinGrp.com | 201.560.0900  Wilkin Management Group, Inc.  30 Years of History  Wilkin Management Group, Inc.ilkin Management Group, Inc.  Visit us on the web at www.WilkinGrp.com | 201.560.0900  W  For over 30 years, Wilkin Management Group   has held to an unshakeable corporate philosophy   of Creating Value for Our Clients.  Our People, Process and Performance demonstrates  an un-wavering commitment to do so.  of rodents.”   Lombardi goes on to say that there could   be a provision in this particular condo’s gov-  erning  docs  limiting  the  board’s  authority   specifi c to bird feeding, but “what is in fact   more likely is that a board’s power is limited   by language requiring it to make reasoned   and fair decisions while operating the com-  mon areas.” Whether their decision was a   knee-jerk response to the complaint or a   well reasoned decision aft er an investigation   that proved the bird feeding was a nexus   to the mouse infestation, it would be up to   the reader and his or her cohort to suggest   a solution that discouraged mice and other   rodents, such as putting jalapeño pepper   on the seed, or to “somehow prove that the   birds are harmless and in fact contribute to   the overall livability of the community.”   Even as I write this article, looking out   the window of my 17th fl oor New York City   apartment, I both marvel and shudder at the   vast  array  of  feathered  wildlife  just  within   my view. Th  ere are of course the ubiquitous   fl ocks of pigeons that swoop en masse be-  tween pavement picnics and protruding   parapets. Th  en there are the starlings, rob-  ins, jays, and other fl itting fowl that mostly   seem innocuous—until one poops on your   head or nests in your gutter. Th  e seagulls   seem incongruous with the urban density—  until I remember that I am, in fact, on an   island. Perhaps most surprising is the family   of red-tailed hawks that have made a home   on the roof of the neighboring highrise, of-  ten showing off  their impressive wingspan as   well as their predatory nature when circling   and diving in on an unsuspecting rodent. It   really is a jungle out there.                                n  Darcey Gerstein is Associate Editor and a   Staff  Writer for CooperatorNews.  MULTIFAMILY...  continued from page 22  contemporary spin.   Morehouse has the same life span in   mind. “Usually you live with a hallway   theme for 12 to 15 years,” she says. “So you   need to think in terms of colors that you’re   not going to get tired of. Usually, in hall-  ways and common spaces, you keep it kind   of neutral, but still have an accent color. If   you keep a warm base, you can still have   a brighter splash of something—but stay   away from the bright reds and oranges,” she   says. “For a while, forest green was a popu-  lar color, and that’s out of style now. Colors   do vary from year to year, but you want to   stick with classic colors.”  Working with the Board  “We spend a lot of time with our boards   and design committees,” says Coblin.    “Th  ese spaces we are designing are their   public spaces, individual to them. It’s im-  portant that they understand the design ap-  proach we are using, and the related color   and fi nish options. Th  e board and residents   need to buy into the aesthetics as uniquely   theirs. Th  at is why each of our designs is   exclusive.”   “We have an organized and effi  cient   approach to interface with the board and   the resident population when designing   for them,” concurs Sygrove. “We not only   listen to the board, but also help the board   listen to the shareholders or unit owners so   that everyone has a voice in the project. Th  e   bottom line is that we listen, and that can   take many forms to get to the right place.   We know that not everyone will be happy   with any single design, but they do appreci-  ate having a voice. We try to design to the   majority.”   Interestingly, Sygrove also reports that   in their specialty design niche—designing   for cooperative and condominium com-  munities—they listen very carefully to the   board, design committee, and residents.   Th  ey fi nd that the overwhelming majority   of their clients request ‘neutral’ colors—the   defi nition of which has changed over the   years from warm beiges to cool grays and   gray-greens. “Th  ese are the ‘safety’ default   color basics that we work from,” Sygrove   says.  Coblin also notes that at the moment,   the overall color environment is particu-  larly subdued. It is tastefully incorporated   in a way that can be changed while the ba-  sic framework of a design scheme is time-  less and neutral. “Th  e use of color is to en-  hance the overall design of the space,” says   Coblin. “It helps us make a space feel taller,   grander, and for longer lobbies, the grada-  tions of intensity help us modulate, add   rhythm, and improve the overall look.”   “Looking towards the future with ev-  ery design we develop is the fun of it,” says   Sygrove. “Pushing towards the long term   rather than just the present. We advise   buildings to spend their money on quality,   because quality  is the  universal. I  always   use  this  example:  You  can  buy  a can of   paint with a color that looks ‘cheap,’ or you   can spend that same amount of money on a   can of a paint color that looks rich. Th  at is   where the design talent comes in; selecting   that timeless, classic, delicious color that af-  fects the mood of every person who walks   into the lobby or halls—whether fresh, or   soothing, or neutral.”  In the fi nal analysis, using color and tex-  ture and accompanying elements to design   that welcoming space is the art of design   and the art of designers. But as each build-  ing is diff erent and individual, it is critical   that the residents and their board be not   only on board with the choices, but di-  rectly involved with making those choices.   Design is conceived and born of the right   interface between building, designer, and   residents.     n  A J Sidransky is a staff  writer/reporter for   CooperatorNews, and a published novelist.  USING COLOR  continued from page 17


































































































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