Here in the Garden State, the uniformity of condo exteriors is mind-numbing, with the vast majority seemingly identical. Typically, they feature tedious, monochromatic curb appeal, void of color or creative material elements. Within these b…
Volumes of research have been conducted on the practical and aesthetic applications of color. For better or worse, color—in private and public spaces—affects human behavior; it can manipulate mood and perception. A board planning to redecor…
Allegedly, on his death bed and with his last breath, the great writer Oscar Wilde said, “This wallpaper is dreadful; one of us will have to go.” The quote conjures a mental picture: Wilde, pale and bedridden, propped up on massive Victori…
It's a sad fact that the artisans and craftspeople who created some of the most beautiful, distinctive interior and exterior architectural elements for the tri-state area's residential buildings are an endangered species. The prolifera…
When walls are the only separation between you and your neighbors, privacy sometimes goes out the window. People hear their next-door neighbors talking, footsteps from above or even music blaring through the walls. Sound transmission b…
Whether indoors or out, few design elements are as dramatic and arresting as a waterfall, water wall, Koi pond, reflecting pool or statuesque fountain. These water features add beauty and value to any New Jersey property or building, w…
Media room, game room, common room, party room—regardless of what you call them, the purpose of these shared spaces in co-ops and condos is to give residents a place to gather; to hold an in-house meeting, throw a graduation party or sc…
Your kitchen—It's the hearth, the center of your home. You eat there, you drink there, you prepare meals, and even midnight snacks there. It is a gathering place for family and friends and where many of the rituals of daily life occur. …
As Budgeting Season approaches for co-op and condo communities, it’s time for the boards of associations and corporations to consider how they will cover expenses and fund projects in the coming year and beyond. While recurring operating ex…