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Escape to Mantoloking
Montclair designer takes her talents down the shore
WRITTEN BY CINDY SCHWEICH HANDLER PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MAXEY HAYSE DESIGN STUDIOS
W
hile COVID-19 is unique in its viru-
lence and longevity, New Jersey has
come through disasters before — as
recently as 2012, when Hurricane
Sandy ravaged the tri-state area.
Mantoloking, just south of Point
Pleasant, was among the towns hardest hit by the storm.
The owners of this new construction, built to replace a
seaside home washed away by Sandy, hired designer Susan
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MAY 2020 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE
Pitaccio, a Montclair resident and president of Maxey
Hayse Design Studios, early on in the process. Pitaccio,
who specializes in designing bars and restaurants, had
previously designed a basement bar lounge for the couple.
When, during the framing stage of the 9,000-square-foot
home’s construction, they returned to ask for her services
planning the exterior and selecting every aspect of the
home’s interior, they pitched the idea by saying
“We know you love big projects...”