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NORTHJERSEY.COM ❚ THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 ❚ 1H
A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION OF THE RECORD
Homescape
Midland Park resident’s
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2H
INTERIOR DESIGN ❚ HOME IMPROVEMENT
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Digital technology
fuels wallpaper
resurgence with
bold new prints
‘Unlimited possibilities’ for
homeowners, says designer
By KATHIE ROBITZ
SPECIAL TO HOMESCAPE
D
PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES
Homeowners can bring fun and games right to their back yards with intricate playground sets that include swings, slides,
rock climbing walls, trapeze bars and a host of other accessories.
Get in the swing of things
with backyard playgrounds
Designs accommodate all property sizes
By JOSEPH RITACCO
SPECIAL TO HOMESCAPE
I
nstead of spending the entire
summer shuttling their kids to and
from neighborhood playgrounds,
parents may want to consider
bringing the playgrounds right to
their back yards. Local businesses
specializing in the design and
installation of backyard playgrounds
are creating fun and safe spaces
that are bigger and better than
ever. Swingsets, slides, sand boxes,
trampolines, climbing walls and other
accessories can be incorporated
into properties of any size, allowing
residents to keep their kids enter-
tained and enhance their outdoor
living spaces.
Priority number one, of
course, should be safety, said Jay
Samolowicz, who has owned and
operated Midland Park-based NJ
Swingsets since 2015. “I can’t carry
low-quality stuff,” said Samolowicz,
“because there are too many issues
with it – the pieces of wood are too
thin, the boards crack. We select the
best quality at the best possible price
point. If you want a set to last, the
brand has to be quality.”
The best swingsets, he added, cost
at least $1,500 and have a deck that
is at least five-feet high (so children
“We select the best quality at
the best possible price point.
If you want a set to last, the
brand has to be quality.”
J ay S amolowicz
o wner , nJ S wingSetS
won’t outgrow it too
quickly), with 4X4-inch
beams holding up the set.
Beams over the swings
should be 4X6 inches with
holes drilled through the
middle, making them
virtually unbreakable.
Common problems
with cheaper alternatives
include deck heights of only
four feet, beams that aren’t
4X4 inches, and swing
beams that are pieces
of wood glued together
rather than solid 4x6-inch
beams, making them more
PHOTO COURTESY OF NJ SWINGSETS
susceptible to cracking and
Designed
and
installed
by Midland Park-based
splitting.
NJ
Swingsets,
this
backyard
playground is built
Such problems will
require costly maintenance safely on level ground with a mulch bedding and
a perimeter of at least six feet.
or replacement of the
playground set down the line.
One,” he added. The company also
The prevalence of online shopping,
offers a brand of vinyl swingsets –
said Samolowicz, has made it easier
King Swingsets – which are costlier up
for consumers to settle for inferior
front but save money later, as they
quality. “It’s difficult to see the size
require no maintenance.
of the playground set in photos when
Abel Santos, manager of Swingset
shopping online,” he said. “Sometimes & Toy Warehouse, said of the wood
the $800 set looks the same as the
versus vinyl debate, “Vinyl lasts
$3,000 set until you see it up close.
longer, and nothing ever goes wrong
Some people order a cheaper set
with it, but most people seem to
online without understanding why
prefer the traditional wood color.”
that set is so affordable.”
With locations in Upper Saddle
NJ Swingsets offers two brands
River, East Hanover, Flemington
of wooden sets – Gorilla Playsets,
and Freehold, the Swingset & Toy
which Samolowicz describes as
Warehouse has sold plenty of both to
“highest quality and best possible
residents throughout New Jersey. It’s
price point with the most options,”
most popular wooden swingsets are
and Playground One, which offers
cedar and redwood. Cedar is 100
the same quality as Gorilla but with
percent natural and eco-friendly. It
higher platform height options of 5.5,
is less expensive than redwood, but
6.5 and 7.5 feet. “People in Bergen
still durable enough to withstand
County have huge yards and big
See PLAYGROUNDS, Page 2H
families, and often go with Playground
esign trends come and go, but wallpaper remains
one of a decorator’s most transformative tools.
And if you’re under the impression it’s out of
fashion, think again.
“We’d like to say, ‘Wallpaper is back’ but for designers, it
never left,” said designer Kethley Parlegreco. “Consumers
are now taking a second look at it, partly because it’s being
used in some great new ways. Pick up any home design
magazine and you’ll see it. It’s definitely back in the public’s
eye.” And working its wonders in the homes of some of
today’s most stylish, sophisticated interiors.
Parlegreco of Trio Studios, a home staging company she
owns with her business partner, Cozette Brown of Cozette
Brown Interior Design, in Ringwood, said, “Digital printing
has revolutionized wallpaper. Today there seems to be
unlimited possibilities in terms of pattern, color and scale.”
Added Brown, “Wallpaper has moved well beyond tradi-
tional florals and damasks; classic patterns are still around
but they are transformed by today’s fresh colors. New
takes on Art Deco, Mid Century and British Colonial
include their iconic period motifs, but you’ll also find
whimsical animals, interesting geometric patterns, and
large-scale tropical prints, making a stylish statement.”
Plus, said Parlegreco, today’s low VOC vinyls, non-toxic
inks, and sustainably sourced papers are eco-friendly.
Karen Merzon of Nortons Paint in Paramus and CBJ
Design Inc., said, “Wallpaper itself is the latest trend! And,
no it’s nothing like your grandmother’s. Today’s wallpaper
introductions cover many styles — contemporary, funky,
traditional. The choices are endless.”
Merzon, like Brown, said the patterns of yesterday are
back, but in a more contemporized way. “Many have been
recreated on metallic backgrounds, or they are beaded and
quite elegant.”
For people with less traditional, more contemporary
tastes, there are industrial-inspired motifs. “The other side
of the spectrum brings us to designs, such as brick, sheet
metal, and re-purposed looks,” Merzon explains. “The
imagery is very realistic and makes for a knock-your-socks-
off accent wall. In addition, there are beautiful organic
choices as well: corks; animal prints; natural fibers; grass
cloth and grass cloth looks in paper and vinyl that appear
like the real deal and the colors choices cover the gamut;
plus weaves, stone looks and everything in between.”
Merzon also said look for geometric patterns, super-
sized flowers, abstracts, textures, metallic and murals that
are popular for accent walls.
See WALLPAPER, Page 3H
PHOTO COURTESY OF ETHAN ALLEN
Supersized flowers are among the unique accent
wall designs that are redefining wallpaper trends and
transforming home interiors.
Create a mini paradise for easy summer outdoor living
Make the most of ‘staycation’ time
By NANCY COHEN
SPECIAL TO HOMESCAPE
W
ith the summer season
officially underway, our
thoughts turn to longer days
and leisure time. Sometimes
though, the budget doesn’t allow for an
extravagant vacation or, perhaps, you
simply aren’t in the mood to plan. This year,
why not opt for a “staycation,” an increas-
ingly popular and fun way to enjoy time off
with family and friends right at home?
Staycations are on the rise and one of
the best ways to savor the warmer weather
at home is by enhancing your outdoor
living area. No matter how big or how small
your patio or private outdoor space, there
are easy ways to transform this area into
the perfect escape. The growing trend in
outdoor living has given rise to bringing
the ambiance and elements of the home’s
indoor spaces to the outside. And as enter-
taining outdoors becomes more popular,
remodeling and decorating trends are
adapting to make your outside environ-
ments both functional and contemporary.
Distinctively Outdoors in Parsippany is a
great place to start. Its new outdoor
living showroom and design center
brings everything outdoors under one
roof. Experienced designers work with
customers from concept to completion for
any type of outdoor living project.
“Taking the concept one step further,
the overriding trend is to bring the entire
kitchen experience outside. Grills are now
equipped with side burners and pizza ovens
PHOTO/ATLANTIS WATER GARDENS
Do-it-yourself fountainscapes or container
water gardens are ideal accents for any
space. Rustic or elegant, any pot can be
made into a standing fountain.
to create gourmet dishes in your own
back yard,” said Laura Coyne, Distinctively
Outdoors’ vice president of marketing
and sales.
“The typical outdoor furniture like picnic
tables and beach chairs are a thing of the
past. People are looking for decor that is
more durable and comfortable. Relaxed
seating and loungers with decorative
cushions and substantial dining tables all
help to create a place to enjoy a good meal
and some down time,” continued Coyne.
“Pergola is quickly gaining popularity so
the weather elements do not disrupt out-
door entertaining.” Outdoor heaters help
establish an atmosphere that is just as
comfortable and cozy as your indoor rooms
and take the chill out of the outdoor area
long after the summer season has passed.
Think about installing a good sound system
that can pipe in relaxing melodies or get
your crowd up on their feet.
Landscaping is a vital to your backyard
haven. It not only adds beauty, but provides
shade. Achieving the landscape of your
dreams doesn’t have to be difficult – or
expensive. Landscapes that are skillfully
See OUTDOOR LIVING, Page 3H