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NORTHJERSEY.COM ❚ THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 ❚ 3H
HOMESCAPE / ADVERTISING SECTION
Wallpaper: Create a new environment
Outdoor living:
Design with nature in mind
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BYE, BYE PLAIN WALLS
Hello, gorgeous! “Clients call us
because they want something special,
and our job is to create a cohesive
design that gives them a wow,” said
Brown. “And if wallpaper is the start-
ing point, there are limitless options
to deliver it. Or, if clients just want
to add dimension without competing
with patterns and colors on furniture,
window treatments or art, they can
choose a subtle option: tone-on-tone;
faux plaster; or a textured solid.”
Parlegreco added, “There great
textures that look and feel like suede,
leather or silk.”
In fact, wallpaper makes an
impression on a room in a number of
ways. “Like color, wallpaper creates
an environment; it elicits an emotion;
it conveys a sense of style,” Merzon
said. “It can be koi swimming in a
pond; a simple metallic texture on
a wall to give a touch of shimmer; a
silhouette of birch trees; or a brightly
colored lattice pattern. Any and all
of it echo something about the space
and the owner.”
Still feeling cautious? Brown said,
“As interior designers and home
stagers, we see the pros and cons
of wallpaper. If you are planning to
sell your home in the near future, for
example, you may consider painting
instead. And you should be cautious
using metallic wallcoverings, taking
into consideration what colors will be
reflected by the material.”
When hesitant, the designers sug-
gest introducing wallpaper in small
ways, in a powder room for example.
Or apply it within framed panels for
an artful effect. “Wallpaper can also
be inset inside coffers on ceilings
or below a chair rail to add another
layer of interest to a room,” said
Parlegreco. “Or give stair risers a visu-
al punch with a wallpaper pattern.”
YOU’RE ON A ROLL
Merzon advised, “Wallpapers
patterns are either random, so they
do not need to be matched; or the
design repeats, so there is a match in
the design.” It’s easier, therefore, to
work with a random pattern. Repeat
designs are a bit more complicated to
match. They’ll also entail more waste,
especially large-pattern repeats, so
you’ll have to purchase more.
But it’s good to know that wall-
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PHOTO COURTESY OF THIBAUT
Liven up a room, make a bold — or subtle — statement, and add personality
with one of today’s new wallpapers.
paper is easier than ever to install.
“Adhesives are pre-mixed,” noted
Merzon, “and some papers do not
need to be booked like they did years
ago (booking refers to folding the
pasted paper on itself, pasted side
on pasted side, to let it relax before
applying it to the wall). So, depending
on your skill or willingness to conquer
a challenge, most probably a wallpa-
per project may just be a video away
— or I can recommend someone for
the job.”
It’s a good idea to get at least some
professional help before deciding
whether wallpaper is in your home-
decorating future. “At Nortons Paints
we tend to work very closely with our
clientele,” said Merzon. “Everyone
comes in with some kind of idea. Our
team knows how to get into the heads
of our customers — and sometimes
into their phones, trying to extract all
the details of the room left at home.
We need to know these things to
insure we are on the right design path
to fulfill their needs. And yes, we do
offer in-home consultations.”
Finally, purchase wisely. When
you’re ready to place an order, don’t
make the all-too-common mistake of
not accurately measure the space.
“It is so important to know how
much wallpaper you need,” Merzon
cautioned. “If you have to order more
later, the dye lots [of rolls printed at
different times] may not match.”
So, liven up a room, make a bold
— or subtle — statement, and add
personality with one of today’s new
wallpapers.
carried out can complement the aesthetics of your house.
By choosing the appropriate shrubs, garden edges, plants
and flowers you can bring the best of Mother Nature to
your very own back yard. Add summer edibles like toma-
toes, eggplant and herbs for bright pops of color and tasty,
healthful snacks. Small space gardeners can fill decorative
container pots with the season’s exquisite annuals to make
a bold and personal statement. Bring tranquility to your
backyard landscape by incorporating nature as an element
of the overall design. Through the harmonious blending
of a water element, you can introduce an aesthetically
pleasing and calming outdoor extension to your home.
With soothing sounds and lights, you’ll turn your back yard
into an exotic destination.
Do-it-yourself fountainscapes or container water
gardens are a great place to start and an ideal accent for
any space. Rustic or elegant, any pot can be made into a
standing fountain. Containers are typically vessels made of
fiberstone, galvanized metal or ceramic such as a bubbling
rock, statue, washtub or urn. Once you identify a theme
and select your container, the next step is to incorporate a
pump and create an in-ground reservoir, then add aquatic
plants that complement the unique style of your surround-
ings and are pleasing to the eye. Introduce fish and float
hyacinths or water lettuce on top, and your container
water garden adds beauty and splendor. Fountainscapes
are easy to maintain. Every spring, simply clean off the
feature using a light pressure wash. To keep the pump
operating properly, you’ll need to occasionally add water
due to natural evaporation. “For me, no matter what type
of water element you decide to feature and no matter how
big or small, it’s about keeping it natural and creating a
little backyard paradise,” said Jaak Harju, owner of Atlantis
Water Gardens in Denville, a nationally recognized design-
er-installer of natural looking ponds and water features.
Those with bigger budgets can hire a professional to
design and install more intricate water features such as
pondless waterfalls or backyard mini ecosystem ponds that
play host to various plants, fish, birds and frogs.
Specializes in
re-arranging
YOUR room/s,
using YOUR
furniture, art
and accessories.
INTERIOR
MAKEOVERS!
STAGING=
MORE MONEY!
Interested? Need Color? Call 201.739.3537
NR-0004336602-01
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