October 5, 2020

Entrants from the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) recently learned the results of the annual Design Excellence Awards (DEA) competition over Zoom. Designer David Santiago of Casa Santi Interior Design and the Strictly Santi brand moderated the event. Interior designers and industry partners from the New Jersey Chapter of ASID – as well as friends, family, colleagues and media – were in attendance. Seventeen interior designers won a total of 32 prizes across 13 categories.

View a gallery of the winning projects HERE.

Designers could submit projects in residential and commercial/non-residential sectors. Winners spanned categories from Residential Single Space and Design for People with Specific or Special Needs to Government/Institutional Space. The Student Award was either for a residential or commercial space.

Judges are comprised of past award-winning ASID members from around the country and followed strict criteria in their judging. Entrants in all categories were judged on “positive impact on life and the human experience.”

“Winning projects demonstrated purpose, integrity, creativity and how exceptional design affects the people who use these spaces,” said Sandy Cabelis, Allied ASID and outgoing president of the New Jersey Chapter. “The NJ Design Excellence Awards reinforce the ASID commitment to demonstrating how design impacts lives.”

Student Award:

Mariam Abdelhamid, Brookdale Community College

Residential Single Space: 

Gold: Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Hillsdale
Silver: Ivee Fromkin, Allied ASID, Ivee Fromkin Interiors, Monmouth Beach
Bronze: Terri Fiori, Allied ASID, Fiori Interior Design, Wyckoff

Residential Small Bathroom, 55 Square Feet or Less:

Silver: Sheila Rich, Allied ASID, Sheila Rich Interiors, Monmouth Beach
Bronze: Tracey Stephens, Allied ASID, Tracey Stephens Interior Design, Inc., Montclair

Residential Large Bathroom, 56 Square Feet or More:

Gold: A.J. Margulis, Allied ASID, AJ Margulis Interiors, Pennington
Silver: Danielle Palmadessa, Allied ASID, DRP Interiors, Franklin Lakes
Bronze: Sharon Sherman, ASID, CID, Thyme and Place Design, Wyckoff

Residential Small Kitchen, 150 Square Feet or Less:    

Silver: Tracey Stephens, Allied ASID, Tracey Stephens Interior Design, Inc., Montclair

Residential Large Kitchen, 151 Square Feet or More:    

Gold: Elizabeth Akguc, Allied ASID, Benchmark Interiors, Paramus
Silver: A.J. Margulis, Allied ASID, AJ Margulis Interiors, Pennington
Bronze: Sharon Sherman, ASID, CID, Thyme and Place Design, Wyckoff

Residential Apartment, Condo, Townhouse or Loft

Silver: Yelena Gerts, Allied ASID, House of Style & Design, Holmdel
Bronze: Tracey Stephens, Allied ASID, Tracey Stephens Interior Design, Inc., Montclair

Design for People with Special or Specific Needs

Gold: Diane Boyer, ASID, Diane Boyer Interiors, Upper Montclair
Silver: Sheila Rich, Allied ASID, Sheila Rich Interiors, Monmouth Beach

Specialty and Unique Spaces 

Gold: Jennifer Meyer, Allied ASID, Jennifer B. Meyer, Short Hills
Silver: Sharon Sherman, ASID, CID, Thyme and Place Design, Wyckoff
Bronze: Sheila Rich, Allied ASID, Sheila Rich Interiors, Monmouth Beach

Government/Institutional Space

Gold: Hong Jin, ASID, Netta Architects, Mountainside
Silver: Hong Jin, ASID, Netta Architects, Mountainside  

Residential Show House Space 

Gold: Diane Durocher, ASID, CID, Diane Durocher Interiors, Ramsey
Silver: Marina Umali, ASID, Marina V. Design Studio, Ridgewood
Bronze: Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID, Mannarino Designs, Holmdel

Residential Two or More Spaces, 2,500 Square Feet or Less

Gold: Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Hillsdale
Silver: Kathryn Cook, Allied ASID, Kathryn Cook Interiors, Essex Fells
Bronze: Ivee Fromkin, Allied ASID, Ivee Fromkin Interiors, Monmouth Beach

Residential Two or More Spaces, 2,501 – 5,000 Square Feet

Gold: Danielle Palmadessa, Allied ASID, DRP Interiors, Franklin Lakes
Silver: A.J. Margulis, Allied ASID, AJ Margulis Interiors, Pennington
Bronze: Karen Wolf, Associate ASID, Karen B. Wolf Interiors, Short Hills

Residential Two or More Spaces, More Than 5,000 Square Feet

Gold: Diane Durocher, ASID, CID, Diane Durocher Interiors, Ramsey
Silver: Danielle Palmadessa, Allied ASID, DRP Interiors, Franklin Lakes