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Design Excellence

The New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers presents awards

The best interiors and the designers who created them were honored with 2023 Design Excellence Awards presented by the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers. The event, held at the Clubhouse at Galloping Hills Golf Course in Kenilworth, featured Emmy award-winning George Oliphant of NBC’s “George to the Rescue” as master of ceremonies. Eighteen interior designers won a total of 41 awards in 17 categories. Additionally, Baki Ildiz of Creative Touch Inc. was honored with the chapter’s Industry Partner Award for a carpet design by Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID.

The Design Excellence Awards Dinner gets underway, celebrating the diversity of design in New Jersey. | Photo by William Newmann Photography

Reno’s Appliance was the Exclusive Event Sponsor. DEZIGNED/Exceptional Flooring and Sherwin-Williams were Star Sponsors, Wayne Tile Co. and Wostbrock Home were Premier Sponsors and Steve’s Custom Drapery Shoppe was the Select Sponsor. Design NJ is the chapter sponsor.

Contest judges, all of whom are past award-winning ASID members from around the country, had to follow strict criteria. The criteria varied somewhat from category to category, but it had one constant: Entrants in all the 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 that use these spaces,” said Nada F. Alzoubi, Allied ASID, president of the New Jersey Chapter. “The NJ Design Excellence awards reinforce the ASID commitment to demonstrating how design impacts lives.”  For more information on the New Jersey Chapter of ASID, visit https://nj.asid.org.


Below are all of the 2023 winners. Additionally, Design NJ will publish a profile of each designer who won a Gold Design Excellence Award. Simply click on the designer’s name below.

Residential Single Space 

Gold: Jill Ryan, Allied ASID, Jill Ryan Interiors, Tinton Falls

Silver: Ivee Fromkin, Allied ASID, I. Fromkin Interiors, Monmouth Beach

Bronze: Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Wyckoff

 

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

Gold: Elizabeth Ego, Allied ASID, Agapé Design Group, Franklin Lakes

Silver: Sheila Rich, Allied ASID, CID, Sheila Rich Interiors, Monmouth Beach

Bronze: Linda Granert, ASID, CID, Granert Interior Planning & Design, Midland Park

 

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

Gold (tie): Miriam Silver Verga, Associate Member ASID, Mimi & Hill, Westfield

Gold (tie): Zak Yossry, Allied ASID, and Sarah Fetouh, Allied ASID, Short Hills Design Studio, Millburn

Silver: Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Hillsdale

Bronze: Cynthia Peralta-Brito, ASID, CPB Designs, Maywood

 

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

Gold: Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Hillsdale

Silver (tie): Karla Trincanello, Allied ASID, CID, Interior Decisions, Florham Park

Silver (tie): Danielle Palmadessa, Allied ASID, DRP Interiors, Franklin Lakes

Bronze: Zak Yossry, Allied ASID, and Sarah Fetouh, Allied ASID, Short Hills Design Studio, Millburn

 

Residential Apartment, Condo, Townhouse or Loft

Gold: Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID, Mannarino Designs, Holmdel 

Silver: Diane Durocher, ASID, CID, Diane Durocher Interiors, Ramsey

Bronze: Blanche Garcia, ASID, B-Garcia Designs, Little Falls

 

Residential Large Bathroom, 51 Square Feet or More

Gold: Elizabeth Ego, Allied ASID, Agapé Design Group, Franklin Lakes

Silver: Sheila Rich, Allied ASID, CID, Sheila Rich Interiors, Monmouth Beach

Bronze: Miriam Silver Verga, Associate Member ASID, Mimi & Hill, Westfield

 

Residential Large Kitchen, 151 Square Feet or More   

Gold: Elizabeth Ego, Allied ASID, Agapé Design Group, Franklin Lakes

Silver: Miriam Silver Verga, Associate Member ASID, Mimi & Hill, Westfield

Bronze: Tracey Stephens, Allied ASID, CID, Tracey Stephens Interior Design, Montclair

 

Residential Show House Space 

Gold: Diane Durocher, ASID, CID, Diane Durocher Interiors, Ramsey

Silver: Tammy Bolden, Allied ASID, Bold Interior Designs, Montclair

Bronze: Marina Umali, ASID, CID, Marina V. Design Studio, Ridgewood

 

Design for People with Special or Specific Needs

Gold: Tracey Stephens, Allied ASID, CID, Tracey Stephens Interior Design, Montclair

 

Specialty and Unique Interior Spaces 

Gold: Sharon L. Sherman, ASID, CID, Thyme & Place Design, Wyckoff

Silver: Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID, Mannarino Designs, Holmdel 

Bronze: Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Hillsdale

 

Outdoor Living Spaces

Gold: Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Hillsdale

Silver: Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID, Mannarino Designs, Holmdel 

 

Commercial Several Spaces, 10,000 Square Feet or Less:

Gold: Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Hillsdale

 

Commercial Several Spaces, 10,001 Square Feet or More:

Bronze: Jill Ryan, Allied ASID, Jill Ryan Interiors, Tinton Falls

 

Hospitality Space, Hotel, Restaurant, Club

Silver: Karla Trincanello, Allied ASID, CID, Interior Decisions, Florham Park

 

Industry Partner Category

Winner: Baki Ildiz, Creative Touch, with Carpet Design by Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID

 

Student ASID Awards

The awards went to Casey Luikert of Kean University, Gold, and Emily Pulka of Brookdale Community College, Silver, in the Student Residential Space category; Olivia Baltran of Kean University, Gold, and Meghan Maldonado of Berkeley College, Bronze, in the Student Commercial Space category; Mariam Abdelhamid of Kean University, Gold, in the Student Public Space category.