The New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID NJ) honored the winners of the annual Design Excellence Awards (DEA) on June 25. 

Emmy award-winning George Oliphant of NBC’s “George to the Rescue” served as master of ceremonies and enumerated the challenges designers face to the attentive audience of interior designers, sponsors, industry partners and friends and family. Twenty-one interior designers won a total of 43 prizes among them in 18 categories. Martin Grodman of American Brass & Crystal was honored with the Industry Partner Award for lighting design by Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID, and four students won awards as well.  

Star Sponsors:

• Reno’s Appliance
• Salzone Fine Art 

Premier Sponsor:

• Sherwin Williams
• Sub-Zero/Wolf and Cove
• TJ Painting
• Wayne Tile

Select Sponsors:

• Benjamin Moore
• Exceptional Flooring Concepts
• Janus et Cie
• Samuelson
• Steve's Custom Drapery Shoppe
• Wostbrock Home  

Sapphire Chapter Sponsor:

• Design NJ

Pearl Chapter Sponsor:

• Room & Board 

Designers could submit projects in residential and commercial/non-residential sectors. Winners spanned categories from Residential Single Space and Outdoor Living Spaces to Retail/Showroom, Exhibit Space, Public Spaces, Athletic Facility.  

Judges were comprised of past award-winning ASID members and followed strict criteria in their judging. The criteria, which varied somewhat from category to category had one constant, however. Entrants in all the categories were judged on “Positive impact on life and the human experience.” 

Winners: 

Residential Historic Preservation:

Gold - Miriam Silver Verga, Associate ASID, Mimi & Hill, Westfield   

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

Residential Single Space:  

Silver - Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Wyckoff 

Bronze - Oreoluwa Oderanti, Affliliate ASID, Inspired Ore Home Décor, Irvington  

Bronze - Sarah Storms, Allied ASID, Styled by Storms, Maplewood   

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

Gold - Yelena Gerts, Allied ASID, House of Style & Design, Holmdel 

Silver - Miriam Silver Verga, Associate ASID, Mimi & Hill, Westfield   

Bronze - Sarah Storms, Allied ASID, Styled by Storms, Maplewood   

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

Silver - Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Wyckoff 

Bronze - Alexa Harris-Ralff, Associate ASID, AHR Designs, Millburn

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

Residential Apartment, Condo, Townhouse or Loft:

Gold - Yelena Gerts, Allied ASID, House of Style & Design, Holmdel

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

Bronze - Arlene Reilly, Allied ASID, Bernards Decorating, Inc., Bernardsville 

Residential Small Bathroom, 50 Square Feet or Less:

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

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

Bronze - Yelena Gerts, Allied ASID, House of Style & Design, Holmdel

Residential Large Bathroom, 51 Square Feet or More:

Gold - Beth Insabella Walsh, ASID, CID, INSABELLADESIGN, Little Silver 

Silver - Tracey Stephens, Allied ASID, CID, Tracey Stephens Interior Design, Montclair 

Bronze - Miriam Silver Verga, Associate ASID, Mimi & Hill, Westfield   

Residential Small Kitchen, 150 Square Feet or More: 

Gold - Liz Curry, Allied ASID, Liz Curry Studio, South Orange

Silver - Tracey Stephens, Allied ASID, CID, Tracey Stephens Interior Design, Montclair 

Bronze - Denise Pough, Allied ASID, A-Jay Interiors by Dee, Paramus

Residential Large Kitchen, 151 Square Feet or More:    

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

Gold - Sarah Storms, Allied ASID, Styled by Storms, Maplewood   

Silver - Julie China, Allied ASID, Idea Space Architecture + Design, Maplewood

Bronze - Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID, Mannarino Designs, Holmdel  

Bronze - Miriam Silver Verga, Associate ASID, Mimi & Hill, Westfield   

Residential Show House Space:   

Gold - Susan Farcy, Associate ASID, Susan Farcy Interior Design, Wyckoff

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

Silver - Arlene Reilly, Allied ASID, Bernards Decorating, Inc., Bernardsville

Bronze - Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID, Mannarino Designs, Holmdel  

Residential Specialty and Unique Interior Spaces:  

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

Bronze - Cozette Brown, Allied ASID, Cozette Brown Interior Design, Ringwood

Bronze - Sharon L. Sherman, ASID, CID, Thyme & Place Design, Wyckoff 

Outdoor Living Spaces:

Silver - Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Wyckoff

Commercial Single Space:

Gold - Jennifer Pacca, Allied ASID, Jennifer Pacca Interiors, Wyckoff

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

Silver - Hong Jin, ASID, Netta Architects, Mountainside  

Retail/Showroom, Exhibit Space, Public Spaces, Athletic Facility:  

Gold - Hong Jin, ASID, Netta Architects, Mountainside 

Silver - Liz Curry, Allied ASID, Liz Curry Studio, South Orange

Commercial Special and Unique Spaces: 

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

Government/Institutional Spaces:

Gold - Hong Jin, ASID, Netta Architects, Mountainside  

Industry Partner Category:

Winner: Martin Grodman, American Brass & Crystal with Lighting Design by Anna Maria Mannarino, Allied ASID 

Student ASID Awards:

Silver - Jacqueline Ferreira of Brookdale College, Student Residential Space category

Bronze - Esther Marquez of Berkeley College, Student Residential Space category

Gold - Sarah Jolly of Kean University, Student Commercial Space category

Silver - Aubree Gergich of Kean University, Student Public Space category

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