Anna Maria Mannarino of Mannarino Designs, Inc., an acclaimed interior, event and product designer and past president of the New Jersey Chapter of ASID, has won three Design Excellence Awards. This annual competition is sponsored by the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Fifteen chapter interior designers won a total of 25 prizes among them, but only four won three awards. The awards were conferred at a dinner and gala on Wednesday, June 19 at The Venetian in Garfield.
Successful entries demonstrated exceptional design and positive impact on life and the human experience in keeping with ASID's mission.
"I was thrilled and surprised to win all three awards," said Mannarino.
Judges were comprised of a diverse group of award-winning ASID members from around the country and the judging was blind and based on the following criteria with a points system: Effectiveness of the design solution, functional use of space, scale and proportion, color and composition, innovative use of materials, creativity of the design solution, effective use of lighting, use of sustainable design principles and use of Universal Design principles.
There were 17 categories in all spanning the residential and commercial sectors. All entries had to have a product from at least one Industry Partner at the time of the project to be submitted.
A Modern Staircase
Mannarino won for Gold in the Residential Specialty & Unique Spaces Category for a modern staircase design for a home in Morris County. Mannarino replaced traditional all-wood staircases with an open airy design concept that consisted of a steel frame with red oak treads and landings, tigerwood stringers and railings of tempered glass panels and stainless steel uprights and handrails. The work was done by local artisans and the lumber was highly sustainable. The original stairs and railings were carefully disassembled and removed so they could be reused in another project.
A Serene, Eco-Friendly Master Bath
She won a Silver in the Residential Bathroom Less Than 55 Square Feet Category for a master bathroom in a Monmouth County residence. Working within the same small footprint, Mannarino was able to create a serene, eco-friendly space that is open, light-filled and efficient. To open up the space, she used a white, pale gray and light mist green palette, installed a glass walled shower and dressed the floor and shower area with long porcelain tile that mimicked whitewashed wood floorboards. She covered another entire wall floor-to-ceiling in a glass mosaic of hydrangeas. A furniture-style vanity and interior-lit large medicine cabinet further complete the space. Specific plumbing products were selected to be mindful of water use and the lighting was all LED. The inefficient radiator was replaced with a new efficient one recessed in the wall.
A Show-stopping Show House Condo
Last but not least in the Residential Show House Space Category the designer won a Silver for a condo design in the Glass House in Edgewater in Bergen County, which had sweeping views of the Hudson River and Manhattan beyond. Mannarino drew inspiration from the view and New York City history.
The sophisticated 1,100 square-foot space fuses the industrial and historic vibe of the buildings and architecture of New York City, along with the green of the tree-lined highway seen along the edge of the river. Evidence of the latter is the live light fixture hung above the kitchen island that combines live materials with a mix of metals and the industrial feel of the Edison lights. Throughout the space, metals and various woods and finishes are mixed with a myriad of textures, such as velvets, linens and silks, and live green elements. Key pieces include exquisite modern Italian furniture, custom light fixtures; a unique collection of artwork and photography; and an array of rugs.
