Nicole Corabi, Kristine Di Nardo, Rochelle Dodge, Lori Vorgang, Amy B. Weiss
ACCOUNTING MANAGER
Max Haggerty
STAFF ACCOUNTANT
Karmal Pritchett
DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
Leigh Stuart
PUBLISHER EMERITUS
Bob Doran
EXECUTIVE PARTNERS
Gerry Haggerty, Edward P. McCartney
HOUSE & HOME
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by Liz Hunter
ask the expert S
AAA Hellenic
TONE MATERIALS ARE ESSENTIALLY THE ICING OF ANY KITCHEN OR BATHROOM PROJECT, PROVIDING BOTH THE FUNCTIONAL VALUE OF PULLING THE ROOM’S COMPONENTS TOGETHER AND SOMETHING PLEASING FOR THE EYE.
Choosing the perfect stone takes careful consideration, and the guidance of someone who knows the product. At AAA Hellenic, customers can turn to professionals who have decades of experience designing and installing stone in kitchens, bathrooms, foyers, fireplaces and even in outdoor living spaces. Mike Werner, sales manager, is one such expert who has been with the family-focused company for more than 10 years.
House & Home spoke with Werner about how new products from Silestone and Dekton are giving people the high-end looks they’ve wanted at a more reasonable price.
Mike Werner, sales manager
WHEN YOU MEET WITH CLIENTS, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR LIFESTYLE TO GUIDE THEIR SELECTION?
Most individuals typically have saved pictures they found online or in magazines to establish an idea of their design preferences. We also want to know about what’s going on in the space where the stone will be used. Every household is different. Materials they might like or find attractive might not be the best choice for their home. Granite is very dense and durable. It is heat resistant and scratch resistant, with minimal maintenance. Marble
is a classic choice with unrivaled beauty and gives you a timeless look. It may be a little softer than granite, but will still give you a very durable surface.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE EMERGING POPULARITY OF NATURAL STONE QUARTZITE AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF IT?
Engineered quartz has gained popularity over the past couple of years, but natural stone is still the most requested for its beauty and durability. Natural stone quartzite is an especially good choice for kitchens. Everyone likes the look of marble, but it’s softer and more porous. Quartzite is a dense stone that can handle the impact and functionality in a kitchen, and it’s not as porous.
We directly import this stone from the quarries to our facility, which enables us to
pass discounted pricing on to clients for rare quartzites in a wide variety of colors. The materials are temperamental and require a high level of care and precision, which Hellenic excels and specializes in.
WHAT ARE THE NEWEST
MATERIALS ON THE MARKET AND WHERE ARE THEY BEST USED IN THE HOME?
We’re really excited about the design potential with products from Silestone and Dekton in shower wall and bathroom applications. People have been longing for a solid-slab, seamless look on their shower walls—nobody likes grout joints—but this comes with additional labor to get these large slabs into tight shower spaces. These new products are more durable and thinner, making them easier to transport and install. Silestone is engineered quartz and in particular has some nice combinations of natural stone-looking materials, as well as muted patterns for the monochromatic look people want. Dekton is a porcelain and glass hybrid with quartz that is more durable and still gives that desirable natural stone look. This is something that we are specializing in.
HOW CAN CUSTOMERS
ARRANGE TO VISIT YOUR SLAB YARD TO SEE THEIR OPTIONS?
Our slab yard is open by appointment so we can control the amount of people in the building at a time, everything is spaced out and we also have outdoor inventory available weather permitting. We have implemented additional safety measures, including UV light systems and UV air purifiers to reduce airborne contaminants and provide more peace of mind for customers. We also offer virtual appointments.
Our inventory of marble, granite, soapstone and quartzite is very strong right now, we’ve added a lot of new products for people. We have about 200 different colors on display, and our stones are directly imported from places like Italy, Brazil and Africa. It’s always beneficial to walk through and see the stone in different lighting, and more often than not, people find something they never expected.
kitchens that families will enjoy for years to come.
But, while the excitement of a remodeled kitchen can be thrilling, Matteo stresses things have changed quite a bit since the company first entered into the industry.
“Back in the day, when we opened up our doors, we’d have people come in with a drawing on a napkin, and in 20 minutes we had a kitchen design. White kitchens with oak or cherry cabinets and Formica countertops is what you got. We kept it simple, it didn’t have all the bells and whistles that you have today,” says Matteo.
“Today it’s a process, and we tell people don’t rush the process,” adds Matteo. “Other than purchasing a home, it’s one of the most expensive purchases that you’ll ever make. And it’s a very important purchase because it increases the value of your home, so you want to make sure you do it right.”
Something Special
BY PETER PROKO
SWHEN HE, ALONG WITH HIS BROTHER TOM AND THEIR MOTHER AND FATHER ELAINE AND EVERETT JOINED IN IN AN EFFORT TO DETERMINE THE NAME FOR THEIR NEW KITCHEN REMODELING BUSINESS. Trying to find something clever or unique that would grab the attention of potential clients eventually led them to a more simplistic, yet effective, solution. And from there, Matteo Family Kitchens was born.
Matteo credits his father with having both the vision and foresight to attach the family name to their business, especially since it immediately instilled a sense of pride in and ownership of their work.
“We were looking at names, trying to come up with something cool, and my father said it should be Matteo Family Kitchens. After all, we are a family, and if someone says something negative about the Matteos, you’re going to take it personally,” Matteo recalls.
Now, nearly three decades since getting their start, the Matteo name has become synonymous with quality craftsmanship and the highest level of customer service, helping countless homeown-
And the company has adapted and evolved along the way in an effort to continually exceed client expectations. Never was that more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic, when interest in home remodeling projects spiked tremendously. Trying to keep up with the high demand while juggling supply chain issues, rising material costs and an unstable workforce was certainly no easy task, but Matteo says things have normalized quite a bit of late.
“[In the early days of the pandemic,] people were working from home, there were limited vacations and travel bans, so folks were staring at the same four walls 24 hours a day and said, ‘Let’s get some things done [around the house].’ It was really fast and furious,” he says. “We were so geared up to be juggling a lot of projects at once, and now we are back to reality and where things used to be.”
With COVID’s lockdown firmly in the rearview mirror, Matteo Family Kitchens has been able to sidestep the issues that were so daunting during the pandemic and gotten back to focusing solely on creating one-of-a-kind
But homeowners shouldn’t stress either, because the Matteo Family Kitchens team is well-equipped to guide you through the process. The company will visit you at your home to discuss a project and continues to measure, offer consultation and design work for free. This helps homeowners narrow down the seemingly endless options to transform their kitchen.
It all starts with choosing an overall design, then moving on to picking out cabinet and countertop styles, before selecting flooring and then finally handling finishing touches like the hardware for cabinets, etc.
“There’s just a lot more attention to detail today. And we like our client base to work with us and take it step by step. There’s so many things [to consider], we always tell people take your time—I can’t say that loud enough—and let’s walk through all the bullet points to make sure everyone understands what’s going on,” says Matteo.
Once the project is ready to get started, clients can trust that Matteo Family Kitchens uses only the finest materials and products from leading manufacturers. Aside from the name recognition, Matteo says these larger companies offer topof-the-line products that also are backed by a warranty, assuring the customer will be taken care of should they not perform as designed.
“If our name is on it, we want to make sure the products we are selling come from companies who are going to stand behind it as well,” Matteo affirms.
It’s all further evidence of Matteo Family Kitchens’ commitment to its clients. The company treats every job—no matter how big or small—with the same care and dedication to produce a final result they can be proud of and that homeowners will cherish.
“If you come out of your way to walk into our front door, we are super happy,” says Matteo. “We understand you committed to us and we want to prove our commitment to you and your project. We appreciate the opportunity to show what we can do for you.”
DesignedforRealLife
Amiano & Son Design-Build’s highly satisfied clients share their praise
Some homes just feel right— and you know it the moment you step inside. They invite you to slow down, stay a little longer and settle in. The kitchen draws people together, the living room feels up to date but cozy, the bathroom feels calm and current, and everything works the way you expect it to, without effort. Hear from past clients who now get to call spaces like these home!
“We waited a very long time to finally renovate our oddly laid out kitchen, which gave me plenty of time to have a very long wish list. This wish list went beyond the scope of our kitchen. I had a vision for what I wanted our foyer, family room and first floor to look like. When I met with Joe, we discussed all of this. He was on board and could see my vision and beyond. Meeting with Brianna, our project designer, she took our wish list and helped tweak, design and push it to the next level, literally … we continued up to the second floor of the house. Due to the lengthy duration of our expansive renovation, John, our project manager, became a part-time resident at our home, looking after its progress and execution, like it was his own home. We are thrilled with the final result. Our home finally feels like home. It flows, functions and fits our family.” —Keryn P.
“We recently had Amiano & Son do a kitchen remodel this past spring. It was a big project which involved gutting our kitchen, removing the laundry room and moving it up to the master bedroom and redoing all the hardwood floors on our first floor. We were living in our home with three kids during this renovation, but Amiano made the experience as seamless as possible. We absolutely love our new kitchen. Joe and Gianna worked with us from day one to get our dream kitchen in our budget. Pete and Keith were extremely responsive and kept the project on schedule. Would definitely use them again!”
Swim-Mor Pools & Spas partner and general manager Mike McCool recognizes that there is a lot more that goes into a new pool than there used to be.
“The backyard has transformed over the last 10 years or so away from being just ‘your yard’ and into another room of your home with the same care and detail put into it,” McCool says. “Because of this the design of your pool has become more than just a pool but the focus of the outdoor living room. There is a lot of coordination with creating what a customer’s backyard haven is going to be.”
Fortunately, the family-owned South Jersey business is more than up to the challenge of bringing a customer’s backyard pool vision to life. In its 59 years of business, Swim-Mor Pools & Spas has helped to create thousands of backyard paradises throughout the region.
And what’s more, they make the process as easy as possible for their customers.
“We’re a start-to-finish gunite custom pool company—the design, the build and the service afterward,” McCool says. “We have our own crews that handle the work which helps us control quality and makes the process go smoother.”
There are six designers at Swim-Mor Pools & Spas who can help guide customers on a new pool design. The company’s countless photos and 3D drawings can provide inspiration, and the final design is what best suits the backyard, according to McCool.
“Size, setbacks, elevations. We’re here to help you work through that,” he says.
Finding the right pool
“The first step is to give us a call. From there we’ll set up an appointment to come out to your home,” McCool says. “That way we can see all the aspects of the property. What the contours of the yard are. What the access is like. Even the best location based on where the sun rises and sets.”
The timeline to get started is largely based on the homeowner and how decisive they are, McCool adds. Once everything is confirmed, things move to contract and Swim-Mor Pools & Spas starts working on permits.
“Time is of the essence. Permits can take from two weeks to several months, all depending on the municipality,” McCool says.
Pool popularity
Prior to March 2020, business was strong for Swim-Mor Pools & Spa. That was only boosted when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the region.
“The pool business was never busier than it was in COVID,” McCool says. “The lockdowns forced people to stay at home and they immediately focused on the backyard.”
Although that business boom has settled down a bit, things are still busy. But pool trends, according to McCool, have held fairly steady.
Hampton-style pools have long been a customer favorite, but equally popular are the freeform designs, which can be customized to fit into any backyard environment.
“Through COVID there have not been many significant changes in the industry,” McCool says,
Natural stone is popular for the coping along the pool’s edge, McCool says, as well as darker finishes in the pool. A majority of SwimMor Pools & Spa customers are using a salt sanitation system and automated controls in their new pools, as well as choosing to add water features—waterfalls, fountains, deck jets and plenty more. The company also offers many in- pool fixtures for lounging—bar stools and benches that can tie into your outdoor kitchen or can run inside the pool, along with table areas, sundecks for your lounge chairs and custom fire features. Color LED lighting packages come with every pool, too.
The majority of customers also choose elements to lengthen their pool-enjoying season, such as heaters and spas. “It will extend your pool season by a few months,” McCool says.
Why Swim-Mor Pools & Spas?
Being a local family-owned independent business makes Swim-Mor Pools & Spas a smart choice for customers, according to McCool.
“We’re not national. We’re not a franchise. And we do not try to sell everything. Our expertise has been building custom gunite pools for 59 years and that’s what we focus on,” he says.
Save for a few aspects that are legally required to be outsourced to independent licensed contractors, Swim-Mor Pools & Spas uses all of their own crews for the pool construction, which McCool says is unique for the pool business.
In addition to building new pools, SwimMor Pools & Spas also specializes in renovating gunite pools. The experienced team can handle everything from your standard renovation of replacing your coping, tile and plaster finish, to adding features such as raised water features, sun decks, and even spas that were not originally built with the pool. McCool says, “Even though your pool may not have originally been built with the more current popular features doesn’t mean that Swim-Mor cannot add them now.”
The 2026 pool season is already underway for the business, which thanks to the mild winter meant they were able to start construction early. Pool openings and service will ramp up from mid-April to Memorial Day.
But, for those looking to add a pool to their backyard this summer, it’s not too late. “We’re still building for this year. We’re still selling for this summer,” McCool says. “But don’t waste time. Get in!”
While in the past custom closets may have predominantly been viewed as a luxury, more recently they’ve gained recognition as a sensible upgrade. More homeowners are now coming to the realization that organization can simplify their daily routines by making their homes feel more functional. That’s where Closet Factory comes in, designing personalized storage that reflects each homeowner’s needs and desires. With a focus on tailored design and craftsmanship, Closet Factory continues to set a high standard in the custom closet industry, focusing on each client’s vision no matter the scope of the project. To find out more, House and Home spoke with Drew Kirchner, owner of Closet Factory.
In your opinion, why are custom closets a solid investment for homeowners to consider?
A Closet Factory project is an investment in your home as opposed to just a purchase.
We’ve seen data that says 83% of the investment comes back to the homeowner in the form of home equity, plus you get to enjoy the closets while you’re living in your home. Also, while we have certainly designed and built some incredibly fancy and expensive closets, they don’t always have to be that way. There are also affordable solutions that can get clients organized and improve their space. If you want absolute luxury, we can provide that as well. We offer all the trending colors and hardware, which can be complemented with lighting and moldings. Whether you choose something basic or more luxury, either way you are adding to the value of your home.
What would you say is the most overlooked benefit of adding a custom closet system?
I guess I would ask, “What’s the cost of not being organized?” I love our product because it really does bring peace and comfort to the homeowner. I can’t tell you how many times someone calls for a project and then after we’ve made their problems go away, they call us back and say, “We love it, what can you do for us in the rest of the house?” Closet Factory provides a major day-to-day life improvement.
How do custom closets impact a home’s resale value, and what are buyers currently looking for?
This is a home improvement that has one of the highest returns on investment. Years and years ago, there was way less awareness of what home organization was, but today it’s become more of a necessity. Nobody wants a closet full of wire shelves, just like very few people want a kitchen without nice countertops and
appliances. As the old saying goes: Spend your money where you spend your time. Where else do you spend more time than in your home? More than ever, we see our clients just want their home to be exactly the way they want it. They recognize the value and they are willing to invest to realize their vision.
How does having more organized storage solutions help homeowners who are big on time management? When we are finished, everything will be in its proper place. There’s no guessing on where your shoes or sweaters are. Same thing for garages, basements, pantries and all our products. Closet Factory offers organization solutions for every room in the house, and our solutions provide an organized home life.
When comparing your product vs. the big box retailers, what are the biggest differences in durability?
Actually, many of the big box stores have chosen Closet Factory as their solution. We take this very seriously as they have put their trust and faith in our business. Closet Factory builds our projects with the highest grade materials available, and we stand behind our work with a lifetime warranty.
What further sets Closet Factory apart in the industry?
Foremost, we are a floor-based system, which in my opinion makes our product look more like furniture. Our expert designers provide a CAD-based design experience which allows our clients to envision what the final product will look like in a 3D rendering. Our local factory is religiously run on schedule, so we’re always ready for our installations, and our experienced install team really knows what they are doing. Our business delivers highly efficient and reliable installation. We also provide a lifetime warranty on each project. Our clients want us to deliver what they want.
MONTVILLE MAKEOVER
The client’s aspiration was to craft a versatile backyard retreat and accommodate year-round enjoyment. The Montville Makeover features a freeform pool and expansive patio, artfully landscaped surroundings, a series of rockeries and framing garden beds, fire pits and the soothing presence of bubbling fountains to enhance the overall ambiance.
HAPPY TO BE HOME IN HO HO KUS
This client came to us wanting to enhance the curb appeal of her home, by creating new garden beds. The outcome was a front yard that not only captivates the eye but also imbues a sense of pride in the homeowners, ensuring that every return home is met with a gratifying smile of contentment.
Award-Winning DESIGN
CLC Landscape Design continues to raise the bar with stunning projects that both clients and industry professionals recognize as the cream of the crop.
CLC Landscape Design has helped homeowners in New Jersey and New York design their dream outdoor living spaces for over 50 years. 2023 was a year to remember for CLC, as they came away from this winter with nine landscaping awards (six New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association awards, along with three New Jersey Nursey and Landscape Association awards).
CLC is a leader in the landscape design/build field, designing endless jaw-dropping landscapes, of all sizes. Here, we spotlight some of the company’s 2023 award-winning projects.
After originally creating this homeowner’s design years ago, our fine gardening team comes every two weeks to maintain the gardens and to keep this customer’s property looking lush and colorful. This client’s love of color throughout the summer months is enhanced with the use of large growing coleus, cleomes and other tall annuals.
THE WOODCLIFF LAKE ESCAPE
This ambitious project encompassed a comprehensive array of elements to ensure year-round enjoyment: a pool for summer days, a hot tub to provide warmth and comfort during the chilly evenings, multiple fire features for the cozy ambiance, an outdoor kitchen for grilling season, a pavilion for shade and entertainment purposes, and a thoughtfully designed deck.
WE PROUDLY PRESENT THE 2025
We are excited to present our tenth annual Best of House &
Home.
As voted by our readers, the following companies and professionals are being recognized for their quality products, expertise, top-notch customer service and reliability. We're also featuring a closer look at these companies in informative spotlights and showcases that shed some light on their dedication. For your next home project, there is no one better than these winners.
ADDITIONS
Cipriani Remodeling Solutions
856-853-8398
CiprianiRemodelingSolutions. com
DiCicco Builders
856-356-2525
DiciccoBuilders.com
Under Construction Builders
856-354-0831
UCBuildersNJ.com
APPLIANCES
ABC Discount Appliances
856-665-0711
ABCDiscountAppliance.com
Albo Appliances
856-235-2288
AlboAppliance.com
Woodbury Appliance
856-845-3710
WoodburyAppliance.com
ARCHITECTURE
Thomas B. Wagner
Architect 856-795-4550 Wagnerarchitect.com
ARTIFICIAL
GRASS/TURF
Artificial Grass Turf Warehouse 201-971-2323
ArtificialGrassTurfWarehouse .com
AWNINGS
Awnings, Blinds & Shutters by Albert’s South Jersey Wallpaper 856-232-6665 AlbertsWallpaper.com
RJ Custom Awning, LLC
888-675-2760 RJAwning.com
BASEMENT REFINISHING
Daniel Robert Remodeling 833-326-4350 DanielRobertRemodeling.com
