Newsday • January 10, 2023

Get smart: Here's how to upgrade your home tech on any budget

Since adding wired cameras to the security system of his Woodbury home, Rich Ritholtz can have neighbors pick up packages for him when he’s away. He can also see what his teenage children are up to. “My wife and I were in Europe this summer and I could see what’s going on when we’re not there,” said Ritholtz, 52. You can see the deliveries, who comes and goes, the people who are supposed to be there — it keeps your kids in check.” A home security system is just one of an ever-growing number of...

Behind The Hedges • June 4, 2022

Creating An Oasis of Color and Beauty Around the Pool

Pools are more than just a place for swimming or lounging: They’re an integral part of the garden. A good landscape design considers the pool as a water feature, rather than just a recreational space and incorporates it into the design process at a pivotal stage, notes Frederico Azevedo, award-winning landscape designer and founder of Unlimited Earth Care of Bridgehampton. The addition of plants around the pool, says Azevedo...

Behind The Hedges • May 19, 2022

Energy-Efficient Houses: Sustainability Begins at Home

If you want to save some money and the planet, too, you’ll want to consider greening your home. By taking some simple steps, you can clear your conscience by using sustainable materials while also making your abode more energy-efficient. Lori Miller, president of Farmingdale-based LGC Interior Design, promotes green elements in her design work, offering practical tips on choosing environmentally friendly furnishings...

LI Press • March 3, 2022

Dining Room Renovation Serves a Feast for the Eyes

Before you even taste a morsel of food, experts say, you first eat with your eyes. Naturally, you’ll want your home’s dining room to be as aesthetically pleasing as the food that follows is pleasing to the palate. As part of a recent whole-house renovation of a 1930s center hall Colonial in Garden City, interior designer Liz Kohart fixed up the 13-by-13-foot dining room, which is attached to...

LI Press • February 3, 2022

Home Office Overlooking Northport Bay Earns Interior Design Society Award

A home office for an architect in his new waterfront home on Northport Bay in Asharoken earned an Interior Design Society’s first place “Designer of the Year” award in the home office category for Christine Conte, of Christine Conte Interiors of Huntington. Part of a complete home design and build project, the 15-by-25-foot office was positioned at the far end of the home, away from...

LI Press • October 21, 2021

Interior Design Tips for Keeping Your Home a Place of Relaxation

In these tumultuous times, your home should be a peaceful respite from the chaotic world — an oasis for calm, relaxation and destressing. When creating soothing spaces in a home, Christine Conte, owner of Christine Conte Interiors of Huntington, employs the concept of biophilia, a bond between human beings and nature that, when used in design, can reduce stress and improve well-being...

Behind The Hedges • May 30, 2021

No Hedging on Hedges in the Hamptons

Think Hamptons and hedges naturally come to mind: rows of towering, manicured privets that keep prying eyes from seeing into homes and estates. While privacy privets are still in vogue here, hedges are being utilized in a myriad of versatile and interesting ways by landscape architect Michael Derrig, owner of Landscape Details, an East Hampton-based landscaping and design firm. Derrig, who’s honed his craft for more than...

Dan’s Papers • April 19, 2021

A Landscape of the Moment with Hicks Nurseries

Spring is here! With COVID-19 not quite in the rearview mirror, you’ll be spending lots of time at home and a spruced-up landscape will work wonders to rejuvenate your spirit. As we once again begin to welcome friends and family into our homes, a relaxed yet safely distanced al fresco setting is the perfect place for entertaining. This spring you’ll want to maximize your space, which can best be achieved outdoors, where you can...

Long Island Press • March 11, 2021

Interior Designer Gives Home Decorating Tips for a Cozier Bedroom

Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York With spring on the horizon, love is in the air. Now might be the perfect time to take a fresh look at how you can cozy up your home’s inner sanctum: the bedroom. Bedrooms are meant to be restful retreats, a place for recharging and relaxation, says interior decorator Jeanne Campana of Jeanne Campana Design in Centerport. “Selecting a soft color palette with soothing textures can create...

Long Island Press • February 8, 2021

Landscape Designer Offers Ideas for Sprucing Up Your Backyard This Spring

Spring is here! With Covid-19 not quite in the rearview mirror, you’ll be spending lots of time at home and a spruced-up landscape will work wonders to rejuvenate your spirit. As we once again begin to welcome friends and family into our homes, a relaxed yet safely distanced al fresco setting is the perfect place for entertaining. This spring you’ll want to maximize your space, which can best be achieved outdoors, where you can push out the boundaries, advises Ken Muellers...

Long Island Press • January 7, 2021

How To Create A Warm, Safe Outdoor Space At Home For Hosting

Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York Though Covid-19 is on the rise, it won’t quash your desire to entertain friends and family. To gather together safely at your home, take a few steps to create a lovely, socially distanced space, protected from the elements and frigid winter temps. Outdoor living spaces are great in winter when protected under the roof of a covered patio or pergola, says interior decorator Jodi Dell...

Long Island Press • December 24, 2020

How To Warm Up Your Home With Decorating Tricks

Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York As winter marches on and the thermometer dips ever lower, you’ll want to hunker down at home. Instead of turning up the heat to warm up your abode, consider a few decorating tricks to create both a warmer feel and cozier look to your surroundings. Forget the standard white painted walls and opt instead for a creamy white hue, like Chantilly Lace from Benjamin Moore, advises Christine Conte...

Long Island Press • May 5, 2020

What To Know When Building A Greenhouse

Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York If you’re an avid gardener, you’ll want to get a jumpstart on planting for the spring and summer seasons. And there’s no better way to start than with your very own greenhouse. The first step in designing a greenhouse is figuring out where to put it, notes Andrew M. Simko, owner of Garden Under Glass, a Dix Hills-based company that builds the foundation, assembles, and glazes greenhouses...

Long Island Press • March 4, 2020

Pro Tips For Making Your Dream Room A Reality

Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York If you’ve always dreamed of a special room designated just for you or your family, dream no more. Creating a room that can serve as a sacred space for hobbies, passions, and favored pastimes is easily attained. The first step in approaching any room design is to consider the room’s function, says interior designer Dawn Totevski of Sayville-based Design Inspiration. Once you know...

Long Island Press • January 13, 2020

Let There Be Light: Tips to Brighten Up Your Home

Sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news throughout New York On dreary winter days, you’ll want to bring as much light as possible into your home. To add light, consider all the elements, from walls to windows, that can enhance it, advises Liz Kohart, an interior designer at Liz Kohart Interiors of Garden City. Use light colors to cover your walls, Kohart advises. “Soft shades of white and taupe will make a space feel brighter,” she says...

Long Island Press • December 17, 2019

Renovating Your House Without Any Demolition

Renovating your house doesn’t have to mean taking it down to its studs. It does, however, entail some big decisions. First establish why you want to renovate, says Micah Finkel, owner of the Brooklyn-based Sons & Co., a custom millwork company. Are you looking to create your dream house or improve its value at resale, or, perhaps, to accomplish both? Also, consider whether you’re renovating for aesthetic or functional reasons and convey your intentions to the designer and contractor, says...

Long Island Press • November 13, 2019

A Few Little Tips for Decorating in Small Spaces

As more and more people downsize or move into ever smaller homes, co-ops and condos, they’re faced with the challenge of fitting all their possessions into a more limited space. The first thing to do in tackling a smaller space is to assess what you plan to put in it and take a closer look at your things, says Donna Sheehan, interior designer and owner of Inner Sense Interiors of Bellport. “Letting go of some things can lead to gaining others, such as a workable albeit small closet...

Long Island Press • October 16, 2019

How to Make The Most of Your Closet Storage Space

Today’s closet is not simply a place to stash your clothes. Rather, with the proper design, a closet virtually becomes a room within a room, a showcase to proudly display your wardrobe. The first thing to address in designing a closet are the hanging clothes, because there’s really nowhere else for these clothes to go, says Bonnie Reich, president of Symmetry Closets, a storage design company based in Holbrook. “When you walk into a closet, it’s not just about packing it in,” says Reich...

Long Island Press • September 18, 2019

How To Turn An Attic Into A Bonus Room

If you’re looking for a practical solution for adding more room to your house, consider turning that cluttered attic into usable, livable space, such as an extra bedroom, playroom, office, or personal yoga studio. Provided the space has a high enough ceiling, a finished attic would be an easier and more economical renovation than adding an extension to the house, notes Jean Brownhill, founder and CEO of Sweeten, a free platform that connects homeowners with vetted general contractors...

Long Island Press • August 27, 2019

Living Al Fresco: Creating Outdoor Spaces

Come summer, just about everyone naturally thinks of getting out in the fresh air. But with the growing popularity of fire pits, fireplaces, and an array of outdoor heaters, people are spending more and more time in their backyards and extending their living space outward. To create a seamless interior-exterior transition, it’s important to incorporate the same furniture style, similar textures and color schemes for both spaces, says Jodi Dell, owner of Jodi Dell Designs, a Manhattan-based...