Anna Maria Mannarino of Mannarino Designs, Inc., in Holmdel, New Jersey, is an acclaimed interior, event and product designer. She recently won three Design Excellence Awards at the annual competition sponsored by the New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). The 25 awards were shared among fifteen designers, conferred at a recent gala held at The Venetian in Garfield, New Jersey.
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 Anna Maria, Allied ASID and also past President of the New Jersey Chapter.
There were seventeen categories spanning residential and commercial sectors. Judges were comprised of a diverse group of award-winning ASID members from around the country, who used a points system based on 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.
Mannarino won the Gold in the Residential Specialty & Unique Spaces Category for a modern staircase design for a home in Morris County. She 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.
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 small footprint, she 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 tiles that mimicked whitewashed wood floorboards. A furniture-style vanity and interior-lit large medicine cabinet completed the space.
In the Residential Show House Space Category, Anna Maria 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. 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 with 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.
When not designing and transforming spaces, Anna Maria spends her spare time as a jazz singer. She has expanded her creative capacities to incorporate product design, including a line of printed velvet pillows for Creative Touch, which specializes in the highest quality traditional and contemporary handcrafted rugs. To see more of her exceptional designs, visit her website at www.mannarinodesigns.com.
