A Colonial Haven

The team at Mannino Architects and Mannino Cabinetry are back with a stunning custom colonial-inspired home in Fairfield, New Jersey.The five-bedroom dwelling is an oasis from city life and incorporates modern design elements that feature luxurious open spaces perfect for family living.

Photo Credits: Julie Blackstock

In a corner of Fairfield, New Jersey sits a 4,800 square foot colonial-inspired home designed and constructed by the team at Mannino Architects. The clients who commissioned the project had previously worked with the architecture firm to build their first home and called them up again when they decided to embark on the journey of building their second home. After finding the perfect lot in Essex County, they explored a number of neighborhoods, like Ridgewood and Saddle River, for inspiration and kept coming back to a preference for colonial design. Throughout the process, the homeowners worked very closely with the team at Mannino Cabinetry to ensure that no detail went overlooked.

The contemporary-colonial residence sits on a landscaped lawn with a winding walkway that guides visitors into the columned grand entrance. Designed with a natural stone base, white clapboard siding, and diamond-patterned muntins along the first-floor windows, the facade is an ode to colonial styles of the past. The ground floor also features a 3-car garage, an indoor cabana room, and extra storage. Upon walking through the arched wooden doors guests are greeted by a 2-story foyer and a stunning curved “Romeo and Juliet” staircase wrapped in wood-paneled walls. 

Photo Credits: Julie Blackstock

There are two rooms on either side of the staircase whos doorways are framed with glass-panels and traditional trim, this allows the rooms to connect and avoids blocking any natural light. To the right of the entrance is a cozy sitting room decorated with black tufted leather chairs, the walls are finished with cool tones of teal and a complimentary grey brick wall that gives the space a variety of textures. To the left of the foyer is the dining room, which continues a theme of deep blue walls with cream textiles and dark wood, that is flooded with natural light while connecting easily to the kitchen and family room. Reminiscent of cast iron candle chandeliers of the 1700s, the chrome pentagon-shaped light fixture shares the spotlight with the custom coffered ceiling that features a wood-paneled center. 

As guests make their way through the ground floor they’ll inevitably end up in the massive kitchen and family rooms. The focal point of the kitchen is the oversized island that’s roomy enough to seat four diners. Above the island hang smaller chrome pendant lights that resemble the one in the dining room. All of the cabinetry is custom and is a paneled traditional style with a white-inset beaded frame. There is no limit of storage space with illuminated walk-in pantries, hutch cabinets with wire mesh doors for wine bottles, and more drawer space than one could dream of. 

Wanting another easy connection to the second floor, the homeowners asked that a second staircase be constructed. Thinking it would be a nice space to do homework, manage bills, and work from home, the team at Mannino Cabinetry included a small nook underneath the staircase. So far this thoughtful detail has proven to be a big hit, both for the family and for the Mannino Cabinetry Instagram page.

Photo Credits: Julie Blackstock

Although this home is technically not considered open-concept, it is inspired by the idea, as there are no doors that obstruct the flow of movement from room to room. This, in combination with the homeowner’s love of hallways, makes the entire ground floor a space that’s easy to wade through. The adjacent living room is the hardest room to miss with its one and a half story ceiling and an extra-large couch that faces a stone fireplace. 

One of the most spectacular parts of the property is the in-ground pool and backyard space. The home sits very low to the ground in order to prevent too many steps when moving in and out of the kitchen and living room. Glossy Afyon Cloud marble was used as the flooring for the outside dining area and as the lining for the perimeter of the pool. The clients wanted a unique touch to the yard so they decided to incorporate a trellis that also doubles as an irrigated waterfall, and added cushioned seats underneath so they could enjoy the lights and sound of moving water in the evening. 

On the second floor is where we’ll find the five bedrooms, three of which face the street and include a room above the garage. The rest of the space is utilized by the step-up master bedroom and, the star of this floor which is, the master bath. Measuring at ten feet by six feet the room features a two-person shower and is decked out in white marble, hexagonal mosaic flooring, and double benches. Water-jet cut tile was used to create the accent piece in the shower and the room is crowned with a 12-foot tall ceiling. For the lady of the house, the team at Mannino Cabinetry designed a large walk-in “her” closet that can be easily accessed through a hallway that connects the closet to the master bedroom. Finally, the master bedroom also features an outdoor deck space that overlooks the entire backyard.

Photo Credits: Julie Blackstock

Mannino Architects and Mannino Cabinetry have a strong and growing portfolio of homes they have constructed throughout the tri-state area. They pride themselves on their deliberate attention to detail and in creating projects for clients that are both beautiful and liveable. This Fairfield project proves they’re in the business of making your dream home a reality.