AS SEEN IN DESIGN NEW JERSEY MAGAZINE | LOVE AT FIRST BLUSH

“I saw my client as free, independent and a bit of a rock star,” James Yarosh says. “She is truly comfortable in her own skin.” For Yarosh, owner of Holmdel-based James Yarosh Associates Fine Art & Design Gallery, “this served as a jumping-off point for the design journey we explored together.” That journey involved a bold aesthetic that would harmonize with surrounding spaces. Homeowner Ann Shuch of South Orange explains, “I wanted something different, with kind of a cool vibe that jibed with the rest of my house.”

“The space had dark wood floors and her existing furniture was similarly dark and visually heavy,” Yarosh explains. Shuch adds, “I have lots of wood and shades of red, and the kitchen is the center of the house. I wanted something that would make a statement but, at the same time, work with the rest of the house. I was tired of white kitchens; I wanted color, I just didn’t know what color would work.”

Fortunately, Yarosh did. “When I first began to brainstorm ideas for the kitchen, I remembered seeing a blush-colored cabinet. It gave me the idea to use this as the ‘neutral’ for the kitchen against the deeper wood colors.” At first, Shuch was skeptical. “Pink wasn’t on my radar,” she says. “But James described his vision and I said, ‘I’m going to trust you.’”