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W e've all been there. Standing in the middle of a room in our house, completely unsure of how to arrange the furniture, what color to paint it, or even what purpose it should serve. For Jen Watty of Jennifer Watty Interior Design, that moment of uncertainty is exciting and sparks her creativity and imagination so that the unknown is soon transformed into an efficient and exceedingly beautiful space. Watty spent years honing her skills early on as a student of fine art, history, and interior design. She spent five years in Europe absorbing and learning about art and culture and how it ties into design. When she came back stateside, she opened her company and for more than 20 years has been a prominent figure in the design world. She took her experience and skill to task for the owners of a Jersey City townhome. The property boasts four floors and plenty of historic detail such as the fretwork, fireplaces, and hardwood floors. However, her clients had filled the space with their vast collection of books and antiques, and simply never had the time to organize or create a more livable home. That's when Watty stepped in. The homeowners' collection of books could have easily taken over the space, but instead, Watty incorporated their love of reading into the overall design bringing comfortable seating, task lighting, and book storage into every room. Even the kitchen features a club chair tucked next to the fireplace for a quick read while supper is prepared. The unusually long and narrow space of the apartment was the biggest challenge of the project. The home was full of beautiful antiques and collectibles but it had no cohesion from room to room. Identifying the owners' prized pieces was step one, but then Watty had to find a way to show continuity between entry, living spaces, and kitchen. She made the bold move of suggesting one long rug to run the length of the apartment through the winding hallway. While her clients were skeptical, they let her prove them wrong. The light-colored rug runs about 20-feet and has a 2-inch border on all sides. "When the room jogs, the rug jogs, and it has become what unifies and defines the space bringing it to another level. Things like this are what clients can't always envision, but it makes the room," she said. As a further way to unify the space, as well as provide elegance, was for Watty to choose sheer white, textured, linen curtains for all the rooms. Hanging from about 20-feet up, the series of curtains create balance and strength in the overall design. "I don't always use the same color in my designs, but I often use the same treatment and hardware and type of materials because it creates that strength of design and cohesion," she said. The color palette was sparked by a photo the client presented of an entryway with a tiled floor of blues, grays, and whites. It was one of the few directions Watty received as otherwise she was given free rein to reimagine the space. Knowing that keeping the client happy is paramount to the DESIGNER: JENNIFER WATTY LOCATION: JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY PHOTOS: BILLY CUNNINGHAM AND ALEX KOTLIK design experience, she replicated the tile flooring with cement patterned tile from Waterworks, but she took it a step further and painted the walls in the same light blues and grays, delving into darker shades in the kitchen to draw out what is truly the heart of the home. Watty is quick to point out that interior design is not just about creating rooms, but it's a business that encompasses negotiations and hidden costs for things like shipping, receiving, and taxes. She makes sure her clients understand that up front so there are no surprises when the bill comes. Because she is experienced, she discusses every detail early on and offers ways to keep on budget while maintaining the original plan. "We bring projects in almost to the dime. At the end of the day, we tell them where to splurge but that top of the line isn't always needed," she said. V U E N J .C O M 99

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