DESIGN by PHILIP J. CONSALVO, JULIANA SORZANO, PJCARCHITECTURE INC.
PHOTOGRAPHY by BJORG MAGNEA
TEXT by DONNA ROLANDO
A Brooklyn couple on the hunt for a family retreat required just the right design team to realize the full potential of their oversized property in Mantoloking. Purchased in 2021, the five-bedroom center-hall colonial on Curtis Point’s lagoon was already a boater’s paradise. Maureen and Philip Maldari also wanted to create an entertainment mecca for family and friends. But the outdoor area began, Maureen says, as “just kind of a vast space with really no personality or point of view.”
At a time in life where kicking back is the ideal, the couple made creating a special vision for the grounds their priority. Sure, the family, which includes two grown children, did tackle a kitchen reno shortly after the purchase. But that didn’t stop them from fast-tracking the outdoor zone, bringing on board PJCArchitecture, which had previously worked on their Brooklyn home.
In this New York-based team, the couple found fellow city dwellers who shared their love of the Shore. “Though based in Manhattan, I have deep New Jersey roots,” says the firm’s owner, architect Philip J. Consalvo. “So I was thrilled to exercise our talents in New Jersey, and that made it special for us too.”
“With all the different landscaping [Christine Dands-Greany of Sommerfield Designs], I feel like I’m in the Botanical Gardens,” says homeowner Philip, noting that the plantings include many local plants such as holly and native shrubs. “It’s relaxing,” he says. “It’s our own oasis.”
To maximize sustainability, the architects decided to salvage the kidney-shaped pool, updating with new lighting and porcelain pavers. They also made the heart of the project an existing pool-supply shed, using it as a natural barrier between front and back yards. “The structure remained, but the aesthetics looked very different by the time we were done with it,” says Consalvo.
Appreciation for the Shore is evident in the materials chosen for the area’s modern but coastal vibe: Timber Tech Coastline composite decking, IPE wood slats for privacy screens and Mod ern Mill shiplap ceilings. Consalvo says the project was designed to stay in harmony with its neighborhood, while still tackling an extensive wish list.
A sloping roof seamlessly connects the rectangular shed with the kitchen pergola, which mirrors the living-room pavilion with an architectural style that helps curb the wind and create beautiful lighting patterns at night.
Not only is the kitchen pavilion complete with custom Azek cabinets and granite waterfall counters, a bar, a dining area and a pantry, but it also offers a Forno Bravo recessed pizza oven, which homeowner Philip says is a big hit. Behind this kitchen is a translucent-glass shower and changing area that reflects its natural open setting without compromising privacy.
The living-room pavilion, in proximity to the standalone spa, features a media center that takes the chill off with a woodburning fireplace—pretty in herringbone bricks of volcanic pumice surrounded by dark porcelain. With motorized screens to keep bugs at bay, “it essentially becomes a screened-in porch,” says Consalvo.
Today the two happy homeowners demonstrate that this project, achieved in conjunction with general contractor Charles Messano, celebrates both the Shore and their lifestyles.
“It’s just been fabulous,” says Maureen. “We absolutely love the design and the flow of the yard. It’s so welcoming.”