Author Archives: chris

As part of the Contempo Plaza project that also includes industrial loft event space Factory 220, a groundbreaking celebration was held Monday at the project site on Passaic Street in Passaic.

Have you ever gone furniture shopping and said to yourself, "Self, I sure am enjoying all this furniture, but you know what would be better? If there were twice as much of it!"

If you know this feeling well, you will be happy to learn that we have been working on our new showroom. It's twice as large as the original showroom, and we will be announcing a grand opening inÿ the very, very near future.

Our factory showroom in Passaic, NJ announces expanded Saturday hours.

Everybody loves Saturday! This one special day of the week might represent a day of rest after a long work week, quality time with the family or date night with somebody special.

You might not know however, that Saturday has also become a popular day to shop for furniture, at least here in New Jersey.

We always do our best to accommodate our customers with special appointments if they cannot visit during our normal hours. After an exhaustive analysis of the days and times of these appointments, we learned that midday Saturday was most popular.

The exhaustive analysis went like this:

Sales Guy: We should keep Saturday hours. That's when everybody comes in.

Manager Guy: Good idea, we'll do it.

Thus, Saturday hours were born.

No need to call ahead or make special plans, just come on in and shop our unique, modern furniture styles at your leisure from 11-4 on Saturday. We will be here!

Find us at 220 Passaic Street, Passaic NJ 07055

Click here for maps and directions to the showroom.

We are proud to announce our first new furniture collection for 2014!

The Alexis Office Collection takes the customization we have always made available at Contempo Space and extends it to office furniture.

These contemporary new designs include executive and computer desks, credenzas and bookcases.

New products are slated to be added to the collection over coming weeks.

Why Custom Office Furniture?

We chose to design a new office collection for one main reason: People spend a lot of time at the office.

Everybody should be able to enjoy their office space just the way they like it, and now they can!

Each piece of office furniture is available in a range of wood finishes ranging from light to medium to dark.

Most items, including desks and credenzas, are available with optional colored glass. Colors can be chosen to complement a logo or existing color scheme, or customers can order ultra-modern black or white to put a classy shine into any office.

Different sizes are also available for everything. Ultimately, the Alexis Office Collection offers a complete set of office workspace and storage solutions for any office, whether that be a humble home office space, a large corporate suite or anything inbetween.

See more of the customizable Alexis Office Collection by visiting https://www.contempospace.com/home-furnishing/alexis-office-collection.html.

Lighting is often an after thought when people plan out their rooms, but it may in fact be the key to not only the look of your home but the practicality of each room. A well-chosen light fitting subtly emphasizes the ambiance while creating just the right light levels for the room's use.

Spotlights

Spotlights can be a brilliant option for under cupboards, providing light where ceiling lights cannot reach, making it easier and safer to work on kitchen surfaces. They also create a lovely, practical low light when used independently of the main lights. Nice for when you need to pop into the room in the evening or for creating atmosphere. They can be used very effectively in many places around the home. Some rooms particularly benefit from the directional nature of the lights, including but not limited to;

• Dining rooms
• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Studies
• Bedrooms

Strip lights

They may seem a little old-fashioned now, but strip lights still have plenty to offer. A practical option for spaces such as garages, you can get waterproof strip lights that provide ideal lighting for outdoor areas. Pool sides, patios, and gardens that need safe night lighting can all benefit. Modern designs are surprisingly attractive, too. Have a look at sites like the visible lighting company for ideas. You could be very cool and combine strip and spot lighting by having a strip of spotlights on your kitchen wall or ceiling. These provide excellent lighting while looking great, and you can direct each light to illuminate the space that needs it most.

Ceiling lights

The most popular light fitting is still the humble ceiling light, and with good reason. It provides good, even light around the room and the brightness depends on the bulb, the fitting and the shade, or lack thereof. There are a huge number of choices in style, from the chandelier and intricate art deco style glass shaded fittings to simple paper shades and any number of understated options.

Wall lights

Wall lights create a softer light than ceiling lights and a mellower atmosphere. Having said that, it's possible to fill a room or hall with their light. They're a popular choice in hallways and passages, or as lamps to create secondary, warmer light for romance, relaxing and gatherings.

Floodlights

These are not just for illuminating castles and football pitches. Flood lighting is a great solution for outdoor areas that need brighter, more intense light, perhaps for safety reasons or to fully illuminate an area so that it can be used to the full at night. Some areas that benefit from flood lights include;

• Car parking spaces
• Garden areas that get used at night
• Entrances and exits

Choose your lighting well. It's a terrible waste of lovely decoration to have a beautiful room with the wrong light levels. A living room that is too bright with no softer options could make evening relaxation, or otherwise great parties, feel somehow wrong. On the other hand lighting that is too soft, set up in the bathroom, can be dangerous. There are some really lovely light fittings out there and though incandescent lights are being phased out the modern LED replacements are proving not only cost effective in the long run but much more practical and versatile. Good lighting makes your home safe, comfortable, and beautiful.

Moving into a first apartment can mean something different for everyone: for some, it is the mark of their independence, a rite of passage as one enters adulthood. For others, it is the beginning of a new life with a new family, an opportunity to create memories. For the rest, it is a rude awakening--this apartment is tiny! It looks nothing like the one I saw on "Friends"!

For those of you feeling a bit overwhelmed by the cramped space and sheer drabness of your first apartment, do not fret! Sprucing up your first apartment can be a fun and exciting way to personalize your living space. And you don't have to break the bank either. Here are a few low-budget tips that can apply to anyone looking to brighten up their space--from Manhattan renters to Utah homebuilders.

Start at the Bottom

I cannot stress enough the importance of a functional floor! I've been in so many apartments with stained carpets, scratched laminate, or warped linoleum. Before you begin work on decorating your apartment, make sure the floor is as clean as you can get it--you will use your floor more than anything else in the whole apartment. With hard surfaces, sweep every week, and mop twice a month. With carpets, vacuum every week, and shampoo every 3 to 6 months.

Sometimes, however, cleaning is not enough. Besides being a good starting point for developing a theme to your apartment, area rugs and hallway runners are both easy and relatively inexpensive to install. When picking a rug, consider your budget, space, and style. While wool rugs are a little pricier, they easily class up any space, and even look better over time. Whatever shape, size or material you decide to go with, this addition can enliven even the most boring and worn floor.

Embrace the Crisis

Occasionally, you may find yourself paying for that first apartment in ways you didn't expect. I'm not talking about hidden fees or never, ever, getting your security deposit back. No, I'm referring to ugly color schemes on the walls, outdated hardware--anything that begs the question, what were these people thinking?

If your landlord/lady is especially gracious, you'll sometimes be permitted to paint your first apartment whatever color you like and make minor changes as you see fit. If this is not the case for you, remember this one rule:

Poor colors richly matched will still look better than rich colors poorly matched.

So, if your bathroom happens to resemble the inside of an avocado, or the living room slightly on the pinker side of beige, do not distress--you just found your new starting point! From the towels in your bathroom, to the curtains on your living room, you can match all of your apartment updates to the existing color scheme and still make it look great. If you're still having trouble deciding which color goes with which, visit your local hardware store, and they'll provide you with sample strips that will help you find the perfect color.

See the Light

A well-lit apartment can appear larger, more welcoming, and even cleaner than a poorly-lit one. When choosing lamps, lighting fixtures, and even bulbs, don't feel like you have to go overboard. Your lamps and lighting fixtures should be powerful enough to light up the whole room, without taking up too much space (or dollars, for that matter). If you find yourself repeatedly hitting your head on a low-hanging chandelier, you may want to consider installing a couple tall lamps in the corners of the room. And while I'm all for saving electricity, using too many energy-saving bulbs can make your apartment look like a hospital room. Make sure your lamps and fixtures can tone down that harsher light.

Let's not forget about windows! The more natural light the better, so try to keep your windows as clean as possible. Also, replacing those cheap blinds you find on most apartment windows with curtains will make you feel more like you're in a home, and less like you're on some kind of stakeout.

The Art of Art

A few pieces of artwork hung on the walls or set on your coffee table can keep your apartment from feeling so empty and uninhabited. Now, I don't want you to think that your apartment needs to look like the inside of an Applebee's in order to look interesting; too many pieces of art can make your apartment look cluttered and schizophrenic. Find a balance that is right for you.

Where do you find such art? Most antique stores have a good selection from time to time, but if you can find a starving artist, you'll definitely get something unique--and for a good price to boot!

A Place for Everything

Speaking of cluttered apartments, don't let yours be one of them. I realize that many apartments are anything but spacious. Throw in a couple roommates or children, and keeping a clean, organized appearance can seem impossible.

Not so. For clutter-prone areas, a bookshelf or a wooden chest can be a stylish and effective storage space. Don't be afraid to consolidate and even give/throw away what you don't use or need. Knowing how to organize your space will keep it looking roomy and clean.

With the fall semester just around the corner for college and university students, it's time to start thinking about what to bring to school and more importantly, how to store it all.

As a college student, whether you're planning to take up residence on campus in a dorm room or will be living off campus at student housing or group housing, there's a high likelihood that limited space will be an issue.

You'll want to find the perfect balance of "This place feels like home," and "Hey cool, all this stuff actually fits in the room, and my roommate and I still have some open space to move around!"

We asked professional designers—including one of our own in house experts—to share some tips with us, so we can share them here with you. Because as they say, sharing is caring!

Use Furniture With Plenty of Height and Storage

Perla Lichi of Perla Lichi Designs says, "Buy furniture with shelves or cabinets and lots of storage supplies. Once everything has a place and you know where things are supposed to go, it will be easier to maintain a non-cluttered apartment."

Our own Gary Flax (we caught up with him right here at the showroom) is inclined to agree. "Organization is important with smaller spaces, and it's smart to think about your space vertically. Beds with drawers underneath, for example, are always an excellent use of space."

Flax informs us that "Armoires and wardrobes also give you more storage by going higher instead of wider," adding that they can be ordered in heights up to 118 inches.

D‚cor and Color Expert Kathleen Manicke also mentioned height in the first of several good tips, responding, "Think vertical; use the space all the way up to the ceiling, keeping the floor clear of clutter, and your dorm room can live large!"

Lichi's second tip was also about keeping clutter at bay. Her advice is to "Spend a lot of time eliminating clutter. Most people have too much clutter and too few decorative accessories. Eliminating the inevitable clutter in your dorm room or college apartment is a great first step toward decorating less for better results."

S. Lee Wright (ASID, NCIDQ, CID) who is the interior architect on the new Bloomfield College dorm here in New Jersey, has a couple of good tips, and the first one also includes the word vertical.

Wright says, "Use vertical space versus the limited floor space in a shared room," recommending the contemporary Sapien Bookcase by designer Bruno Rainaldi as an "awesome place to keep college texts, papers, and computers in the most efficient manner."

Wright offered another piece of wisdom that could be overlooked when moving to a new shared space. "[Get a] hotel towel bar/rack for towels to store & dry properly instead of hanging on hooks where they get moldy faster or leaving in shared bathroom when who knows who's touched them!"

It looks like our experts agree on some of the most important points so far!

Individual Style and Comfort on or off Campus

Another common thread among the designers who offered their tips was to personalize your space.

Tamara Sayago-Dunner, interior designer and expert shopper, breaks the task down into actionable bullet points.

"Start with a favorite color combination, pattern or style. Dorm rooms are usually drab, so brighten it up with fun and bright colors like neon or bright colors including turquoise, orange, yellow or pink." Patterns or styles she uses as examples to consider include: "floral, polka dot, stripe or plaid," and "modern, preppy, funky, crazy or traditional."

Sayago-Dunner adds the importance of comfort and fun, saying, "Make it as comfortable as you can. Incorporate warm and fuzzy blankets, pillows and rugs to make the space cozy and feel like home... Use fun lighting fixtures, paintings, colorful storage boxes or trunks, frames and desk accessories."

Speaking of blankets, a related tip comes from the American Blanket Company. They recommend using a warm, fuzzy fleece blanket instead of a bulky comforter. This allows you to enjoy that warm, fuzzy feeling while saving valuable space.

Kathleen Manicke also has something to say about color. Her next tip is to "try to Stick with 1-2 colors for a cohesive experience."

Manicke has a couple more pieces of advice. She adds, "Bookcases, towers, or screens are natural room dividers, establishing “zones” in the small space for reading, studying, sleeping, primping, etc. Old luggage stacked and spray painted bright colors can hold hats and gloves, purses, tote bags, or extra school supplies; plus they serve as a side or coffee table in a pinch."

Even More Dorm Room & Student Housing Tips

A surprising tip came in from Jane Grosslight, author of the award-winning book Money in Your Pocket with a Bulb and Socket for Homes and Businesses.

"Do not put a 'twisty' shape compact fluorescent light bulb into a desk lamp that will be about 1 foot away from the student's reading material," Says Grosslight. Because the twisty tube is so narrow, it permits ultraviolet light to come with the visible white light. Using it for more than 1 hour a day can expose the student to as much ultraviolet light as they would receive being outside on a sunny day. And ultraviolet light adversely affects the DNA and the eyes. causing cataracts.

"Use an A-shape compact fluorescent bulb or an A-shape LED in a desk lamp. In fact the best is to purchase an LED desk lamp. It will last provide cool, ultraviolet-free, long lasting light--a good investment which is useable for years."

That tip was probably the most unexpected one we received. Diligent fact-checkers that we are, we did go ahead and google cfl ultraviolet light before including it. Sure enough, there are some legit scientific studies that we will allow to speak for themselves.

The Right Tools for the Job

You guys want one more neat tip that we never would have thought of? Sure you do. Good!

This last piece of college living awesomeness comes from Beth Allen. Beth is the founder of Home Improvement Project Chicks, where she "teaches women how to screw... and hammer too!" An admirable undertaking indeed!

Her advice is to pack a tool kit. She explains why, "You cannot decorate/organize well without the right tools. Stuff has to be put together, right? Plus, the kid with the tools becomes the most popular kid on move in day. Great ice breaker. The essentials are:

a.. lightweight hammer
b.. ratcheting screwdriver set with interchangeable tips
c.. assorted nails/screws
d.. needle nose pliers (great for jewelry and electronics too)
e.. duct tape (fashion colors, of course)
f.. 3M Command Strips and Velcro strips with adhesive back for curtains, posters, etc.
g.. Flashlight

Extra tip: An over the door shoe organizer is perfect for more than shoes. Try it for: make-up, accessories, undies and socks, video gamer gadgets, school supplies."

Contempo Space, a modern furniture maker with custom capabilities and a showroom in Passaic, NJ, announces expansion of its "In-Home Delivery & Setup" service to include the Sunshine State.

Furniture shoppers in NYC and northern NJ, where Contempo Space keeps its headquarters and factory showroom, may already know that it's nearly impossible to find real customizable furniture at a reasonable price point.

"It's like a breath of fresh air to finally be able to stop looking at bedroom furniture that's a compromise," says customer Lisa Havely, looking at some design drawings. "Now I'm going to be able to do the whole bedroom exactly how I want, and the price is fantastic!"

"Florida Chose Us"

The New Jersey based factory showroom has been getting more and more calls from Florida residents and designers since they opened up online furniture shopping in June of this year.

"Florida chose us," replies design consultant Michael Smith, when asked about the expansion. "We've been hearing from people in Miami, Boca, Sarasota, Tampa...a few other places. When the customers send us a strong message like this, we listen!

"Florida is telling us they want us around, so we're going to be there for them."

The Furniture

Contempo Space makes furniture in the contemporary style, with clean, smooth lines designed to give an uncluttered look to any space.

Freestanding wardrobe closet storage is available in a limitless amount of configurations and finishes, including the exceedingly popular mirrored fronts.

While wardrobes add more overall storage space, the recently announced Isa Custom Closet Systems make better use of existing closet space with an array of hanging, shelving and drawer configurations that are installed within existing walk-in or reach-in closet space.

Design consultants can put together entire custom bedrooms, adding led lighting to furniture interiors, fashioning storage headboards, pier walls, or doing creative things such as combining the customer's favorite parts of different pieces to create a TV armoire wardrobe wall or using wardrobes as room dividers to manage space.

The modern wall units are designed with the same utilitarian principles in mind. While many of the wall units focus on a TV cavity, these entertainment units are unusual in that they are able to offer very large amounts of storage space while keeping a clean, almost minimalistic look on the exterior.

Storage within the wall units ranges from shallow drawers which deftly separate open display areas; to mirrored, top lit glass shelved curios; to doors nearly 7 feet tall containing adjustable shelving; to upward opening top storage doors with pneumatic hinges.

All furniture is fully assembled from the factory. Cases and drawers are glued, doweled, stapled, and squared during construction to ensure the kind of durability and longevity that can only be had in preassembled furniture.

The Service

Contempo Space offers In-Home Delivery & Setup. This is a full service solution where the already assembled furniture is brought to the customer's location.

Upon arrival, customers enjoy having everything set up by the Contempo Space team. All furniture gets placed in the customer's chosen location, and packaging is removed.

Contempo Space customers can have furniture delivered anywhere in the country, but it is much more economical within areas served by In-Home Delivery & Setup, where the company sends its own crews on regular delivery routes.

The major metropolitan areas around Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Port St. Lucie, Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Cape Coral, Sarasota, Tampa & Orlando are now included as part of these areas.

About Contempo Space:

Contempo Space has been specializing in custom home furnishings for 30 years, offering modern lines of bedroom furniture, living room furniture, and more. Design consultants and craftspeople work with customers to create the perfect piece for any space, hand-crafted to meet the customer's specific needs.

To learn more about Contempo Space, the one-of-a-kind company that still puts quality first and still designs and manufactures furniture locally at its Passaic, NJ factory showroom:

Browse the site, call 201-705-1475, or come on up to the showroom in Passaic, NJ

PASSAIC, NJ - June 27, 2012 - Contempo Space, a modern furniture store with a showroom in Passaic, NJ and featuring products online at www.contempospace.com, has launched a website redesign this week.

The site now displays a greater variety of Contempo's original American made furniture designs, and uses photography to show more of the available finishes and sizes for wardrobe closets in the bedroom furniture category, as well wall units and entertainment centers in the living room furniture category.

New pieces of Modern and transitional furniture were also added to other sections of the site. Platform beds, headboards, nightstands, dressers, desks and more can now be browsed, searched and shopped.

The most significant addition to the Contempo Space site however, and the one most often requested by customers, is the addition of the shopping cart. Protected by the most secure technology available from Norton and Verisign, customers can now customize and order furniture directly online. Mirror furniture options, as well as glass, gloss or wood finishes, can be selected from dozens of choices and ordered with in home delivery and setup, from the convenience of a computer or mobile device.

Of course, the knowledgeable sales and design consultants are still available by phone and in person at the Contempo furniture showroom in Passaic, NJ as they always have been for customers who would rather come in and see the furniture in person and share a handshake with the team.

To learn more about Contempo Space, the one of a kind company that puts quality first and still designs and manufactures its furniture locally at its Passaic, NJ factory showroom:

Call 201-705-1475 or come on down to the showroom on Canal Street @ Passaic St, Passaic, NJ.

A small sample of Contempo Space's new color options (From Top to Bottom: Apple Red, Expresso, French Lila, Navy Blue, Paprika, Fossil)NJ Furniture Manufacturer Contempo Space is pleased to announce the expansion of their available color and finish options, providing customers with over 40 choices for furniture color and finish.

For nearly 50 years, NJ furniture manufacturer Contempo Space has provided quality custom furniture throughout the U.S. Now, Contempo Space is proud to announce that they will be incorporating even more custom features with over 40 color options available on a variety of products including entertainment centers, wardrobes, dressers, and more.

Contempo Space is moving towards a solution-based custom furniture experience, offering customers over 40 options for custom furniture colors and finishes. With Contempo Space's expanded color palette, customers can work with Contempo Space?s experienced design consultants to identify appropriate color schemes and combinations to match any space.

Contempo Space sales associate Gary Flax notes, "We have a tremendous amount of options." The colors mixed with the finish choices offer customers a wide variety of combinations, which Contempo Space craftsmen use to finish their furniture according to customer specified demands.

The color options are available in three different finish styles: matte finish, color glass finish, and glossy finish.

Contempo Space specializes in custom home furnishings, including wardrobes, entertainment centers, and wall units. Design consultants and craftspeople work with customers to create the perfect piece for any space, hand-crafted to meet the customer's specific needs. Delivery and on-site assembly are also available upon request.