Sculptural and exquisitely simple, a vignette in the foyer captures the unique spirit of an oceanfront house in Longport, New Jersey. The eye lands on the console, then gracefully wanders to the pieces surrounding it: the artful shell-like vase with greenery, a simple modern painting, and, to the side, an antique Belgian wooden chair. A pair of candlesticks offer a hint of playfulness. All the pieces are set against a white custom nickel-gap wall and two-tone marble checkerboard floor.
The appeal of this single, small area—a combination of traditional, modern, vintage, and artisanal styles—speaks volumes about the designers who created it, the women behind Bergman Vass Interiors in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania: principal designer Dana Bergman Falcione and creative partner Erica Vassalotti.
“We design spaces that are rooted in simplicity and offer a quiet sensibility,” Vassalotti says. “Combining a mix of classic elements and refined sculptural shapes, this balance can create an alluring tension.”
Bergman and Vassalotti met the owners when the house was in the planning stages. A warm collaborative spirit converged among the group, including the architectural firm Asher Slaunwhite + Partners, builder Windfield Developers, and the family. Soon, the designers were in a dream position: leading the way for a full-house interior design.
The eight-bedroom home has a spacious, light touch that well serves the large extended family, who flock here for summer getaways and Thanksgiving dinners. An easygoing note fills the main floor, with its open spirit and unique details. For instance, to subtly separate the great room and bar, Bergman designed a wall of bookshelves with curving profiles that echo the home’s roofline. “On the back side, we added linen sconces to enhance the symmetry of the entry, framing a lovely vignette of vintage furnishings,” she says.
All three floors are geared to an elegant but casual beach lifestyle. The foyer’s sculptural staircase leads to the main living floor, where there is plenty of shared space for friends and family to gather. Furniture, much of it from 1st Dibs and upholstered in durable fabrics, establishes a clean-lined, cozy mood.
“The house leans toward soft and neutral,” Vassalotti says. This neutrality lends the designers a perfect palette to add occasional bursts of color. One special vibrant detail is a contemporary, intensely orange painting over the fireplace in the sunroom. “Our client was really drawn to color, so we found a way to layer it through the artwork.”
In the primary sitting room, color again works its magic. “We knew the homeowners would spend valued time here,” Vassalotti says. She and Bergman put a special mark on it by marrying the couple’s two aesthetics. “We loved the idea of a neutral warm wood interior and two cozy armchairs in an intricate blue pattern. Then we incorporated bolder, unexpected color through the artwork.”
Bergman’s touch with architectural features shines in the beautifully designed millwork, closets, and oak archways: one connects the primary bedroom with the adjoining sitting room and another graces the foyer.
Some of the bedrooms are tight on space and required extra thought. Bergman explains: “To maximize storage in the guest bedrooms, we designed a wall of cabinets with louvered doors in one. The wardrobe concept adds a great deal of charm.” Adding to the appeal are brass window latches instead of traditional door hardware.
The cozy guest bedrooms called out for wallpaper. “We sourced interesting niche wallpaper vendors who focus on a custom, elevated, artisan feel,” Vassalotti says. A wallpaper in a playful sailboat theme covers the walls in what will eventually be a bunkroom for grandchildren.
In two first-floor bedrooms, wavy headboards foster a sense of playfulness. Vassalotti recalls presenting the headboard concept to the client. “It was one of those exciting moments where the owner felt her vision and dream for the home were truly understood.”
A third-floor bedroom has a very steep pitch; the designers took advantage and ran a white and taupe floret-patterned wallpaper all the way up the pitch, adding a sweet tone and sense of spaciousness. The wallpaper in the second-floor powder room—a cream and taupe grass cloth with a hand-stitched look, sourced through John Rosselli—is timeless and sophisticated. The women, who met in serendipitous fashion, have thrived in their partnership. As Bergman says, “Bergman Vass was formed because we both had the same dreams and aspirations to create a beautiful brand, and because we realize that we make each other better.”