A New Jersey Home With a Masterful Mix of Styles

"I wouldn’t call it beachy. And it’s not supermodern. There are some really classic things and also some rustic ones.” That’s Kelli Suozzo describing the 1950s home she shares with her husband, Chris, and their two children in Rumson, NJ. The interiors of the home actually came about due to very unfortunate timing. The Suozzos moved into the 2,700-square-foot house in August 2012, just two months before Hurricane Sandy ravaged the East Coast. When the storm hit, the house took on almost 3 feet of water. “The whole first floor and most of the furniture on it were destroyed,” Kelli recalls.

Before they could rebuild and move back in, the couple had to raise the entire home by 5 ½ feet to bring it up to code. “We were out of the house for nine months during the renovations,” says Kelli. “Not what we had anticipated, but we consider ourselves lucky. Some people lost everything.” With fresh drywall, new floors and an entirely remodeled kitchen complete, Kelli started in on replacing furniture and accessories. “I used this second chance to buy only what made me happy, whether it was an ’80s-style brass floor lamp or a country-looking farmhouse table,” she says. “It’s certainly not a one-note house. It’s a combo of everything I love.”