ROOM TO MOVE
Downsizing doesn’t have to mean squeezing the fun (and
creature comforts) out of life. BY LAUREN PAYNE
Terrific
Townhouse
P
acking up and leaving a
longtime family home can
be difficult for anyone, but
leaving a landmark home­—
one that was host to countless parties
and charitable events for as many as
350 people—is likely traumatic. Deb
Belfatto and husband Joe insist it was
anything but.
“It was time,” says Deb matter-offactly. She and Joe are in their early 60s
and have a grown daughter. “We had
squeezed all the joy out of that house.
Our lifestyle was changing. We wanted
to lighten the load and simplify.”
The Belfattos are typical of the many
empty-nesters downsizing to town58
September 2015
homes or condos—homes where someone else is responsible for cutting the
grass and shoveling the snow; homes
where taxes and maintenance costs are
reduced; homes in a downtown area
where many essentials are within walking distance.
In the Belfattos’ case, they stayed
within their beloved town of Summit,
but cut their living space in half, taking
up residence in a three-story townhome
in the Cloisters.
The Belfattos chose a 3-bedroom,
3½-bath townhouse in the 11-unit development because it’s close to downtown, but also because of its charm and
elegance. “It reflected a bit of what our
[previous] home meant to us,” says Deb.
“It has a little bit of a Charleston look to
it. It’s beautifully constructed.” Another
key factor: It could accommodate her
elderly father, Rocky, who moved with
them. “It was really important that
there was a place for my dad,” says Deb,
who set up the ground floor as a private
area for him. “It was a perfect plan.”
Joe and Deb acknowledge that they
left their dream home. “I would pinch
myself,” says Deb as she recalls pulling
up the driveway to their majestically
sited 1905 Georgian Colonial. “To have
that much beauty in my life was remarkable. But I’m pragmatic. When it’s
time, it’s time.” So the couple carefully
selected what would make the move
and what wouldn’t.
“It was an epic purge,” says interior
designer Caitlin Rutkay, who worked
with designer Charlotte Moss on the
old house and designed the new one.
But, she adds, her clients made it easier than expected. “Deb made it very
N J M O N T H LY . C O M
Reprinted with permission from the August 2015 issue of New Jersey Monthly. ©2015 by New Jersey Monthly, LLC.
SMALL WONDER
The family room
in Deb and Joe
Belfatto’s new
town house, left,
is perfectly cozy.
The sectional is
new, but most
everything else
came from their
old house. In the
kitchen, above, a
pot rack frees up
valuable cabinet
space. The green
stools add a pop of
color. Deb’s workat-home space,
right, is a compact
version of her old
office.
clear that she wasn’t going to be
bellyaching about this stuff….
There wasn’t a lot of weeping
over pieces.”
Much of the Belfattos’ prized
furnishings were sold during a
three-day estate sale, but they
kept what they knew would fit in
the new place. The new dining
room, for instance, has pieces
culled from six different rooms
in the old house. The chairs from
the old breakfast room were
recovered in what became the
signature color in the new house:
chartreuse. Deb’s home office
made the move, as did much of
their art collection.
“Everything that’s hanging on the wall has a story, a
history,” Deb says. Many of the
pieces were reframed for the
new house. One clever idea:
As Deb attempted to purge her
vast collection of Gucci and
Hermes scarves, Rutkay suggested framing a few favorites.
Those now hang prominently in
the stairwell.
New furnishings include
the large sectional in the family room, the barstools in the
kitchen and all the furniture
in the master bedroom. “We
wanted a sleeker look in the
bedroom,” says Rutkay. “We got
a fully upholstered tailored bed.
It takes up less space and has
less fuss.” The wall of cabinets
and drawers, designed by Rutkay
in conjunction with California
Closets, is additional storage
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN BESSLER
space for both Deb and Joe. Plus,
Rutkay says, “it adds architecture to that room.”
Since the move, neither Deb
nor Joe has slowed down. Deb,
one of the founders and former
executive director of Susan G.
Komen North Jersey, is immersed in fund-raising and
development for women’s organizations through her firm, DQB
Consulting. Joe, a wealth-management and investment partner
with Massey Quick, commutes
daily to Morristown. Still, their
move has brought about a welcome respite. “Life has become
easy breezy,” says Deb.
A PLACE FOR
EVERYTHING
The Belfattos’
master bedroom,
top, has a sleek wall
of cabinets and
drawers, designed
by interior designer
Caitlin Rutkay. The
upholstered bed has
less fuss, she says.
Above, Joe and Deb
Belfatto on their
terrace. “It feels
like I’m on the Left
Bank,” says Deb.
RESOURCES | Flowers: Jerry Rose Floral
+ Event Design, Maplewood, 973-762-1085; jerryrose.com. Interior Design: Caitlin Rutkay, C.R.
N E W J E R S E Y M O N T H LY
September 2015
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