A Perfectly Imperfect Place Called Home
It's hard to find a room in Jessica Geller's Dutch Colonial home, located in Essex Fells, New Jersey, that won't make you happy and comfortable and want to ask questions about her uniquely colorful and sentimental décor. Many describe her charming suburban town community as having a very 'Norman Rockwell' feel, picturesque in the winter like you're in a Christmas movie, and green and lush as can be in the summer.
Jessica Geller of Toledo Geller
Co-founder of award-winning New Jersey-based interior design firm Toledo Geller, Jessica and her partner, have been declared by House Beautiful as the "Next Wave" and "Ones to Watch" by industry magazines and associations. Jessica Geller and partner Virginia Toledo create beautiful homes designed to be used, wanting clients to feel the best version of themselves: happy, proud, and comfortable. So, this philosophy is no different for Jessica when designing her family's fifth home.
Jessica and her husband Mark moved to Essex Fells in 2017 with their twin girls Gemma and Lola and were soon joined by their son Dax, and Double Doodle Poppy. With the stress of Covid, they fled to Florida for a change of scenery. Lasting only 9-months in the sunshine state and missing their old community, Jessica started to look for a way back. Through word-of-mouth during an insane housing market, they purchased a home in 2021 that they previously admired from their daily walks with their puppy.
"I love bright colors – especially blue, patterns, and being comfortable and casual in my home — there is no pretentiousness.”
Jessica describes her style as vibrant and a bit eclectic, but not in a haphazard way. "Some might call it 'Happy Chic.' My personal space is all about feeling good. I love bright colors – especially blue, patterns, and being comfortable and casual in my home -- there is no pretentiousness. Nothing looks untouchable. It's all very livable, and I want my guests to feel right at home when they visit," she says.
After moving so many times, she says, she plans on staying here for a while. Jessica has invested in pieces of furniture, lighting, and art that she loves. Still, at heart, she is sentimental and not someone who can live without the clutter of memories. Inheriting meaningful items, whether seashells from her kids, a dining table from her grandparents, or a chunk of marble snuck from a rock quarry tour, her home has meaningful memories displayed in unexpected places.
“I wanted to create an environment that allows my kids to be inspired, to learn the value of living on the edge, not following the norm, and not feel the need to keep up with the Jones'.”
Jessica looked for inspiration from her previous home when she started the design process. "It was where I felt most at home, and I wanted to recreate that feeling for my kids. I like to think that my kids have inherited the best parts of my personality - fun, carefree, and spirited. I value creativity and the arts, and I wanted to create an environment that allows my kids to be inspired, to learn the value of living on the edge, not following the norm, and not feel the need to keep up with the Jones'. When guests visit our home their reaction is always very telling - our house looks ‘different.' My kids pick up on that, and I love it. They sense my pride, and I hope it sends them the message always to be true to themselves and follow their guts," she says.
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