Joseph Bucci loves to cook. When he decided to remodel the kitchen in his New Jersey home, there were two things he wanted to make use of in the project: Viking appliances and the services of award winning designer Sharon L. Sherman, owner of Thyme & Place Design.

“I wanted an all-Viking kitchen because of the quality of the products,” says Bucci, the owner of Joseph R. Bucci & Associates, a construction management firm that builds only large, luxury homes.

“Sharon designs all my kitchens,” he continues. “I met her right out of college and I’ve been working with her for 25 years.”

A Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD), Sherman began her career working for a high end design firm shortly after earning a degree in interior design from Marymount College (now a part of Fordham University) in Tarrytown, New York. About seven years ago, she decided to strike out on her own, opening Thyme & Place Design in Wyckoff, New Jersey.

Asked to describe herself, Sherman, who is also a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), says, “I’m the firm owner, a designer and have a family, so I can relate to my clients on both a personal and a professional level.

Like Bucci, Sherman loves to cook. “Thyme is a herb I like to cook with,” she says as she explains the origins of her firm’s name. “When I decided it was time to open my own design firm, ‘thyme and place’ went hand in hand.”

“Cooking is my hobby,” says Bucci. “I’m Italian and like to eat and my wife is Irish and doesn’t cook.” Nonetheless, selecting features for the new kitchen was a joint effort. Bucci chose the Viking appliances — including
a 48”W. rangetop, a 30”W. single wall oven, a microwave oven with trim kit, and a 48”W. custom front side-by-side refrigerator/ freezer. His wife chose the custom cabinetry.

Bucci has a large, extended family and often cooks for 8-12 people, so the remodeling project included construction of a two-story addition that almost doubled the size of the kitchen. The second floor became the home’s master bedroom suite that includes a luxurious bathroom, also designed by Sherman.

We ripped out and gutted the entire original kitchen, right down to the studs,” says Bucci, describing the remodeling process.

Sherman’s design for the new kitchen features a large island with beautiful French ovolu corners and generous storage space, 35 lineal feet of Pennville Custom Cabinetry, custom moldings, and a soft monochromatic color scheme offset by dramatic tobacco walls.

“I enjoy stepping out of the box and coming up with creative ideas and innovative design solutions for all my clients and their projects,” says Sherman.

For more information about Sharon, visit www.thymeandplacedesign.com - or download a PDF of her story here.

See more of Sharon’s photos.