With a thriving and growing population, Union County still has space for natural beauty— lakes, fields, and forests—and new building sites.
Helping to turn the dream of a new home into a reality are the residential architects in and near the region. Compiled in this list are the best residential architects in Union County, New Jersey, chosen for their expertise, noteworthy designs, and industry recognition.
Zen Architecture
215 Jefferson Ave., Elizabeth, NJ 07201
Since 2005, Zen Architecture has been designing houses that will stand the test of time. The firm’s dedication to delivering high-quality architecture through creative use of technology and timeless design concepts has led it to be identified as one of the top firms in New Jersey. The firm is well-versed in the construction process and has an extensive knowledge of a variety of building types to achieve each client’s vision.
The project featured here is a total refurbishment and extension of an existing 1950s ranch home to reshape it as an early 1800s Federal-style residence. The exterior of the house is symmetrical, with classical elements and a side gabled roof. With lively colors and a dynamic interior, the home was designed to accommodate modern life. The house also includes a sophisticated floor plan, architectural millwork, and a fireplace.
AR Architects LLC
38 Webster Ave., Summit, NJ 07901
After receiving his New Jersey license and becoming a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Alexander Rodriguez took his passion for the art and over 20 years of professional experience to create AR Architects LLC, a New Jersey-based residential architecture firm.
AR Architects LLC specializes in all styles of homes including Farmhouse and Traditional. One of its projects was the firm’s interior design of a residential house in Madison, New Jersey. The design blends a wooden floor, marble countertops, and light tones to create a sleek, clean atmosphere.
Robert Algarin Architect
224 East Broad Street, Westfield, New Jersey 07090
Established in 1989, Robert Algarin Architect has been designing residential spaces that creatively represent the finest of American vernacular design. Centered in New Jersey, the firm provides extensive residential and commercial architectural design services. These services include 3D rendering, architectural design, home remodeling, custom home drafting, and home extensions.
To reflect the range of American vernacular design, Robert Algarin Architect is well-versed in a variety of styles, including Contemporary, 20th Century, Modern, and Colonial. This new, single-family home is a prime example of one of the firm’s recent projects. The exterior of the house is rendered in a warm tone, while the interior incorporates simple yet clean lines, with ample open spaces for natural light.
Wellisch Architect
211 West End Ave Raritan, NJ 08869
For Wellisch Architect, designing a house that truly feels like a home is more than just a passion, it’s a responsibility, one that the firm is dedicated to achieving. With over three decades of experience in the industry, Wellisch Architect is a professional architectural and design firm in New Jersey that renovates and builds outstanding residential structures. The firm’s principal, Yuval Wellisch, AIA, spearheads the firm with extensive experience in designing over 2,000 homes and commercial projects.
Five architects with on-site expertise, including on-site coordination, make up the firm’s committed and highly qualified workforce that clients have come to rely on. These architects are well-versed in Mid-Century Modern, Farmhouse, Tudor, and Contemporary styles. This featured project in Springfield, New Jersey, is the firm’s creative take on a farmhouse home. The exterior exudes simplicity and coziness, with a focus on regionally available materials, such as its stonework, and traditional colors. The interior and exterior of the house balance wood tones with white.
Kapuscinski Luongo Architects
66 Floral Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974
Kapuscinski Luongo Architects offers a collaborative team that ensures a cooperative approach to every project. Clients can be assured of a tailored design throughout every phase of planning their home. This approach has consistently brought referrals from across the region for 30 years.
The firm’s expertise covers an array of styles, particularly Mid-Century Modern, Farmhouse, Colonial, Tudor, and Contemporary homes. The featured project is the firm’s take on a late nineteenth-century Victorian home. The house is set amid historically notable homes and lacked the necessary family living rooms. The firm managed to preserve the highly decorated historic exterior of warm tones and asymmetrical shapes while providing a modern living space inside.
DPH Designs, LLC
328 Park Ave., Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
In 2008, Dawn Parker Heifetz founded DPH Designs, LLC. Although the firm has only been in existence for 13 years, Heifetz herself has nearly 30 years of experience in the industry. The firm focuses on residential and commercial projects and works closely with its clients to ensure that each step in the process is consciously made. This method has brought the company recognition from publications such as 2020 – Design New Jersey and 2018-19 – The Star-Ledger.
The firm typically focuses on Modern and Contemporary styles of homes but is equally capable of working with other styles. An example is the Harding home. It features a traditional wood exterior and repeats the same materials in the interior design. The overall look is clean, neutral, and comfortable.
SEK Architects
9 Tulip St., Summit, NJ 07901
SEK Architects believes that a home is an environment that must be safe, inviting, and comfortable.
SEK Architects has been recognized in publications such as ASP1RE Magazine. The firm has also earned several awards, including the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) New Jersey Design Excellence Award and the 2014 Gellis Project Silver Award.
This beautiful lake house is Franklin Lakes, one of SEK Architects’s finest homes. With its exterior of natural materials, it has a fairly rustic look, with a few glossy finishes on other portions of the house.
Forefront Designs
225 Lenox Ave., Westfield, NJ 07090
Attention to detail is critical to producing high-quality work. This characteristic is prominent in the services provided by Forefront Designs, a New Jersey-based architectural firm. For 25 years, Forefront Designs has engaged closely with clients throughout every project to give guidance and provide quality assurance while adhering to schedule and budget.
The firm is skilled in residential projects as well as historical preservations, office buildings, and more. Forefront Designs has built a remarkable list of residential projects, from new homes to interior designs. This featured project is an example of the company’s exceptional interior design work. Tying into the all-white design in most of the house, the kitchen uses a creamy-hued color scheme on the wall shelves, cabinets, and traditional marble countertops, resulting in a bright, eye-catching environment that will never go out of style.
Kevin Mason Architect
2101 Maple View Court, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
Since its inception in 1991, Kevin Mason Architect has specialized in residential design, including house extensions, modifications, kitchens, baths, and other home features. The firm prides itself on its strong attention to detail, ensuring that the client’s dream concept becomes a physical reality. As a result, most of the homes built by Kevin Mason Architect have exceeded client expectations. HGTV has included the firm on its channel for its remarkable designs. The firm is licensed in both New Jersey and New York, with certifications from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).
Kevin Mason Architect strives to elevate the ordinary suburban home by incorporating unique features that are collaboratively conceived. An outstanding example is the Mighty Oak kitchen (shown). The project combined oak-milled lumber with rich natural materials for the kitchen. With custom cabinets, cream-patterned countertops, and handmade tiles, the firm incorporates excellent, old-world craftsmanship that exceeded the client’s vision for the kitchen.
PK Architecture LLC
472 Westfield Ave. Suite 104, Clark, NJ 07066
PK Architecture LLC is an expert architectural firm with a team whose collective experience totals more than 32 years. The firm is a small but rapidly developing business that provides customized service with cutting-edge technology at a reasonable cost.
The firm has received several awards, such as Architect of the Year, 2018 Edison Chamber of Commerce, Mayoral commendations, and recognition in publications, such as the 2013 New Jersey Business Magazine.
The company specializes primarily in High-End Residential Architectural and Medical Offices Design. The featured picture shows a Southern Style Plantation Architecture, which the Client preferred having moved to NJ from the South. They pride in meeting the client’s goals of design, budget and time constraints, often going above and beyond by providing unique functional, sculptural, aesthetic looking houses evoking a sense of “home” working within Township zoning requirements, all applicable building codes and integration of the latest trends in material, technology and building systems.
Arthur J. Henn and Associates
20 East Sumner Ave., Roselle Park, NJ 07204
Arthur J. Henn and Associates is a small architectural firm that takes pride in forming lasting client relationships. As a small, up-and-coming company, it understands the importance of clients and their investment in each project. That’s why the firm strives to bring out the best in its team to ensure that the client’s satisfaction is achieved.
The project shown is the Mraw Home, a ranch-style home. The project consisted of the complete design and construction of the house. In keeping with the ranch style, wood is the primary material. A weathered gray palette is used, with accents of white and brown for contrast.
Bol Architecture
1127 Watching Ave., Plainfield, NJ 07060
A talent for blending traditional details and conventional proportions with contemporary innovation and modern technology is what sets Bol Architecture apart. This approach has led to the design of award-winning houses and is the reason for a large base of repeat clients. With over four decades of professional experience, principal Alexander Bol, AIA, NCARB, and his colleagues have fine-tuned their designs to save expenses and time during construction.
Bol Architecture provides a comprehensive range of architectural services and specializes in the Modern Tudor, Victorian, Classical, Colonial, and Contemporary styles of homes. The project shown is Hatley Farms, a Modern Tudor residence. Featuring steeply pitched roofs with front gables and hips and substantial stonework, the firm managed to create a timeless look.
Rosen Kelly Conway Architecture & Design
16 Maple St., Summit, NJ 07901
Rosen Kelly Conway Architecture & Design is an architectural firm with a passion for providing comprehensive services and processes.
Several publications have mentioned the firm and its projects, including Design + Decor NJ Home Matters Magazine, Veranda Magazine (2017), and House Beautiful (2013). AIA has also accredited the firm.
This new residential project is a colonial home, with an imposing symmetrical façade rising above the terraced front lawn, pitched roofs, and an ornate entryway. This stately brick residence also has multi-paned windows and a pair of chimneys.
Clawson Architects
511 Valley St., Maplewood, NJ 07040
Recognized as one of the leading residential firms in New Jersey, Clawson Architects is an award-winning and nationally-known architectural and interior design firm. With a team of skilled architects, interior designers, and planners specializing in house design, the firm boasts over 600 completed projects and a lengthy list of repeat clients. The firm‘s commitment to fostering client relationships and delivering exceptional, personalized services has brought it several AIA Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medal Awards.
Spearheaded by principals Marvin E. Clawson, AIA, NCARB, ASID, CID, and Mary René Clawson, AIA, LEED AP, CID, the firm is skilled in building spaces of a variety of styles, including Shingle, Mid-Century Modern, Farmhouse, Colonial, Tudor, Contemporary, and European homes. This farmhouse-influenced home is one of the firm’s notable projects. Clawson Architects provided kitchen additions and renovations, included a master suite, and incorporated doors, hardware, and decorative lighting from the original house. The historic house has been refurbished multiple times but has remained timeless and unique. This project is an AIA Gold Medal Award winner.
Stonewater Architecture + Interiors
350 Springfield Ave. Suite #200, Summit, NJ 07901
Personalization is one of the leading principles driving Stonewater Architecture + Interiors in its quest to deliver exceptional quality and results. The firm pledges to understand every one of the client’s needs and desires from the beginning of the design process. This customized experience is the gateway to building the perfect home that is tailored to suit every client’s taste.
With just 12 years of experience in New Jersey, the firm is already an esteemed, award-winning company, winning AIA Silver and Gold Awards and an AIA Merit Award. It has also been mentioned in publications such as Design + Decor (2019) and The Scout Guide Northern New Jersey (2016-18).
An example of the firm’s work is this Tudor-style home. The design adeptly combines traditional Tudor elements with modern elements and large open areas. The project won the AIA Silver Medal Award.
