b'Love Thy NeighborShining a light on the talents of architect Cristina Ioana Graff and the true meaning of fellowship.BY NANCY COHENPHOTOS BY AIMEE RYANCristina Ioana Graff in her new studio on Church Street in South Orange.O nthemorningofOf course, we felt beyond lucky that our family wasof her second child, however, Graff carved December 23, 2021,a niche for herself closer to home, working withthespiritandwith clients who cherish the rich and var-magicofChristmasied architecture of older homes that make aliveineverycor- SOMA special. The footprint of many of neroftheirhomethese quintessential homes does not always onWesternDrivealign with todays contemporary lifestyles. North,KatharinePerry,MarkEshelmanandGraffsinnatesenseofbalancingbeauty theirtwodaughters,8-year-oldGeorgiaandwith practicality is a reflection of her sen-5-year-old Franny, woke to the unthinkable.safe, says Perry. But it was the outpouring of love,sitivity to the history of the home and the needs of At 7 that morning, Perry heard unusual noisessupport and assistance from our neighbors and thisits inhabitants. While paying homage to a homes and thought someone was breaking in. She quietlyincredible community who rallied together to helporiginal and distinctive elements, she has a knack for went downstairs to face a kitchen filled with smoke.us through the horrific event to whom we are eter- injecting an authentic newness and fluidity. Later they learned the auto-timer on their coffee potnally grateful. And through some divine intervention,Graffcreditsherabilitytofindbeautyinjust had short circuited, causing an electrical fire. the answer to what seemed like an insurmountableabout anything from her extensive travels as a child. She alerted her husband and the South Orangechallenge for us was only steps away. Cristina IoanaLike the handmade white Moroccan tiles featured Fire Department came and worked hard and fast toGraff, a neighbor and architect, came by to offer as- in the Perry-Eshelman kitchen, she loves to add a extinguish the fire and get the family out safely. Butsistance and then and there sprang into action. touch of richness and flair from faraway places. Her the damage was done. When the remediation teamAfter studying architecture at UCLA, life broughtown home is a masterclass in timeless design, draw-came to assess the property, they found smoke be- Graff back to the East Coast; more than a decadeing inspiration from the past by maintaining many hind almost every wall on the first floor along withago she settled in a 1920s Tudor on Western Driveof the Tudors original details in combination with excessive water and residual damage on the secondNorth.Graff,herhusband,Chris,togetherwitha clean, minimalist aesthetic. Along with a sprin-floor. The majority of the walls had to be torn outtheir daughter, Beatrice, son, Julian, and two Frenchkling of antiques and her love of greenery for added and the house was deemed uninhabitable. Water dogs, Webster and Oxford, have found thewarmth and charm, Graff perfectly balances the old Faced with two young children and nowhere tomeaning of home in this South Orange community.with the new. live, the immediate and heartfelt response from neigh- For much of her career, Graff worked on high- Before putting pen to paper, preparing blueprints bors helped Perry and Eshelman through the ordeal.end design projects in New York City. After the birthor starting demolition, Graff spends time getting to 46/ matters magazine / fall 2023'