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Photos: Hackensack Artist Makes His Home A Masterpiece

HACKENSACK, N.J. — It's hard not to perk up when you walk into Joe LaMattina's Hackensack home.

Take a tour of Joe LaMattina's Hackensack home.

Photo Credit: Daily Voice
Joe LaMattina in his living room.

Joe LaMattina in his living room.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
Joe LaMattina's house in Hackensack.

Joe LaMattina's house in Hackensack.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
The hallway leading to the stairs is filled with LaMattina's artwork.

The hallway leading to the stairs is filled with LaMattina's artwork.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
LaMattina painted a mural on the wall of the upstairs office.

LaMattina painted a mural on the wall of the upstairs office.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
LaMattina renovated his basement into a nightclub.

LaMattina renovated his basement into a nightclub.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
LaMattina renovated his basement into a nightclub.

LaMattina renovated his basement into a nightclub.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
One of five stained glass windows in LaMattina's house is above the kitchen sink.

One of five stained glass windows in LaMattina's house is above the kitchen sink.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
Joe LaMattina searches all over for decor to put in his home with.

Joe LaMattina searches all over for decor to put in his home with.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
The dining room.

The dining room.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
Joe LaMattina in his living room.

Joe LaMattina in his living room.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
The windowsill features unqiue vases.

The windowsill features unqiue vases.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
The living room opens up into the kitchen and dining room.

The living room opens up into the kitchen and dining room.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
There are unique furnishings in every corner of Joe LaMattina's house.

There are unique furnishings in every corner of Joe LaMattina's house.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
Joe LaMattina stores his artwork in the attic.

Joe LaMattina stores his artwork in the attic.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
Joe LaMattina did the entire upstairs bathroom himself.

Joe LaMattina did the entire upstairs bathroom himself.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
The upstairs bedroom.

The upstairs bedroom.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
LaMattina painted all the walls in the house.

LaMattina painted all the walls in the house.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
LaMattina made a mosaic in the upstairs bathroom.

LaMattina made a mosaic in the upstairs bathroom.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
Joe LaMattina converted one of the upstairs bedrooms into his studio.

Joe LaMattina converted one of the upstairs bedrooms into his studio.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
The living room.

The living room.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
The kitchen.

The kitchen.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
The backyard.

The backyard.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
LaMattina likes to paint outdoors when the weather is nice.

LaMattina likes to paint outdoors when the weather is nice.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
The backyard.

The backyard.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
LaMattina installed a Koi pond in his backyard.

LaMattina installed a Koi pond in his backyard.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
LaMattina added a minibar to his garage.

LaMattina added a minibar to his garage.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
A mosaic in front of the garage.

A mosaic in front of the garage.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
LaMattina planted over a dozen types of plants in his garden.

LaMattina planted over a dozen types of plants in his garden.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
LaMattina turned a shipping pallet into a flowerbed.

LaMattina turned a shipping pallet into a flowerbed.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser
LaMattina hangs his artwork all over the house.

LaMattina hangs his artwork all over the house.

Photo Credit: Matt Speiser

Vibrant shades of green, yellow and blue shoot at you from the handpainted walls as sunlight dances through the stained glass windows.

If you walk past the bright burgundy couch and matching breakfast bar stools to backyard, you'll find yourself under a pergola beside an inground pool.

Dozens of breeds of flowers surround the pool on all sides, and water gently spills into a Koi pond beside the garage.

The stairs to the second floor have mosaic tiles carved into them, and at the landing you can sample the artwork LaMattina has on display.

When you reach the second floor you will notice an old shower door acting as the barrier to the bathroom, and a large mural and painted space heater in the in-home office.

LaMattina, an artist who taught in the Hackensack public school system for 35 years, said his home is a reflection of himself.

"I'm an offbeat kind of guy and I don't want my house to fit into a mold or category," Lamattina, 63, told Daily Voice. "Some people don't like it but for me this is an oasis."

LaMattina bought his three-bedroom, two and a half bathroom Spring Valley Avenue home in 1989 for $175,000. Over the years he says he has matched that amount in renovations and improvements.

"This house is always a work in progress," he said.

The exterior has been repainted five different times, leading to its current shade of orange. There are mosaic floors in the TV room and bedroom, and the basement boasts a DJ booth and full bar. LaMattina installed the inground pool himself, and transformed his garage into a minibar.

"We like to entertain," said the Hackensack native, who shares his home with his partner Fernando and their dogs Gus and Lewis. 

Since retiring in 2010, LaMattina spends a lot of his time working on his art in his home. He says it is the perfect creative environment.

"My house gives me solace," he said. "People like to talk about 'stay-cations.' I am always on vacation at home."

CLICK HERE for more on LaMattina.

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