A holmdel Home Accessories and Lighting company’s success is a testament to its late founder, and her husband

by Taylor Amatuzzo Photos By Robert Nuzzie

Now the headquarters for the Holmdel Design Center, a consortium of companies that cater to the design and home building industry, Alex Dee Home Accessories & Lighting has come an exceptionally long way from its start in 2003. It was then that owner Howard Hough’s wife, Maria Hough, created the business, just after she was diagnosed with cancer. Her illness precluded her from travelling to New York City to pursue a career in the fashion industry, so she decided to open a local business…or two—a ladies fitness center along with a very small (just 500 square foot) home accessories and lighting store. She named it after their then-8-year old daughter Alex Dee…and so it began.

Maria ran the fitness center and hired a family friend, Maria Vanzelli to run the little home design store. (The latter is still managing the store today, and Howard calls her “one of the key reasons for our success.”) Sadly, in 2005 Maria passed away, and Howard Hough was faced with considerable adjustments, and some pivotal decisions. Then an executive for a major lighting company, he travelled more than 200 days per year, had a young daughter to care for, and had two relatively new businesses to keep going. He made a decision to sell the fitness center and focus on the home design store.

The first step was to move Alex Dee to a larger and better location in a nearby major shopping center. Unfortunately,

Howard Hough was not only able to keep his late wife’s business going, but grow it dramatically since its move. A company that started carrying just two lines now offers more than fifty, and a once-500-square-foot showroom is now a robust 6,000 square feet.

just as this investment was being undertaken, the economy plummeted to record lows, one of the worst since the Great Depression.

With perseverance and effort, along with a desire to keep his wife’s vision alive, Hough was not only able to keep the business going, but grow it dramatically since the move. A company that started carrying just two lines now offers more than fifty, and a once-500-square-foot showroom is now a robust 6,000 square feet.

Alex Dee Home Accessories & Lighting now has one of the largest crystal galleries in the state, housing an array of coveted brands (including hundreds of Schonbek and Elegant Lighting Fixtures, to name but a few suppliers). The headquarters for the Holmdel Design Center, this collection of companies offers everything from decorative moldings, faux paintings, window treatments, and upholstery to interior design, home staging, custom painted murals, French antiques, and European tapestries.

Better still, Alex Dee remains true to the vision and imagination of Maria, its founder and muse.

Alex Dee Home Accessories & Lighting
2103 State Route 35N, Holmdel / 732.615.0707
alexdeelighting.com