Designer & Trade Collaboration Series – Part Two
Customers often ask us if we’re willing to work with their architect or interior designer. The answer is always, “Of course!” Collaboration is the name of our game. For this five-part blog series, we continue by highlighting some of the more spectacular collaborations between Bilotta designers and other design professionals.
Senior designer Jeff Eakley met Kenny Alpert, of KA Designs, about 25 years ago. Kenny had a client who knew Jeff, introduced them, and now Kenny gives Jeff 80% of his work. Jeff considers Kenny the best at what he does, and says, “I jump for him”, no matter the request. Their usual procedure is a meeting where Kenny picks the finishes. He gives Jeff the preliminary plans and tells Jeff, “You take it from here”. Normally, Jeff only works on his kitchens. Jeff measures every job site himself, does his own hand drawing of the design, and then turns it over to drafting for AutoCAD drawings. He then meets with Kenny and the client. Kenny prefers to be the primary contact with the customer.
When it comes to materials, Kenny has had some innovative ideas: things we haven’t done before. But whatever Kenny wants, Jeff does the research and makes it happen. For that reason, Jeff prefers to work with our custom “Bilotta Collection” cabinetry; Jeff asks if they can supply or fabricate something unusual, and they execute it.
The majority of the (few) bumps on Kenny’s jobs relate to delivery and storage issues, as well as expected dates for completion. This is one of Jeff’s strengths; he goes all out to email and call everyone involved to ensure a satisfactory resolution for all concerns.
Jeff started out with Bilotta when the company was formed over 40 years ago. His business is 100% referrals. Since he works with a lot of decorators, most want his input on materials, and they like him to tweak their designs for maximum function.
Jeff’s relationship with Kenny Alpert has yielded many other contacts. For example, one of the partners at KA Designs (Andrew Petronio) was remodeling his own kitchen in a loft-style NY apartment. Jeff, Kenny and Andrew all collaborated on this dramatic, glamorous space.
The star of the show here is Bilotta’s exclusive patinated stainless steel wall cabinets, with golden undertones that echo the blackened brushed gold decorative hardware. Leathered limestone backsplash tiles and honed black granite countertops are upstaged only by the ebony-stained, horizontal grained rift cut white oak base cabinetry featuring a deep wire-brushing effect.
Instead of a conventional island with storage and overhang seating, they decided on a dedicated table at counter height with room to host eight or more for dinner. It can still be used for prep, but reads like a dining room table, and it allows for clear sight lines from living room to kitchen.
Another client with a Kenny Alpert connection is Emily Shron, who used to work for KA Designs. Emily now works for her family’s business in project management and design, but Jeff has been doing all her family’s work since before Emily even entered the design world. With Emily, Jeff handles all the technical details, while Emily heads up the project. With her jobs, Jeff is more involved in offering opinions on colors and materials. Their working relationship is more of a team approach than a division of responsibilities.
A recent collaboration of theirs was a transitional design that bridged the gap between the Tudor home and the contemporary esthetic the homeowners favored. White frameless full-overlay cabinetry is uncluttered, and the wide-framed doors with subtle beveled inner profiles are a fresh take on classic Shaker. White quartz countertops with understated veining and waterfall ends are the perfect low-maintenance choice for this busy young family.
As a counterpoint to all the white, warm-stained shiplap was chosen for the backsplash. Bucking the common practice of using the same door everywhere, the cabinets flanking the vent hood have triple panels, giving the narrower doors much more pleasing proportions. Matte black hardware, faucet, and funnel-shaped gold lined island pendants echo the black mullions on the windows.
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This post was written by Paulette Gambacorta. Paulette designed kitchens with Bilotta for over 28 years.
