March 11th, 2008
Fordham Marble
Creating Excellence Through Experience
421 Fairfield Avenue in Stamford is the home of the Fordham Marble showroom. I had heard a great deal about this 103-year-old stone fabricating company. The word amongst people in the know— like builders, architects and interior designers—is that Fordham Marble is the place to go with your important projects. I wanted to see for myself, so I made an appointment to meet with Joyce Sardo, Fordham’s vice president of sales.
Sardo told me that Fordham Marble was founded in 1905 in New York, and that the shop and yard were still located in the Fordham area of the Bronx. “Right near Arthur Avenue, the ‘Little Italy’ of the Bronx, that’s where most of our men came from,” she added.
The company is considered one of the few A-level marble contractors in New York. Fordham Marble is always on the short list of marble contractors when it comes to the most important residential projects. I asked why Fordham Marble opened in Stamford. Sardo told me that even though the major market for Fordham Marble’s level of work was in Manhattan, they always had a large clientele in the Greenwich area. In 1988 the company decided to make it easier for Connecticut clients to select their materials and enjoy the best in craftsmanship.
Extraordinary displays of materials and workmanship were everywhere in the 7,500- square-foot space, and I was amazed at the array of full-size slabs individually shown. “We would never put a client in the position of having to select a material from a small sample. Others may think that is acceptable, but we know better,” Sardo remarked.
A wide range of mosaics, artisan ceramic tiles, glass tiles and even metal inserts were also showcased. “We are not just about natural stone. Our clients are among the busiest and most successful people you can imagine” Sardo said. “When they have a space to finish, we have the materials and resources to facilitate successful completion. The Fordham Marble difference can’t be easily explained; it needs to be experienced. If you plan to use stone in your next project, stop by and check us out. I love to share our story and make new friends.” n Fordham Marble is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5 pm, and Saturday, 10am to 3pm.
Telephone: 203-348-5088.
Fax: 203-348-4458.
Website: www.fordhammarble.com
Posted in Hidden Treasure |
November 26th, 2007
Westport, CT - This November, HB Home of Westport is branching out. Expanding on its commitment to grant entrée to the world of high-end interior design, HB Home will open a 2,000-square-foot store in Greenwich.
HB Home was built on the wildly successful and innovative retail concept that everyone should be able to achieve luxe, individualized looks for the home. The design studio and boutique offer insider access to the world of home décor, bringing clients to-the-trade products and professional design services. Viewed through a setting of distinct vignettes, its products range from exclusive fabrics, furniture, upholstery, rugs, lighting and draperies to hand-picked home accessories and one-of-a-kind objects d’art. HB Home acts as a personal shopper and style analyst, with sales staff doubling as interior decorators qualified to guide any project to the extent each client desires. Whether starting over or refining an existing interior, customers discover their own personal style through the store’s designer products and a la carte services
HB Home is the brainchild of Pat Healing and Dan Barsanti, leading interior designers who have built a stellar reputation in their 20-year history together. Much of their interior design work features fine art, unique found pieces and custom-designed furniture, as well as their signature rugs and fabrics. All of these elements can be found and purchased through HB Home, drawing back the curtain that used to exist between decorator and customer.
According to Pat Healing, “Our store is all about design without compromise. It inspires the creative spirit in every customer, making it possible for them to live with the luxury they love, in any style, from classic to modern.”
Dan Barsanti adds, “Business in our Westport store has more than doubled in the past year. We found that many of our clients were traveling from Greenwich, and we wanted to bring our ‘prêt-a-habitat’ concept to this discerning clientele.”
The new HB Home will be located at 28 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich.
Store hours: Monday through Friday, 10am to 6pm, and Saturday, 10am to 5pm.
Phone number: 203-629-4999.
Posted in Hidden Treasure |
October 13th, 2007
Not to be missed! The Avenue Gallery is a destination located right here in downtown Westport, It is recognized as one of the leading antique print and framing galleries in the country.
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The Avenue’s extensive inventory of sixteenth- and nineteenth-century engravings—including architectural, waterviews, botanicals, animals, birds, fish and shells—provides an endless source of unique art for any room. First-time customers are enthralled with the sense of history presented on the walls and in the drawers. The framed presentation makes them realize that prints are timeless. Depending on the framing, antique prints work in traditional as well as contemporary decors. Many eighteenth-century prints have a sublime line, especially when juxtaposed to modern looks, that create an interesting dynamic.
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Not just a source for antique paper, The Avenue has literally thousands of frame profiles and master framers with a reputation for the correct style. Discerning collectors entrust their personal art, be it contemporary, period or a grouping of family photos, to the experts at The Avenue.
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However, we save the best for last! The map and chart room at The Avenue is the favorite of the man of the house. A comfortable, home library feeling invites you to sink down into the leather chairs and drink in the vast collection of antique maps and nautical charts. A 10’ high, mahogany-framed chart of Long Island Sound is the perfect complement to one’s billiard room. On another wall, a large map of 1789 Europe (4’ by 5’) is book-ended by maps of 1700s England, Scotland, France, Spain and the Americas. The masterpiece is a four-section, 1801 map of Asia (5’4” by 5’6”). People are awestruck by its framing. A must see! A working chart from 1852 crowns the fireplace; and last, but not least, a 14’ long bookcase is filled with enticing treasures such as rare leather-bound books, antique telescopes, ship decanters, trophies, America’s Cup images and more.
The Avenue Gallery is open everyday, is truly a destination not to be missed.
The Avenue Gallery
117 Post Road, Westport, CT
203-227-5062
Posted in Hidden Treasure |
September 11th, 2007
The signs were strong early in life that Commission Mart owner Pamela Frisoli was destined to sell furniture.
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“When I was quite young, I put our family living room furniture on the front lawn and tried to sell it to the neighbors. I was doing fairly well until my father came home. He realized I had sold a few pieces, and needless to say, he wasn’t too happy.” However silly this early bit of mischief was, it ignited a passion that is seen when you walk through Pamela’s store, Commission Mart, located in Cos Cob, CT. Known to many insiders as the “go-to” consignment shop in Greenwich, Commission Mart has a decidedly new and different feel.Just over a year ago, Pamela updated the store and transformed it into a hip, sophisticated boutique featuring stylish vintage furniture and accessories from early to late twentieth century.
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As you talk with Pamela, it is quite obvious she is very particular about what she features in her shop. “I consider myself to be part editor, part designer. I have furniture dealers from across the country bring me pieces. I choose what I think is the very best considering both value and design.” It is her distinctive eye as well as her ability to update older furniture with new finishes that has interior designers and style-conscious consumers making her store a weekly stop on their hunt for one-of-a-kind pieces.
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Pamela believes in the quality of vintage furniture, “I encourage people to consider craftsmanship and design over trendy new furniture. If you want a new look, reupholster an older piece with a fresh fabric. When you invest in a piece that has been around for 60 years, I guarantee it will be around for another 60.” This encouragement to buy vintage is both homage to the design esthetic, as well as an appealing way to find pieces that work within a budget. “Discovering new life in an older piece of furniture is what gets me excited. I love the mix of old and new and I certainly want my customers to know that all great décor considers this marriage.”
The new Commission Mart is a warm and inviting space where one can find an exceptional array of designer vintage furniture, as well as affordable no-name items that look great. Commission Mart by Pamela is located at 245 East Putnam Ave in Cos Cob. Inventory changes daily. To make a personal appointment with Pamela Frisoli, call 203-869-5512, or visit her website at www.commissionmart.com.
Posted in Hidden Treasure |
