By Sue Baldani

Kitchens have always been the focal points of homes, and more than ever, homeowners want them to reflect their personalities and lifestyles. It’s no longer just a room where family and friends sit down to eat a meal. Kitchens are now primary places to socialize, relax and entertain.

At Kitchen Expo in Edison, which offers kitchen cabinets and countertops for residential and commercial properties, creating this special space for its customers is not just a job, but a passion. “I’ve been doing this for close to 40 years, and most of my staff has been with me for over 20 years,” says its president, Brian Gordon. “We're often called ‘the experts’ when it comes to kitchens, because frankly, as a business, that’s all that we do.”

He’s proud to say their products, which include the finest, major national brands in their respective categories, are American made, look beautiful, and stand the test of time. “I encourage people to visit our website at go2kitchenexpo.com and come to our showroom and see what we have - we're constantly updating.”

Although most people are still choosing shades of white or light gray for their décor, Brian says it’s starting to turn around again. “Some people are going back to the darker colors and adding more color and charm by doing the main perimeter cabinets in white, but then adding an island in a different color. Shades of blue are going into kitchens now and I’m also seeing seafoam greens, especially when you get closer to the shore areas.” They’re also getting fewer requests for more ornate designs.

When it comes to the look and feel of a kitchen, Kitchen Expo also owes its superior reputation to its talented designers. They use state-of-the-art technology to create and transform kitchens into places where family and friends will want to gather. To make the process go more smoothly, they offer complimentary in-home consultations. Once a design is drafted and approved, its staff works closely with installers to make sure everything is done right.

Its success is also measured by the amount of repeat and referred customers they have. “It’s all about trust,” says Brian. “Many people have bought kitchens from us multiple times when they’ve decided to update or have moved,” he says. “And we love getting referrals and building upon old relationships and forging new ones!”

Kitchen Expo believes in sharing its success by contributing to worthy organizations such as the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity, as well as having deep rooted ties to those afflicted with autism and particularly to women, children and families in need. “It just feels good and we do whatever we can,” he says. “I think it's important to not only have great relationships with our customers, but with our communities as well.”

Its showroom is open seven days a week. “One of the most important things in running a business, especially one open to the public, is that you're available when the consumer wants you to be available,” says Brian.

At the end of the day, consumers want the best service, the best price, and the overall best value they can get. “That's what matters to everybody and, consumers have learned to trust that is what we provide,” he says.