Since its inception in 1942, Wood-Mode has been the unequivocal leader in custom and semi-custom cabinetry designs in the nation. Recognized for its uniquely themed creations, faultless material selection, incomparable construction, and fantastic finishes, Wood-Mode raises the perfectly crafted bar in terms of what discerning homeowners can expect from their kitchen, living room, entertainment room, or even office space designs. To accommodate the exponentially growing demand for high-end distinctive furniture detailing, Wood-Mode’s dedicated craftsmen use only the finest materials, woodworking skills, and advanced technology to create designs in an impressive range of themes making each customer’s choice unique and viable.
Fred Richetta, president of Wood-Mode, spoke with Haute Living to discuss what really defines a Wood-Mode creation, what new and upcoming design themes can be anticipated, and what customers can expect from a Wood-Mode design from conception to completion. Richetta has been in his current role as president of Wood-Mode since 1997. While his day-to-day activities include a multitude of responsibilities, including aspects of manufacturing operations, plant management, customer service, and project development, he is also heavily involved in traveling the country to promote his booming business and obtaining firsthand accounts of what clients are in the market for. “I try to get out once a month to different areas in the country—visiting dealers, presenting products in different regions, visiting showrooms, and talking to new clients,” says Richetta, who understands the importance of personally staying on top of the game to ensure his company is providing nothing short of the best product available.
Working with more than 800 dealers who cover every state in the nation, including Alaska and Hawaii, Wood-Mode prides itself on using only the finest woods to provide superior quality for each product. Cherry wood, knotty cherry, maple, heartwood maple, oak, and pine make up just a portion of the delicately selected woods processed to exact specifications in Wood-Mode’s highly integrated 1.3 million-square-foot manufacturing facility, which employs approximately 1,400 people. To ensure outstanding durability and satisfaction, each component is carefully selected to serve a specific function. Wood-Mode will also custom match unique finishes to customers’ specifications accordingly.
During Richetta’s time at Wood-Mode, he notes that “there have been significant upgrades and broadening of the products we offer. We develop new products and new finishes for the design themes to create a lifestyle look, instead of it being just another door, or another finish.” While Wood-Mode operates under 50 active design themes that cover a broad spectrum of the market, Richetta adds, “Each year we bring in new themes and drop old themes to keep it fresh. We encourage customer and designer collaborations and adaptations of the 50 active themes, which allows for an incredible range of specific unique customizations.”
All of the designs fall into one of three main categories: European Traditional design, which focuses on Old World, French, and English-inspired designs; an American Classic design, which is the company’s broadest theme and includes arts and crafts, as well as country and rustic designs; and a Contemporary design that includes soft contemporary, transitional with hints of traditional, eclectic and modern designs. Based on these core themes, Richetta divulges Wood-Mode’s newest products that rolled out this year and include four new design motifs. These include the Linear Solutions, which incorporates an elegant addition to the soft contemporary design and uses a unique combination of materials such as caramelized bamboo in an aluminum banding; Synergy, which is a soft contemporary design; Mountain Retreat, an upscale American Classic traditional theme with the objective to bring the outside into the living space by repeating the colors that you see on a fall day up on the hillside; and finally Oak Park, which is a semi-custom traditional theme with American classic aspects and additional arts and crafts accents throughout. Richetta notes that all four of the new product lines have been very well received thus far, before adding, “We also have four new themes that are currently in the conception phases of development. These include Hudson Valley, Penthouse View, Malibu, and Stonehill. We are aiming to cover as broad of a range as possible to appeal to as many people out there as we can.”
Committed to maintaining astute environmental awareness with protective practices, Wood-Mode incorporates numerous policies and utilizes state-of-the-art equipment, such as a regenerative thermal oxidizer, which destroys 99.4 percent of the volatile organic compounds stemming from the cabinetry finishing process. Richetta also notes that in regards to forestry reserves, “Harvesting of mature trees results in additional light, water, and nutrients for the smaller trees, which helps them grow more quickly. It also encourages low-level plant growth, providing food and cover for forestry animals.” Wood-Mode is certified by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturing Association for meeting the standards of its “Environmental Stewardship program,” which was created to recognize industry manufacturers who use environmentally friendly materials and production processes.
Wood-Mode is the true standard for what home wood furnishings should represent, and their long-standing tradition of supplying the best in design, manufacturing, and installation means that every aspect of your finely crafted new home and wood accents can be exactly what you’ve always dreamt about, and more. When you’re investing in Wood-Mode, you’re truly investing in an incomparable lifestyle adapted and constructed according to your own personal styles and ideas of what your home should be. Inspirational craftsmanship, genuine care for the environment, and unequivocal execution of design is only the beginning of what customers can expect when working with Wood-Mode.
1.877.635.7500
www.Wood-mode.com
