EMPIRE CUSTOM CABINETS & COUNTERTOPS: Luxury By Design
Empire Custom Cabinets & Countertops: Luxury By Design
3291 Walden Avenue
Depew, New York 14043
716.404.5000
Empire Custom Cabinets & Countertops founder Valdi Blaszak’s philosophy is to focus on the “custom” in his company’s name. “We tailor our projects to what clients want,” Blaszak said. “We aren’t limited by standard sizes or styles.”
Whether you want to freshen up a kitchen or bathroom with new cabinets or countertops or are looking for a complete remodel, Empire’s designers can turn a vision into reality.
Blaszak started Empire in 2016 with just countertops. At customer request, he integrated cabinets into the business in 2018 and teamed up with Aaron Mach, an architectural designer, as the company’s vice president for design. They then added full remodeling packages for custom kitchens and bathrooms.
“We wanted to provide all the remodeling services under one roof,” Blaszak said. “Our customers don’t have to deal with the hassle of going to several different places for one job.” The company now has more than 30 employees, who handle everything from sales to design to installation. And it will relocate its showroom to a 50,000-square-foot facility in Lancaster by the end of 2021.
Along with custom work, Empire prides itself on locally made and high-quality materials, cutting-edge designs, and attention to detail. While offering plenty of traditional styles, Empire also gets in front of trends, such as using high-density fiberboard laminates, which hold paint better than wood and have an upscale appearance.
Most of the company’s kitchen remodels range from $50,000 to $75,000. The price can exceed that when clients add luxurious touches such as coffered ceilings, double kitchen islands, and undercabinet and pendant lighting. “We’re always available to modify things during the process,” Blaszak pointed out. “We believe that when you’re investing this amount of money, you should have something you’ll love and enjoy for a long time.”
After determining the materials, colors, and styles the client wants, Empire can make a three-dimensional rendering of the finished project. “There is no guesswork,” Mach said. “You really have a clear idea of what you’re getting. Communication for us is key.”
Blaszak noted that the trust they’ve engendered with clients has resulted in long-term relationships.
“We’ve been invited to birthday parties and other celebrations,” he said. “Our customers become like family by the time the projects are done.”