THIS MIDWOOD BASED KITCHEN AND BATH SHOWROOM HAS BEEN OFFERING LUXE FIXTURES AND HARDWARE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS

BY JESSICA JONES GORMAN • PHOTOS BY AMANDA DOMENECH

In the 4,000 square foot space that is the Home & Stone showroom, there’s an impressive array of imported and domestic bath and kitchen fixtures and hardware: rich wooden vanities with satin brass legs, decorative drainheads, trough sinks, and waterfall faucets. But beyond the hand selected pieces and boutique perks like valet parking, is a core belief in customer service and personalized design which has kept the business humming for the past 30 years.

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“From concept to completion, we are dedicated to providing a seamless experience for every one of our clients,” said Sammy Winehouse, general manager of the Coney Island Avenue store. “We think of each home we design as someone’s sanctuary, and specialize in finding subtle ways of making it unique.”

Founded in 1984 by Abraham Tikotzky as a plumbing supply store, Home & Stone was originally called Island Plumbing, and served as a resource for local plumbing contractors. In 1987, Tikotzky added a showroom, and became the first retail center of its kind in Brooklyn.

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“He had great success with the showroom model,” Winehouse said. “So, in 1996, he decided to focus strictly on that facet of the business.”

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Home & Stone quickly became the borough’s hub for high end hardware, one that allowed customers and contractors alike to come in and envision what a finished space would look like upon completion.

“The showroom concept was a new idea in 1996, and Home & Stone was a pioneer of that model,” Winehouse said. “Customers were used to buying plumbing supplies out of a bin or ordering them from a catalog. Abraham brought in all of these beautiful products from Italy, Germany, and beyond, and displayed them in little vignettes. His store became the go to spot for all of the latest and greatest in home design.”

In 1998, the store moved to a larger location.

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“It was time to expand the brand,” Winehouse explained. “We’ve been in this same location since, and people travel from all over the city to see our bath, kitchen, and hardware collections.”
Featuring high end brands like BainUltra, Dornbracht, Furniture Guild, Home Refinements by Julien, Perlato, and Watermark, the company takes pride, Winehouse said, in collaborating with suppliers whose visual and quality standards reflect the store’s own values.

“We travel all over the world to find the perfect products for our clients’ homes,” said Winehouse. In keeping with this mission, a staff of design associates stays abreast of industry trends.

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“A lot of matte black finishes are currently in fashion, as well as vanity cabinets with a mix of metal and wood,” said Winehouse. “We’re also doing a lot of trough sinks and rainhead fixtures in the shower, as well as freestanding tubs. But many homeowners are doing away with the tub in general opting for showers only to max out their space.” For those still keen on the tub concept, though, he added that Canadian bath brand Wetstyle is set to unveil three new bathtubs—Cloud, Straight, and Wave (available in the fall) that meet the increasing demand in that sector for freestanding units.

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The GM defined the bath market on the whole as decidedly modern. “Fifteen years ago, it was super traditional,” he said. “Now, styles have taken a contemporary turn,” adding that buyers are increasingly aware of what’s on the bubble of popularity.

“They are more informed these days, and for a multitude of reasons,” he said. “The Internet is the biggest influencer. People are simply more educated because they can easily search for products and looks. And the more educated they are, the easier the process for us, actually.”
The company works closely with local contractors, too, providing a printed or digital spec book and offering the option to split orders into multiple deliveries to ensure that every part of the home renovation process is as seamless as possible. There’s also full time tech support on hand to answer any troubleshooting questions.

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“Building or renovating a home is a stressful process, no question about it,” Winehouse concluded. “We try to make our role completely stress free by offering luxury products and unbeatable customer service.”

Home & Stone
1663 Coney Island Avenue / 718.787.1000 /
homeandstone.com