PAGE 34
THE BERNARDS-RIDGE CONNECTION
APRIL 2013
www.theconn
ectionsnj.com
www.thesomersethillshotel.com
200
Liberty Corner Road, Warren NJ 07059
908.647.6700
| info@thesomersethillshotel.com
Events Made in Heaven by The Somerset Hills Hotel
The Somerset Hills Hotel continues the classic tradition of the small luxury hotels of
Europe, with elegant surroundings completed by gracious hospitality and exquisite
ambiance. Experience first hand the beautiful hotel, savor the flavors of fresh food from
our restaurant, and enjoy the weekly entertainment & specials that will keep
you coming back time and again..
Luncheons * Elegant Dinner Buffets & Plated Service * Bridal & Baby Showers
Sweet Sixteen's * Bar-Bat Mitzvahs * Elegant Weddings * Corporate Parties
*
Guests enjoy preferred rooms rates while staying with us during their parties
Preferred Rates for Group Blocks of 10 or more rooms*
Pamper yourself at the
Hotel Indigo Basking Ridge.
Everyone has a neighborhood story and we
want you to live through and be a part of ours
at the Hotel Indigo Basking Ridge, NJ. At
Hotel Indigo we’re very proud of our
neighborhoods. We feel they’re refreshingly
local & offer some of the best food, cultural
experiences and surroundings.
Our unique hotel is an oasis for travelers who
want escape from your common hotel,
but desire first rate services
Themed Happy Hour
Monday-Friday 5-7 pm
Pet Friendly Hotel
24
hr Business Center
Shuttle Service
(
Mustbeprearrangedandbasedonavailability)
2940
sq ft of Event &
Meeting Space
Complimentary HS
Internet
Oversized beds and spa
inspired showers
We provide the very best in modern boutique accommodations,
Hotel services & Inspiring hospitality!
Special Occasion Menus | Corporate Cocktail Party Packages
Preferred Room Rates | Impeccable Service
(908) 580-1300
www.boutiquehotelnj.com
80
Allen Road Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
MEDITERRANEAN
TILE & MARBLE
7
Olcott Square, Bernardsville
461
Route 46 West, Fairfield
By: Jessica Schiffenhaus
Renowned in the industry for its exclusive
selection and design concepts, this year, the
family-owned and operated
Mediterranean
Tile & Marble
celebrates its 20th year in
business.
The owners, brother-and-sister team Frank
Matarazzo and Maria Cappello, both have
extensive experience in the industry –
Matarazzo on the craftsman side of business,
and Cappello on the design side. With their
combined expertise and innovative ideas,
business took off from day one.
“
When we first started, there wasn’t much
design-oriented tile in the industry,” said
Matarazzo. “We offered a whole different con-
cept to designing. Creating something that
looked different from your typical plain tile.”
“
We were just getting out of the reces-
sion. Tile was just stating to pick up,” Cap-
pello explained. “The industry was fresh and
new, people were starting to build and reno-
vate, and it just took off.”
“
The concepts upon which this company
was founded are really still what makes us dif-
ferent. We’re a company that’s driven by
design. We sell design first and foremost. Tile
just happens to be the way we execute these
designs,” said Glenn Wyder, general manager
of
Mediterranean Tile & Marble,
adding
that the company’s relationship with archi-
tects, designers and builders is a driving force
in its success.
“
Our reputation is impeccable in the
industry on the wholesale end of it, with our
distributors and architects. We’ve set a pace
in the industry as who we are, what we do,
our customer service – we have a great fol-
lowing,” said Cappello. “To accomplish that
and come out of a new recession and still
have that, I think is really rewarding.”
When customers walk into
Mediter-
ranean Tile & Marble,
they’ll find a sales
force dedicated to creating beautiful designs,
and who are capable of doing so with the
customer’s price point in mind. “We get a lot
of business through word of mouth. We are a
destination location. They come specifically
because they know who we are and what we
carry, what we do and our level of service,”
said Cappello.
“
We’ve got a great team of people working
here,” said Wyder. “Clients ask, ‘Who should I
work with?’ and I always answer, ‘It really
doesn’t matter who you work with, you’ll get
the same level of creativity and service.”
All members of the design sales team have
background in design, including Liz Cullen,
Design Sales Associate at the Bernardsville
location, which opened in 2007. “I speak the
same language as the architects and design-
ers who come in. I can make what they
planned for a space come to life, or show
them things they might have thought of but
never knew existed,” said Cullen.
Furthermore, clients can feel confident
their plans will be seen through every step of
the way. “I do my own drawings, do my own
follow-ups. I’m hands on every step of the
way, and I think that’s really comforting to
people,” added Cullen. “Whether it’s a small
or huge job, it’s the same attention to detail
and customer service.”
The Bernardsville location has cultivated a
following since it’s opening a relatively short 5
years ago. “You can’t just expect to open your
doors and have people dive in. But to see how
busy we are – it’s exciting. People are talking,
we have repeat customers, and people who
came to us in the beginning are coming back
for their next house. To me, that speaks vol-
ume,” said Cullen. “I can still probably count
on my hands the number of times we had an
unhappy client.”
Cappello and Matarazzo stay on top of
current trends by visiting trade shows in the
United States, as well as the major trade show
in Italy once a year. They, along with their
entire staff, are devoted to furthering their
knowledge and investigating new design con-
cepts. “You have to be on your game con-
stantly, and know what’s new. You can’t be
one step behind,” said Cullen.
“
Having a great relationship with your
vendors and tradespeople and customers, I
think is very important,” said Matarazzo. “We
have exclusive relationships with artisans and
companies that know what we’re capable of
doing in sales, so they’ll protect us demo-
graphically. So you won’t have the person
next door selling the same lines.”
“
Our customer service is impeccable. Our
design team is hands on. That’s what makes a
company,” said Maria Cappello. “Our employ-
ees last a long time. We take care of everyone.
We’re like a family here. That’s what has made
us, and will keep us successful.”
Twenty Years Later and Still Growing Strong
Owners Maria and Frank
with the Mediterranean Tile Team
link
link
link