Lido Cabinets Best Practices
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Lido Cabinets, based in Irwindale, CA, has been an established builder of custom kitchen cabinetry since 1986. Lido Cabinets has flourished by focusing on quality construction of fine, high-end custom cabinetry. 

Don Boline acquired it in 2005, soon after graduating from Pasadena City College’s Cabinet/Construction Management degree program. Since then, Boline says, he has maintained Lido Cabinets reputation for old-world craftsmanship and quality cabinets.

When Boline acquired Lido Cabinets, he gave it a key role in his Concept Builders remodeling and construction firm. The two businesses each employ four, sharing a location but operating separately.

“Alan Dean and I formed a separate corporation,” says Boline allowing Lido Cabinets to serve contractors, designers and interior decorators throughout the San Gabriel valley in Southern California – as well as for Concept Builders.

“The advantage is we can build our own cabinets locally, and we have control over quality and delivery time,” says Boline. Having Lido cabinets as its source means, “There is no finger pointing or difficulties explaining cabinet orders to a third-party shop,”Boline says. “That’s the real advantage.”

One of the keys to meeting delivery schedules – both for Concept Builders and outside clients – is Lido’s outsource wood components provider, Decore-ative Specialties, in Monrovia, CA.

“They supply a great quality product and people know the name,” says Boline. “Our contractor and designer clients know we are using Decore-ative Specialty products.”

Boline uses Decore-ative Specialties wood accessories, drawers and doors, both unfinished and pre-finished. Decore-ative offers Pure Color finishes from classic stains to the high end, artistically inspired look of glazing.

“They have a nice quality and lead time,” Boline says. “I have been using them for 25 years without fail.”

Outsourcing gives Lido Cabinets access to a high-end factory finish and repeatable, predictable product. The doors have a durable top coat, for example, that blocks fading and yellowing, and resist household chemicals and foods. Boline says the consistency from Decore-ative Specialties is especially appealing.

“I know if there is something wrong with the order 100 percent of the time it is something I did wrong,” he says. ”They have a really good system.”

Cabinets are designed in Cabinetvision software, and the Decore-ative product lines catalogs are incorporated into its digital room renderings.

Boline notes that cabinet design trends are changing, “There is an ultra-clean look these days – a true European-style cabinet design trend coming out of Italy it’s kind of like going to a retro look, with fancier finishes in real glossy styles.” He outsources these new styles as well. “I spec them from Decore-ative. They have a great system to do it, and it is very durable.”

Boline does some business in closets as well. “I build them either traditionally or out of case products,” he says. “It’s 50-50 built in place, or as a case good.” For hardware, he frequently uses Rev-a-Shelf. “They have a tremendous selection of hardware and pull-down systems,” he says.

Boline is a current member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Glendora Rotary Youth Leadership is on the board of Five Acres, which supports programs for disadvantaged youth in the area.

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