Ask the Home Experts 2020

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Whether you’re building your dream dwelling, updating your abode or sprucing up your outdoor living space, you need someone who can fulfill your vision, navigate trends — and keep you on budget.

Get to know some of the area’s most knowledgeable and creative home experts. After all, when it comes to improving your living situation, you don’t want to open the front door to just anyone.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINE HALL, BEAU KESTER, K ATIE MCGEE AND KEITH MORGAN

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S A V A N N A H M A G A Z I N E . C O M ★ Special Adver tising Section

COUNTER FITTERS, LLC We specialize in ... providing a team of experts who can guide you through the process of finding the perfect countertop for your project. From start to finish, we will assist you with picking out the right slab, layouts, radius corners and everything in between.

Bailey Hicks and Kim Moore, sales representatives

If you are considering a homeimprovement project … do your research first. Gather ideas and pictures of finished projects that appeal to you. Make an appointment with a professional countertop sales person who is educated on the pros and cons and price points of the various materials available. — Moore

1026 Lynes Ave. | Savannah, GA 31415 912.231.0103 | counterfitterssav.com

The secret to good business in Savannah is … always working to provide the best quality and service to our customers. We strive for perfection, and, because of our continued work, Counter Fitters has had the honor of being voted the best countertop company for several years. It has been a pleasure serving Savannah and the surrounding areas for more than 25 years, and we look forward to many more!

A new trend in our industry is … matte finishes. Quartz countertops are here to stay. Customers routinely request materials that are durable and low maintenance. Quartz is a wonderful solution since it is nonporous and stain resistant. Manufacturers offer many colors, patterns and finishing techniques that mimic the look of natural stone.

I love working in Savannah because … no job is ever the same! Working here has exposed me to so many unique styles of homes, and the possibilities and options are endless. — Hicks

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Photo by: Katie McGee

PRIDE POOLS, SPAS AND LEISURE PRODUCTS INC. Our name says it all ...

Personalized Service Readiness To Serve Intelligent Product Knowledge Dedication Enthusiasm To Go The Extra Mile We specialize in … BACKYARD. FAMILY. FUN. Since 1975, Pride Pools, Spas and Leisure Products Inc. is the name many know and trust when it comes to making backyard dreams come true.

From left: Alex Smith, Sherry Buckman and Marshall Smith

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We always tell our customers ... to check their water weekly. Get into a habit. This could help prevent future pool problems.

S A V A N N A H M A G A Z I N E . C O M ★ Special Advertising Section

11 Gateway Blvd. S. | Savannah, GA 31419 | 912-927-3957 7049 U.S. 280 W. | Claxton, GA 30417 | 912-739-2230 pridepools.com Pride Pools, Spas and Leisure Products Inc ... is your home for BACKYARD. FAMILY. FUN. We build and install above-ground and in-ground pools, sell and install luxurious spas and carry a large line of Big Green Eggs and Green Mountain Grills. We have all your chemical and maintenance items needed for your pool. Plus, we offer an array of floats, hammocks, coolers, pool and outdoor games as well as a full-time service department.

We believe in ... family values, and that carries over to our dedicated staff. They are our extended family.

The secret to good business is … quality customer service with well trained, dedicated and knowledgeable staff.

Most people aren’t aware that ... we are a second-generation, family-owned local business. We are celebrating our 45th Anniversary this year!

We are proud members of ... the Better Business Bureau, Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, Aquatech Society, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, Savannah Buy Local and Home Builders Association of Greater Savannah.

VITORIA INTERNATIONAL We specialize in ... sourcing the best quality blocks of natural stone from all over the world: solid quartzite and granite from Brazil; cool, elegant marble from Italy; stone from Spain, Turkey and India. We source exceptional stone and hand-select the actual slabs in person, especially marble from Italy. Our challenge is that we are working with something that does not have a barcode; rather, we are dealing with Mother Nature. Every block is so different.

149 Southern Blvd. | Savannah, GA 31405 3220 Goodiron Way | North Charleston, SC 29418 912.238.0014 | vitoriainternational.com Our clients love that … our Savannah showroom was built specifically to enhance our customers’ buying experience. We pride ourselves on providing the best quality and top-tier service to all of our customers. Our showroom is clean, with plenty of overhead and natural lighting and ample windows. All of our inventory is grouped together and can be viewed inside our showroom, not outside in the elements. We have a custom, overhead crane that gently transports the stone for delivery to the fabricator.

Vitoria International is ... truly a family business. We take our children, Luca, 8, and Stella, 6, along on our buying trips and are very much at home in our Daniel Island community outside of Charleston.

Adriene Araujo and Fabio Venturini, owners

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CUSTOM CABINETS BY WILLIAMSON MILLWORKS I love working in Savannah because ... we have such a diverse population! No two clients are the same, and no two projects are alike. I can be working on a modern space that has back-painted glass cabinet fronts with ribbon sapele accents, a Lowcountry cottage with simple shaker style and a historic home with traditional raised panel cabinets and heavy decorative accents all at the same time.

Jamie Gillis CKD

jamie.gillis@custom-cabinets.net 912.228.8286

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7 Aviation Court, Savannah, GA 31408 912.964.2290 | custom-cabinets.net

I’ve learned from experience that … every client has ideas. Some clients can verbalize what their ideal space will need to function perfectly and have the design aesthetic they desire. Other clients are more visual and can tell you what they like when they see it, but have a hard time explaining it to you in their own words. Asking the right questions upfront is critical to the design process. How does the client use their space?

What do they like and dislike about their current space they are hoping to improve?

My clients love that I am ... honest.

Custom cabinets may not always be the best solution. Use of space and budget constraints can sometimes guide us to a manufactured cabinet in place of custom. We are fortunate in that we offer both custom and manufactured cabinetry at Custom Cabinets.

I’m proud of … our organization’s commitment to community involvement.

Our leader, Chris Williamson, raised $48,000 for local breast cancer patient services and education programs in the 2019 Susan G Komen Big Wig fundraising campaign.

Nikki Petitt, CEO, Home Builders Association

I specialize in … custom interior window treatments, awnings and storm protection. We will advise, measure and install your next project for you.

Trust me, you want to invest in … storm protection. The weather is completely unpredictable here in the Coastal Empire. Even a thunderstorm can cause damage. You want to be protected for the next hurricane — or even have added security for your next long trip.

I stay involved in the community by … sponsoring local groups and events. I am active in multiple associations like the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and the Home Builders Association. One of the most satisfying feelings I get is by giving back to the community.

· 2020 2019 ·

NEW GUARD

SAVANNAH BLINDS SHUTTERS AND SHADES 912.224.0459 · savannahblinds.com 5500 White Bluff Road, Suite F, Savannah, GA 31405

SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATIONS TODAY Help us recognize Savannah’s movers, shakers and change-makers — the next generation of entrepreneurs, business leaders and innovators who dream and dare to make our city better, day by day.

Please complete the nomination form here: savannahmagazine.submittable.com/submit

DEADLINE: FRIDAY, SEPT. 4

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