It’s in the Garage
“There’s been a trend lately for the garage to become another room of the house. We are designing sets with flat-screen tv cabinets, refrigerators, and sinks, making it a nice space to spend time. It’s not just a place to throw your
junk any more so there’s been a move to make it more high-end.”–Peter Fleming, Chief Operating Officer, Baldhead Cabinets
Deep in the garage of many custom homes are the finest displays of craftsmanship the world has to offer—finely tooled works of steel that are their owner’s pride and joy. You hear the integrity of their construction as their doors close smoothly and effortlessly. You see the elegance of the design as you eye their sleek lines. You feel the craftsmanship as your hand brushes across the metal surface.
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE CABINETS.
Working out of a 55,000-square-foot facility in Bend, Oregon, Baldhead Cabinets Company has brought a new level of quality and craftsmanship to a section of the home that has not seen it before—garage storage. These are as close to custom cabinets as you’ll find in the best kitchens. Each one is built by hand. “We have 35 employees, not 3,000, so we’re by no means a mass-production shop but we’re definitely not a mom-and-pop shop either. We represent the highest of the high-end in our industry,” says Peter Fleming, COO of Baldhead Cabinets.
“There’s been a trend lately for the garage to become another room of the house,” adds Fleming. “We are designing sets with flat-screen tv cabinets, refrigerators, and sinks, making it a nice space to spend time. It’s not just a place to throw your junk any more so there’s been a move to make it more high-end. Of course, the reality is that you still store a lot of stuff there so that has led to the desire for high-end cabinetry.”
Make no mistake, Baldhead Cabinets are a cut above. As Fleming goes on to explain, “Over the years we’ve found that investing in top-of-the-line, high-tech machinery has been a valuable asset. Everything is done in-house here in Bend—from laser cutting to powder coating. Having everything under our control with this type of machinery allows us to keep an extremely close eye on timing and quality control.”
Baldhead Cabinets are more than just attractive, however. The steel construction is geared to withstand the harshest treatment and still maintain an uncompromising aesthetic. Likewise, their functionality is carefully thought out. From drawer cabinets, to tall storage lockers, to custom corner designs and tv, mini refrigerator, trash and recycling bins, they are testaments to the value of custom design.
“Everything we do is by our skilled staff of 35 people here in our Bend workshop. Some of these craftsmen have been with us for well over 20 years, “explains Fleming. That kind of consistency is always the foundation to long-term success.
But there is more to the story than just the quality of the product. Customer service plays a key role in Baldhead’s success. Most of Baldhead’s projects are not in the Bend, Oregon, area so maintaining an exemplary level of customer service requires extra effort. It starts with a conversation. “We try to get an idea of what the customer is looking for and have them send pictures and measurements. There’s a lot of back and forth,” explains Fleming. “Depending on the size and complexity of the project, we occasionally do onsite consultations.”
Although it’s not always necessary, it’s important to understand the level of commitment Fleming and his crew are willing to make to ensure things are right. “We’ll offer to fly out and consult in person. For the bigger projects it’s really worth it,” he says.
A recent project approached this scale and serves as a good example of how onsite consultation can be such a valuable approach for Baldhead Cabinets. The client had recently remodeled a large detached garage on a property on the northern coast of California and was looking to create a one-of-a-kind workspace for him and his sons. With a collection of cars, bikes, and other outdoor gear, the cabinet project began to expand…and expand. “We started the design process and as we were working back and forth, the project got bigger and bigger and bigger. Finally, I said ‘Hey, why don’t I come down; we’ll meet in person and I’ll take some final measurements to make sure everything turns out exactly the way you want it,” Fleming explains.
He was immediately struck by the beauty of the location but that also became part of the challenge. “It was further off the grid than we’ve ever gone before. He’s ordered about 120 linear feet of cabinets and we had to get all that up a pretty steep, dirt forest road. It was a real challenge to get that substantial amount of material to that remote of a location in a timely fashion,” he recalls.
Installation is a big part of the Baldhead story. “None of our competitors really do installs, let alone deliver $100,000 worth of cabinets to a house that’s off the grid down a dirt road and completely take care of everything start-to-finish. It’s one of the things that sets us apart,” continues Fleming.
The knowledge that comes from this level of experience is another factor in the Baldhead success story. Fleming explains, “We can pretty quickly get a feel for a space and what the client is looking for and from there offer our 20 years of experience to helping design a space that is going to not only work well for them but look good as well. Many of our clients are guys that are looking at this as being the garage they always wanted and therefore they want the best of everything and they want it done right.”
In this day and age, a lot of what Baldhead offers seems to be from a bygone era. “People are sometimes shocked when we say, ‘Hey, we’re going to be there in four weeks on September 8 at 8:30am.’ and then we’re able to fly across the country and show up at 8:30am on Monday morning.” Fleming adds, “Most of them think we’re crazy and that it’s not going to happen—that we’ll actually be there when we say we’re going to be there. Keeping our word and how that helps us build relationships with our clients is super important to us.”
Building a superior product and backing it with exceptional customer service is generally a winning combination. For the craftsmen at Baldhead Cabinet Company, that product promises to bring a new level of organization and aesthetics to a space that has become a big part of our lifestyle. At what point does the garage become the destination itself? That might depend on how close you are to placing an order with Baldhead Cabinet Company.
