Peter Salerno Inc. Celebrates 20 Years In Design: Humble Beginnings

Part 1 in Peter Salerno Inc.’s 20 Years of Design Celebration!

We hope you had a safe, healthy and happy New Year! 2017 is such a momentous year for many reasons. For our parent company Peter Salerno Inc., it’s a time to reflect and celebrate on 20 years in the custom kitchen and bath design industry. From 1997 to the present, Peter Salerno and his team of world-class designers have created more award-winning designs than any North American company. It’s amazing to look back and see that a revolutionary design company had such humble beginnings.

Today, the Peter Salerno Inc. design showroom at 511 Goffle Road in Wyckoff, New Jersey, is a destination for lovers of world-class design, and a winner of the KBIS Most Innovative Showroom award. The first Peter Salerno Inc. showroom was much different – a humble-yet-impressive design center formed from a converted two-story home.

We thought it would be fun to share early photos from Peter Salerno’s initial journey into the custom design business, and give you a taste of just how far the Peter Salerno Inc. brand and team have come over the last 20 years.

The original front display kitchen in Peter Salerno Inc.'s first design showroom! — The original front display kitchen in Peter Salerno Inc.’s first design showroom!

Before it was transformed, Peter Salerno's first showroom looked like this. Can you believe it? — Before it was transformed, Peter Salerno’s first showroom looked like this. Can you believe it?

Peter Salerno and his wife Tracy put their life savings into the initial Peter Salerno Inc. design showroom, and Tracy left her career in education to share in her husband’s dream of what would become a state-of-the-art custom kitchen and bath design company.

The original Peter Salerno Inc. showroom featured six design displays downstairs, with upstairs business offices. The joy of the showroom’s opening was shared by multiple generations of the Salerno family, including Peter’s father and father-in-law (pictured below). Peter’s father, Rosolino, was a master cabinet maker and woodworker who plied his craft in Sicily before coming to America. (Peter’s custom cabinetry line, Maestro Rosolino, is named in honor of his father.)

A true family company, Peter Salerno celebrated the opening of his debut showroom with his father and father-in-law.

At first, there was barely any money to put into advertising the newly-formed business, as all of the Salerno’s finances were put into the showroom and initial design projects. Peter’s first clients were obtained through word of mouth and recommendations, so these first design projects were crucial to Peter Salerno Inc.’s success.

Over time, Peter’s commitment to the craft passed down to him by his father and his love for world-class design and client-centered design elements paid dividends. Peter Salerno Inc. became a renowned kitchen and bath design company, winning 35 national design awards from 2002-2016.

This was Peter Salerno's very first desk at his debut design showroom! — This was Peter Salerno’s very first desk at his debut design showroom!

Peter’s list of vendors, business partners and appliance experts is one to behold. From Miele to La Cornue, Sub-Zero to Wolf, EDGES custom cutlery to Rangecraft, a who’s who of design experts can be found and procured through Peter Salerno Inc.

Peter Salerno with his friend Frankie in front of the renovations to his first showroom.

If you would like your own personal taste of extraordinary home design – kitchen, bath, wine cellar, man cave or otherwise – please fill out the contact form below for more information, or call (201) 251-6608.. It is with joy that we celebrate 20 years of Peter Salerno Inc. with you throughout the month of January 2017!