2018 Wood Diamond Award

Sofo Kitchens (Maple Ridge, BC)

Main Category: Bookcase
Dollar Amount: $25,000-$50,000

Briefly describe your business and the type of products manufactured.
Our company was founded in 2008 and we specialize in High End Residential cabinetry. We manufacture and install:
•Kitchen & Bathroom
•Built-ins architectural millwork
•Free standing custom furniture
•Home Office
•Entertainment Centers
•Wall & Ceiling Treatment
•Unique custom orders upon client request

What materials/species were used in this project/item?
We used stepped doors with stained high gloss finish, 3/4" flat cut walnut veneers. The bookcase was framed over onyx backing . The LED strips were embedded into the shelves and we used Hafele LOOX.

Describe, in detail, the project/item's construction
A bit of a challenge was the height and the width of the bookshelves as the side gables were 12 feet high. They had to fit in the elevators and it was also hard to find a press for the veneers.

What is the most unusual aspect or outstanding characteristic of this entry?
This project was a controversial project, not only because it went on for sale for almost $60 million; it appeared in at least 5 magazines, spent about 2 weeks all over the news, changed ownership twice in the midst of renovations and took over 2 years to complete.

This penthouse is absolutely breathtaking. It boasts:
- 8,010 sf of interior space
- two stunning rooftop terraces and an additional balcony, the penthouse boasts 4,840 square feet of outdoor living space
- a waterfront location that stretches over 2 levels
- 360 degrees of unobstructed views
- 20 foot ceilings
- and so much more...

The biggest overall challenge was building nicer cabinetry than the high end Italian cabinetry that they already had (which was stunning by the way). We think we did a good job as the project was featured in quite a few magazines.

List any items that were outsourced.
The veneer pressing.

How has being a member of the CMA benefited you and/or your business?
We have been proud CMA members since 2013.
We turn to the membership forum for advice almost every time we are facing a dilemma; chances are there is always someone that has solved the same problem we are having and everyone is so friendly and eager to help.
We find the networking events to be very useful and we try to attend whenever we can. There we can tour other plants and see how other companies do things, we visit showrooms where we can get ideas.
We would recommend the CMA to anyone looking to save money, save "trial-and-error-time" and gain extensive industry knowledge.