Brandino Brass in Homewood is a destination for homeowners, designers, contractors and architects in search of a huge selection of top-quality decorative and architectural hardware and a growing array of interior and exterior lighting.
Family-owned and operated, the company “is a dealer for many one-of-a-kind hardware vendors,” says Brandino’s Lynn Steffek. “Several of these products are only available through Brandino Brass.”
The friendly, knowledgeable Brandino sales team helps customers find just the right look, and customers can view the company’s beautiful showroom through a virtual walk through on their website.
But Brandino Brass also works with customers who live far away from the showroom — outside Alabama or even outside the South.
“Even though our showroom is located in Birmingham we can still help you with your design project,” Steffek tells out-of-state clients.
The Brandino staff uses modern technology to serve these customers. They use Facetime to view layouts and construction sites. Email allows them to show products from all over the world and share photos with customers. Some suppliers make it possible for customers to design their own hardware.
Brandino Brass recently assisted a homeowner who is renovating a historic, 1830s-vintage stone manor house near Baltimore, Maryland.
She and her husband initially worked with a supplier in Maryland but weren’t satisfied. They heard good things about Brandino from their interior designer, who has a Southern background.
The homeowner took great advantage of the electronic tools Steffek mentions.
“I was Face Timing and emailing back and forth and sending pictures with the Brandino team like you would if somebody was only 20 minutes away,” she says.
Brandino also helped the homeowner navigate what she calls the “crazy demands and requirements” on the project made by the local historical board, the state of Maryland and others.
The Brandino team was “super-knowledgeable with the whole historic portion,” the homeowner said.
“They also carried all the bands that we needed — and the brands we needed are from off the beaten path,” she said.
In addition, the Brandino staff offered a trademark Southern friendliness, “answering phone calls and responding to emails and being helpful and following up,” she says.
The homeowners have turned to Brandino for all of their metal goods, including hardware, fittings and lock sets for cabinets and doors.
“We also renovated pieces of furniture and got hardware from Brandino, like an English-style dresser that needed special Sheraton-style knobs,” she said.
The homeowner faced an “overwhelming” number of choices, but Brandino Brass has been there the whole way, she says.
“They’ve been so so helpful, and we’ll keep working with them through the remainder of the project,” the homeowner says.
This attentiveness is typical of the Brandino Brass approach.
The company “strives to deliver excellent white-glove customer service so every customer is satisfied,” Steffek says.
For more, call 205-978-8900 or go to brandinobrass.com.
