above: Lucenti calls the Polyform Italian cabinetry brand he offers at his design studio “the Ferrari of cabinets. And people here appreciate that kind of quality.” – Photographs: Bob Capazzo
A visit to Biagio Lucenti’s expanded East Putnam Avenue design showroom is like stepping into a chic Italian penthouse. From the sleek marble countertops in his kitchen vignettes to the subtle wood ripples in his custom cabinets to the handmade suede ottomans and downy sofas, everything you see and touch here is sourced from some of Italy’s most luxe design resources.
Well, almost everything.
“That painting is from Spain,” Lucenti says, pointing to an abstract accenting a penthouse chic family room display. “But it’s only here because I really like it.”
Four years ago, Lucenti, the grandson of an Italian fine woodworker, ventured from his established Manhattan base to open a small showroom here and quickly became a go-to resource for top-of-the-line imported custom cabinetry.
“One thing I hate is when people call me the cabinet guy,” Lucenti confesses, “because we are doing so much more.”
Lucenti explains that while he and his family now call the town home, his reasons for venturing into the Greenwich design market was about more than shortening his commute. He recently took over the lease on a former wine shop next door and spent months renovating to create a showroom reflective of the design services he offers.
“Greenwich is a beautiful lady I love, but I felt like she was missing something here,” he says of the new showroom which opened in June. “This is representational of what we are doing here and what I think Greenwich needed.”
While customers can still come to order custom Italian-made Polyform cabinets, Lucenti offers much more, thanks to his long-established relationships with Italy’s best design resources. The studio represents manufacturers of fine Italian rugs, Flexform furniture and mid-century lighting by Flos.
There are also other unique offerings, including custom wall treatments that allow his clients to project Italian frescos (and other images) onto fabric panels hung on their walls, without artisans spending months creating them by hand. True to his Italian sensibilities (and love of art), Lucenti has a Michelangelo replica filling a showroom wall.
“We are an A-to-Z design business,” he says. “A lot of our work is directly with architects and quite comprehensive, but you can also come here and get a sofa, or get cabinets or lighting. I think of what we’re doing here as sort of a marriage. You put all these things together and you can do some beautiful and unique home interiors.”
Lucenti’s displays, with their simple lines, masterful craftsmanship and neutral tones, evoke a contemporary aesthetic. However, he considers the habitats he creates versatile and timeless.
“Nothing here is made for display,” he says. “It’s of the highest quality, but it’s made for living.”
lucentiinteriors.com;
124 East Putnam Avenue
TECHNOLOGY MEETS DESIGN: The mural here is a computer-assisted design element projected onto the wall of the showroom on a fabric wallhanging.
