"This past year has been such an adventure." This is the sentiment shared by Sandra Phillips, senior vice president of marketing sales and design, at Colonial Marble & Granite. One year into her tenure with the well-known company, Phillips is proud to be part of the next phase of Colonial Marble & Granite's expanded offerings. "We're bringing in so many products that the Philadelphia market has never before seen," she says.

Recognized as this area's leading supplier of high-quality stone, Colonial Marble & Granite has spread its wings in recent years, reaching into other products that surround the kitchen and bath environment such as unique tiles, fixtures and integrated smart home products from the smart home services Colonial already offers. Customer demand made it even more evident that the company was needed for full-scale kitchen and bath design, and Phillips was brought on board to build out these offerings.

Boasting an interior design resume spanning more than 16 years, Phillips worked in high-end residential and commercial design in Manhattan with experience in running design teams and projects at well-known architecture firms and boutique-style interior design firms. "In meeting with Nikos [Papadopoulos, president of Colonial Marble & Granite], he was looking to take the company's design services to the next level with building teams and developing operations and design support. With Nikos' passion in marble and stone and all he's accomplished, paired with my background in design, it was the perfect opportunity to join together and see where we can take the company in the next several years," she says.

This positions Colonial Marble & Granite as a one-stop shop for customers. While the company has always worked with customers who already have a designer or architect for their project—and will continue to do so—they now have the capability to serve clients with different needs, including designing from scratch.

"We want to make it clear that we're not taking away from the designers out in the field with whom we've developed relationships over the years. We saw the need with clients walking through our doors who had nothing to start with, so whether they come in with a design already or they want us to create one, we're going to dive deeper with them on the project. It's not just taking them to the stone yard, but how does it work for their needs and how does the stone for the kitchen bring the home's whole story together?" Phillips says. "That means pulling the beauty of a stone and showing how it can be embellished with a backsplash, hardware, etc. ... How does it all work in the environment?"

The possibilities are endless, she continues, adding that Colonial Marble & Granite is embarking on trends and products no one else in this area is carrying. "After the pandemic caused people to work from home, they realized they wanted the space to feel homier and more comfortable. The stark white counters and cabinets are beautiful and fresh, but not for spending all day in it. Now it's trending toward the warmer, comforting principles with earth and sand tones with gold accents and mixed metals," she says. "People also want color in the space for excitement and joy, and you may notice green and gray/blue cabinets more commonly now, which are a great complement to the warmer tones."

From Phillips' perspective, it's been exciting to integrate her design knowledge with the professionals on the stone side of the business. "I've gained a tremendous amount of appreciation for the products and natural stone. Each one is a work of art created by nature. There is so much talent on the staff and it's been great to develop these conversations about trends and how they affect the consumer walking through the door. So many customers are watching HGTV and reading magazines, and we're here to help them navigate those expectations and how to make them work for their environment," she says.

Customers won't have any issues finding the stone they want thanks to Colonial Marble & Granite's longstanding relationships with leading quartz vendors such as Viatera, Cosentino and MSI Surfaces, among others. "Stone supply has been in high demand and one of the most challenging products to procure because of that and supply chain shortages, but we've been able to get the stock we need. We have the largest natural slab yard in the Northeastern U.S. where you'll find anything you need," Phillips says.

Colonial Marble & Granite's King of Prussia slab yard is a "feast" for your eyes, as Phillips says. "Nikos has invested year after year in inventory and stock, and unique inventory at that. He has handpicked everything."

The company has even devoted nearly 5,500 square feet of showroom space to quartz as demand for it rises. "We're not talking just small samples laid out; these are full 52-foot-by-10-foot slabs that show every detailed pattern and unique design. No one else in the country has this selection," she says.

Every step of working with Colonial Marble & Granite puts the customer first, and it continues to welcome customers into any of its four physical locations, but also offers convenient in-home estimates as well. "We'll bring all of the samples and take you through the entire process. For us, this isn't just a sale, you're part of our family and we give everyone that same attention to detail," Phillips says. "This is a design-friendly environment and we're looking forward to the ideas that customers have and seeing how we can bring them to life with the best products available."

Colonial Marble & Granite
ColonialMarble.net

King of Prussia, Pa.
(610) 994-2222

New Cumberland, Pa.
(717) 774-2110

Philadelphia, Pa.
(215) 732-7800

New Castle, Del.
(302) 947-3000

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 22, Issue 4 (January/February 2022). 
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