Come Together

If you want to create the ultimate outdoor entertainment area, it’s seldom a one-stop shop. From the stonework, lighting, and wiring, to the ever-important grill, you could easily get overwhelmed trekking from showroom to showroom to find what works the best for your outside space. That’s why we were excited to see some of our favorite companies come together last night for an event that made perfect sense – solve the problem by getting the ideal mix of people in one room, the Charles Luck Stone Center.

And quite a room it was. As Steve Terry, executive vice president of HADCO, a supplier of top quality kitchen appliances, said, “We all have showroom envy now.”

Charles Luck Stone Center studio consultants Amanda New, at left, and Allie Lindeman flank Washington Spaces Account Executive Angela Carpenter. Tabitha Blakely, Charles Luck Stone’s concierge, is to the right.

The Charles Luck Stone Center provides unique, high quality stone from around the world. Its executives literally go to the corners of the earth to leave no stone unturned. In September, President Mark Fernandes will head to Verona, Italy, to get the most exotic stone to bring back to the States.

Washington Spaces Account Executive Angela Carpenter is in good company with Charles Luck Stone Center’s President Mark Fernandes, at right, and its Director of Marketing Mark Smucker.

The theme of the night was clear – synergy.

“We all have similar products with a similar target audience,” Fernandes says. “What a great idea getting everyone together.”

Joining Charles Luck Stone Center and HADCO were Dominion Electric, displaying energy-efficient outdoor lighting, and Integrated Media Systems, wiring the room with flat-screen televisions and flanking the outdoor space with waterproof speakers.

Lee Odess of Integrated Media Sytems and Chef Patrizia Krejci

Lee Odess, director of marketing and sales for Integrated Media Systems, had a goal from the start when he originally conceived this event. “We’ve all come together to take a more application approach to the outdoors,” he says. The application approach, he explains, demonstrates at a glance how consumers can put outdoor products to good use.

And there’s no better way to display that than by putting the beautiful stainless steel Alfresco grill on the scene to some serious work. Special events Chef Patrizia Krejci was on hand to fire up succulent shrimp and deliciously marinated steak and chicken for the guests.

HADCO’s Executive Vice President Steve Terry and Washington Spaces Account Executive Angela Carpenter get some grill time.

Alfresco Grill’s Vice President and Director of Sales and Marketing Dale Seiden also lent his expertise on creating an outdoor entertainment area that will incorporate function, flow, and fun. Seiden has created industrial kitchens in some of the finest restaurants around the country. His résumé includes kitchens in the Bellagio and Venetian Hotels in Las Vegas, and he has collaborated with celebrity chefs including Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagasse. Seiden’s knowledge of restaurant kitchen design has carried over to creating outdoor kitchens, and he believes he’s brought a whole new thought process to the table.

Alfresco’s Dale Seiden discusses the importance of using high-quality equipment to create an efficient outdoor kitchen.

“I take the same marketing approach that I do with the restaurant kitchen, and I have applied it to the outdoor kitchen,” he says. “The niche consumer today wants products that emulate what they see in restaurants.”

Some fine points Seiden touched on included the benefits of choosing commercial-quality appliances. “They should be built like a tank,” he says. Using a heavy gauge of steel and a seamless welding process with no sharp edges are key components in a quality grill.

“Zoning” is also important, Seiden believes. To maximize the accessibility of your outdoor space, Seiden deems it significant to have different zones mapped out and separated, including preparation, cooking, plating, serving, and entertaining.

Entertaining is, of course, the most important aspect.
That’s what brings everyone together.

Josh Rosenthal of Rosenthal Homes is joined by Washington Spaces Associate Publisher Heather Heider and Account Executive Rashida Creque.

Jennifer Ingber of Fresh Confections LLC, at right, served delicious treats, while Washington Spaces Account Executive Jill Yager, center, and Charles Luck Stone studio consultant Katie Buchan, at left, enjoyed them.