Kwalu

If you ask Marcus Mizrachi about Achieve Rehab’s recent remodeling project, he’ll tell you that there were three things that attracted him to Kwalu: warranty, warranty and warranty. Mizrachi, supervisor for Achieve Rehab and Nursing Facility of Liberty (NY), wanted to be sure that the custom-build concepts for each of the facility’s single bedrooms would be built to last. He was hoping to find a furniture provider that would ease his engineering fears and create a fabulous-looking product for Achieve Rehab’s warm and welcoming environment. Enter Kwalu.

Mizrachi found Kwalu while searching for custom-build, armoire units. “The owner of Achieve Rehab had worked with Kwalu a little over 2 years ago on a lobby in Grandville (NY) specifying wall protection and handrails, so I knew Kwalu was capable of the level of custom design we needed,” said Mizrachi. Once he learned about Kwalu’s 10-year warranty on both construction and finish, the industry’s only, he felt assured that Kwalu’s customizability and striking aesthetics were the solution. “We had to address space efficiency and decided a corner wardrobe would work best,” said Mizrachi. “Kwalu’s bid was comparable to some of the other companies we’d seen but included the amazing product warranty, which really proved their willingness to take on the project.”

The corporate sales support team and Achieve Rehab’s local rep assisted every step of the way, taking the dimensions provided by Mizrachi and refining Achieve’s built-in corner casegood concept. Mizrachi noted, “Someone was always there when we needed them.” With design build firm East Coast Preservation (ECP) managing the project and working alongside Schopfer Architects, finishes, fabrics and hardware were selected to maintain a homelike atmosphere in each mission-style room. Designer, Jessica Schlosser of Schopfer Architects noted, “We kept to a warm, neutral palette using the medium cherry finish.” Antique brass fixtures for the casegoods added a touch of traditional detail and sand-colored Crypton fabric kept the Virginia chairs looking relaxed and inviting. But for Schlosser, the most extraordinary aspect of Kwalu furniture was, “A convincingly realistic wood-grain.” She continued, “That wood-grain is impressive for a polymer-based product.” Mizrachi was also ecstatic about the water-, scuff- and scratch-resistant elements of Kwalu’s patented finish. “It looks great and cleans with steel wool, how could you not like that?” Mizrachi boasted.

Achieve Rehab’s end result included a Kwalu headboard, footboard, nightstand, bedside cabinet, overbed table top, chest, Fireside Catherine Wingback chair and Virginia Arm chair alongside the fabulous custom-build corner wardrobe in each of their single bedrooms. “Everything was so easy to install, we didn’t even need an installation supervisor,” explained Mizrachi. The entire facility remodel was completed in less than two weeks.

Pleased with the success of the single bedrooms, the facility is poised for another Kwalu makeover. This time, Achieve plans on utilizing Kwalu wall protection and more of their favorite Kwalu furniture, like the nightstand and Fireside Catherine Wingback chairs for their hospitality-style, short-term suites. “We got exactly what we wanted with these bedrooms and we’re ready to work with Kwalu again,” stated Mizrachi. As for the residents’ reveal of their rooms, Mizrachi will never forget, “Their reaction was, ‘Wow!’”