Inside each Behind The Hedges magazine, our Master Craftsman column highlights people who help make our house a home. They use their skills to refine the home, whether it’s creating an item we use every day, like the stairs or cabinets, or something we may only pull out on special occasions. These people are masters of their craft and there are many on the East End.
Here are some we featured in 2021. Be sure to click each to read their stories.
Laura Ahrens and Eva Cruz, Professional Organizers of The Hamptons
Let’s face it: Not everyone keeps a tidy home. We’re not talking hoarding, but rather managing everyday items in an orderly fashion. Not everyone has a knack for it. The intent might be there, but the execution . . . that’s another story. And, during the pandemic, when many were forced to work from home, the clutter built up as we did everything in the same footprint. The need for a professional organizer may never be greater.
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Bruce Reither of Reither Woodworking
A self-taught woodworker, Bruce Reither of Reither Woodworking has become a go-to in the Hamptons for custom cabinetry.
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John Lotito of Montauk Plumbing & Heating
Lotito sums up this skill level among the professional members of his 38 Montauk Plumbing & Heating employees like this: “Old-school quality, backed by new-age technology.”
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Steven Lang of Lang Stair & Rail
Few carpenters specialize in handcrafting stairs and railing. Steven Lang breaks the mold.
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Dan McAllister & Heather Ganguzza of In the Attic Too
New doesn’t always mean better. Distinctive vintage and antique furnishings offer an inherent level of quality and history, but a growing number of East End aesthetes are now looking to take that stalwart and storied character of the old and make it extraordinary and new.
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Madison Wienckowski of East End Creative
Madison Wienckowski has honed her skills as hand pouring resin for functional art pieces over the last two years. Still, she doesn’t consider herself an artist, but a creator.
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Randy Hoffman, East Hampton Cabinetmaker
A cabinetmaker is back to work skillfully making modern kitchens and vanities, after a spinal surgery left him paralyzed.
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Ricky Saetta, Woodworker, Artisan
A carpenter and wood finisher by trade, the Greenport native is now designing and fabricating wood store displays, signs, finishings and much more.
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Michael Javidi, Le Nid Creator
Michael Javidi calls his design “Le Nid,” which means “the nest” in French. It does have the feel of a nook. The predecessor to the bronze teardrop-shaped chair, one made of hickory, hangs nearby and has an especially ethereal quality.
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Jeffrey DiFilippo, Paperhanger
Jeffrey DiFilippo has gained a reputation for being able to do difficult wallpaper and wall covering jobs. Forty-six years in the business explains why.
Have a recommendation for the Master Craftsman column? Email TVecsey@danspapers.com.
