Contractor Express

Long Island's Contractor Express is giving prosaic building products, like doors and decking, the glamour treatment by starring them in vignettes and displays in the company's brand new, expansively remodeled Design Expressions showroom in Oceanside, N.Y.

With Design Expressions, company owner and president Bob Lucas hopes to attract homeowners, and the showroom's design–by award-winning Horst Design International–is calculated to appeal to the upscale retail experience that Nassau County residents like. Lucas says contractors and architects also can benefit by using the showroom as a product selection and design resource when working with their own clients.

There's plenty for customers to ponder in the showroom's 4,000 square feet of display space, a near quadrupling of the original area. They can explore fully kitted-out kitchen exhibits, examine built-out exteriors showing siding, door, window and roofing options, and consider countless choices for millwork and architectural hardware. The showroom also features a new Marvin Design Gallery. With the exception of kitchen and bath cabinetry, all sales are installed sales done by Contractor Express. Professional design consultations also are part of the Design Expressions experience.

"A lot of people build plastic showrooms," says Lucas, "but I wanted a showroom that would wow customers. I got my validation a day after the [June] grand opening when a woman walked into the showroom and said 'Wow.' "