ROMEO KITCHENS is a family owned business that started way back in 1994. Initially they rented a small factory in Msasa, Harare and had a modest showroom in the front and their factory behind. In 1997 as the factory started to supply other customers Romeo Kitchens split from the factory to become a standalone ftted furniture design company focusing on top quality home fttings and bespoke cabinetry, opening their 1st independent showroom in 1998 also in Msasa. In 2002 they opened a new showroom in Lusaka, Zambia. So from simple beginnings the company has grown to extend across two countries and they have even successfully undertaken projects in neighbouring DRC and Mozambique.
They have at last count ftted over 8,000 kitchens over their 24 year history. Romeo Kitchens offers a full service which includes designing, manufacturing and installing custom made ftted furniture of extremely high quality. Their main focus is on kitchens, but they also supply built-in cupboards for bedrooms, dressing rooms, vanities and cabinets for bathrooms, as well as ftted TV cabinets, bars, home studies and offce furniture. Romeo will project manage your entire kitchen remodelling project, initially designing the space and then working closely with electricians, plumbers, tilers and other contractors ensuring that you get the kitchen installation of your dreams without any hassles. Romeo is known for it’s customer service and has hundreds of satisfed customers waiting to tell you about their enjoyable experience.
All of Romeo’s cabinetry can be supplied in a wide variety of different fnishes, colours and styles from classic traditional to modern and minimalist. Kitchen cabinetry is often supplied with top of the range Caesarstone tops and splashbacks which are available in a range of beautiful colours and textures and are extremely durable. Other tops including granite are also used frequently depending on the look and fnish your designer is trying to achieve. Kitchens are designed to incorporate up-market ftted appliances like ovens, hobs (induction, ceramic, electric or gas, grillers, deep fryers or teppanyaki’s), integrated fridges and freezers and dishwashers. While Romeo Kitchens does work closely with a few local appliances supply companies including SMEG – who supplied all the appliances for Romeo Kitchens has a new home the new showroom – customers can also select their own appliances from whoever they choose and then the designer will incorporate the chosen appliances into the fnal design.
Interesting and functional design details for your kitchen include top hinge fap up doors and vertical bifold doors for wall hung units, fold out fttings for corner units – which are always awkward spaces – pull out spice racks and larders. Under counter LED strip lights are both glamorous and practical helping you to create a well-designed kitchen that’s beautiful and also works well. Romeo’s walk-in wardrobes and bedroom furniture is fully customised to each client’s needs and individual design aesthetics. Wardrobes can include trouser racks, tie With the opening of their new showroom Romeo Kitchens has launched their innovative and exclusive Verditi brand for the most discerning high-end market. Verditi takes quality, design and luxury to an even higher level with their brand slogan “No Compromises”.
As Johannesburg based brand manager – Morne van der Merwe – says, the Verditi brand has a number of exclusive material options they can use which include tempered glass fronted fronts, high gloss lacquer that shouts out quality, porcelain (that can be used on both the doors and tops) and exotic wood veneers. Verditi truly does “not compromise” anywhere and uses the exclusive Blum Legrabox and Ambialine drawer system, soft-close Blum hinges, internal fttings from Kessebohmer, special bins from Hailo and Ninka, under mount sinks from well know luxury German brand Blanco and other top brands. Units are truly designed with the customer in mind and everything about the customer, their family and their lifestyle is taken into account to come up with a design that will transform their kitchen into a truly functional, beautiful space.
The result is that Verditi kitchens have a modern, sleek and timeless appeal with echoes of the best of Italian design. The Verditi range is custom manufactured in South Africa to the highest international standards according to Romeo’s design specifcations. It’s then installed by Romeo’s highly skilled and dedicated team with unwavering attention to the smallest details. Verditi is truly the Rolls Royce range of kitchens. Romeo also has just managed to secure the exclusive agencies for the supply of entrance doors, internal doors and security doors from the Italian companies Garofoli and Oikos which are renowned for their innovative designs and superlative quality. Romeo is excited by this development as they believe that these 2 brands ft perfectly into their vision for the future. Upmarket home owners in the future will not accept the quality that they did in the past and these doors will work beautifully in these up-market homes, taking the fnal fnish to a new level.
Romeo opened their frst Harare showroom, outside of Msasa, in 2012 at Sam Levy’s Village. This year they moved that showroom from Sam Levy’s to the new prestigious Village Walk. The offcial launch of the superb new showroom was held on 25th of July and was attended Romeo’s past customers, future prospective customers, as well as leading designers, architects and contractors. Visit their showroom at Shop 32 Village Walk call: 077 852 5460 email: romeohre@romeoafrica.com website: www.romeoafrica.com
Text by Michael Nott
Photography by Michele Fortmann
