We come from a tradition of boat builders.
The first shipyard in the “New World” was built in 1637 by our ancestors in Salem, Massachusetts. The houses of the Gedney’s who worked there are now part of the national historic trust and are a living museum to a unique type of architecture influenced by building seagoing ships.
In the early part of the last century our ancestors helped build the Weatherly, a boat that defended the America’s Cup three times. She is now a living museum in Newport, Rhode Island where she hosted a Gedney reunion including the founder of Kitchens By Gedney, Inc., Dick Gedney, who got to sail her.
Gedney’s were busy at work at shipyards in Brooklyn building boats that helped preserve our freedom in the World Wars; as well as serving in the US Navy for many generations.
From this tradition of craftsmanship and durability, we entered the post war boom by moving into new technologies such as electrical appliances. In the early 1950’s Dick Gedney worked for the Connecticut Light and Power Company selling appliances. Back then to drive up demand for electricity, C L & P allowed customers to purchase appliances and add a small amount of the cost to their monthly electric bill.
Dick also worked as an electrical contractor and carpenter back then, but soon settled into the residential kitchen area with appliances. He attended the first ever kitchen design school hosted by General Electric back in the 50’s. Cabinetry and kitchen design joined appliances by the late 1960’s, and he worked for some of the better kitchen stores in Fairfield County, CT.
In the mid 1970’s Dick managed the Dewey Home Center in Greenwich with a full range of custom cabinetry, GE appliances, new fangled Sub-Zero refrigerators and other modern products. He was made a partner of the parent Appliance & Kitchen Center with stores in Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan.
In the late 70’s Dick and his wife Pat longed to have a place of their own, and that lead them to Madison, CT where in early 1979 they opened Kitchens By Gedney, Inc. at its current 84 Bradley Road location. The business flourished in the 1980’s with the purchase and expansion of the 84 Bradley property. New staff was added, our showroom grew and changed and our shop and warehouse facility expanded.
Dick Gedney became very involved in community service as did his son Rick. Dick also was an active board member in the NKBA, our professional association. Other members of the Gedney staff assumed leadership roles in the NKBA and that continues to this day.
The addition of Wood-Mode Cabinetry as a key partner in 1980 rounded out the small yet diverse and well appointed showroom, joining Rutt and other fine cabinet lines.
The company became adept at utilizing cabinetry design in many rooms in the home.
In the boom and downturns of the 1990’s we kept a steady hand on the tiller letting fairness and value be our compass.
Our company staff has been with us for a long while. Our first designer came to us from University Of Delaware design school in 1980 and continues to draw beautiful kitchens today. Our team members have been with us an average of nearly 20 years. Our installers are into second generation with father and son crafting the installations.
We evolved with the market ebb and flow from new construction, renovations and additions; tear downs, waterside lift-ups, and remodeling. The product mix reflects this evolution, and we have fixtures and appointments to compliment our cabinetry and counters.
Dick’s sons, Rick and Curt, have continued the business into the new millennium. They continued Dick’s “hands on” style and inclusive design approach. Rick received a Masters Degree in Engineering and has been at the Madison store since the start. Curt graduated from UCONN and worked for duPont Corian® in service and distribution, and for some large surface fabricators in our industry before settling back into the family business 20 years ago, Both sons have been working in the industry for decades including cabinet and appliance deliveries going back to the 60’s. Service and style are in our DNA.
Today we continue to move forward with new AutoCAD and automated budget technologies, cutting edge installation tools, and the latest in cabinet hardware and styles. We have also added a new sales & design team member who has recently graduated with an Interior Design degree.
We also look back in pride at the underpinnings of what got us here and we thank the thousands of folks that let us work with them to improve and customize their homes.
