What started in a small garage has grown into southern Colorado’s premier custom cabinetry design firm. Brooks Brothers Cabinetry Inc. is locally owned and operated by the Brooks family. Our experienced team of engineers, designers and installers will work with you from start to finish, bringing your vision to life!
MEET THE OWNERS
DESIGNERS
ENGINEERS
Jody Patten
Jody (Designer) began designing kitchens and baths after running a Steamboat marketing firm focused on resort residential developments throughout Colorado and California wine country. She turned to kitchen and bath design four years ago because she enjoys the personal and collaborative process of creating new spaces that beautifully join people together.
Austin Doten
Austin Doten (Designer) studied Industrial Design at Pratt Institute, and University of Louisiana at Lafayette, then went on to build custom furniture, cabinetry, and useful products in his home studio. With a strong creative and technical background, Austin can help solve complex design problems, and make sure the final product is functional, as well as beautiful.
New Employee
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Amelia Arnett
Amelia Arnett (Designer) has a Bachelors in Merchandising and Interiors and has been in the kitchen and bath industry since 2006. In 2008, she became certified with the NKBA as an Associate Kitchen and Bath Designer. For 6 years in Nashville, she did residential remodeling and custom cabinetry. She loves kitchen and bath design because “it is the perfect blend of form and function; I get to express my creativity and use my analytical skills to create beautiful, functional spaces for my clients.”
She’s been in CO for 4 years and loves getting out to hike in the mountains. At home she two cats, Leo and Finnegan, who love to play with her craft supplies when she’s sewing or crochets.
Greg Woodrow
Greg Woodrow (Design Engineer) began working in custom cabinetry in 1998 and started designing in 2000. Greg provides other members of the BBC team with design services as well as assists with software support.
Outside of work, Greg and his wife enjoy the challenges of vegetable gardening at 7300 feet in Zone 3.
Greg Cooper
Greg Cooper (Design Engineer) has over 25 years of experience in custom cabinetry. Prior to moving to Colorado and beginning work with BBC, Greg owned his own custom cabinetry shop in Texas for 10 years.
He is passionate about his work and learned how to draw in CAD…’just for fun.’
In his spare time Greg can be found mountain biking, camping and enjoying the great Colorado outdoors.
Richard Sweatland
Richard Sweatland (Shop Floor Supervisor) is a Michigan native who moved to Colorado in search of furthering his career in custom woodworking. He has over 13 years of woodworking experience and is going on 6 years with BBC.
Richard loves creating fireplace mantels and kitchen hoods.
Outside of the shop he can typically be found lakeside enjoying time with his wife, daughter and puppy Josie.
Kurt Bachman
Kurt Bachman (Shop Foreman) has more than 30 years of experience in the cabinet industry. After taking Wood Shop in middle school he developed a passion for woodworking. Kurt has built everything from custom pieces of furniture to mantels to cabinets.
He loves Colorado and when he’s not in the shop you can find him spending time with his wife, camping out or fishing!
Lisa Robertson
Lisa Robertson (Designer) graduated with a degree in Interior Architecture and has been designing for over 21 years. As a designer, she loves the creative outlet and the process of watching a two-dimensional drawing come to life!
Lisa finds it next to impossible to sit still so her ‘outside of work’ hours are spent hunting down the next home remodeling project she wants to take on. She’s tried it all: roofing, landscaping, flooring, cabinet installation, painting and tiling.
Her favorite band is Aerosmith and she’s been to their concerts 19 times!
Rod Horrell
Rod Horrell (Outside Sales) has been in sales for over 20 years. Bringing his positivity, energy and enthusiasm to the table, he collaborates with our clients to help them determine exactly the right product to fit their needs.
Though originally from Southern California, Rod, his wife and two children made the decision to move to beautiful Southern Colorado in 2009 and join the BBC team.
Outside of work his hobbies include volleyball, mountain biking, and off-road motorcycle riding!
Ramona Mauser
Ramona Mauser (Designer) is an Air Force veteran and has been designing for over 17 years. After beginning as a designer she was later promoted to a Regional Trainer for kitchen designers in Colorado, Idaho and Utah.
Ramona is a mother of four, but when she can squeeze in some free time she enjoys scrapbooking, making jewelry, sewing and home remodeling projects.
Her family includes her husband, three daughters, one son, Rottweiler Bella, yellow Labrador Jersey and her seven chickens.
Jen Casey
Jen Casey (Designer) has a Bachelor’s in Interior Design with a minor in Small Business Management and has been designing for over 13 years.
In October of 2013 she relocated to Utah with her husband and continues to work for Brooks Brothers Cabinetry remotely. She’s able to go over the design elements of her projects with clients via phone and email and if the need arises for a client to visit one of the showrooms, other members of the team are happy to assist!
When she’s not working, Jen enjoys spending time with her friends and family which include: her husband, her daughter, her three English Bulldogs; Shelby, Brooklyn and Bella, a black Labrador Bailey and her cat Austin.
She also manages to crunch in some time in the mountains, on the bowling lanes, at the park or at sporting events.
Randy Culver
Randy Culver (Designer) has an Architectural Design Degree and has been designing for over 11 years.
His favorite aspect of design is the creative outlet it allows and the process of taking blueprints and turning them around into someone’s dream.
Randy has a real passion for woodworking and can often be found either turning items on his lathe or remodeling portions of his home.
During non-working hours he spends time with his wife and four children. Other members of the family include his German Shepard Zoe, a horse named Forbes and countless fish.
Casey Burgess
Casey Burgess (Showroom Manager/Designer) is a Colorado native. She moved to Utah for a quick stint but missed Colorado so much she quickly returned.
She started in our Monument location but relocated in March of 2014 to our downtown Colorado Springs showroom.
You can find her there accompanied daily by her 7 year old Yorkie, Jax, AKA ‘The Shop Dog.’
Please watch your step if you visit…he’s rather little.
Steve Friedrich
Steve Friedrich (Owner/Field Supervisor) has over 20 years of experience in the cabinetry business. For Steve, installing cabinets isn’t just the last step of our work…it’s an art form. Any and every cabinet installed under his supervision will reflect the motto of BBC, “Expect Excellence.”
When not on the job, Steve enjoys spending time with his wife and in the true spirit of a “hands-on-work-rather-than-be-in-an-office” person, he spends any additional free time dirt biking, hunting and being outdoors.
Bryan Brooks
Bryan Brooks (Owner/President) received his degree in Accounting and has worked in positions ranging from sales to banking, financial planning to business consulting and tax planning. That experience, and a natural bent toward analytical thinking along with his attention to detail has guided BBC to its’ strong foundation in business practices.
When he’s not working Bryan enjoys mountain biking, hiking, boating and all things ‘Colorado.’ He also loves spending time with his three daughters and two dogs, Daisy and Ouray.
Darin Brooks
Darin Brooks (Owner/VP of Operations) received his degree in Industrial Technology and Machine Woodworking and a few short years later began his custom cabinet making career. Darin’s constant push for finding new and innovative ways to improve (both in design and construction) has helped to propel BBC forward to become Southern Colorado’s premier custom cabinet manufacturer.
Outside of working hours you can find him spending time with his wife and four daughters or donning waders in some river, fly-fishing. Biggest catch to date outside of his wife was a 28 inch Rainbow Trout.
Saw this recent article on Houzz, and thought it was worth sharing. Enjoy!
The kitchen is the most popular room of the home to renovate, according to Houzz research, and those who choose to remodel the heart of their home have some definite preferences. After all, the No. 1 reason they choose to renovate this area is no longer being able to stand the old kitchen — can anyone out there relate?
The 2017 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, from a research team led by Nino Sitchinava, Houzz’s principal economist, reveals that homeowners updating their kitchens prioritize changing out countertops, backsplashes and sinks. A majority of kitchen renovators are also choosing a more open feel for this room.
The study surveyed more than 2,700 Houzz users in the U.S. who own homes and are in the midst of a kitchen renovation, have recently completed one or are planning one in the next three months. Read on to learn what people are doing with these important rooms.
Owner Bryan Brooks talks about when it’s time to consider a kitchen remodel and where to start on KKTV’s Moms Everyday:
Looking for ways to streamline and organize your day-to-day? Let’s start with your closet. With just a few alterations to your existing space, you can transform your closet into a beautiful, functional area. Designer and Owner Bryan Brooks discusses some of the ways you can organize and refresh this area of your home to maximize impact.
“When designing a closet, the first thing that needs to be addressed is what’s going in it? Get an inventory of what you already have. That’s a really good place to start. A good depth for hanging is 14”. This leaves enough room for the pole without the clothes hitting the back wall and allows for 24” of space. Some accessories that I traditionally put in a closet are: drawers of various sizes, a hamper, a mirror, a valet rod, a tie rack, a belt organizer and a jewelry tray with a lock. With larger closets, an island is a really nice addition with a place to sit and put on your shoes.”
Share your needs with your designer and we’ll translate them into a personalized solution.
The 2016 PARADE OF HOMES kicks off August 3rd and runs through August 21st.
This year, Brooks Brothers Cabinetry has four homes in the parade. Come out and see us!
The kitchen is an area of the home where we all tend to gravitate and should reflect your family’s personal style. Selecting door styles, finishes and working with your designer to craft the perfect design is an important step toward realizing your ideal space. Being conscious of industry trends is a safe way to add personal flavor while maintaining style longevity.
Designer Jen Casey pinpoints some of the stronger trends she’s seeing for 2016:
“People want increased functionality in their cabinets. This can come in the form of accessories and inserts or technology. I’m getting requests for hook ups in the cabinetry for a notebook or I-pad to view recipes or seeing requests for building a television right into the countertop that can be raised and lowered. I’ve noticed that the color palettes are pretty neutral and that whites and grays have maintained their popularity. Door style preferences are trending toward slab or shaker styles as opposed to decorative raised panel and the more ornate designs.”
Have a question you’d like answered by a member of our design team? Send us a message via our Facebook page and we’ll post the question and answer in our next “Ask a Designer” post!
Moving forward with a kitchen remodel can be a busy, exciting time. The realization that you may be living without a kitchen for weeks however, can quickly turn that excitement into dread without some preparation.
To keep you sane and get your through the construction phase, create a makeshift kitchen in advance of the project launch.
Designate a dust-free space as the temporary kitchen
Equip it with a microwave, coffeemaker, toaster oven and refrigerator (mini or full-size.)
For meal prep use a smaller, portable table.
Use paper plates and cups to minimize dishes and clean up.
If you do have to wash dishes, designate a space or ask the contractor to setup temporary plumbing and a utility sink.
Cook meals on a grill outdoors if weather allows.
Have lots of non-perishable snacks on hand.
Chances are you’ve been thinking about this for a long time so don’t allow poor planning to sap your joy! Your dream kitchen is right around the corner.
Spring is a time of renewal… a time for dusting off the ‘old’ and ushering in the ‘new.’ A time for breaking out the shorts and blasting those pasty whites with some much needed sunshine!
If it’s also a time you find yourself considering a bathroom remodel, here’s a great article on Houzz that breaks down what to expect and what to budget for:
If you don’t know where to start when it comes to selecting a G.C. ask your designer! We all have contractors we’ve been working with for years with proven track records. If you’d rather forge out on your own consider the following while going through the vetting process:
Look for someone who is well established in the community and has been around for a long time.
Look for their BBB rating and someone who can provide references…then CHECK THOSE REFERENCES!
Look at their portfolio or website to see a gallery of their work.
Make sure you’re dealing with someone who can handle the scope of work you’re looking for. You want your G.C. to handle ALL aspects of the job and not leave you having to hire or manage some of the other sub trades.
Do your homework and ask a lot of questions. There are a ton of resources available, ensuring you walk into that initial meeting confident and secure in your choice.
Have a question you’d like answered by a member of our design team? Send us a message via our Facebook page and we’ll post the question and answer in our next “Ask a Designer” post!
After starting a remodel and finding it difficult to communicate their vision and locate professionals, a couple based out of CA started ‘Houzz.’ Houzz connects homeowners to local professionals for various home projects. It’s also pretty addictive due to the MILLIONS of photographs of home projects from all over the world!
If you find yourself at the mercy of parameters for a smaller space in your home, don’t despair!
To maximize the appearance of areas like smaller kitchens and bathrooms, consider installing lighter cabinetry that can make the room appear larger.
Glass front door styles can also assist by giving the appearance of additional depth.
Optimize the height you have available and consider floating shelving.
Have a question you’d like answered by a member of our design team? Send us a message via our Facebook page and we’ll post the question and answer in our next “Ask a Designer” post!