A spotlight on founder and CEO of luxury kitchen recycler, Renovation Angel and NKBA 2023 Hall of Fame Inductee for his groundbreaking sustainable business.
Steve Feldman, founder and CEO of luxury kitchen recycler Renovation Angel and inductee into the NKBA’s Kitchen + Bath Hall of Fame at KBIS 2023, was honored for his innovations during his induction and is a game changer for the K&B industry. Feldman earned the honor because of his commitment to making luxury kitchens sustainable and finding a truly important environmental and entrepreneurial solution — one that is of benefit to homeowners, designers, builders and the earth. Suzie Williford, NKBA’s EVP and Chief Strategy Officer, called Feldman a “visionary who has changed the dynamic of the business, all while helping to protect the environment.”
When Feldman founded Fairfield, NJ-based Renovation Angel in 2005, his mission was to sell recycled luxury kitchens on eBay. In the ensuing 17 years, he has built a vibrant not-for-profit organization and created a new business model that benefits homeowners, charities, and the planet.
Renovation Angel now works with luxury kitchen designers, architects, showrooms, and manufacturers who market the donation/recycling program to their clients, removing kitchens (appliances, cabinets, countertops, etc.) that might be outdated but still are in great shape. Homeowners receive a tax deduction for the donation, in addition to “white-glove” demolition to gently remove the old kitchen for free so it does not end up in a landfill. In fact, the company has recycled more than 8,100 kitchens and saved over 52 million pounds of refuse from landfills since its inception. Any profits from the sale of these recycled kitchens are donated to charities that help at-risk youth.
Feldman has a long history with NKBA and KBIS. In 2006, 2007, and 2008, he hauled truckloads of displays from the KBIS floor that would otherwise have been discarded and sold them to help build the business. In 2020, he collaborated with the NKBA to establish the Luxury Kitchen Recycling Awards to honor designers and their efforts repurposing and recycling these kitchens.