I must begin this review with a deep and solemn admission: I failed. Not in hiring Renovations and Beyond—oh no, that decision was inspired—but in the one, singular act that I thought I could handle… making coffee.

As an Englishman in New York, I walk a daily tightrope between adapting to American culture and holding firm to my roots. And when it comes to hot beverages, my allegiance is unwavering. Tea is my heritage, my identity. Ever since a certain harbor incident in Boston (you know the one), my relationship with coffee has been one of suspicion at best.

So when Billy and John showed up to build my custom media unit—a dream of wood, symmetry, and hidden storage—I naturally thought I’d welcome them with a hot drink, as any decent host should. Unfortunately, that drink was coffee. I wanted to be accommodating. I wanted to blend in. I wanted, foolishly, to fulfill their caffeine dreams.

Reader, I did not make coffee. I made what can only be described as 2 cups of despair.

Despite my hot-beverage butchery, the work these two craftsmen delivered was nothing short of spectacular. The media unit they created is an architectural love letter to function and beauty. Every shelf, every finish, every hidden cable channel is thoughtfully executed. It looks like it grew right out of the wall—like it was always meant to be there. Five stars doesn’t feel like enough. They deserve a constellation.

So to summarize:
Coffee – 3 stars (and that’s only because I used my wife’s fancy Nespresso machine and accompanied it with a healthy pour of my self-delusion)
Renovations and Beyond – 5 stars, with a steaming cup of admiration on the side

I’ll stick to tea from now on. And if you’re smart, you’ll stick with Billy and John.