Sunday, March 16, 2014

Traditional Kitchen Designer by Dave Stimmel

Stimmel has been in the design business for 20 years, and the head of Stimmel Consulting Group in Blue Bell for the last nine.

The Philadelphia-based designer is a regular recipient of Kitchen and Bath Business magazine’s Kitchen of the Year award. His kitchens frequently appear on HGTV (he designed all 40 kitchen variations shown on the network’s interactive design website)

As early as 16, he was working as a draftsman for a custom kitchen designer through a program at Cheltenham High School. And even then, his boss told him, “You are meant to do this.”

Loyalty is a very big thing for Stimmel. He employs the same team for all his installations. And while he has designed — and won awards for — kitchens ranging from $40,000 to way over $100,000, the common denominator is his own loyalty to his vision. “It’s not about the budget,” he says. “It’s just about doing something great."

For Stimmel, it’s about versatility and his love of the job. “There’s no pigeonholing me,” he says. “And it’s my passion, completely; I could do this 24/7, 365 days a year. I’m married to it.” And clients can rest assured there will be no surprises this designer can’t handle. “My motto is, that as a designer, it’s not about dealing with perfection, it’s about dealing with the imperfections,” he says. “You gotta be able to roll with it, no matter what comes up.”

The exposed stone wall in this old-fashioned dining area serves as a soft backdrop for the pink hues throughout the room. The small, white dining table complements the nearby kitchen cabinets, and the chairs echo the soft curves of the cabinet and mantel molding.

Stained wood cabinetry softens the detailed wallpaper in this formal kitchen. Pink fabric and accessories accent an attractive and functional full-service bar, complete with undercounter wine storage.

This pink and gold formal kitchen shines with traditional detailing. An ornate chandelier shines on the gold backsplash, while pink chair cushions accent the floral wallpaper. Curvaceous stools complement the details in the moldings.

The details of this bar allow patrons to see the architectural detail while seated or behind the bar. The mirror panels are set in solid wood frames finished to match the cabinetry.