ah1

When Brian and Carol Cohen ofCamp Hill considered theiroptions for remodeling theirkitchen in early 2013, it quickly

became apparent to them that apiecemeal renovation wouldn’t be asmart choice.

“This was a spec home when webought it 20 years ago … although it’s agreat house, things are not where Iwould have liked them,” Carol Cohensaid. “All the appliances were going, thefloor was going—it was all going. Wedecided we were not going to replacepiece by piece. We said, ‘Let’s just do it.’

“This is a Colonial home, and wedecided to bring it back to its Colonialfeeling.”

Cohen’s primary complaint abouther kitchen was its island’s lack offunctionality. Her gas stovetop andoven were part of the island, whichmade it an unsuitable place to seatchildren as well as a limited workspace.

The Cohens hired Deimler & SonsConstruction in Harrisburg for therenovation after a happy neighbor’srecommendation.

“The existing kitchen structureremained (the walls), but other thanthe framing, we gutted everything backto the studs, and we did a completereorganization of where things werelocated in the kitchen and put all newproducts in,” said Craig Deimler,president.

Cohen said that although Deimler’sbid wasn’t the cheapest, they feltconfident the job would be done totheir satisfaction and that anyproblems that arose would be takencare of quickly.

BlendingPersonality

withFunctionality

By MEGAN JOYCE

BusinessWomanPA.com | February 2014 ~

W

This traditional-style kitchen’s features include a customdrawer base for the sink cabinet (on right) and large pot

drawers below the cooktop. The custom tile accent pieceaccentuates a hammered black commercial hood.

~ February 2014 | BUSINESSWomanah2

Deimler said their initial meetingwith a client covers the client’s likesand dislikes of their current space;how they use the kitchen; how theyentertain; and what their futureneeds might be as family dynamicschange and the owners age. Storage,too, is always a concern.

A preliminary layout and budgetis then refined with the clients’ input,after which the clients are takenshopping to select final finishes.

This, Deimler said, is when theyfurnish a final project estimate,which is broken down into the majorphases of construction: cabinetryand countertops, flooring, plumbing,installation, etc.

“That way, they can see wherethey are spending their money,”Deimler said. “It allows them to say,‘We really don’t want to invest thatmuch in a certain area—what are ouroptions?’ And then we can help themselect different materials to keep itmore in line with their expectations.”

Deimler said he and his staff areaware of the inconvenience they willbe causing the family during therenovation, which, for kitchens,usually lasts between four and eightweeks.

“We had done an addition to ourhouse 17 years ago, so we knew nowwhat we didn’t want to have happen,”Cohen said. “We talked about it[with Deimler] and he understoodwhere we were coming from, and hewas very easy to work with.”

Deimler advises familiesconsidering a kitchen overhaul toevaluate their options for meals. Willthey go out to eat? How will thataffect the overall project budget? Henoted that many clients dorenovations in the spring, summer,and fall so they can grill outside tokeep meal costs down.

“Whenever possible, we create amakeshift kitchen of a refrigerator,microwave, and sink so that they cansemi-function while they are withouttheir kitchen,” said Deimler.

The Cohens were unable to reusetheir original cherry cabinetry asthey’d originally hoped, so theychose to donate it to Habitat forHumanity.

“They went crazy. They were soexcited,” Cohen laughed. “Which was

great; it made us feel fabulous.”Instead, they selected soft maple

cabinetry with a custom cherry stainfrom Heirloom Cabinetry inMifflintown. Barry Hildebrand,custom design and salesman, said heand his clients compare differentwooden samples and stain colorswith their chosen tile and countertopto make sure nothing clashes orcontrasts too sharply.

Hildebrand shows the client adigital design with door styles fortheir approval, and together they gothrough cabinet by cabinet, makingsure the clients can put away all theirbelongings.

“Once the design is complete andmeets with their approval, then I takethe time to price it all out; that way,I’m pricing exactly what they havechosen,” Hildebrand said. “After all,it’s their kitchen, not ours. I’ll makesuggestions when [clients] makerequests … but still, the finaldecision is theirs.”

“The cabinetry people came upwith some ideas that had never beendone, and when we finally figured outhow to do it, it came out beautifully,”Cohen said.

Cohen was thrilled that HeirloomCabinetry worked with her to create arolling buffet from one of their oldcabinets and that her new cabinetshave “the ease of use that was reallyimportant to me as we age within thislarge home.”

She was eager to replace herCongoleum countertops and did sowith granite called Bordeaux Riverfrom Lesher Natural Stone, Quartz, &Tile in Middletown. Mary Jane Herr,project manager at Lesher, said theyoften like to see the selected cabinetryso they can pair it with granites thatinclude complementary color tones.

“The island is fabulous. I love thegranite we picked,” said Cohen.

And she finally has the large,functional countertops she alwayswanted, clear of clutter. Her twofavorite features in her new kitchenare simple pleasures: The microwaveis located in a drawer that’s built intothe cabinetry under the island—so ittakes up no counter space.

Plus, under the gas range top is a3-inch-deep drawer that houses allthe spatulas and cooking tools that

normally need to be corralled in acountertop container.

The flooring and backsplash wereprovided by Essis & Sons Carpet Onein Mechanicsburg. Cohen was gratefulfor the input of Joe Essis, co-owner, asshe struggled to select flooring.

“I had a general idea. I knew wewanted porcelain tile because it is sohard,” she said. “[Essis] suggested thelarger, 20-inch square because it’s avery big room and there would befewer grout lines, and it would increasethe flow. He was so right.”

Cohen and Essis also put theirheads together in designing thebacksplash. They ended up going witha tan tile with a marbled effect. Small,wrought-iron medallions wereinterspersed throughout the entirebacksplash and culminated in a patternunder the range hood.

Deimler urged homeowners

considering a kitchen renovation to dotheir research. The kitchen is one ofthe most expensive rooms to remodel,and there can be huge swings inpricing simply based upon thematerials selected, he advised. Askquestions when comparing estimates,and do not make the decision based onprice alone.

Ensure that all materials areordered and in stock prior toconstruction, which, Deimler added,will minimize the chances for costoverruns. And, expect at least a bit ofthe unexpected.

“Always allow room in your budgetfor unforeseen items if you arereorganizing the location of things,” hesaid. “Keep an extra 5 percent of thebudget off to the side for these items.”

After 20 years in a kitchen thatnever quite felt like hers, Cohenmarveled that she is left with just one

very good problem to have: “I havemore storage than I know what to dowith.”

“Our process is focused on the

client and their needs,” Deimler said.“We can make anything look great. Butif it doesn’t function well, why spendthe money?”

BusinessWomanPA.com | February 2014 ~ ah3

Lancaster Showroom

2950 Old Tree Drive, Lancaster, PA 17603 • (717) 390-9050

www.ToTheTradesFlooring.com

• Third generation family business, owner operated •

• Serving Lancaster and York for 18 years •

• Associated with quality crafted installers •

• Beautiful showroom featuring:

Porcelain tile • Hardwood • Luxury Vinyl • Carpeting

Every modern convenience in a tight space can be

found in this painted and glazed kitchen. The bead

board and full-height granite backsplash and sidesplash

beside the induction cooktop help disguise the fact that

this kitchen used to be a 'black hole.

� 'This white-stained maple kitchen replaces a 1970s dark pine kitchen.

The custom unit on the left allows for a hutch on the dining room side

(beyond the raised island) and a functioning appliance garage and

pantry on the kitchen side.

�

An overall view of the picture on page ah2,

this traditional-style custom kitchen with

large island features a warming drawer

below the double ovens and a

microwave drawer in the island.

�

~ February 2014 | BUSINESSWomanah4

Above: Anderson hand-scraped wood floor plank.

Flooring Possibilities and theModern Homeowner By LEE DUSSINGER

Right, from top: Marazzi Archaeologyporcelain tile shower; Marazzi Archaeology

porcelain tile whirlpool encasement,decorative backsplash, and floor;

Marazzi’s American Heritage Collectionporcelain tile in a wood look.

AAbeautiful floor will be a home’sshowpiece, setting the foundationfor any inspirational homeproject.

The last few years have representedsomething of a renaissance for thehome-flooring industry; there havenever been more options forindividual products or a wider rangeof statements that can be madethrough their use.

“There are so many excitingoptions out there, more than therehave ever been in the past 20 years,”Elmer Stoltzfus, owner of HeritageFloors in Lancaster County, says.“There is no limit to what you can dowith a great floor.”

Genuine wood flooring is the mostluxurious option and a rightfullypopular one. The natural hues ofwood and rich color presented in adesign are strong yet subtle.

Anderson flooring represents the

industry leader in authentic wood forthe South-Central Pennsylvaniaregion. An American-made brand,Anderson floors offers bothtraditional options and a manuallyproduced “hand-scraped” wood style.

In contrast to other machine-made,glossy wood merchandise, Anderson’s“hand-scraped” pieces are createdusing antique carpentry techniques,which give the final product adesirable, rustic appearance.

Rustic styling is especially popularin this region. Even contemporaryhomes look beautiful when fitted withhand-scraped floors that reflect thearea’s frontier homestead history. Thisaesthetic can be achieved with eitherlight or dark shades, using naturalwood or tile printed to resemblewood.

The organic imperfections seenin hand-scraped wood flooringcontribute to this rustic sense, as do

the authentic methods used in itsproduction.

Innovation has brought vinyl andporcelain tile to the forefront of thehome-flooring industry. Advanceddigital-printing technology allowsmanufacturers to incorporate thevisual qualities of authentic wood orslate on affordable, long-lastingmaterial. This marriage of practicalityand distinct appearance has rapidlymade vinyl and porcelain tile supremefavorites.

Congoleum, a manufacturer ofvinyl tile, leapt to prominence with theinvention of Scotchgard Protector.Tiles equipped with ScotchgardProtector are nearly impervious tohousehold damage and require onlythe most basic cleaning measures. Apermanent marker’s ink will disappearwith the use of a cleaning cloth.

“The Scotchgard Protector is reallya game changer,” Stoltzfus says. “All I

have to do is a simple demonstration,and it sells itself.”

Carpet is still a highly popularoption due to its affordability andcomfort factor. In spite of theincreasing prominence of othermaterials, carpet remains thepreferred choice for the bedrooms ofthe home.

Regardless of make or material,simplicity reigns in contemporaryflooring. Neutral tones are morepopular than bold colors. Subtle butattractive floors of any material oftensegue the homeowner’s attention tomore vibrant walls and colorfulfurniture. In these cases, the floor setsthe tone for the entire room.

As a homeowner, selecting a floorcan be overwhelming as flooringoptions seem endless. It is safe to say,however, that whichever flooring yousettle on will be key to the overalldesign in your home.

BusinessWomanPA.com | February 2014 ~ ah5

• Carpet & Upholstery

• Ceramic Tile & Grout

•Marble, Granite,

& Wood Floor

Rejuvenation

Professional Cleaning Services

717-761-4444

www.gelcopa.com

SPECIALIZING IN:

• Valances/Draperies

• Bed Ensembles

• Floral Designs

• Blinds/Shades/Shutters

• Accessories/Lamps

• Art/Mirrors

• Color/DesignConsulting for NewConstruction &Renovation

• Consultations forPaint Colors,Furniture & FloorSelection

Showroom hours: Mon. - Fri. 10-5 • Sat 10-2

Call us at 717-354-22331064 East Main St. (Rt. 23) New Holland, PA

www.HeritageDesignInteriors.com