Homeowners considering a kitchen or bath remodel often have to rely on the expertise and guidance of a seasoned professional for everything from designing the layout to selecting flooring and window treatments. To ensure no detail is overlooked, homeowners may want to call on the refined eye of Jere Bradwell, owner of J Bradwells Home Kitchen & Design.

Bradwell has over 20 years of experience in interior design, completing the looks of clients’ homes including kitchens, baths, exterior finishes, floors, walls and window treatments. In addition, the company remodels kitchens and baths, and through their role as dealers of lighting, flooring, carpet, tile and more, J Bradwells can handle every component from start to finish.

House & Home spoke with Bradwell about his design philosophy and why he never loses sight of clients’ vision.

What is your philosophy for design and how is your approach to the remodeling process unique?
We’re approaching the project from a design standpoint. When we meet with the client to hear their goals for a kitchen, for instance, we’re not just going to look at the kitchen by itself—it’s an integral part of the house. We want to make sure the finished project coordinates with the rest of the house. During the meeting process we’ll learn about the clients and their taste and what they want to achieve: Do they cook? Do they want to fit several people at an island and not need a table? Do we need to take down walls for more space?

 In one project we figured out how to remove a pantry to allow for a large island. We then moved tables to another area and created a sitting room with a built-in area for children to do their homework, and then we brought in wood flooring where there was none before. We touched three or four areas at once and brought together a major plan, giving the homeowners what they wanted. Someone else would have just done the kitchen as it existed.

What are some of the steps homeowners can expect along the way?
We’ll come away from the meeting with everything we need to create a plan for the client. Using 3D software we can give the homeowner a chance to see what it will look like. Then we bring them into the showroom to go over budget and make decisions on finishes, tile, flooring, etc. We get all of that done ahead of time to order key components before we even touch the kitchen or bathroom. We don’t want to wait for things to arrive. I am very proud of the relationships we have with our stone and quartz companies. There is usually a fast turnaround so homeowners aren’t waiting for pieces to come in.

We have a complete set of high-quality contractors to perform anything from demolition and wall removal to plumbing, lighting and electrical. We’re a dealer for a dozen lighting companies, which allows us to bring the most unique products to these projects.

Who communicates with the contractors along the way?
This is something homeowners never have to worry about. We have project managers on staff who meet with the contractors, keeping tabs on the schedule, making sure we’re moving from the flooring to the walls, and our project managers are there to answer questions for the homeowners. That service is one of the biggest differentiators for us.

What are some of the trends in kitchen and bath design?
In master baths, typically people want to remove the tub they no longer use and expand with a spa shower, new vanity and fresher colors. In kitchens, people love getting big islands and upgrading the look. We haven’t done a dark kitchen in a while, but also people are moving away from all white. Color is coming back in different ways. I also see interesting countertop trends, like the use of quartz product, which is man-made and gives you the look you want without worrying about the stone pattern. Quartzite is a stone that is harder and more bulletproof than marble, but has the properties and beauty of it.

Why is it important for you to offer services for the complete picture of a client’s home?
Whatever we’re doing for that homeowner, no matter the scope of the job, even if it’s a family room, they know item by item everything that is happening. They can count on us from start to end, and whatever we have to do to make it perfect, we’re going to do. That includes accessories. We’re a Hunter Douglas window treatments dealer, which means we can incorporate silhouettes, sheers, shutters or shades in a kitchen or bathroom project. We’re not going to just do the basics and then we’re gone. We want to create a complete ‘wow’ effect home, and I’m proud to say we’ve had homeowners with whom we’ve worked on as many as three homes. These clients become friends.

J Bradwells Home Kitchen & Bath Design
Lahaska, Pa. | (215) 794-4443 | JBradwells.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 20, Issue 3 (September 2019). 
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