Six years ago, when we—formerly Bluebell Kitchens and now Bluebell Fine Cabinetry & Design—moved our headquarters to the Main Line, Bluebell was among the first design firms in the region, if not the first, to create a showroom featuring full kitchen displays. Up till then, clients were shown a sink or range installation and had to rely on those and the designer’s drawings to envision how their new kitchen could look, feel and function in their home.
With the success of the showroom model and Bluebell’s extraordinary growth here in Wayne, we’ve chosen to continue that distinction by expanding our headquarters. Doubling in size, the new, state-of-the-art 5,000sf showroom and design studio features six displays, including four complete custom luxury kitchens, an innovative bar and a dedicated high-tech “beverage pantry.”
And to help us mark the occasion, more than 300 of our favorite people, including friends, clients and colleagues, joined us on a beautiful June evening for the expanded space’s grand opening, right next door to the original location, still at 200 West Lancaster Avenue in Wayne.
“When we take people through our complete showroom kitchens, we give them a chance to experience how a variety of design elements and products contribute to a whole purpose-driven space,” says Pete Cardamone, founder and principal designer of the company he started nearly 35 years ago. “Partial kitchen ‘samples’ don’t do that."
“Even better, Bluebell’s incredible craftsmanship is evident throughout the showroom. The precision installation you see here is every bit as meticulous as every kitchen we create for a client, whether it’s for a new custom build or working with the challenges common to an existing or even historic home. The quality of materials and products, of fit and finish—what you see here is what you get.”
The traditional, transitional and modern displays show innovations that include such desirable features as these:
An eight-foot long professional cooking range and hood by Officine Gullo, the luxury European appliance brand that builds each product one at a time to each customer’s specifications
Beautiful, uncommon woods, such as butternut (a golden-brown member of the walnut family with a beautiful cathedral grain pattern) and eucalyptus (interesting ripply grain that takes paint well)
Novel natural stone fabrications using marble, quartzite and high-end composites
Cutting-edge technology, including
App-controlled electronic lockouts for liquor and wine storage
Invisible induction cooking in the countertop
Seamless wireless charging stations set into island tops
Automatic integrated lighting options
Adjustable lighting—2700-4000 kelvins—in the expanded samples library to demonstrate how materials will look under various lighting conditions
Modern interpretation of classical features, such as one kitchen’s use of reeded wood, reeded marble and reeded glass
Latest purpose-designed, custom-fitted drawer and cabinet organization systems
Bluebell’s own private-label cabinetry
Appliances from the most coveted manufacturers available anywhere
Overall, a range of ideas from the award-winning creative team at Bluebell, often developed in partnership with Bluebell’s choice suppliers and manufacturers
Pete and Jake Taylor, managing partner, traveled extensively in the U.S. and Europe, seeking inspiration to use in the displays for the new showroom. “We intentionally sought creative resources to combine with the timeless design that’s so much a part of Bluebell’s overall design aesthetic,” says Pete, “whether it’s solely in the kitchen or expands into exceptional cabinetry and millwork throughout the home or office.”
“This investment in our company paid off six years ago, helping us achieve our amazing growth—which compels us to expand our back-of-the-house design studio as well,” says Jake. “Our clients deserve to see our continuing commitment to give them the most beautiful and best functioning space possible.”
Bluebell has arranged to donate the 2017-built showroom displays to nonprofit Renovation Angel, America’s leading recycler of luxury pre-owned kitchens and showroom displays.
