These days, it’s not unusual for teenagers or young adults to take time away from school to travel or otherwise gain some experience in life. Most will come home from their sabbaticals with stories of fleeting love and adventure. But for Drew Pelc, co-owner and president of Dynamic Kitchens in London, Ontario, a year away from school at aged 16 working for a kitchen manufacturer turned into a love of creativity, cabinetry and custom design that’s been anything but fleeting.
Starting in kitchen cabinetry at such a young age has allowed Drew to experience almost every job there is – from the shop floor to installing cabinets in client’s homes, from sales and now to company ownership. It’s Drew’s belief that to truly understand something, you must immerse yourself within it, something he has done for the last 30 years in the custom kitchen industry. “I have been in senior management at various kitchen companies over the years but I always knew that this – owning my own company – would be the final step in the progression of my career,” said Drew.
For Shelley Pelc – co-owner, multi-award-winning design consultant and Drew’s wife – a degree in Interior Design Technology was what led to her outstanding career designing custom kitchens and cabinetry. Her flair for creating a functional yet aesthetically pleasing space – plus the pure fun of design – has kept Shelley generating stunning kitchens for the past 18 years. “It’s a great career to be involved in when you enjoy creativity and design.”
In 2012, Shelley and Drew came upon the opportunity to purchase what was then Jem-Door Woodcraft Limited, a custom cabinetry business that had been open since 1975. Known for more traditional designs and manufacturing practices, “(We) completely revamped every aspect of the business while improving upon the high quality standards already in place,” said Drew. Dynamic Kitchens is now known as a leader in their industry, using the most up to date technology throughout the entire custom design process, from conceptualization to installation and finishing touches. It’s their forward thinking approach to design that has kept Dynamic Kitchens at the top of the custom cabinetry field, complete with provincial recognition in the way of two nominations for this year’s Ontario Home Builders Association Awards (Most Outstanding Kitchen and Most Outstanding Bathroom respectively).
But let’s be honest. There are thousands of options – for price, features, layout, etc. – when it comes to creating a kitchen for your home. You can buy an entire kitchen, right down to the last hinge, with one visit to a big box store.
So why bother with a custom kitchen and design process? One Word: Quality.
“I can tell you with great conviction that this is an industry in which you get what you pay for,” said Drew. “Mass produced products are all designed with one thing in mind: keeping the product as cheap as possible for the end consumer. This can only be accomplished by using lower quality products, materials and manufacturing techniques. The most common long-terms issues are related to the parts of your kitchen you can see and touch – the hinges, the drawer glides, the finish. The quality of these items should never be skimped on.”
With that in mind, the company strives to improve its product and offer their clients the best of the best when it comes to kitchens and cabinetry. “Our company name – Dynamic Kitchens – says it all. Our direction will always be cutting-edge and forward-thinking. I’ve always said, ‘If you aren’t continually moving forward, you’re moving backward as others will pass you by.’ We will always continue moving forward,” said Drew.
Creating a custom kitchen can be overwhelming if you’re not sure what you want. But the design team at Dynamic Kitchens thrives on helping each client bring their most far-off visions of a dream kitchen into reality and into their homes. “It’s always a great start when a client has done a little research on their own first. But we will ask questions to ensure we cover everything a client may not have thought of,” said Shelley. No matter whether you’re renovating your existing kitchen or creating one from scratch in a brand new home, the Dynamic Kitchens design process is thorough and straight-forward but also encompasses sharp attention to detail to ensure the client’s personality and lifestyle characteristics are present throughout the entire design.
“We offer far more design options than a semi-custom or catalogue based company. Our design experience and knowledge completes the package; from picking out paint colours to suggesting lighting options, floor and wall tile, plumbing fixtures – the list goes on!” said Shelley.
There’s no doubt that Dynamic Kitchens offers their clients a truly exceptional custom kitchen creation experience. And while Drew and Shelley have certainly worked hard to build the business together, they are both quick to give much credit to the team they’ve assembled for contributing to the overall success of Dynamic Kitchens.
“Having been in the industry for over 30 years, I have been able to hand pick some of the most dedicated and talented industry professionals. We have designers, finishers and cabinet makers with over 30 years of experience each,” said Drew. “We have a passion for the work that we do and a strong desire to ensure that our clients are thrilled with the results of their project. Our team is a team in every sense of the word. We are all on the same page when it comes to producing a perfect product. Plus, we all love what we do and who we do it with.”