CHEVY CHASE, MD — At Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Ltd., success stems not so much from the belief that the customer is always right, but rather that the customer deserves what is right.

Gilmer, CKD and owner of the firm, based here, explains: “Listening to the clients and collaborating with them or any associated professionals is key, as is acknowledging their ideas while showing them other ideas. The more you pay attention to the details, the better the design and the process will work. Therefore, our design philosophy is simply to focus on great design. Do that, and the sales will follow.”

It is Gilmer’s ability to turn these beliefs into stunning designs that led her to be named the “Pinnacle of Design” award winner for 2009 National Kitchen & Bath Association’s Design Competition.

It has also led to her newest venture, KitchenDesignOnLine, an online service created to bring great design to the masses.

In business for 12 years, Gilmer caters to homeowners with upper-bracket incomes while specializing in kitchen and bath remodeling projects.

She is aided by a staff of 13, which includes three CKDs and two CBDs, two of whom are also ASIDs.

Service by Design

Perhaps the most exciting addition to Gilmer’s core services, KitchenDesignOnLine is an online design studio specializing in kitchen planning and drawings.

She explains: “This service allows clients to get great design and to be able to buy cabinets through discount places or places like DirectBuy. It’s a great tool for builders who have direct accounts with cabinet manufacturers or millwork shops. Now they don’t have to hire a designer to fulfill this role.

“We started this in an effort to bring great design to the masses. Finding capable designers at discount cabinet stores or ‘Big Box’ stores can be a challenge.”

Gilmer continues: “For the last couple of years, I have had numerous clients come into my showroom who wanted a professional kitchen design so that they could get quotes from different cabinet suppliers. They found it is difficult to get prices without a design and found that kitchen design is often too detailed for a do-it-yourself project. With plans from KitchenDesignOnLine, people can get a custom kitchen design for less than $1,000 and then have the choice to buy products locally.”

Gilmer adds that KitchenDesignOnLine helps the homeowner, builder or architect achieve the best design by providing a full range of services, from floor plans and detailed elevations to 3D perspective images, electrical plans and interior design recommendations.