Doma Kitchen & Bath Showroom

Plan your complete remodel at Wallcovering Ltd.
By Karen Appold

Doma Kitchen & Bath Showroom at Wallcovering Ltd. is your one-stop shop for remodeling any room in your home. First you’ll work with a designer to create the perfect layout, and then you’ll choose all the materials you’ll need—flooring, cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, etc., to complete your project.

“It makes life so much easier when you can shop at one place instead of running around from store to store with different samples,” says Stuart Nelson, who operates the business along with his parents, Gene and Marilyn and wife Christine.

“We don’t just sell the products, we design too,” Stuart emphasizes. “Many people do it backwards. They come in with an estimate from a contractor, but they don’t have a floor plan and they haven’t chosen their products yet. People are shocked part-way through the job when their budgets get blown out.”

Not having a solid plan in place before beginning can be costly. According to Consumer Reports, every time you make a change on the fly it can cost $650 to $1,500 on average. With a $30,000 kitchen remodel, for instance, 15 percent would be added to a budget by incorporating two or three impromptu changes.

“We start with the design and product,” Stuart says. “First we determine what you want to do with the space, then help you select products, and then a contractor can give you an accurate estimate.”

Stuart points out that given the state of the economy, companies have developed products that appeal to price conscious consumers and are aware that people want more value for their money. “Styles and finishes might be limited, but you’ll get the same quality and warranty,” Stuart says. “Products are designed to stimulate sales; the goal is to have customers invest in their homes again.”

Another one of Doma’s niches is selling products from smaller boutiques rather than big name brand items that are sold in warehouse stores.

“Smaller boutique brands can give you more bang for your buck, and a much higher level of quality, and they can do so at competitive prices because they are putting their money into product instead of marketing,” Stuart explains. “They count on retailers like us to promote and educate customers. When people are value oriented, this can save them money and get them better products.”

Doma carries many different brands of products from companies such as Kahle’s Kitchens, Santec and Aquabrass faucets, Toto toilets and Oceanside Glass Tile. Stuart notes that Kahle’s Kitchens, in northern Pennsylvania, makes every effort to be a green company. One of their green options for customers, for instance, are formaldehyde free cabinets that cost just 10 percent more. “Customers can feel good about getting something green for their household without breaking the bank,” Stuart says.

Gene Nelson started Wallcovering Ltd. in 1974, when a distant relative gave him some wallpaper on consignment. He set up shop on the second floor of the present-day building. Within five years, the business expanded to include flooring, cabinetry and other kitchen and bath materials. The small second-floor space expanded as well, in fact Gene was able to purchase the building and turn the entire first and second floors into a 10,000-square-foot showroom, office and warehouse space for the quickly growing business.

In a sense, the business has outgrown its original name. It needed a new one to reflect its diverse product line as well as let existing customers know it was still in town—hence, Doma Kitchen & Bath Showroom at Wallcovering Ltd. was born.

So go ahead, design and shop for your entire remodel all under one roof at Doma Kitchen & Bath Showroom at Wallcovering Ltd. And if you want wallpaper, they still sell that, too!

Doma Kitchen & Bath Showroom at Wallcovering Ltd. is located at 3 Dekalb Street, Bridgeport. Call 610-272-0100 or visit www.wallcoveringltd.com for more information.

Karen Appold is a freelance writer in Royersford (www.WriteNowServices.com).