In 37 years of working together, designers Paul and Ruth Riemer say they’ve never been busier or happier.

By Robin Jovanovich

In 37 years of working together, designers Paul and Ruth Riemer say they’ve never been busier or happier.

Riemer Kitchens and Fine Cabinetry started off in New Rochelle, where Paul grew up. When the economy was booming at the end of the 1990s, they decided to make a move, to a large showroom on Purchase Street. 

“Those were the days when owners took out large home equity loans at the drop of a hat and there seemed to be no limit on spending,” said Paul.

When the recession hit, the designing couple lowered their sights and moved into first-floor space in an early 1900s house owned by another Paul, architect Paul Benowitz, whose offices were upstairs.  

Today, the Riemers can laugh about the flood that forced all of them to vacate the building and had them making a mad dash to save as many files as possible. They all happily moved back in. But last year, their landlord decided to sell the building, so the Riemers starting searching for new office space again.

While Harrison wasn’t on their original horizon, they had a good feeling about a first-floor space with a large picture window on Purdy Street in Harrison, across from Emilio’s restaurant and a quick walk from the train station.

“It’s funny,” said Paul. “We moved to Rye to get more high-end clients, but we’ve ended up with many more clients whose main focus is quality work at a reasonable price. So, downsizing is our story.”

For every custom cabinet assignment — kitchen, bath, laundry room, media room — the couple has a well-designed solution. They have exclusive arrangements with Kraftmaid, a top-of-the line cabinet company, and Crystal Cabinets, one peg below. They can get a great selection of knobs and pulls through Top Knobs Hardware.

The Riemers charge a “reasonable” flat design fee. Their average client comes in with ideas, clippings from shelter magazines. “We direct clients to our website and ask them to tell us what they love and hate,” said Paul. “The website is a work-in-progress but there is a direct link to Houzz, where you can browse at your leisure.”

But online can only take a project so far. Each job requires lots of meetings and hours of hand drawing of plans by the Riemers. Ordering is only 1% of the process, Paul explained. 

“Our clients love the fact that we’re hands-on; it’s reflective of what we do. We may be dinosaurs but we do everything, including unloading the truck when the cabinets arrive!”

And if you have a need for speed, rest assured that the Riemers get the job done quickly — eight to nine weeks from when an order is placed, you’ll have cabinets installed, if you have picked out the appliances.

 

“We can fly once we know whether you want to make the investment in a Sub-Zero or are content with a Frigidaire,” said Paul. “We follow a course and at this point it’s almost foolproof.”

One hundred percent of their work is by appointment only, so call 921-0303 first.