Bunker Workshop

If kitchen design had a Hall of Fame, Chris from Bunker Workshop would already have his plaque, probably installed with perfect lighting and clever storage behind it. From the start, Chris was a joy to work with: timely, thoughtful, and endlessly creative. He really listened to us, even when our ideas veered into mad-genius territory. (We now have hidden boxes for stand-alone induction cooktops and a murphy door that leads to a secret pantry, basically the kitchen version of Narnia.) Instead of talking us down, Chris found ways to make those ideas elegant, functional, and entirely "us." He’s also wonderfully budget-conscious, never one to push pricey finishes for the sake of it, and always ready with smart, high-quality alternatives. During construction, he was incredibly responsive and helped us gracefully navigate every unexpected bump along the way. And to top it all off, he’s just a genuinely lovely human, both patient and kind. We’re already planning our next project (the bathroom!) and didn’t even pretend to consider anyone else. We immediately called Chris. We’re also recommending him to all our friends, partly because we want them to have great homes and easy renovations, but mostly so we can continue talking about how much we love our kitchen.

Chris created a functional and beautiful design for my 850 sq. ft. apartment in Philadelphia. I heartily recommend him. I've really enjoyed a collaborative design process with him and find him very responsive and clear in his communication. Moreover, he does what is needed very very quickly and has responded throughout construction to questions and clarifications on the fly, thus, helping keep us on schedule. He has really maintained a great balance of involved and on it when needed but also not hovering (and accumulating hours) when all is humming along. This is particularly commendable given that my renovation involves all custom design work for cabinetry as well as a custom central sculptural feature that houses closets, bookcases, and an alcove bed. I have no doubt he can make any project, whether standard fare or (like mine) an innovative and singular design, run like a clock. My project is not yet finished but thus far, the design features are singing. Photos of the final project to follow!

Bunker Workshop is a pure professional operation. Chris, the owner was my sole contact for my entire project. He listens, provides great insight and feedback, is meticulous, and is timely. Bunker Workshop's responsiveness and honesty is a rarity these days. It is apparent Chris loves what he does. Communication is clear and most professional. The level of knowledge from layout to functionality and material recommendations is amazing. Chris' design is impressive, and his willingness to listen to his clients is amazing. His measurements were more accurate than those of my architect. Intuitive layout, use of space and design concepts while thinking two steps ahead are just a few of the attributes that make Bunker such a great firm. I could not make a higher recommendation for a design firm. The bid set created included all materials, cabinet designs and specs, appliance specs, window specs, counter, doors and finishes. The completed materials Bunker provided were incredibly detailed and I was able to get contractor bids from the comprehensive design plans to compare apples to apples quotes. Working with Bunker saved time, eliminated headaches throughout the project and ultimately saved money.

Chris has been a pleasure to work with. We loved the aesthetics of his portfolio and had never been through a home remodeling so thought it would be a good idea to hire someone to guide us through. He helped us transform 3 cramped bathrooms and a master bedroom into large airy and bright spaces. He gave us a range of finishing options, which allowed us to mix and match budget items like ikea wardrobes with more high end tiles, for example. He put all the information together to help us work through the quoting process with multiple contractors to find the best option. We plan to use Chris again in the future for all of our next projects.

It's been a pleasure working with Chris. Chris has a great aesthetic and style, and very open to a collaborative process to ensure that usability is adapted to the user. With style, Chris has been a very versatile way of working: sometimes he is firm (like when I come to him with a terrible idea) and sometimes he is very encouraging/ open minded. He's very transparent, communicative, and is an amazing resource -- can't wait to implement our design!

If you are looking for highly functional, high end interiors and someone who is conscious of your budget, Chris is your guy. Chris is a perfectionist who will design your project as if it is his own home. Chris’ background in fabrication affords him the ability to understand how things will be built and installed, especially custom pieces. The result is the client receives a product that is not “off the shelf” (even if you are using off the shelf products) - one of the many things that puts Chris at the head of his industry. He has worked and studied in some of the top locations for architecture around the world. His library of past and ongoing projects is extensive and he is perpetually studying awarding winning design to bring clever ideas into his layouts. It is a privilege to hire Chris for your project, his work is that special. We have hired him 3 times and now exclusively use him for all our projects.

We approached Chris to help us on our basement remodel after noticing a few of his past projects on a design website. We knew he would be a great fit in terms of style and design aesthetics. Chris listened to our needs and took on board some of our ideas/inspirations and created a clean modern functional space that caters to our needs. He was especially fantastic at coming up with really cool and unique design features that we love. We also appreciate how he was mindful of our budget and suggested different options to help us stay within budget without sacrificing the overall look. Chris is very approachable and extremely knowledgeable. He always responds very quickly and always gave thoughtful suggestions feedback. The project is still ongoing and we can't wait to see the end result. It has been a pleasure working with Chris thus far and we would highly recommend him.

we are so pleased to be working with chris. we knew it would be a good match in terms of his style, but aside from that he has a professional but easy-going personality. his design really reflected our needs and wishes. he is responsive and honest. we have really enjoyed this project, despite some hiccups and are SO GLAD we hired an architect for this project.

Chris did an excellent job with a complete remodel of our kitchen, bath and laundry in our 1840's Charlestown townhouse. Working with the existing footprint of a small, narrow and closed galley kitchen, Chris opened up the space and connected it with the sunroom dining area. He knocked down walls that had visually closed in the space and removed most of the wall cabinets creating a sense of expansion visually. He used beautiful slim wooden shelves against frosty Ceasarstone to visually extend the counters into the dining area and unify the galley with the dining area. The shelves also housed LCD underlighting and all the appliance outlets, so the stone wall surfaces stayed clean. Chris recommended affordable custom cabinets by Camio Cabinetry with panels on the fridge and dishwasher to create a smooth clean facade. The tiles he recommended were large industrial, rich gray tiles laid in an alternating geometric pattern, which also helped unify the spaces and create a flow between the rooms. The panty with beautiful sliding doors were made with frosted glass panels and is where we put the microwave keeping it off the counter and out of the limited cabinetry. He crowned the dining area with an elegant French 50's reproduction ceiling fixture by Serge Mouille, The total effect is sleek and rich surfaces and an expansive, airy space. As part of the project, Chris also relocated our laundry from the old kitchen to a 3rd floor closet and remodeled the bathroom for our 3 teenage daughters. Again, he opened up the space with clean surfaces, a glass hinged shower 2/3 door. He added a box vanity that "hung" on the wall with a large mirror and put a shelved niche in the shower for all the girls' shower products. The surfaces are white with black fixtures and the tiles in earthy neutrals. The total effect was clean, simple and functional. Chris is a very talented architect and was easy to work with. We had a lot of back and forth on the design in the early stages, and he had great suggestions throughout the process. In the end, we stayed true to his final design through the construction process. I also have to call out the contractor that Chris introduced us to Michel Beaudry out of Rockland Mass. Michel is a real artisan/craftsman and a thoughtful problem-solver. No short cuts. He also crafted all the beautiful wooden shelves, wooden counters and refitted and built new doors. As the owner of an 1840's home, I feel like the steward for something that will long outlast us and I believe we owe the house integrity. Michel is that kind of contractor. I loved his work! Not to say we didn't hit some bumps along the way, but we worked through them together and the outcome was great quality ... and we stayed on budget. What more can you ask? Big thanks to Chris and Michel.

I was looking for a designer who I could trust during the actual renovation as I would be out of town during that time. I found Chris on this website, liked the clean lines in the work that was posted, and fortunately for me, discovered he also did work in Philadelphia. After our first meeting, I knew I wanted him to work on my first major renovation. He was trustworthy, detail oriented, and easy to understand (he sent me an excel file of items to buy, with links to where and how much). Most importantly, he was able combine what I wanted to do with my studio with what was actually possible, put it on paper, find a general contractor, and did the research and narrowed down my options so I did not have too much to choose from.

Chris was a delight to work with. He was creative, knowledgeable, patient and easily accessible. From the start, he was able to sense and articulate our own design tastes and incorporate the right elements into the plans. He was flexible when we suggested last minute changes, always keeping in mind the big picture and the budget, advising us on where to save and where to splurge for maximum effect. His plans and renderings were precise and beautiful, and we used them religiously during the construction phase. Chris was also available to meet at length with our contractors and went out of his way to make additional plans and drawings when we had to deal with a Historical Commission of our neighborhood for approvals. He has transformed a dingy, claustrophobic maze of small kitchen/dining rooms into a modern, bright, happy place where we now spend most of our time cooking, playing, working, and entertaining. We are lucky to have had a chance to work with Chris, and would hire him again in a heartbeat.

Chris did a truly great job with the space. At first, I was going to renovate the kitchen and essentially replace the existing kitchen with upgraded appliances. He was very honest and recommended against doing that because there would be limited incremental functionality, it would cost a lot and because I intend to rent the apartment in a few years it just did not make sense. He recommended that if I were to remodel the kitchen, then I should actually change the layout to improve the space. That is exactly what he did. He reimagined the space, moved appliances, modernized the feel, added a great sit down area to eat and tied together the living space. Without Chris' insights, the project would have cost a lot with minimal improvement. With his insights, the apartment looks great and has the full functionality I desired. I am going to use Chris for my next project.