About Us
Our Roots
“Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, and it determines your destiny.” – Aristotle
Excellence is never an accident. Performance Kitchen’s & Home founder, Brian Forman, knew this when he began in the business in 1974 but his journey in becoming the one of the premier kitchen designers in Philadelphia started with artisanal roots.
The Performance Kitchen Showroom Through The Decades
1970 – Humble beginnings
While extensive renovations were being done to the future showroom; in exchange for shelter, the homeless would keep watch over the building while the cabinetry was being built in a barn in Montgomery County. The goal was to eventually have a place to display the cabinetry and house a design studio. Our sign said “Please excuse our appearance, we are remodeling.” Truth be it, the sign should have said “Please excuse our appearance: we can’t afford glass!”
1980 – First Showroom of Its Type
We re-built the building from top to bottom. We were a construction company with its own cabinet shop and design staff. Our showroom became the first of its type in Philadelphia, and Manayunk’s first revitalization project, besides the U.S. Post Office next door which used to be the local Police Station.
1990 – Specialized Kitchen Design
As the company began to transform, so did the trends. The kitchen was becoming the center of the home. Performance Kitchens continued to hone its craft in the fine art of kitchen design as well as orchestrating all the moving parts of the remodeling process.
The complexity of integrating and coordinating the many elements and trades involved in a kitchen project can be overwhelming. Utilizing the model of commercial architecture; Performance created professional Design Management Services to streamline the complex nature of residential kitchen remodeling.
2000 – Changing with the Times
Performance continued transforming the older homes of Philadelphia while maintaining their character and aesthetics. Client’s would often return to design other rooms of the home as well as their vacation homes. Thus, we adapted the trade name Performance Kitchens & Home.
The company’s mission became to create the best design for the house while assuring the maximum enjoyment for its occupants and adding value to the home. Trendy designs and products were rarely encouraged and adding value to the home was always key to the design.
2020 – The Renaissance
Once again, the Performance Kitchens & Home showroom was upgraded. Referred to as the company’s Renaissance, Performance continues to grow and tackle the most difficult remodels. We specialize in design management and creating highly functional and creative spaces. Our unprecedented knowledge of cabinetry assures a lifetime of value engineered into every project.