The kitchen is the heart and soul of every home. A beautiful, functional kitchen tops the remodeling wish list for countless homeowners.
Lehigh Valley native Kitchen Magic, founded in Allentown in 1979 by Jost (Joe) and Reine Fleck as a tiny family business specializing in cabinet refacing, has been helping transform kitchens for over four decades.
The Kitchen Magic Story
In 1979, cabinet refacing was a brand-new concept. Joe Fleck recognized the potential of this affordable alternative for homeowners to transform their kitchens. With the help of his wife, Reine, and their three daughters—Cindy, Renate and Lotte—the company grew from a tiny basement office to a thriving business. Even the logo was a family affair; originally drawn by Reine’s father, Stanley Waite, a commercial artist, the logo depicts two gnomes hard at work, and is most widely recognized by the gnomes’ tall red hats.
In 1992, Joe's son-in-law Brett Bacho joined the company, bringing with him expertise as an engineer. Brett's vision led the company into manufacturing many of their products, which include two cabinetry lines and dozens of door styles, all now proudly manufactured right in Nazareth.
In 1997, Brett recruited his brother Chad from Cornell University to continue and lead advancements and innovations in technology. Today, Chad remains at the forefront of Kitchen Magic’s technological evolution, innovation and integration throughout all departments.
Brett has led the company as president and CEO since 1998, and in 2010 spearheaded moving the company headquarters and factory to Nazareth, PA. The three sisters each have focused on specific areas of the business: Cindy (recently retired), Customer Experience; Renate, Marketing and Product Development; and Lotte in HR and Finance.
Kitchen Magic has a long-held commitment to building a strong team with shared values and pride in its history as an American manufacturer. With over 45 years’ experience and 60,000 renovations, Kitchen Magic’s seasoned, expert team is dedicated to delighting customers and creating a smooth, professionally managed experience and process, leaving clients with kitchens and baths their families will love and enjoy every day for many years to come.
Under Brett's leadership, Kitchen Magic continues its innovation in technology, process and product, as well as deep community roots and involvement.
THE KITCHEN EVOLUTION. REMODELING THEN AND NOW.
In Kitchen Magic’s first year, the world of kitchen remodeling was vastly different from today. A quick snapshot creates quite the before-and-after story.
Kitchen Remodeling Circa 1979:
- Colors and Styles: Color, style and choices of solutions options were very limited. Woodgrain doors and cabinetry were the standard with heavy, pronounced grains, often the orange-hued oak or dark reds of cherry. Door styles tended to be detailed, often with arched raised-panel designs.
- Design and Layout: The kitchen was mostly a boxed-in space, typically walled off from the other rooms in the home.
- Materials: Laminate countertops and tile-design linoleum flooring in shades of brown dominated the product offering.
- Technology: Kitchen planning consisted of hand-drawn layouts on graph paper and manual mechanical schematics for plans.
- Education and Information: Knowledge regarding design, materials and options stayed mostly in the hands of trained experts.
- Trends are static and slow to change and evolve.
Today:
- Colors and Styles: Neutral tones and bright spaces with simple clean lines have wide appeal. Pops of color are often achieved with accessories and paints or complementing island/peninsula color.
- Design and Layout: Open-concept kitchens that open to and integrate with other living areas, enhancing the kitchen as the heart of the home, are highly desired. (Check out Kitchen Magic’s visualizer at kitchenmagic.com!)
- Materials: Engineered stone countertops (such as quartz) and natural stone materials have taken first place for their durability, beauty and myriad colors and patterns. Engineered products in general are favored for ease of maintenance and longevity (think Trex for decks).
- Technology: The design process is now quite hi-tech. In 2025, homeowners can use advanced design software online before anything else happens, and the final plan is presented with a 3D rendering.
- Education and Information: Access to endless information, for instance, through online tutorials, blogs, video content and online forums, makes it possible for anyone with an interest to become confident and knowledgeable in design.
- Trend Acceleration: Popular home renovation networks like HGTV and new social media content drive interest and desire for optimal aesthetics and functionality. Remodeling trends now flow as reliably as clothing fashions.
What are some top trends for today’s kitchens?
Today’s homeowners have endless options in color, style and materials and storage solutions. As with any product, kitchen colors and styles come and go, while some remain timeless.
- For years, whites and grays have dominated the kitchen landscape. White in particular is a timeless choice. More recently, though, woodgrains have been making their comeback. The desire to “bring the outdoors in” through natural hues and woodgrains—or “biophilic design”—is beginning to give white a run for its money. These woodgrains tend to be softer and more contemporary, often with a simpler, Scandinavian feel.
- Bold colors often make an appearance as primary or secondary colors, with rich blues and greens the most popular.
- Ample cabinetry and maximized storage using storage accessories are must-haves.
- Multifunctional spaces like an island or peninsula that double as home office, homework or craft/project spaces are a high-priority part of many plans.
Kitchens have come a long way, baby! Endless advances in the industry and the advantages of remodeling in 2025 make it an exciting time to be in the market for a remodel. The world is your oyster.
For Kitchen Magic, much of the “magic" of their story is the peace of mind Kitchen Magic provides to customers and employees alike, fostering a people-first culture built on collaboration, continuous improvement and learning.
More than a few team members have literally grown up with the company and been part of the journey for over three decades.
Today, Kitchen Magic serves PA, NJ, NY, CT and DE, and continues as a leader not only in refacing, but in a broad range of remodeling solutions, including all-new kitchens with hundreds of style and color combinations possible, countertops, backsplashes and flooring, as well as bath area transformations.
Kitchen Magic provides the option of refacing, all-new cabinetry or a blended solution of both, optimizing a total transformation as well as budget. Their process is a well-oiled machine.
As always, Kitchen Magic’s experts are available six days a week, visiting homeowners to help craft solutions that best meet their needs and budget. The consultation is always free, but the advice is priceless.
Get started with that dream kitchen by visiting kitchenmagic.com to view products and services, check out their new visualizer tool and schedule a free, in-home consultation. Or simply call 800.237.0799.
