Kimmel Studio Architects Reviews

If you are a NCIDQ or aspiring-NCIDQ interior designer, I advise that you include the following in your process before accepting a job here or at any architecture firm: 1) If your interviews have been virtual, ask for an in-person tour of the office. 2) Confirm your role and responsibilities as an interior designer. And related to this, ask if there are interior architects on staff. 3) Ask to see examples of specifically the interior design drawings in a full drawing set. 4) If anyone in the interior design department has credentials, check them online. For example, if an interior designer indicates ASID after their name, this means they have passed NCIDQ. In this case, you can either look them up in the ASID or the NCIDQ directories. 5) Try to determine what education the interior designers have. After more than 15 years of working as a designer, I have not had to go through this check process before, but unfortunately interior design has been deregulated over the course of my career.

While there are undeniably talented and creative individuals within its ranks, their efforts are doomed from the start by a catastrophically flawed business model and a sales team that overpromises and underdelivers. What could be an innovative and dynamic workplace is instead a case study in mismanagement, unethical practices, and an unsustainable business model built on deception. They funnel absurd amounts of money into flashy renderings, yet rarely, if ever, deliver a completed project. Employees invest their time and creativity into work that will never see the light of day, only to face constant departmental conflict—where backstabbing is not only tolerated but necessary for survival. Leadership is a revolving door of either incompetent or overworked individuals. They fail to recognize or retain real talent and reward toxicity and mediocrity. Expect no performance reviews, no meaningful feedback, and your salary will always be dangled over your head like a sick joke with no real room for growth. If you’re hoping for actual career growth, look elsewhere—this place will drain your passion and leave you with nothing to show for it. HR does NOT exist and it never will because that would require accountability—something this company actively avoids. Instead, the owner’s wife, Maria, has an unchecked authority over operations, meddling and making decisions far beyond her expertise while running off any employee who dares to question her. The number of people who have been kicked to the curb under her so-called “leadership” is staggering. Allegations of discrimination, and harassment will continuously be swept under the rug, Speak up? You’re out the door. This isn’t just a toxic workplace—it’s an abusive, lawless free-for-all where employees are quickly disposable. When it comes to the work itself, the designs may look impressive on screen, but that’s where they stay—on a screen. If you think you’ll ever see a project through to completion, think again. The company thrives on illusion, pushing fake progress and empty deliverables while churning out drawing sets with no time allocated for oversight or quality control. At the end of the day, this isn’t a real company—it’s an expensive facade, a glorified fantasy land where beautiful ideas go to die.