NKBA Magazine - KBIS Issue January 2015

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JANUARY 2015 | NKBA.ORG

2015 Best Kitchen & Bath C

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2015 NKBA Design Competition Winners

Cultural Leadership and Business Growth

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Global Trends

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Newly revised NKBA Professional Resource Library volumes are now available!

BE SURE TO VISIT THE NKBA/NAHB DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION WEEK BOOKSTORE Successful kitchen and bath design projects require knowledge of the latest products and materials as well as an understanding of the elements and principles of design. Kitchen & Bath Products and Materials by Ellen Cheever, CMKBD, ASID, CAPS and Design Principles by Nancy Wolford, PhD, Ellen Cheever, CMKBD, ASID are the latest volumes of the NKBA Professional Resource Library to be thoroughly revised and updated.

INTRODUCING... Kitchen & Bath Sustainable Design!

COMING IN MARCH... Kitchen & Bath Lighting!

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NKBA.org/Store

The revision and development of the NKBA Professional Resource Library volumes would not be possible without the generous support of the following Platinum Sponsors: Cosentino USA | Delta Faucet | Fisher & Paykel | Franke | Hafele | Jenn-Air | Kohler LYNX Grills | Masco | Moen | Toto | Waypoint Cabinetry

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12 | A Message from the NKBA President

®

15 | NKBA Makes News Across North America

/™ ©2014 Jenn-Air. All rights reserved.

magazine

CONTENTS

18 | The 2015 NKBA Design Competition Winners The Big Reveal!

64 | How to Enter the NKBA Design Competition

34

A Touch of Elegance

THE ONLY REFRIGERATOR THAT GIVES YOU THE CHILLS.

50

Fallingwater Inspiration

6 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

52

Before and after kitchen

Introducing the Obsidian interior. Food has never looked so beautiful—dramatically illuminated by LED lighting and kept fresh with advanced climate control. Now in a built-in refrigerator with details that thrill, every time you open its doors. jennair.com/obsidian

magazine

CONTENTS

76 | Introducing the 2015 NKBA 30 Under 30 85 | 2013/2014 Student Design Competition Winners 99 | Global Trends 114 | Designing for Small Spaces 126 | NKBA U Professional of the Year Contest

60

Being environmentally conscious

Social Media Snapshot SOCIAL MEDIA SNAPSHOT

51%

%OF GROWTH IN 2014

BY PLATFORM

Community Growth in 2014

30%

74%

77% 40%

Facebook 40% Pinterest 10%

535%

80%

Total Impressions 38,561,415

DEMOGRAPHICS*

Twitter 38%

86

Enchanted Makeovers

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91% 6% 51%

49%

Other

3%

LinkedIn 9% G+ 2% YouTube 1%

MOST POPULAR PLATFORMS

*Of those who list location & gender

128 SoMeInfographic-halfpage.indd 1

Social Connectivity

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MALTESE

magazine Editorial

Editor-in-Chief: Loren Barrows Associate Editor: Ash Sukumar Contributing Editor: Sean Ruck

Art & Production Art Direction: Thinkwork Creative Ph: 908-852-7120

Advertising Sales Terry Tolbert, LEED AP Suzie Wheeler, LEED AP

Contributors Peter J. Albanese, CKD, CBD Lauren Aust Johanna Baars Nancy Barnes Elina Katsioula Beall, CKD Laurie Brown, CSP Amy Castillo Josh Chan Nora DePalma Shawn Doyle, CSP

Ricardo González Beth Gurney Moorea Hoffman Andrew Mackenzie Leanne Newman Sean Ruck Julie Senzig Jason Tester Rachel Troychock Timothy Wojs

OFFICIAL MEMBER PUBLICATION OF THE NKBA NKBA Magazine is published by the National Kitchen & Bath Association. Copyright 2015 by the National Kitchen & Bath Association. All rights reserved. Subscriptions are free to members of the NKBA. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission. Postmaster: Send address changes to The National Kitchen & Bath Association, 687 Willow Grove Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840.

Contact the NKBA National Kitchen & Bath Association 687 Willow Grove Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840. NKBA.org

Member Relations Representatives are available Monday thru Friday from 9 am - 5 pm (EST). Ph: (800) 843-6522 Em: feedback@nkba.org

10 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

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2015 NKBA Executive Committee

President – Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD President-Elect – Mark Kovich Vice President – Denise Dick, CMKBD Treasurer – Lorenzo Marquez Secretary – Blue Arnold, CKD, CBD Immediate Past President – John A. Petrie, CMKBD

2015 NKBA Board of Directors Neil Bailey Dawn Deluca, AKBD Dan Ediger Jennifer Duncan, CKD Adam Gibson, CKD, CBD Brandon Hochhalter, CKD Anthony Izzo, CKD Galen Jergenson, CKD, CBD, CKE, CBE Linda Johnston-Panattoni, CKD David Linzer, CKD

Ruth Ann Lohrenz, CKD Kelli Parker, CKD, CBD Dennis Sass William Standish, Jr. Chris Terrill Erin Ware, CKD Peter Webb Mary Wisman, CMKBD Miles Woodall, III Marc Yops, CKD

NKBA Senior Management Staff Chief Executive Officer – Bill Darcy Senior Director of Finance – Stephen Graziano General Counsel and Director of Legislative Affairs – Edward S. Nagorsky Director of Learning – Nancy Barnes Director of Governance & International Initiatives – Suzie Williford Director of Marketing – Loren Barrows

NKBA Mission Statement

The mission of the NKBA is to enhance member success and excellence, promote professionalism and ethical business practices, and provide leadership and direction for the kitchen and bath industry worldwide.

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A Message from the NKBA President Having served in the kitchen and bath profession for 23 years, I feel honored to embark on my journey as the 2015 President of the NKBA, as we forge ahead into our second year of partnership with the NAHB’s International Builders’ Show (IBS) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. I feel extremely proud to be among thousands of fellow industry professionals at KBIS 2015, while unveiling this brand new issue of NKBA Magazine!

In this KBIS 2015 issue, we are happy to highlight the association’s offerings, member achievements, industry events, global trends, business insights, and much more. Nearly 25 NKBA Design Competition Winners showcase their outstanding projects, lending inspiration and motivation to the design and construction community at large. Chosen from hundreds of entries received at the NKBA Headquarters, the winning designs will not only set the trends for the year ahead, but also determine the benchmark of quality and creativity that our industry must aspire to achieve.

Over the past two years, the NKBA has been introducing to the industry, the top 30 under 30 individuals who have achieved great success in their profession at a young age. We are yet again proud to have chosen and recognized an amazing group of talented kitchen and bath professionals. Learn more about them in the coming pages!

As you all know, NKBA University launched its expansive virtual platform last year, introducing a plethora of learning and professional development opportunities for professionals across all industry segments.

Over the past year, NKBA U has been steadily growing, offering an increased assortment of innovative courses, year-round, on NKBA.org as well as during the show. Not to mention, through our Voices from the Industry Conference Program at KBIS, we also offer extended learning opportunities with over 90 sessions, all presented by experts from the industry. As you flip through the pages, you will know all about the NKBA’s new and exciting learning initiatives.

With every passing year, we’ve been taking diligent measures to expand KBIS to help grow our industry, and augment opportunities for networking and learning. This year, KBIS registration also includes admittance to other industry shows in Las Vegas such as the International Builders’ Show, International Window Coverings Expo, The International Surface Event, and Las Vegas Market. Not to mention, we have introduced a new destination on the KBIS show floor, called KBISNeXT™ in South Hall, featuring more exhibitors and a full-scale stage with thought-provoking, inspired programming.

As the next step in broadening our horizons, we’re looking to grow beyond North America, and expand our membership to international frontiers, connect with our counterparts abroad, and facilitate more expansive business prospects for our members. For starters, the article on Global Trends in this issue is sure to give you a refreshing business perspective as you read about key industry events in Milan and London.

In addition to these exclusive features, the KBIS 2015 issue of NKBA Magazine includes many other informative articles that will be of significant relevance to your business, and provide insight into the association’s initiatives and membership benefits. Learn more about cultural leadership and business growth, locally sourcing materials, designing for smaller spaces, and becoming a well-rounded professional among a host of other stimulating topics!

I hope our valuable industry resources including NKBA Magazine and KBIS will serve as vital tools in helping you achieve the pinnacle of success in your profession. I wish you the best of luck for all your endeavors in the year ahead!

Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD, 2015 NKBA President

12 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

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NKBA Makes News NORTH AMERICA

VOL. IIIX NO. 127

New U.S. Warehouse Now Open!

SCHOCK North America 47 Runway Rd, Ste G Levittown, PA 19057 Tel 844-SCHOCK-P Fax 844-SCHOCK-F Email info@schockamerica.com

Extra, extra, read all about it!

NKBA has had a second successful year leveraging public relations to attract consumers to learn more about NKBA and its members.

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Through November 2014, association public relations garnered more than 200 million impressions in US and Canadian media. The effort attracted tens of thousands of visits to NKBA PROSearch, the Virtual Planning Tool, consumerfacing articles such as “Why Hire a Certified Designer” and the gallery of NKBA Design Competition Winners at NKBA.org.

In addition, NKBA generated publicity for members who have volunteered at the national and chapter level, matching volunteers with media requests more than 40 times in the first 11 months of 2014.

“Public relations is a powerful tool for NKBA to connect consumers with our members,” said Loren Barrows, NKBA director of marketing. “In 2014, NKBA was featured on FOX Business, in hundreds of newspaper design columns, and in highly influential media for active-purchasers, such as Consumer Reports and special-interest kitchen and bath publications.”

Why public relations?

Consumer awareness is at the forefront of many NKBA members’ minds, seeking a way to differentiate and convey professionalism to prospective clients.

Public relations is often referred to as “earned media.” (It’s also called “free PR,” which belies the labor intensity of public relations, as many NKBA business owners already know.) A good public relations program requires an investment to build relationships with the media by being helpful, resourceful, and responsive. It also means creating newsworthy stories to give the media angles to cover.

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That is why public relations results are called “earned.” We “earn” media mentions vs. paying for them in advertising. As such, earned mentions carry a higher credibility because it is not NKBA paying to tell its story to consumers. It is the media, a third party, telling the NKBA story.

ACROSS NORTH AMERICA “Early in 2013, the marketing team proposed that we could drive more consumer traffic to the NKBA website through strategic public relations for less than the association was spending on advertising,” Barrows said.

“It worked beautifully,” she continued. “NKBA increased traffic to its consumer-facing website pages by 26 percent in 2013 vs. 2012.”

In 2014, NKBA upped the ante by creating a report of the Design Trends Survey that the media could hold onto and use as an ongoing resource.

It was released at a high-profile press conference during KBIS last February, attracting more than 40 key journalists to a briefing by 2014 President John Petrie CMKBD and 2014 President-Elect Maria Stapperfenne CKD, CBD. NKBA also developed training and toolkits for chapter VPs of communications, led by its public relations agencies in the US and Canada. “We’re thrilled that we can provide such a benefit to our chapter volunteers,” said Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD and 2015 NKBA president. “They in turn, can lead local consumer awareness efforts which are tangible to members.”

Another new benefit launched in 2014 was the NKBA Media Experts Database, rewarding national and chapter volunteers for their service, while building on our resources for the media.

2015 After just one year of volunteer service, members are invited to answer a detailed questionnaire.

From there, the NKBA public relations team matches members with media opportunities based on the topic and/or geography of the media inquiry. New invites will be issued in February for 2015 volunteers.

How do we measure success?

In 2014, NKBA pursued these objectives via its public relations program: 1. Proactively package and promote the association’s annual kitchen & bath design trends research for journalists to use as an ongoing resource, reducing the volume of one-off media inquiries.

2. Generate 50 million or more impressions for the design trends survey.

3. Increase traffic to NKBA.org consumer-facing pages vs. 2013.

4. Increase traffic to NKBA PROSearch vs. 2013 5. Continue increasing traffic to NKBA.org from Canada vs. 2013.

How did we do?

At press time for the magazine: In the first 11 months of 2014, visits to NKBA homeowner pages increased by more than 36 percent vs. the same period in 2013.

Traffic to NKBA PROSearch increased 27 percent.

Visits from Canada to NKBA consumer website pages increased 43 percent.

We generated 108.2 million media impressions for the Design Trends Survey between February and N ovember.

Overall, NKBA, earned 220.3 million impressions in the first 11 months of 2014. Prominent placements included Better Homes & Gardens Beautiful Kitchens & Baths, Better Homes & Gardens Kitchen + Bath Ideas, Boca Design & Architectural Review and the Consumer Reports Kitchen Planning & Buying Guide.

The association was covered in seven out of the top 10 daily US newspapers by circulation. The National Post and Reno & Décor were prominent Canadian placements. Design Trends data and Design Competition images formed the basis for a segment on “The Willis Report” on Fox Business in May. NKBA members were matched with 43 local and national media opportunities between March and November 2014.

By focusing on good, solid public relations, NKBA saved money on its consumer awareness strategic objective, while delivering improved results for members. Look for more of the same in 2015.

Editor’s note: NKBA works with two agencies on its consumer public relations activities, Chicagoarea O’Reilly DePalma and Toronto-area Flying Camel. New York City-based Sharp Communications oversees PR and social media for NKBA University.

Has your chapter used the new PR Tool kit, yet? Check it out under Chapter Tools in the members section of the website. It includes: • Sample News Release for newly certified members • Sample News Release to promote local design competition winners • Sample News Release to promote design trends survey and local experts • Sample News Release to promote eBook Planners

How Do You Look on PROsearch?

Did you know that NKBA enables members to create profiles of themselves and their businesses for consumers who use PROSearch?

Members can display their phone, address, website and email, as well as earned certifications and a list of products and services. Visit the member-only section of NKBA to update your profile!

16 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

In the News

The PR Toolkit ®

Just as articles in top consumer magazines and outlets featuring NKBA help drive awareness of the importance of hiring a certified kitchen or bath designer, NKBA University’s press works to expand awareness of NKBA as a cross-industry, go-to resource for continuing education.

“Because we’ve revamped our curriculum and expanded the topics and courses we offer, NKBA University has become an invaluable resource not only for kitchen and bath designers, but for builders and remodelers, interior designers, architects, dealers, manufacturers, and sales representatives, as well as for retailers looking to strengthen their professional skills,” says NKBA director of learning Nancy Barnes.

“Over the past two years, a lot of work has gone into the transformation of NKBA U, and we’re thrilled that the entire industry is becoming more aware of how our courses and eight Learning Paths can help individuals develop professionally, and as a result, help them grow their businesses.”

By The Numbers: NKBA University: From May to November 2014, NKBA U has reached: • 4 million+ through Facebook and Twitter • 1.4 millions+ through trade articles published online • 585,000+ through industry trade • 2 million+ through trade publications and online outlets Total Reach in Print and Online: 131,570 Kitchen & Bath Design News’ September 2014 - A ‘Back to School’ article discussed the industry’s latest trends in continuing education; both NKBA University and its instructors were featured.

NKBA U Instructors are frequently tapped for their expertise by trade publications. In the September 2014 issue of Builder & Developer, NKBA U Instructor and sustainability expert Darrill Andries wrote a guest column about the importance of sustainable design in the kitchen.

NKBA U Professional of the Year 2014 also marked the launch of the first-ever NKBA U Professional of the Year—a cross-industry contest that culminates at KBIS where four finalists will compete for the winning title (learn more on page 126). The contest has stirred a lot of buzz across the industry—engaging top industry media outlets and designers.

WINNER 2015

By Ash Sukumar Year after year, the NKBA Design Competition delivers a stunning assortment of kitchen and bath designs, featuring concepts and solutions that never cease to inspire. What spurs this consistent display of originality and out-of-the-box thinking every year? Our member designers are bound by the common goal of creating and delivering spaces that showcase excellence and constantly raise the bar to exceed client expectations!

This year’s top contestants featured elements such as Shoji style panels, dry areas within the shower and outdoor baths that will likely serve as some of the trendsetters for the year ahead. A mix of design themes from

this year including rustic farmhouse styles, Cape Cod design, Frank Lloyd Wright inspiration, a piece of Morocco, and more, display the expansive variety and versatility that our designers have to offer. Spread across six kitchen and bath categories and seven specialty award categories, nearly twenty five unique designs share their success stories in the pages to come.

Best

Categories

Judging

The competition is divided into the following six categories -

The competition entries are scored on:

• Small Kitchen (less than 150 sq. ft.)

• Medium Kitchen (150-350 sq. ft.)

• Large Kitchen (more than 350 sq. ft.)

• Powder Room (must contain a sink and a toilet, no tub or shower) • Small Bathroom (less than 55 sq. ft.)

• Large Bathroom (more than 55 sq. ft.)

1. Safety & Ergonomics

Category Prizes 1st Place: $2,000 2nd Place: $1,000 3rd Place: $500

Specialty Awards • Best Kitchen: $10,000 • Best Bath: $10,000 • People’s Pick Kitchen and Bath: $2,000 • Before & After Kitchen and Bath: $2,000 • Budget-Friendly Kitchen and Bath: $2,000 • Green Design (Kitchen or Bath): $2,000 • Universal Design (Kitchen or Bath): $2,000

Honorary Award

• Builder/Remodeler Award: In honor of Clay Lyon, CR, 2012 NKBA Secretary (1962 – 2012)

18 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors Diamond Sponsor:

Platinum Sponsors:

2. Elements & Principles of Design 3. Design Planning 4. Creativity 5. Presentation Each of the industry experts selected to judge is either a CMKBD, or both a CKD and a CBD. Judges consider the NKBA Kitchen & Bath Planning Guidelines with Access Standards when scoring entries.

Thank-you to the judges of the 2015 NKBA Design Competition:

• Peter J. Albanese, CKD, CBD • MaryJo Camp, CKD, CBD, CID, CAPS, CGP • Geeta Kewalramani, CMKBD, CAPS • Claudia McCabe-Cort, CKD, CBD • Jonni Huntley Spaulding, AAS, CMKBD • Beth M Stribling, CMKBD • Sandra Tierney, CMKBD, CID • Art Warren, CMKBD

Design or Performance? Pick Two. Every detail makes a statement. A sleek look that elevates any kitchen. And 102 cleaning jets, including four specifically designed for taller bottles and carafes, that deliver a clean like no other. It’s time to dream bigger in the kitchen.

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Gold Sponsors:

SPONSORS Floor Plan Renderings Provided by Silver Sponsors:

WINNER

WINNER

Best Kitchen

Best Bath

2015

2015

Luz Marina Selles, CKBI

Brigitte C. Fabi, CMKBD

Drury Design Kitchen & Bath Studio | Glen Ellyn, IL

Allure Designs, LLC | Gilbert, AZ

Photo by Eric Hausman Photography

Photo by Mike Small

Small Kitchen Small Kitchen

A Timeless Transition Designed to appeal to a single client who works from home and loves to entertain, this small kitchen features a clean, contemporary, and functional space for socializing, dinner parties, and day-to-day use. The vertical space borrowed from the dining area makes room for a wall-oven, and adding more storage space addressed the functional needs of this kitchen. The cleanup center has increased capacity, containing a single dish drawer to the right of the sink and a functional trash bin to the left. The cooking center is at the heart of the kitchen with an induction cooktop and pop-out hood-vent above. Recessed lighting was added throughout the space and task areas were enhanced with under cabinet lights.

Custom color walls and tall cabinets in white match all the finishes and the custom bench seat. Accented by natural walnut open shelves and contrasted by the newly matched parquet floor, wood tones repeat the natural theme with the customized basket weave marble tile in the backsplash. Earthy engineered quartz creates a strong, linear working surface. The kitchen offers a timeless look for the future of the resi-

dential investment, truly reflecting the client’s sensibilities to light, color, and textures.

Products Cooktop: Porter & Charles; Dishwasher: Fisher & Paykel Dishdrawer Single; Range/Oven: AEG; Refrigerators: Moffit; Ventilation: AEG; Special Features: Dining Furniture: Resource Furniture; Cabinetry: Custom Cabinets, bench seat custom by Fifth Element Construction & Renovation; Countertops: Caesarstone; Faucets/Fittings: Brizo Faucets; Flooring: Custom

by Fifth Element Construction & Renovation; Sinks: BLANCO; Tile: Everstone Grand Basket Weave; Wall/Ceiling: Benjamin Moore; Special Features: Window Coverings & Upholstery designed & fabricated by Corey Klassen

Photos by Jason Karman | pgs. 22 & 23

Corey S. Klassen, CKD, CBD

Corey Klassen Interior Design | Vancouver, BC 22 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Small Kitchen Rosemary Merrill, AKBD | Casa Verde Design | Minneapolis, MN

Cape Cod Classic Though thoughtful attention to detail was given to the kitchen transformation of this 1940s classic Cape Cod home, many design elements of a Cape Cod style were not incorporated at that time. The main design objectives of this project were to retain the original footprint of the kitchen, bring more natural light into the space, incorporate state-of-the-art cooking appliances and create a classic Cape Cod design with a timeless color palette. The kitchen features custom inset painted white cabinetry with dark soapstone countertops and gray glazed sub-

way tile backsplash, characteristic of a Cape Cod home. Custom wood hood over the range provides a beautiful focal point and better ventilation to the room. The addition of glass cabinetry on either side of the existing small window provides the illusion of a larger window with a better flow of light. Beautiful soapstone countertops and state-of-the-art appliances embellish this kitchen with a timeless ambience filled with modern conveniences.

Robert M Dobbs, CKD, CBD | SieMatic | New York, NY

Elegant Pied-à-terre

Products

Simple elegance and contemporary style define this sophisticated kitchen in an urban high-rise featuring rich colors and clean lines. Lowered cabinet height and horizontal linear style bat wing doors create a feeling of more open space within a small area. The countertops and the handle-free concept help continue the simple, horizontal, linear design of the kitchen. The designer specified a combo/speed oven that’s large enough for a convection bake and also serves as a microwave. The built-in washer/ dryer behind the doors enables a more integrated feel

Dishwasher: Miele; Garbage Disposal: Insinkerator; Microwave Oven: GE Spacesaver; Range/Oven: Wolf; Refrigerators: Sub-Zero; Ventilation: Wolf; Cabinetry: Casa Verde Custom; Countertops: Barroca Soapstone; Faucets/Fittings: Hansgrohe Talis; Lighting: Waterworks Henry Pendant; Sinks: Franke Fireclay; Tile: 3” X 6” Mountain Mist; Special Features: Ashley Norton Hardware

Small Kitchen

24 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Small Kitchen

Small Kitchen

Photo by Andrea Rugg

Photo by Laura Moss Photography

with a continuous toe kick. The kitchen dwells in a rich yet neutral high-color dramatic color tone balanced by wood grain which brings warmth to the space. This kitchen maximizes on functional space and storage solutions, and dwells in an uncluttered modern space for the clients to enjoy. A pure, clean, and simple space exemplar of the concept of “less is more!”

Products Clothes Dryer: Miele; Cooktop: Miele; Dishwasher: Miele; Range/Oven: Speed Combo Oven/Miele; Refrigerators: GE Monogram; Ventilation: Miele; Washing Machine: Miele; Cabinetry: SieMatic S2; Countertops: SieMatic StoneDesign; Faucets/Fittings: Hansgrohe; Flooring: by Hasting, Pietralavica; Lighting: Under cabinet lighting by Hera w/square trim; Sinks: Julien

Medium Kitchen Medium Kitchen

Heart of the Home Inspired by the historic wooden window screens from the client’s ancestral home, the design of the kitchen cabinetry’s fretwork came into place.

This design motif is repeated on a different scale in the kitchen’s marble backsplash and its curves are echoed in the silhouette of the glass pendant lighting. To achieve an inviting, updated style, gleaming white counters were balanced with gradations of warm gray cabinetry, walls, and trim. Black granite insets in the backsplash complement the black gloss enamel range, which serves as the anchor of the room. Mixed metals, mirrored accents and the mother-of-pearl insets on the backsplash provide jewel like surprises throughout the kitchen. The huge island with a seamless counter holds adequate room for family and friends to dine or help with meal preparations and also engage in hobbies. Furthermore, carefully planned base cabinet storage makes access to everyday items easy for even the fouryear-old in the family. With upgraded luxury appliances, extensive counter space and seating for four at the island, this gourmet kitchen offers a peaceful, modern and luminous setting to spend that quality time with loved ones.

Products Dishwasher: Miele Futura; Garbage Disposal: Insinkerator & Waste King; Microwave Oven: Sharp microwave drawer; Range/Oven: La Comue ComuFe 110 range w/double ovens; Refrigerators: Sub-Zero; Ventilation: Vent-A-Hood; Water Delivery System: Mountain Plumbing; Special Features: Vitamix blender, Jura Capresso coffee maker; Cabinetry: Conestoga Valley Custom Kitchen, Fretworks Designers, Glassworks of Summit; Countertops: Silestone; Faucets/Fittings: MGS; Lighting: LeGrand Adome light switches/plates, Hafele tape, LED, Tech Lighting-Parfum, Grande glass pendants; Sinks: Elkay; Tile: Artistic Tile; Windows: Jeld Wen; Special Features: Stealth Acoustics hidden speakers, Newport Brass soap dispenser, Hamilton Sinkler drawer & refrigerator pulls

Photos by Joy Yagid | pgs. 26 & 27

Amy Yin 26 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Amy Yin Interiors, LLC | Short Hills, NJ Co-Designers: Emily O’Keefe, CKD, CBD; Chris Papaleo, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB

Medium Kitchen Claire J. Reimann, AKBD | Jason Good Custom Cabinets Inc. | Victoria, BC

Modernism Revived A marriage between the lush kitchen space and the spectacular views outside, this design embraces simple white materials with wood accents echoing the natural surroundings. Removing all existing partition walls to achieve one large, open living area, the designer deployed durable countertops and a simple cabinet style for a modern look.

Products Cabinetry: Jason Good Custom Cabinets Inc.; Countertops: Neolith Island with Walnut bar.

Stainless Steel and Calacatta Marble; Faucets/ Fittings: Grohe and Blanco; Flooring: Kentwood Floors: Brushed Oak Snohomish; Lighting: EQ3; Sinks: Custom made stainless and Blanco prep sink; Wall/Ceiling: Calacatta marble slab backsplash; Windows: Starline; Dishwasher: Frigdaire; Range/Oven: Wolf; Refrigerators: Kitchen Aid

Leslie Kalish, CID, CfYH | LMK Interiors | Lafayette, CA Co-designer: Jennifer Hobson

Rustic Farm-Style Flair A couple with a young child desired an open farm-style kitchen that accommodates everyday family living and creates an ideal space for entertaining guests. Utilizing three different cabinet finishes and a constant mix of feminine and masculine materials, the designer created warmth, texture, and harmony in the kitchen. A large, elegant island opens up to the family room, and a rustic farm table in front of the island serves as a cozy spot for family dining and entertaining. Low storage innovations enable the child to access the kitchen items with ease and safety. Reclaimed 100-year-old barn wood adorns the ceiling, large white trestles add texture and beauty, while anchoring the entire

For Full Article See Before & After Kitchen - pg 52

Medium Kitchen

28 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Medium Kitchen

Medium Kitchen

Photo by Joshua Lawrence Photography

Photo by John Hayes

space. A custom hood behind the range is the main focal point of the kitchen, and an attractive bar area makes room for casual entertaining. Balancing the simplicity of the rustic atmosphere with the elegance of modern style, the designer succeeded in designing a space that perfectly embraced the clients’ vision for their home.

Products Dishwasher: Fisher & Paykel; Garbage Disposal: ISE; Microwave Oven: WOLF; Range/Oven: WOLF; Refrigerators: Sub-Zero; Ventilation: Custom; Special Features: Wine refrigerator: Sub-Zero, Beverage center: Perlick; Cabinetry: Dura supreme; Countertops: Perimeter: Soapsone; Island: Taj Mahal leathered granite; Faucet/Fittings: ROHL; Flooring: European White Oak; Lighting: Hudson Valley; Sinks: WHITEHAUS; Tile: Pratt & Larson; Wall/Ceiling: Ceiling: 100- year-old barn wood

Large Kitchen WINNER 2015

Best Kitchen

Large Kitchen

The Moroccan Marvel To create a functional living space conveying a love of cooking, art, and life in general, the designer drew inspiration from the homeowners’ private collection: a stunning Moroccan antique door from a trip to Marrakesh. The clients desired a kitchen featuring storage areas with easy access to small appliances such as toaster, blender, rice-cooker, coffee maker, food processor and blender. They also looked forward to an open family space with a large seating area for relaxation, homework, entertaining, and dining.

As this historic home was around the turn of the 20th century, many challenges were in store throughout the project. This included removing a structural wall, requiring a 10’ steel ‘I” beam.

The designer also had to incorporate a “sofa” and table to seat people, while making sure it didn’t interfere with the main cooking area. Additionally, the designer had to create closet space to house shoes, coats, and cleaning supplies within the kitchen, provide external ventilation for the hood through a brick exterior, and eliminate several interior walls to create the large, open space requested.

As a solution to these challenges, the custom steel “I” beam was fabricated and installed to

allow for an open concept in the century old home. Interior walls within the original space were eliminated, allowing for greater traffic flow, natural light, and efficiency. A banquette features a sofa and eight seats with cushions used to emphasize the Moorish textures and furniture styling. Custom veneer panels creating the banquette area were hand-stained on-site and made to match the walnut cabinetry.

A custom closet for shoes and coats was included as an unfitted section of the space. A remote blower was mounted on the exterior brick, cut out to accommodate the ducting requirements.

Tall wall cabinets with outlets were included for

Photos by Eric Hausman Photography | pgs. 30 & 31

Brigitte C. Fabi, CMKBD Drury Design Kitchen & Bath Studio | Glen Ellyn, IL 30 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

the small appliances. A 2 1/2” thick Think Glass bar top was supported by custom, handmade bar supports and polished nickel stand-offs.

A custom refrigerator/freezer door features glass panels with hand-etched designs. The hand-etched tabletop was also created to repeat the tile design from the range wall. Small hidden niches flanking the range give a unique touch to the hearth area.

The Moorish arch around the range area was created using a laser cutout of the shape and covered with a dimensional vein-cut marble, and a custom walnut borders the edges. This eclectic kitchen housing many focal points and contrasting textures, serves as a functional, multifaceted space for the busy, city family!

Products Dishwasher: Fisher & Paykel; Garbage Disposal: Kitchen Aid; Microwave Oven: Wolf; Range/Oven: Wolf; Refrigerators: Sub-Zero; Ventilation: Custom hood with Best blower; Warming Drawer: Wolf; Special Features: Steamer: Wolf; Cabinetry: Grabill Cabinets; Countertops: Taj Mahal Quartzite; Think Glass 2 1/2” thick crystal granular bar top; Faucets/ Fittings: Newport Brass; Flooring: Cermic Tole Int’l from Virginia Tile; Lighting: Cesto Chandelier: 5 light drum shade fixture; Sinks: Custom made by Mitchel & Mitchel; Tile: Mosaique Surface: Manhattan Collection-Hudson Grande (behind range) & Hudson Petite (above refrigerator); Special features: Custom glass by Sheri Law Art Glass of Homer Glen, IL (confetti glass above appliance garages, pantry door, and custom ref/freezer panels).

Photos by Eric Hausman Photography | pgs. 32 & 33

32 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Large Kitchen Peter Ross Salerno, CMKBD | Peter Salerno Inc. | Wyckoff, NJ Co-Designer: Julie Connors; Robert So

A Touch of Elegance To fulfill the client’s request for a formal kitchen filled with character and personality, the designer found products from all over the world to incorporate into the space. The kitchen’s hallway was removed to accommodate a full refrigerator and freezer and also open up adequate space to fit two 100” islands. The kitchen opened to a family room with a beautiful paneled archway that’s centered with the stove, the two islands and the dramatic mirrored ceiling. The stove wall has multiple focal points including the blue La Cornue stove, a reclaimed tin hood, two curio cabinets and a 2 ’’ thick concrete countertop with a silver-

gray finish to match the hood. On both sides of the arch, the designer centered two tall China cabinets with curved mullion doors. Elegant crafting and exclusive detailing enable every wall in this stunning kitchen to serve as a focal point on its own.

Products

Elina Katsioula-Beall, CKD | DeWitt Designer Kitchens I Pasadena, CA Co-designer: Maria Alaverdyan

The Cake Baker’s Dream

Cooktop: GE; Dishwasher: Miele Fully Integrated; Microwave Oven: GE; Refrigerators: Sub-Zero; Ventilation: Reclaimed Tin by Simply Amy; Warming Drawer: Dacor; Special Features: Wine Cooler: Sub-zero; Cabinetry: Mastro Rosolino; Countertops: Stone Surfaces – Bernini Travertine & Concrete; Faucet/Fittings: Faucet & Pot Filler: Hardware Designs – Waterstone; Faucet: Ferguson; Flooring – Kennedy Tile & Marble; Lighting: Alibaba.com; Joss & Main; Sinks: Texaslightsmith.com ; Julien Undermount; Tile: Kennedy Tile & Marble; Wall/Ceiling: Custom Mirror Soffit by Robert So; Windows: Curtains – Miltons in Lodi;Windows – Pella

Large Kitchen

34 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Large Kitchen The client desired a kitchen well-equipped for painting, sculpting, baking and decorating cakes. This led to the design of a white, airy kitchen with splashes of fuchsia and green and subtleties evoking the client’s favorite “Alice in Wonderland” theme. The former kitchen is now an eating area with an expanding glass table which doubles as a cake-decorating work station. In the former butler’s pantry spot is a triangular kitchen featuring two peninsulas stemming out of the oven and refrigeration wall. The back wall

Large Kitchen

Photo by Peter Rymwid Architectural Photography

Photo by Suki Medencevic

of the kitchen houses the appliances, while a deeper counter in-between features a roll-up backsplash concealing a roll-out commercial espresso maker. A Fuchsia baker’s hutch with open shelving displays a bakeware collection and a focal wall is lined with recycled oval fuchsia glass tile. This pristine kitchen is truly a baker’s dream that takes the client’s hobby to the next level!

Products Cooktop: Wolf; Dishwasher: Miele; Garbage Disposal: Franke; Microwave Oven: Wolf; Range/Oven: Wolf; Refrigerators: Sub Zero; Ventilation: Wolf; Special Features: Undercounter Ref and Wine Storage: Sub Zero; Cabinetry: Greenfield, Serrao Cabinets and Design; Countertops: Silestone Blanco Zeus; Faucets/Fittings: Rohl, Franke; Flooring: Custom Hardwood; Lighting: Recessed LEDs; Sinks: Rohl, Franke; Tile: Porcelanosa “Leaf” Tile, Sicis Mosaics

…Why Go Anywhere Else?

Progressive. Organic. Evolved.

The most graceful of transformations.

Presenting the Tesla™ Collection from Delta®. Inspired by forms found in nature, our new Tesla Collection (available with Delta’s exclusive Touch2O.xt™ and TempSense™ technologies) offers an elegant metamorphosis for the bath. To view the full collection, visit deltafaucet.com/tesla

38 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2014

© 2015 Masco Corporation of Indiana

Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. offers over 30,000 door styles and finish combinations for all rooms of the home — kitchen, baths, entertainment centers, offices, closets, mudrooms, garages, pantries, wall beds and more. All Wellborn cabinetry is proudly crafted in the United States of America and is known for its quality craftsmanship. Making houses homes for over 53 years. So why go anywhere else?

www.wellborn.com • 1.800.762.4475

Powder Room Powder Room

Deep Sea Magic Being ardent scuba divers, the clients requested that their show-stopping powder room be a true reflection of their marine expeditions! To create the illusion of flowing water, the designer installed a tile with an aquatic pattern, which when put together, created the desired cascading effect. Complementing the light, flowing feel and effect of the tiles, a recycled Ocean Blue glass countertop creates a visual effect with a glow resembling a reflecting pool. A clear vessel bowl allows the beauty of the countertop to shine through and refrains from overpowering the vanity. A motion sensor enables the counter to light up automatically, welcoming guests into the powder room with a soft blue glow. Anchoring this set-up is a dark-stained cherry slab panel door cabinet that hides the plumbing. The clients couldn’t be happier with this everyday fix to their deep-sea calling.

Products Cabinetry/Vanity: Canyon Creek – Slab door in Cherry with Espresso Stain; Countertops: Glass2 (recycled glass counter) in Ocean Blue; Faucets/Fittings: Danz – Parma Vessel Single Handle; Flooring: Oak Hardwood; Lighting: Tech Lighting – Fire Pental with Smoke Glass; Sinks: DecoLav – Clear Glass Vessel Sink; Tile: Rango – Catwalk series in Blue Ballet; Toilet: Duravit Stark 3

Photos by Sam VanFleet | pgs. 40 & 41

Roshele Allison, CKD, CBD 38 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

NW Home Designers | Seattle, WA Co-designer: Eric Gedney

Powder Room Leslie Lamarre, CKD, CID | TRG Architects | Burlingame, CA Co-Designer: Erika Shjeflo, CID

Jewel-Box Charm Tucked behind the foyer of a meticulously modified Mediterranean home, this elegant powder room is just what the client asked for – a “pretty little jewel box” to help visitors feel pampered. The 24-square-foot space was carved out of an inefficient pass-through once connecting the kitchen and dining room. The designer created an alcove to accommodate the sink area and a vanity cabinet, also adding warmth, character and beauty to this traditional space. A natural walnut curved front vanity topped with Calcutta marble served as a design solution that met the client’s needs. The jewels include faceted crystal cabinet

knobs and a sparkly little chandelier for just the right amount of bling. The upholstered door panel addressed the client’s concern about sound transfer, and the installation of blocking in the toilet area helped accommodate the potential for future grab bars. Other highlights including a custom backsplash topped with a beveled glass, stone-framed mirror, a hammered nickel vessel sink, and Romo’s dynamic Kimura wallpaper add that extra edge to this exquisite and functional space.

Sheena Hammond | XTC Design Incorporated | Toronto, ON Co-Designers: Erica Westeroth, CKD, CAPS, ARIDO; Tim Scott

The Wright Influence This powder room summarizes the overall feeling of the home with significant influences from renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The designer utilized the same overall finishes/color scheme as in the adjacent open plan kitchen, breakfast room & family room to emphasize continuity throughout the home. Influences from Frank Lloyd Wright were brought in with the rhythmic play of parts with the decorative vertical wood ladder detail, horizontal stacked bands of solid surface material and wood for the vanity. The solid surface countertop was made deeper than the vanity cabine-

Products Cabinetry/Vanity: Custom by HC Kitchen Cabinets; Countertops: Natural Stone: Calacatta Marble; Faucets/Fittings: Rohl; Flooring: Refinished hardwoodoak; Lighting: Crystorama chandelier; Sinks: Native Trails; Toilet: Toto; Wall/Ceiling: Romo Wallpaper; Special Features: Upholstered door panel by TRG Architects with fabric from Osborne and Little

Powder Room

40 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Powder Room

Powder Room

Photo by Bernard André Photography

Photo by Arnal Photography

try to allow for extra sink depth, however, this also served as an interesting architectural detail with the overhangs. The vertical band of mirror visually expands the space, and the chrome waterfall style faucet disappears into the mirror, creating a waterfall experience. The wall-mounted toil and floating vanity free up floor space, creating a clean look. Overall, the design evokes a warm and natural feel with the organic inspired materials and architectural details.

Products

Cabinetry/Vanity: Custom by Alexander’s Gallery (horizontal, rift cut Teak wood veneer); Countertops: Cambria – Durham; Faucet/Fittings: Acquabrass – Streem; Flooring: ABK, Downtown – Earth; Lighting: Eureka – LAP; Sinks: Client supplied – from a vintage/antique/salvage type shop; Tile: Cera Gres – Mood, Regles – Vermell; Toilet: Toto – Aquia; Special Features: Accessories: Colombo – Look

Small Bath Small Bath

Luxury À La Mode This elegant bath was carefully crafted with repeating tapered shapes, angled bench seat, and tapered shape light fixtures. The designer reduced the depth of the hall pantry/closet by eight inches or so and set into the newly created niche, a custom-built, tall cabinet with adjustable shelves, complete with a slab door that was painted to match the hall paint color. The guest closet was also reduced by four inches or so by removing the stud wall, and in the newly created niche was set a 24” deep custom wardrobe cabinet, trimmed with continuous ceiling crown molding. A 48” lift-up medicine cabinet was recessed into a void stud cavity space between the bathroom and bedroom behind.

The knee wall allows for a deeper shower alcove with a seat. A full width vanity drawer fronts with offset interior drawer boxes, creating central void space for plumbing. Other special features of the bathroom include a minimal curb and envelope pattern shower with linear drain and a recessed lift-up and mirror fronted medicine cabinet for storage of toiletries. The continuous purple/grey tile scheme serves in visually expanding this striking space.

Products

Cabinetry/Vanity: Neff, Euro Laminate, Silver Fir & Robern, Uplift Mirror Cabinet; Countertops: Cambria, Whitehall, 0102; Faucets/Fittings: Grohe, Allure Brilliant 2-Hole Wall Mount Vessel trim & Grohe, Euphoria Thermostatic Shower System; Flooring: Flaviker-Grafite Grigio; Lighting: Eureka, Delta & Eureka, Tenor; Shower Enclosure: Custom glass with CR Laurence hardware; Sinks: Incepa, Pacific Semi-Vessel Lavatory; Tile: Silky W, White & Voguebay, Spectra Glass; Toilet: Toto, Carlyle II One-Piece High Efficiency Toilet; Wall/Ceiling: “Through the Looking Glass’ CSP495 & ‘Calm’ OC-2 2 Benjamin Moore; Windows: Hunter Douglas blinds; Special Features: Hettich; Rialto décor hardware, Essentials, Moderno accessories & Watermark, Rectangular grab bar, Schluter-Linear drain

Photos by Arnal Photography | pgs. 42 & 43

Erica Westeroth, CKD, CAPS, ARIDO 42 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

XTC Design Incorporated | Toronto, ON Co-Designer: Sheena Hammond

Small Bath

Alena Capra, CKD, CBD | Alena Capra Designs s | Fort Lauderdale, FL

A Royal Treatment This remodel was sparked by a flood in the client’s home that caused significant water damage. Working with the same floor plan, the designer renovated the bath with new tiles, cabinetry, countertops and fixtures.

The new bath maximizes storage space and the shower area features a corner seat and some recessed niches for soap and shampoo. Classic, timeless materials such as polished Diana Royale marble were specified for the floors and wall pattern. The vanity is adorned with white cabinets with crystal knobs, and the wall cabinet over the toilet brings additional storage. Embracing light and

neutral tones, this bathroom shines in all its glory.

Products Cabinetry/Vanity: custom cabinetry, with applied molding in a white, painted finish, Countertops: Crema Marfil marble countertops, with an eased edge; Faucets/Fittings: Kohler “Memoirs’ lav faucets with a lever handle in brushed nickel finish; Flooring: 18X18 polished Diana Royal marble (Marble Systems) shwr flr: 2X2 honed Diana Royal; Lighting: Hudson Valley “Kirkland” 2 light fixtures in brushed nickel finish; Shower Enclosure: Custom, frameless glass enclosure with towel bar and brushed nickel trim; Sinks: Kohler memoirs undercounter lavs in white; Tile: 9X 18 polished Diana Royal. Border: Marble Systems Diana Royal “modern lattice”; Toilet: Kohler “Devonshire” 2 piece in white with soft close toilet seat; Wall/ Ceiling: Walls: paint (Moderate White. Sherwin Williams), Ceiling: Extra White Sherwin Williams; Special Features: Light up, magnifying mirror for

Small Bath

44 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Small Bath

Adrienne Dorig Leland, CKD | Dorig Designs LLC. | Eau Claire, WI

Contemporary Farmhouse Charm The homeowners preferred a space-efficient bathroom that flows with their rustic, yet modern farmhouse. A number of approaches enabled the bath to feel bigger – installation of a new pocket door eliminated congestion and replacing the tub with a curbless shower removed physical, as well as visual barriers. The sleek wall-mounted toilet conserves floor space with its tank built inside the wall. The wormy chestnut vanity was topped with a nine-inch-high concrete top and semirecessed sink. The designer finished the floor and three

Small Bath

Photo by Darryl Nobles

Photo by James Netz Photography LLC

of the walls with tiles made to look like weathered lumber. Tiling to the ceiling leaves the room with a taller feeling than it actually is. The white wallmounted toilet, sink, and medicine cabinet pop against the dark tile, and the white subway tile in the shower balances the white fixtures in the room.

Products Cabinetry/Vanity: Thorcraft Custom Kitchens; Countertops: Concrete, Simington Construction; Faucets/Fittings: Hansgrohe; Flooring: Tile Floor & Walls; Florim; Lighting: Recessed LED, Lithonia; Shower Enclosure: WoodWright Construction; Sinks: Duravit; Tile: Shower Walls: Ann Sacks & Daltile; Toilet: Toilet: Duravit, Wall Carrier; Gerberit; Special Features: Hardware, Medicine Cabinet & Sconce: Rejuvenation

Large Bath WINNER 2015

Best Bath

Large Bath

An Alfresco Encounter This breathtaking bathroom that extends to the outdoors was constructed based on a new space plan that brought more functionality to the master bathroom. The exterior walls of the old space were removed to extend the master bathroom to the outdoors, creating a large and open space for the clients to enjoy. The designer created luxury master shower areas, one indoor and one private outdoor shower with state-ofthe-art shower fixtures. Since bringing nature to the master bathroom was a must, the designer achieved it with the addition of a retreat outdoor area with a new shower system and seating area.

The indoor area features a new custom vanity cabinet with a makeup area as well as a linen closet and a dresser with clean, sleek lines. Frameless glass shower panels and the shower door add to the contemporary feel of the space, and all bathroom fixtures display a chrome finish with a stylish modern design. The Washer/Dryer was relocated and placed outside the master bathroom, facing the hallway. This solution enabled clients to do their laundry without compromising the privacy of the master bathroom.

The master walk-in closet has direct access from the master bathroom, and this facilitates a more private entrance to the bath, out of view from the living room. Addition of more circuits to the electrical panel allowed new CFI duplex outlets and lighting fixtures for the master bathroom and to the retreat area. Functional and serene, this outdoor retreat brings the harmony of nature into the client’s abode.

Photos by Mike Small | pgs. 46 & 47

Luz Marina Selles, CKBI Allure Designs, LLC | Gilbert, AZ 46 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Products Cabinetry/Vanity: Custom Cabinets by Martin’s Fine Furniture; Countertops: Granite Countertop – Pebble Beach Slab; Faucets/Fittings: Grohe Eurostyle Faucet; Flooring: Quartz Sand Porcelain Tile; Bird’s Egg Blend Interlock by Island Stone; Lighting: Access Lighting5 Light Comet SemiFlush track light; LED Shower can w/trim; Shower Enclosure: Shower glass panels and door by Creative Glass Interior; Sinks: Kohler Ladena; Tile: Quartz Sand Porcelain Tile, Bird’s Egg Blend Interlock by Island Stone; Glass liner GDL-Steel; Toilet: Duravit Metro; Wall/ Ceiling: Dunn Edwards paints; Windows: Jed-Wen French Door Benchmark by therma-tru for shower exterior door in patio; Special Features: 200 mm Wall Mount rotatable Shower Panel w/Body Sprays; Oasis 700-SSL LED Light Rain showerhead and hand shower.

Photos by Mike Small | pgs. 48 & 49

48 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Large Bath Erica Westeroth, CKD, CAPS, ARIDO | XTC Design Incorporated | Toronto, ON Co-Designer: Sheena Hammond

Fallingwater Inspiration

Working from the architectural plans prior to the home’s construction, the designer created a symmetrical plan, orienting the shower and the tub to face a view of the trees. The woodclad tray ceiling detail disguises a roof angle on one side of the room, enabling a symmetrical feel. The waterfall bench connecting the makeup console and its supporting end embraces the idea of flowing water of the Frank Lloyd Wright (FLW) Fallingwater house. Wall-mounted faucets enhance the cascading effect of water, mimicking the stream running through the house. Porcelain floors and wall tiles with a subtle stone appearance, teak wood veneer, and metal details enhance the organic look of this contemporary beauty.

Products

Bathtub/Whirlpool: MTI ‘Alissa freestanding tub; Cabinetry/Vanity: Alexanders Custom FurnitureHorizontal/Rift Cut Teak Veneer & Robern, Uplift Mirror Cabinet & Mallia Custom Tri Panel Mirror Cabinet; Countertops: Cambria, #0350, Templeton, chiseled edge; Faucets/Fittings: Graff ‘Qubic’ wall mounted faucets, Graff ‘Immersion tub filler & Hansgrohe, Axor shower fittings; Flooring: Cera Gres, Absolute/Caesar, Beola Bianca; Lighting: Eureka, Moonset Plus; Shower Enclosure: Custom Glazing; Sinks: Mekal, Linea Bagno, Luna II Vessel, Stainless Steel; Spa/Hot Tub/Sauna: Steamist steam generator; Tile: Lunada Bay Tile, Sumi-e, ‘Sendai’ Natural; Tile, Lunada Bay Tile, Sumi-e, ‘Sendai’ Natural; Toilet: Toto, Washlet with integrated toilet; Special Features: Hettich, Nubia & Hettich, Fermo decorative hardware, Rubinet shower niche, Essential “Moderno’ accessories.

Large Bath

50 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Large Bath Sol Quintana Wagoner | Jackson Design and Remodeling | San Diego, CA Co-Designers: Marisela Contreras; John Kavan

Dare to Imagine This master bath blends elements of a daring modern style with mid-century touches, bringing bright energy and character to the space. A periwinkle blue vanity is illuminated by sparkling pendants made of textured hand-blown glass.

Shoji-style doors provide privacy without diminishing the open feel of the room. The wood flooring in the sink area transitions to a sloped floor to accommodate the open shower, while a textured wall and a series of niches provide practical functionality. The smooth edges of the free-standing tub enable a safe environment for the toddler while the generous size, thoughtfully placed shelf and orientation to-

Large Bath

Photo by Arnal Photography

Photo by PreviewFirst.com

ward the light-filled wall of windows make it a luxurious retreat for the parents.

Products Bathtub/Whirlpool: Victoria + Albert; Cabinetry/ Vanity: DeWils; Countertops: Quartz Caesarstone; Faucets/Fittings: Kohler; Lighting: LBL Seguro Pendants Smoke; Sinks: Mirabelle; Tile: (Vanity Wall) Chiaro Tile System; Toilet: Kohler; Wall/Ceiling: Walls:Frazee; Windows: Jeldwen; Special Features: Robern Slider Medicine Cabinet_RUC3627FPL. Divider between areas, Eclipse doors by Contractor Wardrobe. Kohler,Echelon shower locker. Legrand Adorne collection outlets.

Before & After Kitchen

Modernism Revived Continued from Medium KitchenSecond Place Winner pg. 28

Since the large island required a material without a seam, the designer incorporated a neolith porcelain countertop which is 100% recyclable and composed of all-natural materials. American Walnut with a flat, sliced grain match was specified for the eating bar on the island as well as some of the storage areas. Lining up perfectly with the center of the range hood fan are three central skylights that bring ample natural light to the island. A Stainless steel countertop with a seamless welded sink provides an exceptionally durable and hygienic surface, and an oversized industrial faucet at the main sink makes a style statement while facilitating water efficiency.

Bright and spacious, catering to modern conveniences, this magnificent kitchen compliments the essence of the sprawling beauty outside.

WINNER 2015

Before & After Kitchen

Products Cabinetry: Jason Good Custom Cabinets Inc.; Countertops: Neolith Island with Walnut bar.

Stainless Steel and Calacatta Marble; Faucets/ Fittings: Grohe and Blanco; Flooring: Kentwood Floors; Brushed Oak Snohomish; Lighting: EQ3; Sinks: Custom made stainless and Blanco prep sink; Wall/Ceiling: Calacatta marble slab backsplash; Windows: Starline; Dishwasher: Frigdaire; Range/Oven: Wolf; Refrigerators: Kitchen Aid

Before

Claire J. Reimann, AKBD Jason Good Custom Cabinets Inc. | Victoria, BC 52 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Photo by Joshua Lawrence Photography

Before & After Bath WINNER 2015

Before & After Bath

A Seaside Sentiment Working on a large existing master suite footprint, the designer allocated space for the bedroom and walk-in closet, and also created a footprint for an en suite bathroom. The designer created a single step up to the new bathroom, allowing the deep Ofuro tub to be sunk into the new platform. The modestsized tub was placed next to the window area with a step up to the deck and a connecting shower seat. The toilet was moved to the farthest corner of the bathroom, closer to the existing stack. Vanities were placed along the wall with a shallow depth grooming counter. The long mirror helps bounce light and visually widen the space, and the vertical sconces enable even lighting. The bath features a wave wall tile that simulates the soothing effect of sand washed by water, and sea foam green colored glass tile on the shower wall completes the coastal ambience of the space. Other special features of the bathroom include plywood core cabinetry carcasses, textured sandy colored floor tile, in-floor heating, LED shower wall lights, and thermostatic all-in-one shower system among more. Two countertop thicknesses add visual interest and the waterfall style grooming area brings about a tranquil

ambience. With a sense of reassuring calmness, this bathroom transcends into an environment of seaside serenity.

Products Bathtub/Whirlpool: Americh, Beverly 4040 with Airbath System II; Cabinetry/Vanity: Miralis, White Oak Veneer, Horizontal grain, natural stain, matte finish; Countertops: Caesarstone, #4600, Organic White; Faucets/Fittings: Disegno, ‘Seven’ single hole faucet, Disegno, ‘Seven’ 3PC Deckmount &Grohe, ‘Euphoria’ Thermostatic Shower System; Flooring: DaVinci Almond, Natural; Lighting: Tech, Lynn, & Eureka, Tenor; Shower Enclosure: Custom Glazing with CR Laurence hardware; Sinks: Kohler, Ladena; Tile: Porcelanosa Madagascar, Blanco, Porcelanosa Ona, Blanco & Opus, Crystal White; Toilet: Toto, Eco Drake; Wall/Ceiling: Benjamin Moore, #2122-50, Iceberg; Special Features: Motiv, Sine towel bars & Laloo, Classic towel hooks, Hettich, Monza & Hettich, Empoli decorative hardware

Before

Erica Westeroth, CKD, CAPS, ARIDO 54 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Photo by Arnal Photography

XTC Design Incorporated | Toronto, ON Co-designer: Sheena Hammond

Budget-Friendly Kitchen WINNER 2015

Budget Friendly Kitchen

$$$

A Bright Bargain Products This kitchen offered a particular challenge in that it houses a vaulted ceiling. Moreover, the client also asked for the peninsula to be moved to the opposite side of the kitchen to create a more functional space. In order to utilize as much of the vaulted ceiling space as possible, the designer offset the cabinets, aligning the cabinets on the west wall at 96 inches and the cabinets on the east wall at 90 inches. To further balance the cabinets, the designer city- scaped them thereby creating more shape and dimension. With the cabinets now better suited to the vaulted ceiling it became possible to move the refrigerator to the west wall creating more usable space next to the range. Other challenges included incorporating tiles that the client was not particularly fond of, but had already purchased. To meet this challenge, a backsplash was designed with the tiles running vertically and the addition of accent mosaic strips and white grout that helped to brighten the tiles. Moving the peninsula also required moving the client’s sliding glass door over by 12 inches to create more space. In order to cut down on construction costs, the gap was filled with a sidelight. Finally to cut down on the project’s cost, leftover flooring was installed diagonally to create the illusion of more space.

Dishwasher: Maytag MDB7749SBW; Microwave Oven: GE HVM1750DPWW; Range/Oven: GE PB975TTWW; Refrigerators: LG LFX31925SW; Cabinetry: Kraftmaid Victoria Maple Dove White w/Cocoa Glaze; Countertops: Stonemark Granite Ashen White; Faucets/Fittings: Moen Lindley Mediterranean Bronze; Flooring: Stonewood Jamaica Hickory Natural; Lighting: Feiss “Perry’; Sinks: Revere Stainless Steel; Tile: Natura Element River Rock & Jeffery Ct Platinum Pearl; Wall/Ceiling: Behr Premium Plus Formal Maroon; Windows: Hunter Douglas Applause

Photos by Lori Cooper | pgs. 56 & 57

MaLinda Jo Perry, Allied ASID The Home Depot | Gillette, WY 56 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Universal Design WINNER 2015

Universal Design

The Ergonomist in Action A newly married couple wished to renovate their recently purchased 1950s ranch home including their 200 square foot kitchen. The primary purpose of the renovation was to accommodate the physical limitations of the 6’4” tall husband with muscular dystrophy. The entire space, with a 240 square foot addition, was designed to provide a clear slight line, a level circulation route, and to accommodate the complete turning radius of the husband’s mobility scooter. The designer installed retro-fitted standard cabinets with a 9” toe kick, as well as overhead and customized lighting.

Interior and Exterior doorways were widened with zero threshold and new appliances were included to accommodate accessibility needs. A large island enables safe and easy accessibility including a faucet for pot fillings. An elevated dishwasher enables ease of loading and unloading and glass front upper cabinets help identify stored items conveniently. The 13” X 24” brick-style, slip resistant tile allows maneuverability of the mobility scooter.

This space creates the perfectly safe and ergonomic environment to accommodate the clients’ current and future needs, minimizing fatigue, and greatly enhancing efficiency.

Products Cooktop: GE Profile Series 36 Built-in Cooktop; Dishwasher: GE Hybrid Stainless Steel with Hidden Controls; Garbage Disposal: Badger-5 disposal; Microwave Oven: Frigidaire 0.7 Countertop; Range/Oven: HIS Frigidaire 27” Single Wall Oven Side Swing Door; Refrigerators: GE Profile 24.6 Counter Depth side by side; Special Features: His and Her Ovens HER GE Profile Series 27” Build in Single Convection; Cabinetry: Combination of Kraftmaid Passport Cabinets and Standard Kraftmaid Cabinets; Countertops: Granite; Faucets/ Fittings: Kohler Bridge Faucet with Handles; Flooring: Porcelain Tile 13X20; Lighting: Recessed Light and Pendant over the Sink; Sinks: Elkay Lustertone Stainless Undermount Double Basin; Tile: Backsplash Linear Glass/Stone Mosaic; Wall/Ceiling: Paint Color for Walls BM 482 eggshell, Ceiling SW 6385 Flat; Windows: Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors Zero threshold doors; Special Features: Americk Revitalize Cabinet pulls

Photos by Roland Hardy | pgs. 58 & 59

Pamela Livingston-Hardy 58 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2014

Creative Renovations LLC. | Birmingham, MI

Green Design WINNER 2015

Green Design

Retro Farmhouse Aesthetics It was only natural for this environment-conscious family to reduce, reuse, and recycle with their remodeling project. The homeowners’ original kitchen which lacked storage, counter space and a dishwasher was reorganized by moving the refrigerator closer to the cooktop and sink, clearly defining a work zone and separating it from the path of travel from the foyer to the family room. Shifting the living room doorway made room to move the fridge to the same wall as the cooktop and also provided a better layout for the island. A fossil art from Green River Stone was placed above the sink as a focal point. Energy consumption was reduced by switching from fluorescent tracks to LED can lights and under cabinet lighting. The Energy Star rated Big Chill fridge and Kitchen Aid dishwasher further reduce energy consumption. Since all of the farmhouse’s electricity is generated from solar panels on-site, the switch from a gas stove to an induction cooktop was a sensible one. Many parts of the kitchen were reclaimed and repurposed – the cabinetry was built by a local cabinet shop from old wormy chestnut shelves rescued from a warehouse. Also, the stained glass was originally from an Arts and Crafts home found at a local salvage

shop. The booth seats were made from old pews and the table from old silo wood. Since composting was part of the clients’ lifestyle, the designer built a pull-out made to fit their compost bin. The clients now enjoy a more efficient kitchen that stands in harmony with the retro farmhouse aesthetic.

Products Cooktop: Thermador, Induction CIT 304; Dishwasher: KitchenAid; Range/Oven: Big Chill, 30”; Refrigerators: Big Chill, 20.6 cu.ft; Ventillation: Vent A Hood, BH 128SLD; Cabintery: Thorcraft Custom Kitchens; Countertops: Black Honed Granite; Faucets/Fittings: Hansgrohe; Flooring: Rustic Maple; Lighting: Recessed LED, Lithonia/Undercabinet LED, Legrand; Sinks: Rohl; Tile: Ann Sacks; Wall/ Ceiling: Sherwin Williams; Windows: Stained (Glass Doors): Dell’s Architectural Antiques; Special Features: Hardware & PendantLights: Rejuvenation

Photos by James Netz Photography LLC | pgs. 60 & 61

Adrienne Dorig Leland, CKD 60 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Dorig Designs LLC. | Eau Claire, WI

Builder/Remodeler Clay Lyon Honorary Award WINNER 2015

Builder Remodeler

Moment of Zen

Products

This stunning bathroom emphasizes Asian inspired pavilion style architectural integrity and maintains the Pacific Northwest longhouse and Japanese structural design details. The designer incorporated a sitting area next to the tub that serves as an inviting place to read, enjoy a glass of wine or converse with someone soaking in the freestanding, contemporary slipper tub.

A column integrated to provide a plumbing chase for both the shower and the tub is clad in beautifully textured glass accent tile. The small platform at the base of the plumbing column provides additional seating. The exterior sconces are installed in the wet location, lighting the bath and shower, while an Afromosia wood valance conceals a track that the pendants hang from. Frosted glass windows provide natural light and privacy. The resulting space is an extremely cohesive blend of centuries, respecting original architecture and structure, while implementing spatial changes that cater to the client’s contemporary lifestyle.

Bathtub/Whirlpool: Signature Hardware; Cabinetry/Vanity: Bristol Design & Construction; Countertops: Pental Granite & Marble; Faucet/ Fittings: Hansgrohe; Flooring: Forum; Lighting: Vanity: Tech Lighting- Tetra Mini-Pendants On Monorail, Shower Sconces: Justice- Fusion Curved, Closet: Design Classics- Milo Drum Pendants; Shower Enclosure: Distinctive Glass, Tempered Glass Divide; Sinks: Kohler, Tile: Moda Vetro; Toilet: Kohler; Wall/Ceiling: Wall Tile: Stone Project- White Falda Field; Special Features: Shower Trims: Hansgrohe

Photos by A-Medley Photography | pgs. 62 & 63

Sandra Gjesdahl 62 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Bristol Design and Construction | Lynnwood, WA Co-designer: Scott Gjesdahl

What should be included in your entry form

How to Enter the NKBA Design Competition

The entry process begins online through the NKBA website. You start the entry form by logging in with your individual NKBA member ID (not your company ID). Your basic profile information is automatically populated on your entry form; once you complete the other details requested on the form, you can submit your entry. You will receive a link to download a pdf document of your entry form which contains additional releases and payment information that need to be filled out and signed.

By Peter J. Albanese, CKD, CBD

I have been involved for many years in judging kitchen and bath design competitions. I judge competitions for high school and college students as well as those for professionals. Although the level of experience may differ, the common goal is to see if the entrant has what it takes to be a complete designer. It’s not always about form; function has a significant part of the design as well.

First Steps Before you begin the process of entering a Kitchen and Bath Design Competition you should have a good understanding of what is involved, what is needed in your entry package, what the judges look for and how the scoring is done.

First and foremost, as a good designer you need to always remember a few steps in the design process. You should not be designing your project for the sake of a design competition. Always remember these key points: 1. Meet the needs of the client, 2. The design needs to function properly, 3. Always meet life safety standards, 4. Now, make it pretty.

Making a beautiful kitchen is only a small part of the design process. If you design a beautiful kitchen that doesn’t meet the client’s needs, doesn’t function properly, or has life safety issues, you did not do a good job for your client. The same applies when you submit an entry to a competition: the judges always look for the complete package. The scoring of your project will be based on a variety of elements which we will touch on later. With this said, remember, it is not always the prettiest kitchen or bath that place among the winners.

Which project should you submit and when should you start the process?

The process will come easily if you run your design practice just as you would fill out the entry form. With that I mean interviewing the client so you can meet their needs, get detailed site measurements and formulate a design

64 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

During your entry process, check each of the categories that you will be entering. Make sure that you submit your entry to the proper category. Make sure that you correctly calculate the square footage. You will also need to include photos, floor plan, elevations and a design statement. You should have checked the floor plan and elevations for mistakes such as missing or incorrect dimensions and nomenclature. Once your entry is complete, you will have to mail the packet to the NKBA Headquarters.

Designer Tim Scott

statement. If you don’t typically include these areas in your daily agenda, you should think about including these within the project that you wish to submit as an entry. What we see a lot of times is a designer who completes a project and then decides that it is competition worthy. The decision to put together the package then follows. Designers start to backtrack and make a list of the client’s needs and then formulate the design statement. With this process, usually you will have discrepancies in your statements and designs. Your actual measurements don’t match the ones on the floor plan and so on. So it is best to prepare sooner than later, so you will be able to properly track your project and make sure that all the pieces of the puzzle are included.

Designer Peter Ross Salerno, CMKBD | Photo by Peter Rymwid Architectural Photographer

Make sure to read the entry packet thoroughly The first step that competition entrants typically take is filling out the entry form. A common mistake many of the applicants make is to not completely read the entry packet that contains detailed information on how to proceed with the entry process. At this point, make sure you read all the instructions carefully and complete the package and submit all documents as listed.

The judges and staff aspire to have every entry move on to the judging stage.

But all too often, the NKBA receives submissions that are incomplete, and unfortunately, this leads to an automatic disqualification. So think of it this way: you spent time and money in preparing your entry just to have it eliminated before the judging got started. All this because you did not take the time to carefully and thoroughly read the application requirements. Believe it or not, it happens every year.

Lastly, make sure you do not include your name, or the client’s name on any of the documents except for the entry form. All applicants are assigned a project number and that’s the only reference the judges will see. If at any point the judges see a name, the project will be disqualified.

Designer Nar Bustamonte, CR | Photo by Link/Fred Donham

Designer Brigitte C. Fabi, CMKBD | Photo by Eric Hausman

Tips for presenting photographs Go the extra mile and print your photos on quality photo paper. Most designers spend a lot of money having their project photographed professionally, but then end up printing it on regular copy paper. By doing this, the photos miss the “wow” factor that they should project and come across as poor quality images. Include any photo that you think shows the judges the best views of your project and show the most details. It’s a good idea to include photos of any specialty item or accessories that you used to meet the client’s needs. Show things off and give a little highlight to that area.

Some common mistakes that the judges see that are easily avoidable are lack of dimensions or incorrect dimensions. The plans are not to scale; the design does not meet the NKBA Kitchen and Bath Guidelines, life safety issues, missing items such as elevations or design statements. All too often the judges are reviewing a project and look for an elevation or design statement and it’s missing.

I can remember one situation when I served on the judging panel and was reviewing a project. Based on the photographs, that project was by far one of the best in the bunch. But once we started scoring, we realized the drawings

Floor Plans and Elevations Two common reasons for disqualifications are inadequate dimensions and scale discrepancies in drawings. Your floor plan must be printed to scale. Although you may have designed your project in 1/2” scale, shrinking it down to fit on a piece of paper will not suffice. Be sure that it is printed in 1/2”, 1/4” or metric scale. The judges will check and make sure that it is correct. Make sure that your floor plan is dimensioned properly. The judges will be looking for appliance center line dimensions and to see that they are correct. To learn more about how to create detailed floor plans and elevations, refer to the NKBA Professional Resource Library: Kitchen and Bath Drawing. Make sure that all your nomenclature is correct and that your floor plan is neat, clean and clutter free. The same goes with your elevations as with your floor plan; they should be printed to scale, dimensioned properly, neat and clean. Lastly, make sure that your elevations and floor plans match.

Design Statement

Designer Cheryl Kees Clendenon | Photo by Greg Riegler Photography

In your design statement you will be listing your client’s needs and how they were met. You can do this in a paragraph or bullet points. The judges will refer to the design statement as they score your floor plan and elevations. Your design statement also should be printed on quality paper and you might even want to consider colored paper.

were not printed to scale, the floor plan was all wrinkled and did not have any dimensioning. Though the photo was beautiful, the entry scored very low and did not move on to round two. So you can see that it is the complete package that matters. If the applicant took the time to make sure everything was correct they might have moved on to round two and possibly been selected as one of the winning entries.

The Scoring Process

Benefits to Entering

Now that your project has been submitted, hopefully error free, it will be reviewed. The score consists of a total of three phases. During the review, the judges will check to make sure that the design statement, floor plan, elevations, and photographs are included and complete. The judges will also be looking for any disqualifications such as floor plans and elevations that are not dimensioned or indicate life safety issues. They will be checking the photos to ensure that they do not contain any pictures of clients, the designer or the names of the client or designer. Most importantly, they will also look to see if the design meets the NKBA Kitchen and Bath guidelines.

Although winning a competition is very rewarding, taking the time and effort to submit an entry adds a lot of value to your professional goals. You will discipline yourself to make a more professional set of plans and specifications to submit to your clients. You will also get into better habits when it comes to detail allowing you to stand out amongst your peers and to your future clients as one that gives attention to detail. Lastly, you will feel better about what you do and be more professional. So take the time and think about future design competitions. By doing this you will become a complete kitchen and bath designer.

Designer Shea Pumarejo | Photo by Casey Dunn

Once your project has been reviewed, it will move on to to the first of three scoring phases. In round one, entries are scored on Safety and Ergonomics and Presentation of Floor Plans and Elevations. After all the applications have been scored, they are averaged out and the top scores move on to round two.

During round two, the judges will score the projects on the following: Elements and Principles of Design, Design Planning, Creativity, and Presentation.

Once again, the scores are totaled and the top scores move on to the final round. The judges now will collaborate and discuss the top projects to present the winning order.

66 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

I hope this helps clarify any questions regarding the competition process. I wish everyone good luck for their future entries.

Designer Richard Ourso, CKD, CAPS | Photo by Chipper Hatter

Designer Elina Katsioula-Beall, CKD | Photo by Suki Medencevic

Choosing Kitchen Appliances

Excellent customer service has never been one-size-fits-all. The golden rule (do unto others…) doesn’t apply. Best-selling author, Tony Alessandra’s Platinum rule, “treat others the way THEY want to be treated,” does apply.

With this in mind, let’s look at how

Exceptional Customer Service

Tips and Considerations: What is recovery ratio—and, more importantly, why should you care? Are “professionalstyle” appliances worth the money? Are all steam ovens created equal? How high-end do you want to go? With many mid-range and high-end appliances on the market today, you can get looks and quality performance without breaking your budget. Ideally, you should choose your kitchen layout first, and then choose appliances that fit. Before breaking out the calculator, find out what’s available in the market today by visiting showrooms, reading magazines, checking out trade shows and searching online resources.

It’s also a good idea to have options for not only your appliances, but your countertops, tile and just about everything for your kitchen remodel. The more research you do before making decisions, the less likely you’ll be to change your mind.

different generations may want to be treated. But first, a word of warning: generalizations about any group, no matter how well researched, is only true for about 60% of that group. Best practice: learn more about your individual customers.

By Laurie Brown, CSP

Traditionalists (1900 1945) This group prefers respect, relationships and thank you notes.

They prefer phone, snail mail and face-to-face communication. They are largely, very loyal.

Gen X (1965-1977) Contact GenXers by phone, or email them for their communication preference. Give them facts; keep conversation short with easily digestible sound bytes. They value ease and speed.

Baby Boomers (1946-1964) Boomers want you to be flexible, real, informative, and answer questions. Phone and email tend to work well with this group.

Millennials (1978-1987) Spoiled by Amazon and the least loyal — they want what they want when they want it. Contact them via text and email. Pictures work better than words. The use of apps is particularly appealing.

However the world is changing. In an article for Forbes, Micah Solomon wrote: “… What millennials want from a customer experience is becoming less and less distinct from what customers as a whole want from businesses, not because the youngsters are changing their expecta-

tions, but because their elders are, and fast: Millennial thinking (digitally centered, crowd-based, mass-mediaignoring, and that redefines the meaning of “expert”) is trickling up to affect the entire marketplace. In other words, essentially all of your customers and prospects.”

What does this mean for your business? Have an online presence, be easy to do business with and be able to change to meet the needs of every customer.

causes uncertainty, and could even derail productivity. When I considered my 20-year career in corporate learning and development, I realized that I experienced some kind of major change every year-and-a-half. New jobs, new company leadership, new ownership, mergers, or acquisitions drove changes in structure, process, staffing, and management. In one company, I reported to six different managers over a period of four years!

Through it all, I still needed to be productive and engaged.

to the key business drivers, overall vision, and dayto-day management needed to successfully drive change in an organization.

Today, it is no longer an option to think that major changes won’t happen to you. In order to stay competitive in our global marketplace, all kitchen and bath industry professionals are challenged to continuously evolve their businesses to meet customer expectations. Likewise, successful employees need to be nimble and flexible to handle business change while remaining positive and productive.

By Nancy Barnes

NKBA Director of Learning Do you work well during changes in your business?

If you said “no,” you’re not alone. Many people are upset by change because it disrupts their routine, 68 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

At this point you might be asking, “Well, what is change management?” It’s probably more important to ask, “What is change leadership?” While sounding similar, there is a difference between the two terms. In general, change management refers to the tools, templates and resources intended to keep projects on track. Change leadership refers

The good news is that leading change is actually a skill that can be developed. Because change is constant, learning to work productively during periods of change is critical to your success.

Step one in learning change leadership is to stop thinking of yourself as a reactive manager,

and start thinking as a change leader who is driving new ways of doing business. You need to focus on results, and at the same time, not lose sight of how your colleagues are handling the stress that change brings. Everyone needs to stay flexible and willing to learn how new opportunities can work for them.

Let NKBA University help you develop your change leadership skills with On Demand and virtual courses. Simply visit NKBA.org, click the top NKBA University button, and then click the Adapt & Innovate Learning Path link to view available course titles.

By Moorea Hoffman

A beautiful kitchen can be rendered useless by specifying the wrong appliances—or putting them in the wrong location. Part of a designer’s responsibility is guiding clients towards equipment that will improve their lives by making cooking easier, faster, and more fun. While it is thrilling to see the constant advances made by the appliance industry, it can be overwhelming to keep up with new products and features. Even more difficult is determining if an appliance lives up to the hype.

I am thrilled to be returning to KBIS to share my passion for quality appliances and innovative design with my peers. While we can research products on the internet until our eyes cross, KBIS is about so much more. The cross-pollination of ideas, networking, getting inspired by manufacturers’ many innovations, or staying current with trends—the list goes on and on. See you in Las Vegas!

By Shawn Doyle, CSP I travel around the country as a speaker – doing training on creativity and innovation. Many people tell me that they are “not creative.” I try to tell them that they are, but they have decided that they aren’t. Here are six quick tips on getting and staying creative:

1.

Know that you are creative – In a study by George Land and Beth Jarman, 1,600 five year olds were given a creativity assessment and 98% of the five year olds were in the highly creative range.

So, chances are, you were creative and that means that you still have it, you just have to wake it up!

2.

Expose yourself to creative stimulus

– what gets you going creatively? Find out what things stimulate your creativity and do them more often.

3.

Study creativity – Even the most creative people are studying creativity and ideation techniques. Find books on creativity techniques (like my book Jumpstart Your Creativity) or books about creative people like Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs or Georgia O’Keefe. Looking at other creative lives can provide ideas for your own.

4.

Try for multiple answers – creativity is just knowing that there is more than one right answer – start looking for many answers and options.

5.

Live your life more creatively – read new books, ride a thrill ride, drive home a different way, or eat lunch outside. Do something you’ve never done before. Ever.

6.

Learn new techniques – instead of just brainstorming, read and study new and different ideation techniques. You will come up with a lot of new and different ideas just by taking a different approach.

So look in the mirror and repeat after me: I am creative. I am creative….because you are! You just gotta believe!

Design for Balance in the Home of 2030

By Jason Tester

Home is where we face the future. Our homes are the places in our lives where we encounter and truly live with a changing world, from new foods and technologies to shifting patterns of family and friendship. Home is also where we retreat from a changing world and strive to maintain a continuous sense of self. This balance, between embracing and rejecting the new in our most important and personal space, is central to our lives.

Come visit us at KBIS 2015 booth N763 Interior Design Show 2015 Toronto, Canada booth 1722

Bravo! Bravo!

Encore! Encore!

The new ENCORE tub By merging design and comfort, Fleurco created the new stylish ENCORE bathtub. This acrylic bathtub with polished and brushed solid stainless steel feet, has contemporary lines and an elegant silhouette.

70 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

www.fleurco.com www.designashower.com

At the Institute for the Future (IFTF), a 46-year-old independent research group in the San Francisco Bay Area, we often view possibilities for the coming years through a lens of the home. Our researchers spend time in homes around the world to see how big forces of change are impacting people in their daily lives. We look for early signals and clues for how we might live, eat, shop, care, and grow in the next decade and beyond.

At KBIS2015 I’m looking forward to sharing the best ideas from IFTF research and our perspectives on the future of home and the future of design.

To start this conversation I’d like to introduce three drivers of change that will have big impacts on homes, design, and the important work of KBIS attendees to help people balance and navigate the future.

Smart aging — The boomer generation has transformed nearly every institution and life stage they’ve encountered, from practically inventing teenage-hood to creating new patterns of work and family. Aging in the coming decades will be no different as boomers reinvent retirement and upend expectations about how, where, and with whom they live.

Perhaps most notably, boomers are the first generation to be broadly comfortable with technology.

For boomers, the home will be an important tool to help them thrive as bodies and minds age.

Futurists like myself have heralded the era of the ‘smart home’ since long before the Jetsons, but— believe me, we’re finally on our way thanks to technology that is becoming smart, powerful, always connected, and affordable.

Most homes in the future will subtly keep an eye on our health, teach us new skills, retain and enhance our memories, and progressively add more support as we need the extra help. But our automated homes come with a real danger, especially for their aging occupants. As mounting research

shows the key to aging well is mental agility, our tech-laden homes could actually coddle and do too much for us. In the coming decades of building and designing homes, we will all need to balance convenience, care, and coaching to create environments that help us live our best lives.

Open cities — The density and diversity of people, ideas, problems, and solutions in cities have always driven new innovations and launched trends that change our lives. Technology is now connecting and coordinating all of these elements to create more open cities that will blur the boundaries between home and city and between personal and communal. We can see early examples in popular services like Uber, Airbnb, and TaskRabbit that connect people to nearby resources available

in the open city and extend notions of what’s familiar and ‘ours’ beyond our four walls.

Building on these successes, new services are integrating the local more deeply into our lives. You can already download apps to share meals, buy surplus food from restaurants, even trade leftovers right as you’re cooking and eating. These open city services are both driven by and in response to broader shifts, particularly prevalent among the millennial generation, for lives that intersect with interesting people and serendipitous resources in the neighborhoods around their homes.

Social Learning at the NKBA Rachel Troychock, NKBA Manager of Collaborative and Social Learning

A designer in California has just started her own business. She signs up for a Business Management class through NKBA University. After the first class, she tries to process the information presented.

She’s been struggling with a particular part of her business and is overwhelmed with the tasks ahead of her. She hops online and posts a few questions on the course site. Within hours, she has responses from several of her classmates with a wide variety of experience in the field that boosts her confidence. Over the next few weeks, the discussion continues. Several weeks after the class, she finally jumps the hurdle she’s been facing.

She returns to the class site to share her news and is able to share some new wisdom she’s gained in the process.

selected methods commonly associated with social learning. Knowledge sharing, general conversation, personal and professional networks and communities were among the top five. People prefer to learn in a social way, and the science behind how we learn best also supports the use of social learning.

Social learning happens every day: at home with our children, at work with our peers, over lunch with a friend, or online with our personal networks. By definition, social learning occurs through observing the behavior of others. Although the theory behind social learning is over thirty years old, the ways that technology can enable and enhance social learning are new and powerful. “...learning happens with and through other people, as a matter of participating in a community, not just by acquiring knowledge,” The New Social Learning, Marcia Conner and Tony Bingham.

Over the past several years, the NKBA has made a shift to more online course offerings, not only to benefit the busy schedules of our learners, but to also connect geographically dispersed learners with each other, our instructors and staff. We recently launched a platform called Yammer which allows us to weave social learning into our course offerings, further enhancing the experience for our learners.

Recently, the Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies completed a survey of over 1,000 professionals worldwide. When asked to rate the importance of 10 different ways of learning in the workplace, the overwhelming majority 72 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Social learning allows us to extend the classroom past the confines of the date and time the live class is scheduled. This way, a class becomes an experience, taking place over the course of several weeks, as opposed to one day or even a few hours.

The networking and collaboration that happens in a traditional classroom can not only be replicated through social learning, but also enhanced, as participants are given more time to get to know one another before and after the session, forming stronger bonds.

Using Yammer for social learning allows participants instant access to knowledge. Coupled with

the use of our virtual classroom and the spacing of course sessions, and participants are able to learn in a natural way, retaining more by having the ability to apply new knowledge on the job and seek support when it’s needed.

When a learner signs up for a course featuring social learning, they are invited to a Yammer site along with their fellow classmates for that course.

Learners introduce themselves to the class virtually and complete some pre-course work to prep them for the first class session. By the time the first session begins, many participants have made connections based on their introductions, connections which they are then able to continue, even after class has ended. Throughout the class, the Yammer site is a hub for homework assignments and important resources, giving a space for the instructors to follow-up on open items from class or for learners to ask additional questions.

“The benefits were evident immediately—convenience was a given, but I’m especially grateful for the social and collaborative element. Instead of sitting in a class for three or more days backto-back with other local professionals, I’m learning from the experiences of designers, remodelers, and other industry professionals from all over the country. Communicating with other designers throughout the country is a great way to share our experiences and expertise that may differ from market to market. Having your peers as a sounding board well after the class is over is a valuable tool and asset and I plan to keep in touch with several that I met through the course,” says Brooke Eversoll, CKD, NKBA U Alumni.

As we continue to evolve NKBA U, there is no doubt that social learning will continue to be an important piece of our professional development offerings.

Why Become an

NKBA Certified Professional?

Andrew Mackenzie NKBA Manager of Certification The NKBA developed the certification program as a way to enhance their members’ careers, allowing professionals to market themselves to consumers and allied professionals as experts in their field. By aligning yourself with the kitchen and bath industry’s leading association, you are also strengthening your brand. Through membership, the NKBA will also provide you with the sales and marketing tools to promote yourself among the finest professionals in the kitchen and bath industry.

The NKBA introduces two new professional resource library volumes!

Johanna Baars NKBA Publications Specialist

The first step toward certification involves applying for the Associate Kitchen and Bath Designer (AKBD) exam. An AKBD is a certified professional, knowledgeable in safety, building codes, space planning and product specification. A minimum of two years of kitchen/bath industry experience is required to be eligible to take this exam. A newly-certified AKBD makes an immediate positive impression on prospective clients as well as potential employers.

NKBA certification also serves as an endorsement of your professional experience and design expertise. Earning an NKBA certification demonstrates your intention to be the best in your profession and sets a tone of excellence. Certification sends a clear message to colleagues and clients that you take your work, and your customers, very seriously. Becoming NKBA certified gives builders, remodelers, architects, and consumers an objective way to assess your credentials and experience, as well as a good reason to select you over your competitors.

While earning certification is not easy, it certainly is a good business investment.

The NKBA’s new Kitchen & Bath Sustainable Design thoroughly explains sustainable design and includes in-depth coverage of indoor air quality, materials, appliances, fixtures, rating systems, and much more. Case studies of award winning kitchens and bathrooms demonstrate how budget and sustainability can come together to create beautiful, functional, and efficient rooms without sacrificing comfort or livability. Scheduled for release in January, 2015.

Lighting is another topic of high importance today in both new construction and remodeling.

Sustainable design The NKBA’s new Kitchen & practices are vitally Bath Lighting volume important to kitchen begins with the fundamental basics of light and and bath industry progresses through light sources, fixtures, controls, well as lighting techniques and design developprofessionals and are asment and documentation for residential kitchen becoming increasing- and bath projects. With new trends, products, regulations impacting the industry, this book ly important to today’s and contains the information designers and contracconsumers. tors need to know. Scheduled for release in March, 2015.

Research has shown that consumers feel more comfortable hiring a certified professional.

Certification tells the consumer that your professional skills have been independently evaluated and tested and that you are committed to improving those skills through ongoing education.

Whether you are a student striving to break into the industry, or an experienced industry professional looking to enhance your credentials, you will benefit from NKBA certification.

Visit NKBA.org for easy step-by-step instructions on how to begin your path toward certification today.

Both of these new volumes will become part of the NKBA Professional Resource Library, considered the core body of knowledge for the kitchen and bath industry. The information found in the books is the material that must be mastered to achieve NKBA certification. The original first edition volumes have all been thoroughly revised and updated and have been published by Wiley as second editions.

The NKBA books will be featured in the Design & Construction Week Bookstore at KBIS/IBS and are available for purchase at NKBA.org, Wiley. com, Amazon.com, and other retailers.

Become a Well-Rounded Professional in 2015 In our constantly evolving industry, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve to maintain a competitive edge. Choosing the best path and finding the time, however, can be a challenge. Commit to smart planning and using the right tools and resources to make 2015 a year of professional growth and success.

Focus on Your Strengths For those at small- to mid-sized businesses, being a jack-of-all-trades can leave you spread thin. So how do you determine which skill set to strengthen?

Many are inclined to focus on a weakness, but a 2013 Forbes article by Russ Alan Prince suggests the opposite. Instead, be “highly centered;” focus on your forté and leverage your talents to help you meet goals and bring greater success. Where we excel is often where passion lies, and there’s no better fuel for professional development. As for those shortcomings, engage a colleague or outside resource whose strengths are more in line with those tasks and responsibilities. Doing so will eliminate stress and make it easier for you to professionally shine while doing what you love.

Get Business Savvy An award-winning designer/firm owner can create a knockout kitchen worthy of gracing magazine pages, but how well can he navigate his business’ balance sheet? You don’t need to be a CPA, but a solid understanding is vital. In a Business Insider article, Robert Herjavec from ABC’s “Shark Tank” says, “finance is the language of business.” Being business savvy helps reduce risk of failure and builds confidence in your company’s future, which can carry over to employees, clients and partners.

Improve Your Sales Skills Even if “sales” isn’t a part of your job title or description, we’re all in the business of selling something— a service or skill you offer to clients, or an idea or opportunity you’re sharing with your boss. Take the focus (and pressure) off of making an immediate sale and make service your motive. Every strong salesperson knows success comes from building honest relationships based on trust. A consultative approach, which serves as the foundation for many sales courses NKBA University offers, can help bring more long-term success because it positions you as a trusted resource. Every client interaction may not bring new business, but you can rest assured that when the time comes to buy, your prospective client will keep you top of mind when they are ready.

Embrace Change Change, by nature, can be unsettling. So how do you overcome it? By being a settling influence.

The ability to manage change helps businesses maintain a competitive edge and avoid becoming obsolete. Communicate with those impacted so they can understand the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of the situation, how it will be managed, and what lies ahead. If you struggle with change management, there are plenty of resources (books, courses and workshops) that can help you not only manage, but innovate in the face of change.

Invest in #1 Being a well-rounded professional also means investing well—especially when it comes to how you invest in yourself, and how you enable and inspire the same behavior in your employees. In the aforementioned Business Insider article, Herjavec said “the greatest asset you have in your life is yourself. You just got to continue to invest in training, educating, and being in the right place at the right time.” Making the time to do so helps increase

employee engagement, which helps increase productivity. A recent Gallup study found that companies with engaged employees can outperform those without by as much as 202 percent.

Whether it’s honing in on your passion or familiarizing yourself with your business’ financials, commit to making professional development a priority in the new year and let the start of 2015 be your springboard into a year of becoming a more wellrounded pro.

Next Steps to Becoming a WellRounded Pro Find Your Path Once you have your goals set for the year, it’s time to make an action plan. NKBA University offers a free quiz at nkba.org/selfquiz to help you determine which of its eight learning paths is best for you based on your gaps and goals.

Sign Up Setting time aside for professional development can be a challenge, but NKBA U makes it easy with over 300 courses available on-demand 24/7. Live, virtual instructorled courses are also offered. Learn more at nkba.org/courses.

Share Your Goals Identify a colleague or mentor to share and discuss your professional development goals and plan. Sharing it with someone else deepens your commitment and helps creates a sense of accountability.

CLEARLY SUPERIOR No project is complete without giving your clients complete control of their bathroom environment. Unlike ordinary humidistats, our Condensation Sensor Plus with built-in intelligence monitors both temperature and humidity, automatically turning the vent fan on as dew point approaches—before moisture sets in and has a chance to cause mold, mildew and a host of other issues. Ordinary humidistats only react after moisture has formed. WhisperControl can also be pre-set for the best moisture protection for any climate. PLUS, the minutes-per-hour timer automatically turns the fan on for up to 30 minutes every hour, to keep the bathroom clean, dry and healthy. Want to satisfy your clients, while complying with ASHRAE 62.2 and CALGreen standards? Then specify and install the ultimate in environment control: a WhisperControl Condensation Sensor Plus.

Check out our complete line of switches and fans at us.panasonic.com/VentFans

Visit us at IBS, Booth #C5613 74 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Jamie Banfield

Jamie Banfield Design, Surrey, BC A leading professional in interior design, Jamie Banfield has become a creative force in the industry, recognized for his signature West Coast style. He specializes in design for all spaces with a focus on kitchen and bath. Jamie’s work can be seen in private residences throughout Western Canada. Formally trained in interior design, with a complementary background in manufacturing, construction, and custom millwork, Jamie has an intrinsic understanding of the total design process. Jamie frequently lends his style advice on stage at such shows as IDS West, the BC Home + Garden Show, Vancouver Home + Design Show, and the Edmonton Renovation Show, to name a few. He also regularly contributes to Home Décor & Renovation magazine. In the fall of 2014, Jamie expanded his brand with the launch of The BANFIELD Collection, an exquisite new line of high-end cabinets in partnership with Troico Manufacturing. He also introduced a bespoke furniture line called Paul Kristjan.

2015 Exceptional Young Professionals

Kitchen & Bath Design

Following the huge success of the NKBA’s 30 Under 30 program in 2013 and 2014, this year, the association has yet again selected 30 extremely talented young achievers to represent the next generation of kitchen and bath professionals. This program has been carefully designed to provide the group with new opportunities for growth and at the same time, acknowledge their current success during KBIS 2015.

In the limelight at KBIS, the 30 Under 30 make their debut on the first day of the show at Center Stage, in the NKBA Booth. Working in 10 groups of three to conduct research on design trends such as sustainability, aging in place and multi-generational, as well as business trends such as global influences, products, systems and more, the 30 Under 30 group will present their research on critical kitchen and bath industry trends during a presentation on Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at Center Stage.

If you haven’t crossed paths with the NKBA’s 30 Under 30 at KBIS 2015, take this opportunity to learn more about these inspiring professionals, their outstanding achievements, and their journey ahead!

Jenn-Air, Benton Harbor, MI Jon Barfell is a Marketing Specialist for the Brand Experience team, responsible for all design and architect outreach for Jenn-Air. This includes the development and administration of continuing education unit (CEU) programs, building relationships with national design organizations, and managing designer immersion sessions in Chicago. The sessions are two days of product knowledge featuring the latest technology/innovation, a CEU approved program, and interactive cooking demonstrations. Additional responsibilities include the management of the Jenn-Air Design Advisory Council.

Barfell joined Whirlpool Corporation in 2011 with a role in Global Procurement. Prior to joining Whirlpool, he spent four years working for Penske Logistics as a Project Manager, supporting the inbound and outbound logistics for Whirlpool in multiple roles within Supply Chain & Logistics. Jon graduated from Central Michigan University with dual undergraduate degrees in Marketing and Supply Chain Management.

Emily Alt

Krista Benton, AKBD

Emily Alt has been in the professional design field since graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design from Adrian College in 2012. Emily currently works as an Interior Designer and Remodeling Consultant for DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen in Comstock Park, MI. Since being at DreamMaker for over two years, she as increased sales by a significant margin, and has also started a Houzz account to help increase exposure in West Michigan. In 2014, she held the Vice President of Academic Relations position for the West Michigan NKBA Chapter and will be the Vice President of Programs for 2015. Emily believes that the best part of her job is seeing a remodeling project through from beginning to end and truly making a positive impact in a client’s life. She has volunteered her design services to both her elementary school and her local Knights of Columbus Hall to help improve and update their spaces to better accommodate its users. She loves her career because it allows her to learn something new every day to help fuel her creativity. At the end of the day, it is all about changing people’s lives for the better by providing clients with the best experience possible.

Krista Benton, AKBD, graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from the CIDA accredited Illinois Institute of Art-Schaumburg in 2006 and has been working in the kitchen and bath design industry since. Over the past several years, she has earned her AKBD designation from the NKBA and received her Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) designation from the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB). Her designs combine functionality, creativity and her clients’ style to create unique and inviting spaces. Krista’s attention to detail makes her customers’ dream kitchen, bath, office, library or custom closet become a reality. She has had work published in Northshore living, Springfield Scene and featured on Houzz.com. She was also awarded “best kitchen” in the 2013 Lakeland Builders Association Parade of Homes. Krista designs spaces for both new homes and remodel projects for Orren Pickell Building Group, a high end custom builder on the north shore in the Chicago area. As the lead cabinet designer, she is responsible for the design, drawings, ordering and overseeing the install of these projects down to the last knob.

Melissa Austin, AKBD

Danielle Bohn, AKBD

After graduating from Auburn University’s CIDA accredited interior design program in 2010, Melissa Austin, AKBD, immediately began her design career with Affinity Stoneworks and Affinity Kitchen and Bath, its sister company, as a Sales and Design Consultant. She works with clients on a daily basis to assist them with their design challenges and bring their vision to life. Melissa is an Allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers and earned her Associate Kitchen and Bath Designer certification in the spring of 2014. She prides herself in the ability to oversee each project from start to finish, excelling in sales, product knowledge, and turn-key project management. Her outgoing personality and creative mindset have proven greatly successful, helping clients push themselves out of their comfort zone to create spaces that are functional to their lifestyle, visually appealing, and truly one-of-a-kind.

With a B.S. in Interior Design and minor in Business Marketing and Management from the NKBA Accredited University of Nebraska Kearney, Danielle has a solid foundation for success in the industry. She was one of the first from her university to earn her AKBD following graduation. Danielle pursued her career at Creative Kitchen Designs, Inc. in Alaska as a fulltime Associate Kitchen and Bath Designer. Her kitchen designs were published in the Alaska’s Best Kitchens Magazine, awarding her 1st, 3rd, and honorable mentions. She has served on the Alaska NKBA Chapter as VP Communications and VP Programs, and is now their 2014-2015 Chapter President. She has given back to her local community by volunteering with the Neighbor Works Paint the Town, a nationwide initiative for neighborhood enhancement projects.

Danielle is currently working toward her CKD and CBD certifications. Danielle is passionate about the kitchen and bath industry, ambitious about her future, and eager to continue her education in the field.

DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen, Comstock Park, MI

Affinity Stoneworks/Affinity Kitchen and Bath, Alpharetta, GA

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Jonathan Barfell

CabinetWerks a div. of Orren Pickell Building, Northfield, IL

Creative Kitchen Designs, Inc., Anchorage, AK

Stephanie Brick, ASSOC. AIA, LEED GA

Kara Feinberg

Nicely Done Kitchens and Baths, Springfield, VA

Allied Kitchen & Bath, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Stephanie’s professional background in architecture and interior design, and leadership roles in both design and project management at her current firm, has given her a well-rounded understanding of the full-scale remodel process. She was the first student at her university to become LEED accredited. Her work is published in nationally distributed Signature Kitchens & Baths magazine and earlier this year, she was granted a U.S. Patent for one of her innovative and forwardthinking designs (Patent #8,662,326 B2). Since having earned her professional degree in Architecture from the Pennsylvania State University in 2010, Stephanie enjoys travel both to broaden her perspective and continue her education in design, sustainability, psychology, and ergonomics. She teaches students about design through the Architecture in the Schools program. She also manages and sponsors the SEED Award of Distinction, an annual award that promotes and encourages green education and principles to college students.

Kara Feinberg is a sales professional and has been at Allied Kitchen and Bath for over five years. Her experience includes sales and marketing to home owners, designers, builders, and architects. Her expertise is in fine plumbing and the decorative hardware luxury market and has recently expanded to cabinetry for the Kitchen and Bath. She has a keen fashion sense, is passionate about her clients, and loves the industry as a whole. Kara has a passion for giving back in the community where she lives and works. She has volunteered at the Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Build, the Covenant House, and the LLS Light the Night Walk. She is actively involved with assisting in the planning of events at her company for many non-profits that they host throughout the year at their expansive 15,000 sq. ft. showroom. She was born and raised in South Florida and plans to make it her home. Kara hails from a home remodeling family and is looking to follow in the footsteps of the success and business they have built in her home state.

Deena Castello

Megan Greve, NCIDQ, Registered Interior Designer

Since receiving the honor of being selected for the inaugural NKBA 30 Under 30 program in 2013, Deena Castello has continued to expand her businesses as well as broaden her influence on the industry. As the owner of kitchen and bath showrooms Cabochon Surfaces & Fixtures and Lavish - The Bath Gallery, Deena continues to inspire the La Jolla design community through her unparalleled curation. Her boutique-style showrooms provide an environment that breeds creativity while her well-appointed staff caters to the needs of industry professionals and homeowners alike in sourcing unique products for every style and budgetary allowance. Gearing up for her role as VP of Communications for the NKBA San Diego Chapter, Deena is excited to further serve her commitment to the future of design.

Megan graduated with honors from the University of Central Oklahoma with a BFA in Interior Design in 2008. Upon graduation, she received the Award of Excellence for the top graduating interior designer. She has since become a registered interior designer with the state of Oklahoma and NCIDQ certified. Since 2007, Megan has been an integral part of the team at Edmond Kitchen and Bath LLC, one of the most influential companies in the local market providing fullservice design/build remodels to the greater Oklahoma City area. The company’s recent expansion to a large retail appliance showroom has afforded Megan further opportunities in showroom design and retail sales. In addition to kitchen and bath remodels, her experience includes whole house remodels, kitchen and bath design for new construction, and development of best-practices in estimating and operations within the growing business. She enjoys the opportunities her local NKBA Chapter provides for learning and professional development.

Michelle Eglington

Katharine Hatcher

Cabochon Surfaces & Fixtures, La Jolla, CA

Euro-Line Appliances West, Inc., Vancouver, BC

Southern Kitchens, Louisville, KY

Michelle Eglington has been a part of the kitchen and appliance industry her whole life, starting with modeling for AEG appliances as a baby. After graduating from Trent University with a Bachelor of Business Administration with Honors, she officially joined Euro-Line Appliances in 2012. Michelle was honored to receive the Employee-of-the-Year award in 2012 through the Oakville Awards for Business Excellence. As an active member of the Oakville Chamber, Michelle sits on the board for the Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs Group (YPEG) organizing after-hour networking events and mentorship opportunities. Currently Vice President of Euro-Line Appliances West, Michelle handles the administration side of the business as well as multi-residential quotes and proposals.

Originally from Wellington, New Zealand, Katharine Hatcher relocated to Louisville, KY in 2007. She graduated from Louisville Technical Institute top of her class and began working with Southern Kitchens in 2010. Her background in interior design helps bring cabinetry, hardware and countertop selections together to create a polished space. Katharine is creative, detail oriented, and passionate about design. She takes pride in incorporating unique aspects and enjoys the challenge of taking a project to the next level by taking time to refine details. Remodel and custom projects are her forte. She works closely with several experienced remodelers in the Louisville area and also enjoys working with interior designers. The majority of her clients are through referrals from happy former clients. Katharine wants to help each client through this sometimes overwhelming process to create a functional design they will love for years to come. She believes that thoughtful design shines through in any scale of a project.

Monty Elsabbagh

Jag Khangura

Canadian General Contractors Group, Ottawa, ON Monty Elsabbagh is from Ottawa, Canada and is the Director of Marketing for Canadian General Contractors Group (CGCG), Canada’s largest home renovation company with offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. His leadership and knowledge of marketing was monumental in helping the company expand across Canada bringing in more qualified leads and brand exposure than ever before. Prior to joining CGCG, Monty operated a Local Internet Marketing firm, Local SEO Experts, which he started in his mom’s basement. He started on Elance - the world’s largest freelancing platform. He grew the company to be the #1 ranked SEO company on Elance in North America, generating six-figures.

Early on, he knew that the internet was the way of the future; he spent months learning and experimenting with different online marketing techniques and strategies to eventually ranking sites to the top of Google. Monty gives back by helping young entrepreneurs, locally and in developing countries, how to get started through freelancing and online marketing.

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Edmond Kitchen and Bath, LLC, Edmond, OK

Kitply Industries, Surrey, BC Jag Khangura leads Kitply in the pursuit of achieving operational excellence to grow the company into an industry leader.

As head of operations, Jag drives operational strategy, develops supplier partnerships, and motivates the team to succeed together, and have fun in the process. He is committed to improving operational efficiencies and implementing business practices that enhance customer experience and create an inspired workplace environment. As a managing partner, Jag has significantly contributed to the company’s rapid growth and success to-date. In addition to establishing new supplier partnerships, he helped grow Kitply’s product roster from a mere 28 products to over 21,000 products within the first three years since Kitply’s inception. Jag continues to lead, identify, and develop the partnership opportunities and expansion strategies that are advancing Kitply into new markets across North America.

Jennifer Murphy

Associates in Building + Design, Fort Collins, CO Jennifer Murphy was born and raised in Western Colorado, and developed her affinity for improving the relationship between space and its users from a young age. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Colorado State University’s CIDA accredited program, and spent a semester studying the evolution of efficiency and aesthetics of the built environment at Florence University of the Arts in Firenze, Italy. Since graduating in 2012, she has been working as an interior designer for Associates in Building + Design in Fort Collins which was recently announced as one of the top 500 remodelers in the country by Qualified Remodeler, August 2014. Jennifer is a member of NKBA, CIDC, and serves as the events chair for the Northern Colorado IIDA. She is currently working towards her AKBD certification. Jennifer constantly strives to bring creativity to timeless design, and enjoys her current position being involved from initial concept through completion of construction for both remodels and custom builds. Her passions for aesthetics and function don’t stop at building design, she also pursues interests in graphic design, typography, film photography and urban design.

Jessica Petrino

Yale Appliance and Lighting, Boston, MA Jessica Petrino began her professional career in the kitchen and bath industry in 2013 after graduating from Brandeis University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy. At age 22, she became the youngest appliance consultant at Yale Appliance and Lighting, a Boston appliance dealership with one of the most experienced appliance sales teams in the country. Jessica’s approach to sales is educational, inclusive, and professional. She was the first in her field to apply her passion for writing to develop a client network through inbound marketing. Over the past year, Jessica published 39 blogs on a wide variety of topics educating clients as to which appliances best fit their needs, design preferences, and lifestyle. Her blogs are followed by clients, architects, designers, builders, and developers worldwide. Jessica is looking forward to the opportunity to learn from fellow NKBA 30 Under 30 members and to continue her education and professional development in the kitchen and bath industry.

Kerri Plazza

Cabinets Extraordinaire, Sarasota, FL Kerri graduated from the International Academy of Design and Technology in Tampa, FL with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Interior Design. After graduation, she performed freelance CAD work and three years ago, she joined Cabinets Extraordinaire in Sarasota Florida, a kitchen and bath remodeling company. She was quickly given the opportunity to advance within the company and currently works as Operations Manager. One of the youngest members in her chapter, Kerri has been actively involved with the NKBA since 2012. She is currently serving as Secretary for the Central Florida Chapter of the NKBA and has been a key member of the board since the beginning of 2014. She loves keeping current with new innovations within the industry and finding useful and creative ways to implement them within the company.

She is always open to learning new ideas that she can utilize in order to constantly improve company procedures as well as her own personal knowledge within this amazing industry.

We’re now in quartz.

Chelsey Preuss

Minnesota Cabinets, Inc., Marshall, MN Chelsey Preuss grew up in the small town of Adrian, MN. Her passion for interior design started at the age of 16. Her manager at the time asked her to rearrange some home décor and after continuously being complimented on her work, she looked into Interior Design programs. At the age of 18 she attended NKBA Accredited Alexandria Technical & Community College. During her time there, she focused mainly on Kitchen and Bath design. In her second year, she was awarded first place locally in the NKBA/GE Charette competition. Two months before graduating college, Chelsey was offered a job at Minnesota Cabinets, a kitchen and bath design/build firm. She started out as an assistant and within a year, was designing and managing her own projects. Currently, she assists the other designers, creates designs, makes selections, manages projects and the showroom, and is in charge of social media for the company. Chelsey aspires to teach each and every one of her customers the pros and cons of different products so that they can make an educated decision for their project so she can create a signature design just for them.

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Sponsor of NKBA’s 30 UNDER 30

KBIS #N2149

Leanne Richard

Diana Runyon

Leanne Richard is a kitchen and bath designer from Gardner Massachusetts. She has always been passionate and eager to work in the design industry. Leanne’s passion and creativity led her into a BFA in Architecture from UMass Amherst that launched her career. She is currently the lead designer at the Auburn MA, Home Depot, where she is surrounded by the top five designers in the district. Leanne enjoys networking with others who share the same passion for the industry and enjoys expanding her education in the field in any way she can. Recently, she teamed up with other designers she met along the way to begin working towards her NKBA certification. She enjoys time on job sites, learning and watching her designs come to life, and striving to help each project reach its full potential through her knowledge, while keeping up with trends and functionality. This creative drive has led her to be very successful with her career as a young designer in the NKBA kitchen and bath industry.

Diana Runyon is the lead kitchen sales rep for SELECT Kitchen & Bath, a leading design/remodel firm in Northern Virginia. She began her career with the company eight years ago as a carpenter’s assistant, working on high-end kitchens.

She next became Production Coordinator, responsible for developing scheduling and service delivery systems, putting structure into project management, resulting in 95% on-time project completions. Having a desire for more comprehensive understanding of the industry, Diana turned her interest to sales and design. Through a brief apprenticeship, Diana quickly learned the component parts of design and the sales skills necessary to develop and organize new projects. In her first year, Diana’s personal gross sales were over $1.2 million, with consistent increases since. Diana regularly attends trade and product seminars to increase her practical working knowledge, and will shortly begin courses for accreditation as a licensed installation contractor. Diana volunteers as an assistant to the secretary of The Explorers Club -Washington Group, and recently completed a certification program with the Fairfax County Community Emergency Response Team.

Amanda Rivera

Nikki Sayers

Amanda Rivera got her first taste of the kitchen and bath industry as a marketing intern at Moen Incorporated, where she was responsible for researching and compiling comprehensive analyses of the K&B marketplace including style trends and customer insights. She moved on to her new position as wholesale marketing coordinator, where she led select marketing projects from development to execution. She played a key role in assuring the placement of Moen’s MotionSense kitchen product in hundreds of showrooms across the U.S., and received Moen’s “President’s Achievement Award” for her efforts. Today, as a marketing communications specialist, Amanda is responsible for all communications that reach out to builders and plumbers, including new product and social media efforts. Amanda, who is bilingual, is also the driving force behind many of Moen’s Hispanic trade initiatives for builders and plumbers, including working as the Moen liaison with all Hispanic trade organizations.

With over eight years of experience in the kitchen and bath industry, Nikki Sayers exudes passion and drive. In the last three years of her employment with Huntwood Custom Cabinets, Nikki served as a design and sales consultant designing cabinets for every room in the home. After one year, Nikki had achieved the #1 top ranking sales numbers in the U.S. and Canada. After holding the position of #1 sales person for over a year, Nikki went on to become the sales manager for her branch, managing over 10 designers at Huntwood Edmonton’s Showroom. Nikki’s effective leadership skills are attributed to her natural instincts and her impressive level of emotional intelligence. Nikki’s passion and commitment to her customers, peers, and employees is a true testament to her success. Nikki defines what it means to be a leader in the industry, and she is honored to be recognized as one of the 2015 NKBA 30 Under 30.

Katie Roberts

Damara Scheeler

Katie started her career in the kitchen and bath industry one year ago as assistant product manager for Amerock. She has since been promoted to associate product manager involved in all of the company’s product categories. Katie graduated from East Carolina University in May 2011 with a degree in marketing. After graduation, she spent two years as a sales rep for a major tool company. Katie then returned to the South to work for Amerock and has been in product marketing ever since. As associate product manager, she helps manage the cabinet hardware category as well as bath hardware, drapery hardware, hook and rail and wall plates. Katie also leads all of Amerock’s social media efforts and is considered the trend expert around the office. She is heavily involved in all of Amerock’s events including the planning and execution of trade shows like KBIS and more exclusive gatherings such as blogger events in NYC. Katie hopes to continue to use her creativity and passion to make a difference in the kitchen and bath industry.

Damara Scheeler began her professional career in the Kitchen and Bath Industry one year out of high school working as an assistant to the sales manager at North Star Surfaces. In her short time there she worked her way up to sales associate for kitchen and bath design firms in r the WI area where her love for kitchen and bath design grew and flourished.

She registered for classes at NKBA Accredited Century College and took on another job in addition to working full-time at North Star Surfaces. During her time at Century, she was voted NKBA Student Chapter president. Damara started her career as a design consultant at North Star Remodeling during her second year of school and has worked there ever since, assisting the senior designer with custom hand-drafting, space planning, and CAD drawings, as well as managing North Star’s Houzz account. She is working toward her AKBD certification and is looking forward to furthering her education in the industry. Damara believes that the ability to capture the client’s lifestyle by creating a space that is an expression of themselves all while intertwining your own personality is the most rewarding part of the design process.

Victoria Ross

Megan Siason

Victoria Ross has been working with Cosentino for over four years. Prior to joining Cosentino’s team, Victoria attended Seattle University and graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor’s Degree in marketing. Throughout her time at Cosentino, she has had the opportunity to work as a local promoter in the Seattle area, as a regional design sales manager for the Western United States, and most recently, as a regional design sales manager in the Northwestern United States and Canada. Victoria has seen Cosentino through tremendous growth and has contributed on multiple levels to the company’s success. Through managing and executing targeted marketing campaigns for existing and new products (including Dekton Ultracompact Surfaces and Silestone Quartz), organizing industry events throughout the West Coast, writing nationally distributed newsletters, and building relationships with companies all over the country, Victoria has balanced efficiency with care, ensuring that all members of the trade feel as if they are part of the Cosentino family. Victoria also believes in educating those designers who will impact the future of design by means of product knowledge trainings, CEU, and AIA certified courses and designer product focus groups.

Megan Siason has over five years of design experience in different facets of the industry including kitchen and bath. In 2012, she received interior design degrees from NKBA Accredited San Diego Mesa College as well as San Diego State University while serving as a board member on the NKBA and ASID student chapters at both schools. She has chaired many NKBA events and currently serves as the communications director for ASID San Diego. Megan successfully passed the IDEX exam to become a Certified Interior Designer in California. She’s currently studying to become an AKBD. Shortly after graduation, Megan joined the team of Marrokal Design & Remodeling. As the first employed interior designer, she contributed to the revamping of the “design/ build” process and has proven to be a key team member.

She represents the company by presenting kitchen-focused seminars and offering product selection and design services, which receives exceptional client feedback from Marrokal clients.

The Home Depot, Auburn, MA

Moen Incorporated, North Olmstead, OH

Amerock, Mooresville, NC

Cosentino, Houston, TX

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Select Kitchen and Bath, Springfield, VA

Huntwood Cabinets, Edmonton, Alberta

North Star Remodeling, St. Paul, MN

Marrokal Design & Remodeling, San Diego, CA

Tyl Thomas

Kitchen & Bath Expo, Virginia Beach, VA Since graduating from NKBA Accredited Virginia Polytechnic and State University (Virginia Tech) Housing program in 2007, Tyl Thomas has been excelling in the kitchen and bath profession. Immediately after graduation. she established herself into a kitchen designer position and helped develop the kitchen sales division while learning the foundations of the industry. Tyl currently is a kitchen and bath designer at Kitchen & Bath Expo. She is responsible for overseeing the whole kitchen and/or bath project (sometimes entertainment and storage solution projects) from measurement and design, helping with material selections, ordering, scheduling installations and follow-up. Her clients and peers appreciate her immense knowledge of design and products, attention to detail, effective listening, and diligence. Tyl is very passionate about designing and loves seeing the design process unfold into the finished result.

Alexandria Van Nuys

Lane Homes and Remodeling, Richmond, VA Alexandria Van Nuys holds a Bachelor’s degree in apparel, housing and resource management with a focus in kitchen and bath design from the NKBA Accredited Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). In her senior year, she placed in the top 10 for the national NKBA/GE Charette competition. After graduating in 2011, Alexandria worked in northern Virginia for a kitchen design company. In 2013, she moved to Richmond, VA and became a design consultant for the renowned design-build firm Lane Homes & Remodeling. Taking a customer’s house and turning it into their dream home is Alexandria’s favorite part of the job. She believes educating potential customers is critical to being successful and does so by writing e-newsletter articles, presenting at seminars, and sharing project video updates on the company’s blog. Alexandria is currently studying for her AKBD certification.

2013/2014 Student Design Competition Winners

The Home Depot, Richfield, MN Brynne Welper is a kitchen and bath designer for the Home Depot in Richfield, Minnesota. She went on to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from Oregon State University, where she developed an interest in working on residential projects. She started her career working for herself doing personal color consultations before obtaining her first position in the kitchen and bath industry as a designer with the Home Depot in March, 2012. Brynne has worked on a variety of kitchen and bath projects, specializing in solving the challenges presented by early 20th century homes in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Brynne is known for her positive attitude and exceptional customer service, and a result, has been honored with several customer service awards through the Home Depot and has also built a strong referral business. Currently, Brynne is working towards her AKBD certification and expanding her knowledge of advancements made in the kitchen and bath industry.

Elizabeth Wesley

Lifestyle Kitchen Studio, Grand Rapids, MI Elizabeth Wesley is a recent graduate of Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she received a BFA in Interior Design with a minor in Graphic Design in 2013. Having studied interior and graphic design, Elizabeth approaches the creative process with the ability to keep innovation and the greater well-being of an environment in mind. Textiles, layouts, branding, and the understanding of collaboration and sustainability have been essential to her creative outlook. In February of 2014, she was the 2nd place winner for the inaugural Leading Edge Design Challenge for undergraduate college and university students in the U.S. and Canada. Elizabeth is the vice president of Government Relations for the West Michigan NKBA chapter and is currently working as a designer at Lifestyle Kitchen Design Studio in downtown Grand Rapids.

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2014

By Amy Castillo, Julie Senzig, and Ash Sukumar

Kitchen Project The Project:

Brynne Welper

WINNER

The home was once divided into a multi-family home, each apartment with its own small full bath. The owners have donated the home to Enchanted Makeovers, an organization whose mission is to transform long-term stay homeless shelters for women and children into places that inspire behavioral and psychological changes. Through unique projects and programs, a place is created that is supportive and inspirational for the most vulnerable members of our society while rebuilding their lives. Three women will be able to bring their children to a secure environment where they can live free from domestic abuse.

The main level of the home will be a common living space for all families to share. When the remodeling is completed, the main floor will contain the kitchen, a large dining room, expanded family room/living room, unisex bath and a large bath for the female members of the home.

The Clients: There will be three adult women and their children residing at the Enchanted Makeovers* home at any given time. There will be no more than six children living there at one time, and all children will be under the age of 12. Since the families will reside at the Enchanted Makeovers home for no more than a year while they find new places to live and begin to rebuild their lives, the environment should be calming and welcoming during their stay. The home has an older, classic feel, with dark wood moldings/railings and leaded glass windows in some built-in cabinetry and interior doors. *Please note: Although Enchanted Makeovers is an actual organization that helps women who have faced domestic abuse, the client portion for this competition is fictitious.

Since there will be multiple families preparing food and cooking in the space, the kitchen must include two separate sinks, two dishwashers, a cooktop, a microwave and a double oven. The space should be planned for the three families to prepare meals together to encourage socializing for the mothers and their children. While most of the storage would be devoted to items used jointly by all inhabitants of the house, some tall storage for personal use by the three families should be included. This could be used for snacks and specialty food that could be shared by the individual families. Some work spaces would be in order to encourage group participation during meal preparation and to involve the children in kitchen tasks. The kitchen does not fall under commercial kitchen requirements and regulations, only residential requirements and regulations should be used. Designers can assume that the kitchen does not need to be geared for a resident with disabilities. The eating area should be designed for accommodating only four people dining at one time in the kitchen for “meals on the go” since the large dining area can accommodate all three families eating at once for a sit down meal.

Bath Project

The current space allotted for the first floor bath will include a former small bedroom. The new larger bath space will be large enough for one simple bath with a sink and toilet and would be used by guests in the home and would be open to males and females. This small bath would have its own entrance. The second bath would be for the women and children who are residents of the home only and should include two separate toilet stalls, one large enough for a wheelchair and the second standard size, two sinks and storage for towels and common paper supplies. Since the women will have their own full bathrooms attached to their personal living space upstairs, the two new bathrooms being designed will be used by guests and residents, but will not be needed for bed time preparation. The storage in this bathroom should be created mostly for linens and toiletry items for guest use, as personal items will be stored in the individual baths upstairs.

1st Place Kitchen Victoria Frentzel, Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL The Enchanted Makeovers property requires a kitchen that will be suitable for three families at a time who will be calling the residence their home.

Since the home has a classic design with dark wood details and leaded glass windows, the new kitchen will adopt the same theme, but will also be functional with modern, state-of-the-art appliances. Demolition will take place to eliminate the pantry, and remove all existing cabinetry, fixtures, and flooring.

The structure will be altered to relocate the opening to the hall, as well as relocate and enlarge the arched opening along the dining room wall. Closed openings will be patched to match the new drywall that is replacing the plaster.

Cabinets will be installed with a sage green colored finish that will be offset by stainless steel appliances and fixtures, oil-rubbed bronze faucets and cabinet hardware, a sustainable floor of golden bamboo, vi-

brant orange barstools, and a green and gold quartz countertop. The walls will be painted an oatmeal color and the trim stained to match the dark wood details of the rest of the home.

The entire kitchen will be lit with two zones of recessed ceiling fixtures set on three-way switch systems to be accessible from any of the entrances to the kitchen. A Tiffany style glass pendant fixture will hang above the peninsula, and under-cabinet task lighting will also be installed.

Since bringing adequate light to this kitchen is challenging with only one window present, the existing exterior door will be replaced with a full-light stained glass door of the same size to allow more light into the room during the day, as well as adding an additional splash of color in the Arts and Crafts spirit.

A work area incorporating the cooking triangle will be the focus of one area, including a double sink,

dishwasher, cooktop, microwave drawer, and refrigerator, creating an open feel with bar seating for four at a peninsula adjacent to the double sink. One seat will be lower at 30” tall for younger children to sit comfortably. Here, the children can complete their school work, play games, or learn to cook by observing their mothers without ever being in the way. They can even join in on food preparation since they are within arm’s reach. The peninsula will also double as an informal dining space.

The second area will include double oven, an auxiliary sink, second dishwasher, and additional cabinetry. Three tall pantries will also be integrated for each family to have their own private storage, while the rest of the kitchen will have an open concept to encourage socialization while preparing or enjoying meals. Combining an open concept with family-friendly appliances such as the induction cooktop and microwave drawer with lively colors, the kitchen will take on a new life to bring comfort to current and future families that call the Enchanted Makeovers house their home while transitioning into a life safe from domestic abuse.

WINNER 2014

Student Design Comp

2nd and 3rd Place Kitchen

Susana Alzamora

Jan Satterfield

JOLIET JUNIOR COLLEGE, JOLIET, IL

ARAPAHOE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, LITTLETON, CO

In designing this space, the main focus was to provide women and their children residing at the Enchanted Makeovers home with a comfortable and functional space to enjoy during their stay. The new design features a main cooking area with lots of upper and lower cabinetry as well as a large refrigerator, double sink, cooktop and microwave. To encourage group participation during meal preparation and to involve the children in kitchen tasks, this area has a peninsula counter ideal for children to sit down and participate. The peninsula serves another purpose of having a practical cereal base cabinet. The built-in TV place in the upper cabinet in front of the peninsula makes breakfast time much easier for the little ones and allows the mothers to watch cooking shows while prepping the food.

Enchanted Makeovers is a non-profit organization which provides a long-term shelter to homeless women and their children. Their goal is to create an environment that will inspire behavior and psychological change and help support and rebuild their lives.

Another important aspect of the design was to keep the kitchen as safe as possible. In doing so, the back of the cooktop area was covered with an elegant and practical design feature, a tempered stain glass panel surrounded with woodwork that provides separation, allowing light to come through and keeping the space safe for people coming from the back door or working in the auxiliary area. An auxiliary area is also provided with a large sink, double oven, and much needed tall cabinets which provide each woman with separate storage space.

Apart from beauty, functionality was well-considered, providing specialty cabinet organizers throughout the whole kitchen. For example: pot and pan organizers on the cabinet under the cooktop, dish rack on the upper cabinets near the sinks, tiered cutlery dividers on drawers and roll out trays. Since another important aspect of the design was to incorporate environmentally friendly products, all the appliances are Energy Star, and the backsplash as well as the tempered glass used on the back of the cooktop are made from recycled glass. Truly a beautiful and functional design will make these families feel welcome and comfortable during their stay.

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Phase II of the Enchanted Makeover project is to design an existing kitchen and small closet into a functional space that could withstand a lot of use, especially since there is a possibility of 12 children living at the home during the same period. Durable appliances and a floor plan that works for busy lifestyles are a must. Part of the challenge was to keep the historic quality of the 1920s bungalow and combine it with the concept of the “The Four Walls Around Us” inspiration of Enchanted Makovers.

The clients requested a space for “meals on the go,” general cooking and an area for seating all to encourage group participation. The kitchen space was developed with the organization’s devotion to uplifting and motivating women and their children who are in a vulnerable situation. This was accomplished through the selections of tile, Waypoint Cabinetry, Sub-Zero/Wolf appliances and a space plan divided into personal sections encouraging various activities.

CONGRATULATIONS

1st PLACE

Kitchen Category WINNER

1st Place Bath

Katherine Lensmire, Seminole State College of Florida, Heathrow, FL

© 2014 American Woodmark Corporation® • Waypoint® Waypoint Living Spaces® and Exactly what you had in mind® are registered trademarks of American Woodmark Corporation

Our industry thrives On Overachievers.

That’s why Waypoint® is proud to support the NKBA Professional and Student Design Competitions.

The future of the industry is all about creativity and innovative design. That’s why Waypoint® continues to support the industry and the NKBA Professional and Student Design Competitions, year after year.

“Welcome home” is the feeling this student designer wanted to create for the three women and their children who will be living in the Enchanted Makeovers home. With their life experiences in mind, the design emphasizes soothing textures and colors while maintaining the integrity of the Craftsman style.

Balance and harmony between the traditional craftsman style and modern elements can be seen throughout the design. The look of hardwood floors in the main area of the residents’ bathroom is achieved by using wood-textured ceramic tile that provides durability and easy maintenance. The toilet stalls and the guest bathroom utilize traditional hexagonal ceramic tiles. Staying true to a classic Craftsman home, the designer’s plan incorporates the look of built-in cabinetry while using period pieces

yet providing modern water-conserving technology.

Great care is taken so that both bathrooms maintain a homelike feel rather than an institutional one.

Toilet stalls are separated in the residents’ bathroom to create personal, private spaces. The sink choices and their placement in the room enhance that goal while addressing the needs of a diverse range of occupants and meeting ADA requirements. The use of wallpaper, draperies, and accessories further contribute to a bathroom that feels like a nurturing home.

The functionality of the bathrooms is another important element of the design. Interior stall doors are designed with translucent glass to allow natural light into the enclosed spaces. The built-in cabinetry

addresses the need for storage as well as providing a diaper changing area for the home’s youngest residents. Even the matching stepstool speaks to the needs of the child who wants to be “all grown up.” The finish on the five-foot high wainscot is easy to maintain. The wallpaper offers both durability and muted tones, which create a relaxed, cozy atmosphere.

The residents and guest bathrooms demonstrate unity by both incorporating modern finishes and fixtures that exemplify the Craftsman style. Design elements in the total bathroom makeover showcase an aesthetically pleasing environment that truly exclaims, “Welcome home!”

WINNER 2014

Student Design Comp

MEMBER

MEMBER

waypointlivingspaces.com

MEMBER

2nd and 3rd Place Bath

Honorable Mention Kitchen

Jason Wass

Lindsey Merrill

SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE, SAN DIEGO, CA

SULLIVAN COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN, LOUISVILLE, KY

Shannon Miller

Amy Ash

PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE - SYLVANIA, PORTLAND, OR

ARAPAHOE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, LITTLETON, CO

The central theme of the Enchanted Makeovers bathroom is a calm, relaxing retreat for the occupants, featuring classical Greek motifs as well as patterns from nature with a modern twist. The use of rectilinear forms and horizontal and vertical lines will symbolize the modern characteristics primarily drawn from the Greek motifs. Nature’s effect was achieved through the use of bamboo and organic elements. Layered lighting will be achieved through the balance of task, accent and ambient light to create visual emphasis to the textures of materials and finishes. The overall look will convey classical features seen in the rest of the home and will transition to the bathroom.

The goal of this design was to maintain the vintage Craftsman “Arts and Crafts” style of the home. Craftsman style architecture often has a cornice with dentils which is echoed in the design on the top of the wainscot paneling on the walls of the kitchen. The design features a common arts and crafts color palette consisting of shades of red, yellow and green.

The newly designed kitchen space for Enchanted Makeovers creates a welcoming sense of renewal and growth for residents – a safe, calming space to begin the process of transforming lives. The floor plan directs traffic from the entry through the space to the dining room and hall without impeding the main work triangle which easily accommodates more than one cook. Counter height seating provides space for a small family meal or a homework center during meal preparation.

In order to maintain a strong vintage look while still providing a modern kitchen from a technological and design standpoint, the designer specified appliances with cabinet door appliques to blend in with the surrounding cabinets.

Appliances in stainless steel provide a clean modern look in this cottage setting. An induction cooktop enables residents to prepare meals quickly while ensuring that children stay safe from burns. A stainless steel hood from Wolf provides ventilation and visual interest.

The space posed several challenges – with three exit doors, one to the exterior and two to the rest of the house, it was difficult to create a work triangle that was not in a traffic path. In order to facilitate this, I have made the main food preparation area with a sink in front of the slightly offset window, which will be replaced with a modern, energy efficient wood single hung window, with a pantry and the refrigerator on the same wall. The cooktop is across from the sink on the island and is flanked by dual ovens.

Lighting throughout the space is energy efficient. Recessed LED fixtures provide ambient lighting while under cabinet fixtures with Xenon lamps provide additional task lighting. Fixtures from Feiss’ Peyton line provide accent lighting with dimmable incandescent lamps that stay true to the home’s cottage features and relate to the concept of growth and renewal.

The lighting design of the project emphasizes the pleasing elements and helps deflect attention from the less attractive features, such as the toilets. Layers of light were used to add to the relaxed ambiance and are created with a combination of wall sconces; ceiling mounted, and recessed lights on dimmers. Unusual lighting fixtures offer focal lighting to the central pedestal sink area in the bathroom and petrified sink and vanity area in the powder room, emphasizing the enticing focal points of the room. Doors were moved for both bath spaces in order to frame these views that are backed by reflective glass mosaic tiles and lit with unique fixtures. Using full height doors with frosted glass allows natural light to permeate into the main bathroom area, but also adds a bit of much needed privacy to the house.

Harmony, a principal of design, was created in these unique bathroom spaces by selecting traditional elements appropriate to the architecture of the house paired with a soothing array of colors and textures drawn from the natural world. There is an elegant simplicity to the classic lines of the pedestal sinks and wooden elements that work in harmony with the existing features of this historic home. The reclaimed French terra cotta tile flooring not only gives a soft, natural feel to the spaces, but also provides a universal design compatible surface.

It is also a slip resistant surface and safe for all. Finishes of oil rubbed bronze, natural wood, terra cotta and colors of warm gray and soothing blues and greens are displayed throughout the spaces.

Construction changes necessary to achieve the two bath spaces include eliminating the existing closet in the bedroom, and relocating the two doors to the hallways and replacing them with pocket doors.

A new wet wall was constructed in order to properly plumb the primary pedestal sink. Products and materials were also used that meet the client’s requirements for a welcoming and calming powder room and universally designed multi-user bathroom.

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The lavatory area is designed to be the visual emphasis of the room. A delicate design with dark wood elements of the older classical feel of the home makes it tie in with the existing materials of the home with an updated classical look. A separate lavatory was specifically created for someone in a wheelchair and is ADA Complaint. Also, a changing table was provided for any infants staying in this home at any given time. Acoustical separation is provided by the use of resilient channels and sound attenuation in the wall adjacent to the living room. Materials used such as marble countertops, gold leaf finishes, and Greek key motifs add a unique thread of traditional and modern style to the overall design.

Layered light was achieved through the perfect combination of ambient, accent and task lighting. The sconces will provide an adequate amount of light for grooming and the recessed can lights will provide ambient lighting. Also the three-light suspended pendants in the corner of the lavatories was designed specifically for accent light but is made to hold live plants on top with a special waterproof coating. The overall bathroom design was achieved through a harmonious combination of old classical elements existing in the home and new modern ones.

In order to create a strong sense of family in this home, the designer allocated four places in the kitchen to sit down and eat so the children can be close to their mothers while they prepare food and work in the kitchen. There are several other features of this design that are intended to contribute to an overall warmth and feeling of family.

There is cork flooring that is quiet, sustainable and hypoallergenic (an important consideration given the constantly changing tenants). The modern floor covering that at first glance looks like vintage wood, helping maintain the kitchen’s vintage look.

The wall adjacent to the dining room is ideal for displaying children’s artwork and housing a message center for residents. Silestone quartz countertops in a charcoal color with natural looking grain offer ease of maintenance and contrast to the mass of light colored cabinetry and stainless steel appliances. Backsplash tile with white-on-white blooms relate to the concept in a clean and calming manner. Accent tile in blue glazed blooms add a splash of color and further the concept.

The overall design of the space stays true to the architecture of the home and provides residents with a highly functional, calming kitchen space. Finishes throughout the space reflect the concept of growth and renewal and help to provide the residents with a warm comfortable home – a home where inspiring transformation is possible for residents.

Honorable Mention Bath

Meet the 2015 NKBA President & Executive Committee

The association’s 2015 Executive Committee will be led by 23-year industry veteran Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD, of Whitehouse Station, NJ, who will serve as this year’s NKBA President. Mark Kovich, of Winchester, VA, was named 2015 President-Elect, and Denise Dick, CMKBD, of Carrollton, TX, will serve as Vice President. Lorenzo Marquez, of Sugar Land, TX, will assume the role of Treasurer, and Blue Arnold, CKD, CBD, of Jarrettsville, MD, will hold the position of Secretary. John A. Petrie, CMKBD, of Mechanicsburg, PA, will serve as Immediate Past President.

Find additional information on each of our 2015 NKBA Executive Committee members:

President Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD Tewksbury Kitchens & Baths, Whitehouse Station, NJ

Wade Everhart

Susana Alzamora

INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY, TERRE HAUTE, IN

JOLIET JUNIOR COLLEGE, JOLIET, IL

The initial focus of this design was to create two spaces that embody the vision and mission of Enchanted Makeovers. The spaces will ultimately support an inviting and stimulating environment that will not only become an area of relaxation, but also one of inspiration. An additional focus of the renovation was to choose elements that would pay homage to the nostalgic feel of Arts & Crafts styling of the architecture.

In designing this space the main focus was to provide the women and their children residing at the Enchanted Makeovers home with comfortable and functional spaces to enjoy during their stay.

In order to satisfy all the clients’ requirements several challenges had to be addressed::

Custom moldings, solid and louvered wood doors, vanities and built-in storage give a sense of detail and craftsmanship, adding warmth to the spaces. Contrasting the rich wood grain are white subway tiles to brighten up the space. A custom stained glass window, pendants and sconces add elements of interest that are period correct for the home.

A color palette of cool blue and green hues, work with the mosaic patterns to create a feeling of relaxation, inspiration and rejuvenation, helping achieve the mission of Enchanted Makeovers.

CONGRATULATIONS

1st PLACE Bath Category WINNER

92 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

• Work within the given location of the soil stack vent, considering that the second floor cannot be altered in any way. The design presented the challenge of providing three water closets that would have to be vented without disturbing the second floor.

• Another challenge was to make sure the one bathroom would be handicap accessible. In order to fulfill this requirement, extensive research as far as regulations, especially for floor clearance spaces, was needed.

• Maintaining architectural features typical of an Arts & Crafts home was also well-considered.

The result is a charming powder room with architectural features as wall bearing columns that will make any guest relax in a luxurious, but traditional Arts & Crafts home. The main bathroom is not any less beautiful with the advantage that anyone with accessibility needs will feel right at home, since the design was considered providing a comfortable and functional space for anybody and in doing so, the little ones will also enjoy having a countertop height comfortable to learn and gain independence.

Two truly beautiful and functional bathrooms designed with an environmentally friendly approach since the finishes used include backsplashes made of recycled glass, porcelain flooring provided by Artistic Tiles, a company that ensures to have a green production process, and toilets that also use less water in every flush.

Arts and Crafts inspired bathrooms with the right touches of modern trends that will satisfy the needs of the families and friends, making them feel welcome and loved.

Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD, started her career in kitchens and baths in 1992, becoming a Certified Kitchen Designer in 2005 and a Certified Bath Designer in 2006. She is the Manager of Tewksbury Kitchens & Baths, a division of Huston Lumber & Supply Co, and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Trenton State College. Maria has been active in the Northern NJ Chapter, serving as President, Secretary, VP of Technology & Communications, and Chapter Representative. She has served as a Region Director, member of the Board of Directors, Certification Test Validation Committee, Nominating Committee, Industry Segment Task Force, Development Task Force, Governance Task Force, and a judge for the NKBA Design Competition.

President-Elect Mark Kovich, Waypoint Living Spaces®, Winchester, VA Mark has been a part of the kitchen & bath industry for 23 years. During this time, he has served on the advisory council of manufacturers (as Chair), as well as Virginia Tech. Most recently, he served on the NKBA Board of Directors as a Member at Large. During his three-year term, he served on the CEO Compensation Committee and the Governance Task Force, and chaired the Nominating Committee. He is currently the Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Waypoint Living Spaces®, which is a proud sponsor of the NKBA Student and Professional Design Competitions.

Vice President Denise Dick, CMKBD Signature Kitchens by Design, Carrollton, TX Denise Dick, CMKBD, has been active in the kitchen and bath industry since 1984 as a designer, trainer, training development writer and consultant. In 2002, she opened Signature Kitchens by Design, a full-service conceptual design agency that offers design, planning and comprehensive management of remodeling projects.

She has been active in her NKBA chapter from the beginning, serving as President, VP of Technology and Communications, VP of Membership, Secretary and Chapter Representative. Denise was also a judge for the local NARI Contractor of the Year Awards. She has served on the national NKBA level as a Region Director, member of the Board of Directors, the Education Task Force, the CKBP Certification Committee, the CKBP Exam Blueprint Specification Committee, and as a test writer for the CKBP exam.

Treasurer Lorenzo Marquez, Cosentino North America, Sugar Land, TX Lorenzo Marquez is Vice President of Marketing for Cosentino North America, a world leader in the manufacturing and distribution of quartz, natural stone, and recycled surfaces. In this role, he oversees all marketing, public relations and digital strategies for Cosentino Group’s portfolio of brands in the U.S. market. Lorenzo has been instrumental in overseeing Cosentino’s expansion in North America, which in 2015 will include the launch of 10 new regional Cosentino Centers, and the ongoing global launch of Dekton by Cosentino. He joined Cosentino in 2003 after receiving a degree in Entrepreneurship from the University of Houston and working for Levi Strauss & Company, also in marketing. He serves on the NKBA KBIS Advisory Council and is an active member of the A+D and Kitchen & Bath community.

Secretary Blue Arnold, CKD, CBD Kitchens by Request, Inc., Jarrettsville, MD Blue Arnold CKD, CBD, is the Principal of Kitchens by Request, Inc., located in Jarrettsville, Maryland. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia in 1990, and soon after, joined his family business. He has served on the NKBA Board of Directors since 2013, and has held the following positions in the Baltimore/Washington Chapter: President 2007-2008, VP Strategic Planning 2009, VP Programs 2004-2006, Secretary 2002-2003, and currently, Chapter Representative. He has served on numerous task forces and committees including the Governance Task Force, 50th Anniversary Task Force, 2013 30 under 30 Selection Committee, 2014 NKBA Executive Nominating Committee, 2010 NKBA Student Design Competition Judging Panel, 2011 & 2014 NKBA Design Competition Judging Panel, Region 3 Secretary BOCR, and as the 2013 KBIS Chapter Officer Leadership Summit Training Facilitator.

Immediate Past President John A. Petrie, CMKBD Mother Hubbard’s Custom Cabinetry, Mechanicsburg, PA John A. Petrie, CMKBD, has been working in the kitchen and bath industry since 1987, designing custom kitchens, bathrooms, home offices, wine cellars and home theaters. His early education was in architectural design, but his defining specialty and advanced training have been in kitchens and baths. He is the owner of Mother Hubbard’s Custom Cabinetry in Mechanicsburg, PA. John has served the Susquehanna Valley Chapter of the NKBA as Treasurer, Vice President of Communications, President, and Chapter Representative. During his tenure on the NKBA Board of Directors, he has served on numerous committees and chaired several task forces.

John and his father, Les Petrie, CMKBD, have both been leaders in the NKBA, with John serving as President in 2014, and Les in 2003. This distinction marked the first-ever, father-and-son presidencies for the NKBA.

The NKBA extends its congratulations to the 2015 Executive Committee! We look forward to the dynamic leadership of this

group of highly-experienced kitchen and bath professionals as well as their positive impact on the association and the industry as a whole.

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The Voices from the Industry Conference Series (VFTI) made its debut at KBIS 2013 in New Orleans.

The inaugural year had 60+ sessions representing four NKBA U Learning Paths: Focus on the Customer, Sales & Marketing, Business Management, and of course, Design & Inspiration. VFTI provides a platform for industry professionals to share their knowledge of topics that are valuable and relevant to all segments of the industry – distributors, builders, remodelers, manufacturer reps, decorative plumbing and hardware, dealers and designers.

Following the success of VFTI at KBIS 2013, VFTI at KBIS 2014 in Las Vegas included 85+ sessions, with 54 qualifying for NKBA Continuing Education Units (CEUs), a much sought after benefit for NKBA certified members. For 2015, NKBA’s Voices from the Industry program will consist of up to 90 sessions that are appropriate for every level of professional.

In 2015, over 60 sessions will qualify for CEU credit through the NKBA. We have also worked closely with other associations to add value to the conference program. The same 60 plus sessions will also

qualify for National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) credit hours as well as National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Continuing Education Units. Seven sessions qualify for American Institute of Architects (AIA) education hours.

The NKBA’s Director of Learning, Nancy Barnes, provides some insight into the goals of the program.

“We encourage self-awareness – people should know their own strengths and weaknesses – but we also encourage attendees to try something new and not just stick with the design and inspiration track they are comfortable with,” said Barnes. “Sessions in sales or customer service can allow attendees to develop their business skills.”

“Attendees should ask themselves what they want to achieve by attending professional development topics at KBIS,” Barnes continued. We know they are there to see new products and make new connections and contacts, but KBIS is also a time for attendees to expand in new directions and see what future options are available. The more that people develop themselves in different aspects of their ca-

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reers, the more they add to their marketability for the future.”

KBIS attendees can narrow down what they are looking for by choosing sessions based on the date, speaker, time slot, learning track and/or available CEUs. Simply log on to KBIS.com and review the sort option. The VFTI sessions are listed on KBIS. com under the conference tab.

Individuals who are interested in becoming presenters can visit NKBA.org on March 17, 2015 when the VFTI submission form for KBIS 2016 goes live.

Since the form closes at the end of May, it’s important to get your proposals in early. The NKBA looks forward to the continued growth of the Voices from the Industry conference program, and for what the future holds for the development of the industry.

By Julie Senzig Senior KBIS Conference Implementation Specialist, NKBA

BETTER

WITH

B AT H F I T T E R

Outlook 2015:

What’s On the Horizon for Your Business?

According to experts and members interviewed, 2015 will probably look a lot like 2014. And after the roller coaster ride of the past seven years, everyone is pretty much OK with that.

Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) model projects continued growth, albeit at a slower pace going into 2015. This slow, but steady resurgence in remodeling is especially impacting kitchen and bath, leaving many experts cautiously optimistic about the future.

Canada is witnessing similar trends. The Canadian Home Builders’ Association reports a net increase from 2013 in demand for kitchen and bath projects in 2014, up 20 percent for kitchen projects and 19 percent for bathrooms.

BEFORE

HOW BATH FITTER WORKS

“We see lots of customers seeking a professional to partner with and looking for the best value, not necessarily the lowest price out there. Good news for our company.” said Maria Stapperfenne, CKD CBD, Division Manager of Tewksbury Kitchen & Bath in NJ and the 2015 NKBA President. “2015 is looking promising. I’m guarded, but optimistic.”

AFTER

(For as long as you own your home. See location for details.)

The view on the overall North American economy might be described as optimistic, but guarded. In the weeks following the U.S. midterm elections in November, the North American business media optimistically called for 2015 to be slightly better than 2014. In both the U.S. and Canada, there is optimism related to job growth and declining unemployment. Bloomberg Businessweek also cited the strong cash positions of many multinational corporations available for investment in innovation.

•

Your new tub or shower, and unique, ONE-PIECE SEAMLESS WALL SYSTEM can be installed over your existing fixtures in ONE DAY!

•

Our experts take precise measurements to ensure the PERFECT CUSTOM FIT.

The guarded part referred to the weakness of the global economy, along with some pretty big—some might say hairy—unknowns related to global security and stability.

•

Over ONE MILLION installations and 30 YEARS in business!

Yet, just as this magazine was going to press, The Conference Board U.S. forecast released on November, 12 projected U.S. GDP growth at 2.6 percent in 2015, up from 2.2 percent in 2014. Consumer confidence has increased by some measures to the highest rate since 2007.

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Fred Miller, Managing Director at the Home Im-

provement Research Institute (HIRI), notes the rise in consumer confidence. “People believe we are living in a pretty good time and that it will stay that way, an impression of stability that can only benefit the kitchen and bath industry.”

The Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI) quantifies this positive outlook.

According to RICKI’s 2014 Q3 Tracking Study, 61 percent of U.S. homeowners agree that now is the right time to invest in their homes. RICKI’s study revealed that 14 percent of homeowners plan a major bath remodel and 13 percent plan a major kitchen remodel.

The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) found that bathroom and kitchen projects are by far the most common for remodelers. Erin

Gallagher, Chief of Insights at RICKI, attributes this growth to the greater added value kitchens and baths bring to the home compared with other sectors. “With a kitchen or bath remodel, you’re probably going to get your money back,” states Gallagher.

Although RICKI notes that the percentage of Americans undertaking kitchen projects has decreased since 2012, those who do remodel are spending significantly more money. Between 2012 and 2014, the percentage of Americans putting $25,000 or more into kitchen remodeling projects has doubled. HIRI’s Miller attributes the increase to the release of pent-up demand. “The recent recovery has instilled greater confidence in people to spend money that they had previously been holding back due to the ailing economy.”

Jack Callahan, Construction Industry Practice Leader at CohnReznick LLP, the NKBA auditing firm, noted that remodeling for the sole purpose of “flipping” a house is far less frequent than in recent times. He believes that older homeowners are seeking greater functionality. “People are increasingly interested in aging in place at home,” says Callahan. “They want to incorporate technologies and designs that will serve them throughout the rest of their lives such as step-in showers, therapeutic massage tubs, etc.”

“People are not moving - they are remodeling to stay in these homes for the foreseeable future,” Stapperfenne said.

The NKBA 2015 Past President, John Petrie, CMKBD, experienced strong growth in the latter half of 2013 for his firm, Mother Hubbard’s Custom Cabinetry in PA. “I’m optimistic for 2015, at least through May,” he says.

The kitchen and bath remodeling market does face some challenges. While the economy has improved, it is by no means booming. Miller stresses that consumer confidence can be a fickle thing, easily affected by any number of destabilizing factors around the globe.

Another challenge is that homeownership rates remain lower than the pre-recession peak. The millennial (18-32) generation, often saddled with student debt and unable to afford a home, is driving a boom in multi-unit housing, Callahan asserts.

Continued tight credit makes it harder for all ages to buy homes. Since home buying has traditionally been a driver for home improvements, this trend would seem to indicate fewer single-family home remodels, although Callahan notes the uptick in multi-family construction and remodeling. It’s not apples to apples, however. “Unit owners will be seeking easily maintainable designs that are functional, attractive and built with cost-effective materials,” Callahan said.

Furthermore, debt isn’t the only driver suppressing homeownership. Millennials in general are seeking greater flexibility and mobility in order to capitalize on fast-changing job opportunities.

Michael Neal, a senior economist for NAHB, emphasizes that designers should remember the basics such as stressing home remodeling’s added value and providing various financing mechanisms to increase affordability. “It’s also crucial to understand customers’ desires and effectively communicate why hiring a professional remodeler is superior to undertaking a project independently,” stresses Neal.

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Several NKBA members said they have diversified their offerings in recent years to help offset changes in the kitchen and bath market.

“We have changed our business model by being more open to the market swings within our industry,” said Debe Robinson, CMKBD, of Kitchen Expressions, Inc. in AL and the 2014 NKBA Secretary.

“We have added furnishings such as casework, upholstery, rugs (already had flooring), artwork, and home accessories. Now we can offer everything to complete a home.” Robinson also noted that her firm is marketing showroom design to other kitchen and bath dealers.

“I have had to expand and include a B2B direction as well as keeping my consumer business,” added Denise Dick, CMKBD, of Signature Kitchens by Design in TX and 2015 NKBA Vice President.

Overall, though, the market looks promising for designers. For now, consumer confidence is up along with spending on kitchen and bath remodeling. The trick for designers will be adapting their business models to new demographics and consumer preferences. “As long as designers understand their customers, I see more opportunity than risk in the market going forward,” predicts HIRI’s Miller.

What’s Trending in Marketing?

It’s a great big digital world, according to NKBA members interviewed about their marketing plans for 2015.

“I have completely revised my company website adding a blog and social channels,” said John Petrie, CMKBD of Mother Hubbard’s Custom Cabinetry in PA and the NKBA 2015 Past President. “Today’s younger consumer expects up-todate websites and content.”

“Our website has gotten more consumer friendly, even though our main client is the trade professional,” said Maria Stapperfenne, CKD CBD, Division Manager of Tewksbury Kitchen & Bath in NJ and the 2015 NKBA President. “We want to give their clients every reason to feel very comfortable when the trade person recommends us as the design/supplier of products.”

During one of the weekly KB Tribe Chats on Twitter last fall, digital and social marketing was cited as the biggest change in marketing strategy among kitchen and bath designers, as well as manufacturers that participated. “It’s really impossible to run a business without #socialmedia at this point,” posted @DektonUSA during the chat.

“We’ve seen a major change towards connecting w/ and educating consumers instead of traditional marketing or selling,” posted @DIYConsumer, an industry consultant.

“Our sources tell us that the client has been dictating the purchasing decision more and more to our tradespeople,” Stapperfenne agreed. “We are trying to give our clients more interactive tools like iPads and other interactive technology during the planning of their spaces.”

While it may be a digital world, offline sources are certainly not ignored. “Print isn’t dead! Consumers still look to mags for inspiration,” posted Binns Kitchen + Bath during KB Tribe Chat. “Getting projects featured in print means better visibility,” the Toronto-based firm added.

NKBA Style Watchers Report On Global Design Trends The annual NKBA Style Report is the go-to resource for those seeking information on hot and emerging trends in kitchen and bath industry in North America. It’s also the number one data source sought out by members of the press who look to the NKBA for comment on kitchen and bath design. But what about outside of North America? What do the tastemakers overseas predict as the next big thing in kitchen and bath design? The NKBA received media reports on key design industry events in Europe, capturing the latest and greatest from Milan and London. Here’s what we have to report from these meccas of style.

EuroCucina & Salone Internazionale del Bagno EuroCucina, the International Kitchen Furniture Exhibition and Salone Internazionale del Bagno, the International Bathroom Exhibition – run concurrently with the larger Salone del Mobile tradeshow, and are held every other year.

Located in the design capital of Milan, Italy, EuroCucina 2014 attracted more than 130 exhibitors and Salone Internazionale del Bagno had more than 200 exhibitors. The events have a well-earned reputation as a venue for cutting edge design and sophisticated style.

Stapperfenne said it was a fantastic opportunity to take in the European design trends. What caught her eye were the “industrial-style, but scaled for residential faucets and sinks; the specialized organizational interiors; the different countertops and how they were shaped, lifted and thin; as well as the contemporary styling and open kitchen spaces.”

This faucet takes is design cues from an industrial aesthetic, with the natural countertop material providing a grounding effect. Product: Gessi, Image Credit: Chasen West Photography Petrie and Stapperfenne’s observations were echoed by designer Kerrie Kelly, who rounded up the Milan design trends in a video produced for CosentinoTV. Pulling inspiration from the exhibitions, as well as local shops, showrooms, fashion and the city of Milan itself, Kelly cited the top trends of EuroCucina 2014 as: Industrial chic, customized and personalized elements, bold color contrasts in the bath, warm naturals in kitchen, mixing of contrasting materials, statement lighting, moveable/convertible elements, integration and open shelving.

Several NKBA style watchers attended the latest installment, which took place in April 2014. The NKBA also served as an official sponsor for Modenus’ #BlogTourMilan, allowing the association to have direct access to the insights of the denary of highly read North American bloggers who were part of the tour.

From what our NKBA delegates and #BlogTour writers tell us, EuroCucina was the destination for jaw-dropping design inspiration!

“We still use shelter print magazines (for marketing),” said Debe Robinson, CMKBD, of Kitchen Expressions, Inc. in AL and the 2014 NKBA Secretary. “We also volunteer on a local level for charities and are on local high school and university advisory councils. Networking with the appliance dealers is another way we market.”

NKBA itself has evolved its marketing over the last 24 months. Building social communities has created new member support networks, while making it easier to keep members in the loop on new programs such as Learning offerings. An emphasis on solid public relations focuses on both digital and print media to raise awareness of NKBA among consumers who are actively researching kitchens and baths.

2014 NKBA President John Petrie, CMKBD and 2014 President-Elect Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD, attended EuroCucina. “I was excited to see the clean lines of the contemporary styling in the cabinetry,” Petrie reported, noting that he was impressed by some of the countertops on display that had a thickness (or, perhaps more appropriately, thinness) of less than 2cm.

Warm woods, cool stone, open shelving and statement lighting: this display from Team 7 epitomizes many of the trends observed at EuroCucina 2014.

Photo Credit: Chasen West Photography

NKBA worked with BlogTour Milan at Salone del Mobile 2014 to gain insight into the latest kitchen and bath trends and influences in Europe. Pictured here: John Petrie addressing BlogTour participants while viewing new Dekton product.

The theme of health and wellness permeated the displays at EuroCucina. In recent years the term ‘green’ – when used in conjunction with kitchens – has been affiliated with sustainable material choices, and products manufactured in an environmentally responsible way. However, at EuroCucina, ‘green’ kitchens were spaces infused with organic elements. Plants that are both edible and ornamental were integrated into design spaces, often with small, wellappointed herb gardens in decorative pots. Some exhibitors took this new trend to its apex, creating entire walls of living plants. The flora provided a lush

textural element that is striking. The sensory experience of the herbs and flowers went beyond the visual, with the enticing aromas of these beautiful plants adding a palpable freshness to the space. As blogger Robin Plaskoff Horton so aptly noted, these stylish, sustainable design features allow urban dwellers to be co-producers when it comes to their food – not just passive consumers.

While many of the kitchen spaces on display at EuroCucina bear the hallmarks of the sleek, minimalist design for which continental Europe is famous, some spaces featured accents that again nod toward nature. Rough-sawn planks of wood, with their natural grains, knots and shapes were often integrated into otherwise clean-lined spaces, often as a bar top, or open shelving.

This infusion of natural materials into spaces dominated by right angles and clean lines had a grounding effect, adding warmth and dimension.

The wellness theme carried beyond the kitchen and into bathroom displays.

As in North America, European designers and manufacturers are responding to consumer demand for a spa-like space in the home. White porcelain tubs and sinks were often blended with natural stone and wood tiles and countertops, creating a crisp, warm, and inviting bathroom. Clean lines, open shelving, generous freestanding tubs, steam showers and vessel sinks demonstrated that the goal of many designers is to create an oasis within the home that feels like a five-star resort.

Creating an oasis for wellness within the home. (Product: Gessi, Photo Credit: Chasen West Photography) Ventilation is often the forgotten appliance. However at EuroCucina range hoods had their chance to shine. Brands on display at the show took sculptural ventilation to a new level, as was noted by blogger Lisa M. Smith (aka The Décor Girl). One example resembled a pipe organ, suspended upside down from the ceiling. A series of chrome tubes of varying diameters housed lights and ventilation fans, creating a functional work of art. The playful mini island vent hoods shown by Broan – with their rounded edges – had a retro feel.

Rumor has it these statement pieces, offered in colorful tones like mustard yellow, chartreuse, tomato red and magenta may be available soon in North America.

Ventilation appliances become statement pieces when they not only work to clear odors and circulate air, but act as kitchen art (Product: Best Hoods, Photo Credit: Chasen West Photography) There is no doubt that cabinetry – based on the amount of real estate it demands in a kitchen space – has a major impact on design. At EuroCucina there was a clear trend toward minimalism on this front. Cabinet fronts featured clean lines, highly lacquered surfaces, and little – or more often than not – no visible hardware. As The English Room blog pointed out, there was not a raised panel or shaker door to be seen. Simplicity was key. In lieu of hardware, pulls were routed out of the cabinet fronts, or drawers featured thin edges that could easily be pulled open (especially when paired with countertops and cabinets with deep, 45-degree mitered angles). As noted

by The Decorating Diva blog, hardware seems to be vanishing. European designers are foregoing the functional and decorative benefits of traditional knobs, pulls, and handles in favor of clean lines.

London Design Festival Scoping trends at the London Design Festival (LDF) is a complete sensory experience with over 350 events, exhibitions and five anchor “fairs” or design shows across the city of London each September. The shows ranged from venues for new and avant-garde home design to established brands launching intriguing ideas and products. Recognizing the importance of the overall design scene and how it influences kitchen and bath, we received media reports from Tent London (focusing on contemporary design in the ambience of an old brewery), Design Junction (alternative, emerging and established

brands set against an industrial, gritty background), 100% Design (trade-specific and most reminiscent of North American trade shows) and Decorex (ultra luxurious displays from coveted brands).

Supporting what was seen in Milan, contemporary designs saw a lot of mixed metals paired with sustainable wood for furniture, kitchen islands and cabinetry. Not surprisingly, use of warm metals – brass, copper and rose gold – is definitely on the upswing, seen everywhere in lighting, decorative hardware and plumbing and furniture accents. Veronika Miller, CEO of Modenus visited all four fairs and stated, “Warm metals took from traditional cues, but modern design twists made classic designs exciting and fresh.”

Bold color trumped neutrals during LDF with incredibly graphic patterns on everything in the textile world. Wall and window treatments, furniture, accessories and yes, decorative fittings, sinks, tubs, cabinets and surfaces in kitchen and bath displays saw exciting color exploration and playfulness.

ULTIMATE HOME.

Colorful and playful was a recurring theme at Decorex at LDF..

Intricate and exquisite detailing made for unexpected design in shower and sink faucets such as water trickling from a dragon’s mouth (Product: Volevatch, Photo Credit: NKBA) and a series based on retro aviation for the adventurous (Product: Bard and Blazier, Photo Credit: Chasen West Photography).

Moving ahead, we look forward to integrating European trends – from bold colors, to hardware-free cabinetry, to indoor gardens – into the North American market. If history repeats itself, we will see these trends will creep in, and that those homeowners who are drawn to sleek design will embrace the trends from overseas. However a strong contingency of homeowners in the United States and Canada will, in all likelihood, still favor traditional design. For an outlook of what NKBA designers predict for the coming year for kitchens and baths, check out the 2015 Style Report on NKBA.org. Based on input from NKBA designers, this valuable research document officially debuts at KBIS 2015.

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Why Join the NKBA? Did you know that the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) offers valuable benefits to members of every segment of the kitchen and bath industry, individual professionals, and business of all sizes? Networking events, professional development courses, professional discounts, consumer leads and member discounts are only some of the many significant benefits of NKBA membership. Interested in becoming a part of the industry’s over 60,000 finest professionals? Learn how NKBA Membership can add value to your career and business.

Attendee and Exhibitor Discounts at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) The NKBA’s Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), now a part of Design & Construction Week at the Las Vegas Convention Center, co-locating with the NAHB’s International Builders Show, offers our membership a plethora of opportunities to network with the industry’s best, maximize on learning opportunities, experience the latest products, and gain wide industry exposure. NKBA Members get significant discounts on the EXPO pass (which includes access to the exhibit floor of all Design & Construction Week™ Events) as well as the Voices From the Industry (VFTI) Conference Pass which includes admission to over 90 sessions at KBIS 2015, many of which will offer continuing education units (CEUs) from the NKBA as well as other industry associations. Not to mention, NKBA Member exhibitors also receive substantial discounts for their booth space at KBIS each year, regardless of the size of their company. Visit: KBIS.com

NKBA Magazine The KBIS edition of NKBA Magazine features a complete spread of the winning Design Competition projects – a great way to showcase to the industry what sets NKBA member designers apart. In addition, the magazine features exciting editorial, catering to all kitchen and bath industry segments, offering insights on national/international design and business trends, mem-

NKBA Certification: NKBA certification, available to members only, is an excellent way to set yourself apart from the competition and distinguish yourself as an accomplished industry professional. The NKBA offers the following professional certifications:

Associate Kitchen & Bath Designer AKBD® Certified Kitchen Designer CKD® Certified Bathroom Designer CBD® Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designers CMKBD® ber news and highlights, social media and PR year in review, industry events, key research and business insights, and unique learning and professional development opportunities. NKBA Magazine is distributed every year at the Kitchen and Bath Industry show to a large population of design and construction professionals and is also mailed to our membership. The show’s premiere publication offers fantastic opportunities for branding and visibility, especially with the digital edition being live on NKBA.org for two years.

Visit: NKBA.org/Magazine

The NKBA’s certification programs are based on in-depth testing and extensive industry experience, and help kitchen and bath professionals enhance their careers and market themselves as experts in their field.

Visit: NKBA.org/Certification

®

A great opportunity for NKBA members to receive nationwide industry and media recognition, the NKBA Design Competition serves as a prime platform for winning designers to showcase their top kitchen and bath projects. Winners are honored in an exclusive, prestigious awards ceremony during KBIS 2015 and are prominently featured in NKBA Magazine, NKBA.org, and the NKBA Booth at KBIS. Visit: NKBA.org/Competition

NKBA Connect NKBA Connect, the association’s official blog, serves as the quintessential platform for kitchen and bath professionals. The blog features six themed sections including NKBA Up Close, Member Vista, NKBA U, K&B Buzz, Chapter Focus, and New & Now, and offers members the opportunity to be featured in the posts for their accomplishments and also submit content. NKBA Connect is the ideal place for professionals to be informed on 104 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

what’s new in the industry, stay connected with fellow members, learn about chapter events, gather tips from industry professionals, and follow the latest trends and insights from NKBA University Instructors. Not to mention, it’s an opportunity for members to tell their own value story to consumers through videos, articles, pictures and more!

Visit: NKBA.org/NKBAConnect

Professional Resource Library

The NKBA’s Professional Resource Library (PRL), a nine-volume set of reference books is considered to be the most definitive reference tool in the industry available in both print and e-book format. The PRL makes up the core body of knowledge for the kitchen and bath industry and provide vital information required to master NKBA Certification exams. Also available for purchase is the NKBA Kitchen & Bathroom Planning Guidelines with Access Standards, a quick-reference handbook that includes all the illustrated guidelines and code references found in the Kitchen Planning and Bath Planning volumes of the PRL. Member discounts are available.

Visit: NKBA.org/Books

CEU Provider Program The NKBA recognizes providers of quality continuing education through the CEU Provider Program. The program offers providers of continuing education through the CEU Provider Program. Company CEU Providers receive added exposure on the NKBA website with the company name, logo and link featured. They also have the opportunity to provide an unlimited number of approved courses and opportunity to participate in the KBIS Exhibitor CEU program.

Learning & Development NKBA University offers a comprehensive range of courses for all our member segments through eight learning paths that provide an individualized approach to professional development by allowing you to personally manage your career growth. The eight NKBA learning paths include Design & Inspiration, Talent Management, Communication, Adapt & Innovate (Change Management), Focus on the Customer, Business Management, Leadership, Sales & Marketing. Visit: NKBA.org/University

Nationwide Networking With more than 70 chapters located throughout the United States and Canada, NKBA members have the valuable opportunity to connect and network with their peers at the local level through chapter meetings. With the chapters typically holding four to six meetings each year, attendees will benefit from educational hours and stay abreast of current industry products and practices. Visit: NKBA.org/Chapters

Social Media With the NKBA’s various social media channels and groups offering multiple platforms to actively network with industry year round, the year, your membership provides a conduit to stay connected with the top kitchen and bath professionals across the United States and Canada. Gain exclusive insight into the industry and exchange valuable industry information with industry peers by accessing NKBA member groups on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Yammer! By being a part of the NKBA’s social media groups, you’ll have the first look at industry and association news, job postings, advice, tips and trends, live coverage of industry events and much more.

ProSearch The NKBA’s ProSearch tool attracts thousands of consumers in search of designers, dealers, and other kitchen and bath professionals. With a quick postal code/address search, homeowners can access a map and a listing of NKBA members in their area. To update and add more detail to your company listing, simply login to your account through the Member Center.

Visit: NKBA.org/ProSearch

Career Center

With the launch of its brand new virtual Career Center, the NKBA offers a free, much demanded job listing portal exclusively for members! The first phase of the career center, introduced during KBIS 2015, offers opportunities for hiring member companies to promote their job listing to fellow members and qualified industry professionals. While job listings will be available for a 90-day viewing, they can also be renewed for an extended period of time, free of cost. With the launch of this initiative, the association aims to add value to NKBA membership by creating a platform for optimizing member employment opportunities and career growth.

For more information on our member benefits, visit NKBA.org/Join, send an email to feedback@nkba.org or call 1.800.843.6522.

Sourcing Local A modern day treasure hunt

By Sean Ruck

Stepping into a pre-20th century home is like stepping into a time capsule. From the way things were put together to the materials used, visitors get a glimpse into the past.

However, that glimpse extends beyond the home’s interior. By considering the materials used, it’s possible to get an idea of what types of resources were available more than 100 years ago, as well as how well-constructed the transportation infrastructure was at that time.

With the exception of coastal communities and those near railroads, builders of the time usually depended upon what was at hand when it came to materials. Local stone and timber were employed both because they were readily available and because it was more affordable than transporting from afar.

Today, transporting materials is not much of a challenge and in fact, it can be more economical to use material produced hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Instead, the justification usually lies with customers seeking a certain ascetic value or a desire to be more eco friendly. Sourcing local is also often a green option. LEED certification, one of the leading green certifications, awards points for materials sourced from within 500 miles of the home site.

With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the materials available for local sourcing in the five main regions of the U.S. Keep in mind, some of these materials can be found in multiple regions of the country, so a little research may pay off to provide your customers with the locally-sourced options they want most.

Northeast (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) Granite – with one of New Hampshire’s nicknames being “The Granite State,” it’s a given that it’s a top producer. Granite, which is primarily an amalgamation of quartz, mica and feldspar, is found in much of the U.S., but color of the stone can vary greatly from region to region depending on the mix of other minerals found in a particular area.

Marble – the largest underground marble quarry in the world can be found in Danby, Vermont. The quarry, in operation for more than a century, has an onsite factory as well (also underground) which can produce up to 4,000 square feet of marble slabs per day.

Midwest (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska) Brick - some companies like family-owned Belden Brick, headquartered in Canton, Ohio, get the raw materials used to make their bricks from within 20 miles of their production facilities.

Limestone is used for everything from sinks to flooring to countertops. Limestone is the number one produced stone product in the U.S., with yearly production of more than 1 billion metric tons. Michigan is home to the world’s largest limestone quarry. Most of it goes into other applications, as it is used in everything from cement to cereal. Marble and travertine are also forms of limestone, but not what most people think of when they think about limestone.

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West (Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington) Quartzite is another material found in different regions, but the West gets the nod in part, due to the fact that the town of Quartzite, Arizona takes its name from the hardy stone. It’s also mined in California and Idaho. Quartzite is harder than granite and less prone to staining.

Southeast (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia)

Family focused

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Cement – used on its own and used to create concrete, it is manufactured at more than 100 factories in three dozen states across the country. About 80 percent of the cement manufactured comes from just five states, with Alabama and Florida being the only two of the five from the same region. The production of cement and by extension concrete, is notoriously unfriendly to the environment, but there are advances being made to make it more eco friendly.

Southwest (Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Wyoming) Tiles - although found in all regions, the Southwest boasts one of the largest U.S. manufacturers of ceramic, porcelain and glass tiles along with some smaller producers of those types of products.

All regions Reclaimed materials – while some building materials may not have been locally sourced originally, reclaiming materials from existing structures for use in the surrounding area can qualify the second time around and is an option to keep in mind. In some cases, it may be the only way to source unique materials like American Chestnut and other woods that have become scarce over the years.

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106 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Cultural Leadership & Business Growth We either learn to adjust to and manage change effectively or change will make us, and our businesses, obsolete. As the German philosopher, Immanuel Kant said, “What is, is.” We may not like it, we may not want it, we may not agree with it, but the fact remains, what is, is.

We are seeing an unprecedented cultural and demographic shift in the United States and, as a result, change and challenges in all segments of the construction industry. This shift is led by the exploding Latino demographic, but is also accompanied by changes in societal norms that less than 15 years ago, many would not have thought possible in the United States.

The kitchen and bath industry, to a large degree, now depends on the Latino labor force to get work done and that trend will continue to grow. In fact, by 2020, 74 percent of ALL new labor force growth in the U.S. will be Hispanic according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 74 percent.

My company, Bilingual America, works specifically to help organizations create highly productive and profitable business relations between Latinos and non-Latinos. I must admit that I am amazed at how many owners and leaders in the construction industry who work with and employ the Latino workforce know so little about the people they are leading.

Most company leaders are unable to communicate with their workforce from both language and cultural standpoints. This creates many lost points of opportunity as leaders are many times communicating through bilingual middle-men who have very torn loyalties between his American business partners or leaders and the Hispanic workforce that consists many times of family members, close friends, and at the very least, fellow countrymen.

Things change.

Las cosas cambian.

All change is challenging.

All challenges create opportunities.

It is commonly understood that large numbers of designers in the industry are openly gay and no longer hide in the shadows. This trend will also continue.

David Bromstad, an openly gay designer and host of HGTV’s Color Splash series took heat from others in the gay community for participating in an event with the Salvation Army, who has an established history of not embracing, or accepting, the LGBT community. Of course, the Salvation Army also took heat from many in their constituency. Change impacts people on all sides of an issue. Change management is very difficult, especially when embedded, and as in almost all cases, sincere belief systems are held on both sides.

What is, is. We can’t stop major societal change. We can only manage it to the best of our ability.

In 1947 Branch Rickey brought Jackie Robinson into Major League Baseball. Mr. Rickey was not a social activist nor was he trying to make a statement on race relations. Not only did Jackie Robinson incur incredible amounts of pressure and hate, so did Mr. Rickey. Of course, their burdens were different, but they both still bore a burden. Branch Rickey was a business person who recognized that Jackie Robinson was more talented than other people on his team. Branch Rickey simply wanted to win and was willing to go through tremendous amounts of grief and criticism to achieve his goal. Today, we cannot imagine Major League Baseball without Latinos, African-Americans and even players of Asian descent.

Ricardo González is Founder and CEO of Bilingual America, a nationally respected cultural and language communications institute specializing in Latino, non-Latino business relations. He is a member of The Home Industry Leadership Board sponsored

by HomeAdvisor, a frequent conference speaker on Latino business affairs, and a trusted advisor to industry leaders. He can be reached personally by email at ricardo@bilingualamerica.com or through Bilingual America’s website at http://bilingualamerica.com

A culturally healthy company is always more creative, more productive, and more profitable. When we properly manage culture it is good for business. The better we get at leading and managing cultural nuances the more creative, productive and profitable you and your company will be. Is it easy? No. Is it necessary? Yes. Who and what is a cultural leader? A cultural leader is a person who leads with cultural and language relevance. He or she is a person who deeply understands the people he or she leads or influences from a cultural standpoint and can effectively communicate with them. Leaders do not necessarily need to agree with those under their influence from a cultural, or even moral standpoint, but they must respect them. This is key. We must always remember that most people with whom we disagree hold their beliefs as honestly and

deeply as we do. That must be respected. It is possible to disagree with someone else over principle, or even on moral grounds, while at the same time, respecting them and seeking to find the positive benefits of the relationship. This takes humility but it is liberating to not always have to be right, or at least not always have to feel like one has to prove they’re right.

We live in a day and age with social media where we can be destroyed by saying something that is inappropriate or unacceptable. Be sure that whatever is deeply embedded within your soul will at some point, in some way, and at some time come out. It is always best to get deep understanding and empathy of others who are different from us before something we say or do implodes our careers. The examples here are endless but think Paula Deen and Donald Sterling for

recent examples of how quickly and deeply one can fall based on something they think or say. Our society no longer forgives these things so we must be very wise in our sayings and doings.

We can only lead people to the highest levels if we understand them at the deepest levels. It is the leader’s responsibility to deeply and honestly understand the people they lead, whoever they are. This is the only way we can create true respect and empathy for them. We cannot create a healthy and productive corporate culture in any other way. I invite you to consider getting very serious about your cultural leadership skills for your own good, for the good of those you lead, for the good of your company, and yes, for the good of our country which desperately needs committed and skilled cultural leaders.

Hispanics Account for Growing Share of Labor Force Growth* % Actual and Projected

Ricardo González (copyright 2014 Bilingual America, Ricardo González)

74%

80

54%

60 40

35%

20 0

1990 - 2000

2000 - 2010

2010 - 2020

Projected Source, Bureau of Labor Statistics PEW RESEARCH CENTER

• The labor force is projected to increase by 10.5 million during 2010-2020. ** • Hispanics will be entering the labor force over the 2010-2020 timeframe and nearly 2.0 million will be leaving, resulting in an increase of nearly 7.8 million in the Hispanic labor force. The Hispanic share of the labor force is expected to increase more than that of any other demographic group, because of overall population growth-from more births and increased immigration-and because of considerably higher labor force participation rates. ** • 10.5 million growth. Of this 7.8 million is Hispanic. A bit over 74% of labor force growth. **

*Bureauof Labor Statistics ** BLS Report – http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2012/01/art3full.pdf 108 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Observations

from Q3 Baird-NKBA Repair/Remodel Survey In late September, we published the Baird-NKBA Residential Repair/Remodel survey. As a reminder, Baird and the NKBA have partnered on the survey to assess key real-time trends within several categories including cabinets, countertops, plumbing, and appliances. We’d like to thank the 300+ NKBA members for participating in this quarter’s results.

Plumbing sales were +3% versus last year, similar to Q2 growth. Comments point to improving growth in the mid-to-high tier of the market, with consumers drawn to new features and nicer finishes. While name brand remains important, we believe the internet continues to gradually pressure pricing as consumers look for the best deals. And speaking of brands, perception around several major plumbing brands generally improved, led by Kohler (and followed in order by Delta, Moen, Grohe, American Standard, and Pfister).

Plumbing Brand Perception Change

Versus Last Year

What did we find?

The survey yielded several interesting conclusions about the market, including: • Relatively steady overall demand across categories (though a little bit of deceleration) • Regional strength in the West, South, and Southeast • Faster relative growth within the dealer and designer channels • Expectations for growth to improve in 2015 Steady demand trends Overall Q3 growth across categories was in the 3-4% range year-over-year, quite similar to the year-over-year growth experienced during Q2. Over 60% of respondents saw growth, outnumbering those citing year-over-year declines (~20% of total). Cabinets and countertops posted growth toward the upper end of the range, while growth in plumbing and appliances trended toward the lower end.

Digging deeper…

Within the Cabinets category, demand is fairly healthy at +4% growth. Our survey suggests consumers are expanding the scope/size of projects, as well as moving up the price spectrum, choosing higher-end cabinets, finishes, and accessories.

4%

14%

35%

38%

9%

Decreased Significantly

Decreased Slightly

No Change

Increased Slightly

Increased Significantly

Change in Size/Scope of Cabinetry Projects

7%

15%

35%

35%

8%

Decreased Significantly

Decreased Slightly

No Change

Increased Slightly

Increased Significantly

Change in Price Points of Cabinetry Projects

Countertop sales growth also came in healthy at +4%. Quartz continues to gain share as the go-to material, benefitting from easy maintenance, better selection, and improved price points. While quartz/granite remain in high demand, anecdotes suggest consumers remain budget conscious to some extent, searching for the look of stone at a lower price point. Some granite fabricators also appear to be opting to go directly to consumers, bypassing countertop dealers at times.

.52

2.25

1.76

1.41

1.12

AMERICAN STANDARD DELTA GROHE KOHLER MOEN PFISTER

-.96 Sales in the appliances category increased 3% year-over-year, similar to growth in Q2. Features and innovations continue to drive growth – several participants commented on consumers’ desire for commercial-grade technology and features for residential use. Examples include stainless surfaces and speed and induction cooking methods. Some participants acknowledged a tougher pricing environment within appliances – this could be the result of some larger retailers focusing on expanding their appliance offerings, as well as consumers remaining mindful of budgets.

Weather having an impact?

A consistent trend we saw across categories was strength in the West, South, and Southeast with the Northeast and Midwest bringing up the rear. In fact, growth in the Northeast and Midwest ranked #4 and #5 in all four categories. We think a couple of things could be at play.

First, weather may have affected the start dates of many projects. And with a construction workforce that has yet to recover (we’ll touch on this shortly), there simply may not be enough available workers to complete work in the shorter time frame.

The other factor could be housing prices. Housing prices overall are up over the past few years, but the increases have not been uniform across regions, possibly explaining some of the regional variances. Of the 20 cities tracked by the Case-Shiller index, July home prices are approximately 15% below prior peak prices, on average. Areas like Denver (West) and Dallas (South) have already surpassed prior peak home prices, while home prices in cities such as Portland (West), Seattle (West), San Francisco (West), and Charlotte (South-

Dealers outgrowing multi-branch retailers Another consistent trend we saw throughout the survey was faster growth within the dealer, designer, and remodeler channels. This was across channels, with the most notable outperformance coming in cabinets and countertops. The slimmest was appliances, where sales at dealers were just a hair above growth at multi-branch retailers. Demographics are a key driver of the outperformance, in our view, led by the higher-end consumer. More affluent customers are typically attracted to dealers, designers, and remodelers due to higher levels of service and better-quality product. We suspect the faster growth reflects relatively healthier per-project spending, a greater number of projects, or even both among this customer segment.

What’s

on tap?

Encouragingly, spending is expected to improve in 2015. Our survey shows repair/remodel spending could be up 5-6% next year, improving from the current growth levels of +3-4%. Geographically, respondents in the Northeast and Midwest are expecting more notable increases (especially versus current levels), which could reflect some pent-up demand lost from this year. Dealers, designers, and remodelers are expecting faster growth as well, but multi-branch retailers are expecting the largest uptick – maybe the middle-income consumer will return?

Relative to this time last year, trends are slower, but healthy. It’s difficult to know precisely what caused a slower market in 2014, but we suspect a combination of rocketing housing prices and the uptick in mortgage rates resulted in slower turnover, having an impact on repair/remodel spending. Some pent-up demand from prior years was likely released in 2013 as well. Looking forward, mortgage rates are relatively stable and while housing prices are up versus last year, the increases have been modest.

©2014 Wood-Mode, Inc.

east) are all within about 10% of prior peak values. While the Boston area (East) remains strong (close to prior peak values), Chicago (Midwest), Detroit (Midwest), and New York (East) all have housing prices that are closer to 20% below the prior peaks. We believe higher home prices mean more home equity, allowing consumers in relatively stronger regions to spend more on repair/remodel projects.

One thing we are watching as we head into 2015 is construction employment. As we mentioned earlier, construction employment remains depressed relative to historical levels. We estimate construction payrolls represent 4.4% of total non-farm payrolls, closer to the trough of 4.2% than the peak of 5.7%. Demand has returned, but we believe contractors have been reluctant to add jobs, given the severity of the last downturn. An uptick in construction jobs would reflect more confidence in the current recovery.

Please stay tuned for our next survey, which will examine Q4 trends, 2015 expectations, and other key issues.

We love to chat and welcome all input. If you’d like to speak with us or receive our research, please contact us at: twojs@rwbaird.com or jchan@rwbaird.com.

.06 .0575 .055 .0525 .05 .0475 .045 .0425 .04

% of Nonfarm Payrolls

8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0

14 12 10 08 06 04 02 00 98 96 94 92 90

Construction Payrolls

Construction Employment

Inspired design for the luxurious lifestyle.

Imitating the color and beauty of a magnificent coastline is just one of the many inspired designs by Wood-Mode. Authentic styling, premium materials and a tradition of quality service makes Wood-Mode the desired brand for luxury custom cabinetry.

To inquire about adding Wood-Mode to your showroom, visit wood-mode.com/for-the-trade.

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DESIGNING FOR SMALL SPACES by: Elina Katsioula-Beall, CKD

Then ask yourself, how can you create a spacious feel? Increase the height anywhere you can, to create volume. And introduce one monumental element. An oversize design piece empowers the space and creates the necessary surprise. In a small room you always need the “wow!” of an extra-large feature.

I employed a 42” high faucet representing a Samurai sword in a Japanese powder room once. That humongous size is the surprising monument in the tiny space.

In another minuscule powder room, the wall across the entry almost hits you on the face when you open the door. I integrated a tall, very narrow niche tailored to fit a five foot high and only five inches wide wood sculpture of an elongated African man. He is the greeting guy at the entry!

Windows are a must. Let there be light! Sneak in a transom window or a small skylight into your design. Or create the illusion of a window with a large light box. Then back the light box with frosted or textured glass, use a stained glass design, or a shoji-screen-type design. Behind your selected glass, use illumination of a daylight or night color rendition.

Mirrors are a conventional space enlarger –they double the space and the light. Design them so that their location, size and proportions are in perfect balance with the room. Spare your clients the cliché of the multiple-reflections effect, by avoiding placing mirrors directly across from each other. Instead, play with off-setting mirrors, to visually increase the size of the room.

Make them part of the room story: In an-all curve bathroom I designed mirrors that flow with the curves of the space. In the Japanese powder room the high faucet splits the mirror to a kimono-shape.

Using different materials can be tricky. Be literary! Large spaces can be treated like prose, but small spaces can only be treated like poetry. A poet has to convey the same lyrical effect in just a few verses, by capturing the essence with his words. Look for essence in your product mix. You can always use unconventional materials, which can tell the story of a large space in a poetic way. Materials are like musical notes, but it is never about the notes – it is the melody that they make…

Think of a boat and how well its space is defined. In a tiny room the secret is in definition. A small space is like a résumé: you only keep the basics. Starting with a concept of economy and precision of movement, your goal is to maximize the small, in order to bring the space to its fullest potential.

The two most critical elements in any small space are air and light. The rest is your input, the “stuff” which needs to breathe, and to be seen!

In a little space, the field of view is limited. The eye catches everything. There is one favorite saying by Frank Lloyd Wright I adhere to:“There is no such thing as a minor detail.” Paying no attention to detail is unforgiving. First, establish the balance of proportions and preoccupy with every aspect of your design: from the ideal layout function to the smallest accessory.

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Then, much like making a film, constantly edit: if it is not absolutely necessary or stunning, cut it out! “Simplicity is the deciding factor in the aesthetic equation”, says Raymond Lowery. Keep it simple, but do hunt the unconventional, and look for unexpected, refreshing elements.

I discovered that the only way to design a small space is by treating it like it a living entity, -because it is! It tells you what it wants: the more you love its dimensions, the more the space surrenders to you; the more you can shape it to its fullest potential.

Beware though! The biggest mistake that is made when designing a small space is filling it up with small elements. This equates to “thinking small” in your design choices. Instead, think big first! Then take that “big” and narrow it down to its smaller expression. After all, a small bathroom or a small kitchen is still a world in itself. Treat it like a microcosm and in it feature all three sizes: small, medium and large combined in the most harmonious way.

I have a personal rule about the role that lighting plays in small spaces: “Lighting is 50% of the magic for 10% of the budget.” How to get the magic? Aim the lights on the walls, not the floor: this pushes the walls further apart from each other and creates spaciousness. Engage the wealth of lighting fixtures available today: low voltage recessed lights, LEDs, sconces, small puck lights, mini tracks with sexy track heads. Study the color rendition index, the wattage, the output of each bulb, the beam spread of the bulb. Play with light and shadow… And always use dimmers!

My favorite way to create better storage space is to strip the space to the studs and then manipulate the framing, to gain even 3” of depth anywhere possible- and create as many niches as possible. You must, must have “hidden assets” in a small room!

To improve counter top space try introducing a second level counter/shelf above or below the main counter. This layered counter look, even if one of the counters is partially tucked in a niche is most helpful in tiny rooms. And dare to design counters which curve from narrow to wide, or which follow any capriciousness of the room.

When looking for a cost savings approach never start with numbers! Start first with the design idea, the inspiration. Ideas come from the sphere of the divine and therefore are higher than money. Never sacrifice the idea! Every

project is different and there is always a way to do it right. If you believe in the power of creativity, costs will bend to it.

Ultimately, what I believe is important when designing in a small space, is to always think of the negative space – which means how “the air is carved out” by all of your elements – vanities, counters, fixtures. What is projecting out?

What is recessed? What is the push or the pull in the space? Imagine you move in it through the lens of a movie camera: create a foreground and a background to award depth. An extra arch or post will suggest spatial separation. This way you let the eyes “discover” the small size, by being introduced to it meaningfully… as opposed to be “confronted” with it.

And last, but not least… Remember the music? Always design a small space with leaving a little room for someone to dance in!

Tête-À-Tête with NKBA Student Member

A winner in the 2013-2014 NKBA Student Design Competition titled “Enchanted Makeovers,” Jan Satterfield is reveling in one of her first successes (of many to come) in the kitchen and bath industry. A realtor with over 20 years’ experience, Jan decided to return to college when the real estate market bubble burst. Currently a student at Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, CO, she will be graduating in May 2015 at the age of 60. She is newly married, has three grown beautiful daughters, and is expecting her first grandchild this coming April. The NKBA is curious to know what sparked her interest in pursuing her education in the kitchen and bath industry and what the future holds for Jan.

1.

NKBA: Tell us the story of how you landed in the kitchen and bath industry. JS: I started out in the kitchen and bath industry indirectly back in the early 1990’s, when my husband bought me a drafting table, noticing I had a talent for the trade. I recently decided to go back to school because I had always wanted to be an architect, but put it off to raise my three daughters. When my husband passed away in 1991, there was no time to pursue my dreams, and I was busy raising my daughters on my own. I had a piece of paper taped to my printer in my real estate office that said: “Just Jan’s Dreams:” 1. Determine a goal.

2. Consider Hobby or Passion 3. Do Your Homework 4. Be Patient 5. Take Age out of the Equation

4.

NKBA: How do you see yourself growing as a kitchen and bath professional in the coming years? What’s your vision for your journey ahead? JS: Kitchen and baths have always been a focus of mine.

I am so excited to now have an introduction to the necessary programs, vendors, and skills to increase my knowledge and performance. I am planning on combining my 20+ years of real estate knowledge and skills to create/design/build custom homes and fabulous kitchens.

5.

NKBA: Any word of advice for future student design competition aspirants? JS: My advice to other students is to take the competitions seriously. At first, the challenge of Enchanted Makeovers seemed impossible; it was like a “picture puzzle” to me, but it had to have a solution! So if your first solution doesn’t work, try again – with each try, your ideas will improve. Trust yourself and what you are learning!

So after a lifetime of wanting to do what I had always dreamed of, I enrolled in college to become a designer (not quite an architect). God always wants to give us the desires of our hearts; I just had to wait awhile.

2.

NKBA: What does it mean to you to have won a place in the NKBA’s Student Design Competition? JS: I am one of the older students in the program at Arapahoe Community College – so to be recognized in a field with such smart and talented peers is just amazing!

When I found out I had won 3rd place, we were doing a happy dance at my home, just me and my dog! It means the world to me, after all the work I had put in, made the decision to go back to school for a second career, and then to win! It made it all worth it. I can’t wait to go to Las Vegas! I am so proud.

3.

NKBA: What are the highlights of being an NKBA Student Member? How has it paved way to the future of your career as a designer? JS: This past year I faced some personal challenges: my father passed away and my mom needed some extra care. I almost considered leaving school, but I knew I had finished all of my credits to finally take my Kitchen and Bath courses, and decided to stay. Being a student member of the NKBA has given me the resources and support I needed to explore and create the spaces I have waited and worked so hard for.

Jan Satterfield 116 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Could your career use an update too?

NKBA University offers courses designed to take your career from drab to fab. Whether you’re a sales rep, designer, manufacturer or remodeler, we have professional development options to help freshen up your approach and generate better business results. Take our free Learning Paths Self Quiz at nkba.org to see which of our eight Learning Paths is right for you. With affordable prices and the option of live, instructor-led or on-demand courses, NKBA University is the most convenient, reputable option available to professionals in the kitchen and bath industry.

Invest in your future today. nkba.org/university

®

NKBA Chapter Highlights With over 70 chapters across North America, the NKBA is a giant network of talented professionals. Every day, our members are working to improve their professional skills, increase business opportunities, and make a difference in their local communities. Here’s a snapshot of what some of our chapters have been up to this past year.

Texas Gulf Coast The chapter also sponsored the trip for winners of the local student design contest. The Chapter’s President was part of 30 Under 30 and the VP Professional Development was a seminar presenter. Texas Gulf Coast used Facebook to share photos and activities throughout the week with other chapter members who were attending KBIS, and also to give those who couldn’t attend an opportunity to get a ‘real time’ glimpse of the event. After KBIS, students and board members shared their takeaways at the monthly Chapter meeting and through the chapter newsletter.

they received their awards on the NKBA Center Stage. This exposure for the Virginia State chapter piqued the interest of more of the region’s young designers. The Virginia State Chapter is proud to announce that it has a total of five 30 Under 30 winners for 2015!

In 2014, the Virginia State Chapter had two of its members named to the NKBA 30 Under 30. Jessica Altman and Ebony Stephenson represented their chapter proudly.

Puget Sound The Puget Sound Chapter was involved this year with Rebuilding Together Seattle. On April 26, many of the chapter’s members – including product suppliers, builders and designers – jumped in to lend a hand where needed.

Many of the Puget Sound Chapter’s product suppliers also donated goods for the cause. It was a successful day giving help to those in need. In 2014 the Puget Sound Chapter also held the annual Great Kitchen & Bath Tour, with proceeds benefitting Rebuilding Together Seattle. Chapter members say it’s a great cause, and they are looking forward to building a stronger relationship with them in the future.

2014 also marked the 10th year of the chapter’s Design Awards & Gala. Winners of the Design Competition can be seen at www.nkbapugetsound.org as well as being featured in 425 Magazine, a local publication.

British Columbia Chapter The Texas Gulf Chapter cited KBIS 2014 as their highlight of the year. All board members and student design contest winners were able to attend.

Virginia State In 2014 the Virginia State Chapter had bragging rights to not just one, but two members of the NKBA 30 Under 30. Ebony Stephenson and Jessica Altman, both graduates of Virginia Tech, enjoyed their time at KBIS last year where

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The British Columbia Chapter has a lot to be proud of this past year. They exhibited at one of the largest trade shows in British Columbia, gaining consumer and industry awareness, and allowing their members a great opportunity to participate. The chapter gained another NKBA Supported School in 2014, Pacific Design Academy. The BC Chapter continues to support its students by encouraging involvement in the chapter and hosting a student design competition. To thank their members, a holiday gala took place, in which all of the chapter’s design contest winners were announced.

Ontario Chapter

Southern California

Ontario Chapter’s proudest moment was hosting a Designers Round Table.

The event focused on supporting, encouraging and pushing the boundaries to make Kitchen & Bath business flourish. The goal was to assist these businesses by motivating them to get their ‘to do list’ done! Turnout was fantastic. Organizers had various industry leaders help facilitate nine great topics such as Social Media, Design Competition Photography, Future of Kitchen & Bath Showrooms, Design Legislation, Best Business Practice, Green Kitchens, Working with & becoming a CKD/CKB, Sales to the Design Trade and Building Code.

The Southern California Chapter held its BAR-B-Que Cook-Off and Vendor Expo on August 19, 2014. The cook-off brought together over 30 Industry Partners with their product tabletops. Over 200 attendees had the opportunity to indulge in a BBQ feast provided by the vendors who competed for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for the best BBQ Pork Ribs. The Expo brought together all segments of the industry, giving everyone a chance to make new connections and enjoy the food, drinks, music, and the great sunny Southern California weather.

Central West Coast and Valleys 2014 has been the year of the member for this chapter. Members were celebrated through various informative meetings, including the very successful “Innovations Trade Show” in May and the “Membership Appreciation Meeting” in October. NKBA’s Central West Coast and Valleys Chapter proudly values members and respects its role as their local chapter leaders. They strive to be the voice of the industry and leaders in their geographic area.

Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas Chapter 2014 was this chapter’s year to get connected. They tackled the project of creating a new website, which is now up and running. Further bolstering their online presence, they began a Pinterest page. They have reviewed and revamped all marketing efforts, and the results are showing: attendance has been up at all chapter events.

BBQ anyone? Southern California hosted a successful cook-off and Vendor Expo.

West Michigan This past year, the West Michigan chapter worked hard at laying the foundation to their virtual kitchen tour. They digitally captured 14 different homes designed by NKBA members and shared them during the local Home & Garden Show. They also collaborated with HTGV star, Tylor Devereaux, to build excitement around the tour.

Prairie Provinces On October 3, 2014 the Prairie Chapter hosted a Kitchen Party Gala. It was a great night of amazing food and drinks, dancing and socializing with members of the industry. One of the chapter’s suppliers draped their entire showroom, brought in lounge furniture and a dance floor and created an unbelievable space for members to get dressed up and come and have some endof-the-year fun!

Members of the Prairie Provinces Chapter ham it up for the camera at their Kitchen Party Gala.

The next generation of designers takes in the table top displays at the NKBA Georgia Chapter’s Annual Design Student Expo.

Georgia NKBA Georgia Chapter’s Annual Design Student Expo saw attendance of more than 60 students and educators creating their best year yet. The students participated in a full day of activities focused on transitioning their move from students and interns to professionals within our Industry. A new feature, Industry Tabletop Expo, brought together the most respected kitchen and bath industry suppliers to showcase their newest products, trends and technology. Industry suppliers and professionals were able to collaborate with the newest members of our industry.

Evening activities featured special guest Sarah Reep, Director, Designer Relations and Education (Masco) speaking on Communicating with the Gen Y Generation.

The next generation of designers takes in the table top displays at the NKBA Georgia Chapter’s Annual Design Student Expo.

Piedmont Blue Ridge Carolina The Piedmont Blue Ridge Carolina Chapter, which covers the upstate of South Carolina and Western North Carolina has several outstanding accomplishments to report for 2014. First, by securing two national (KBIS) speakers for their local meetings (Liesbet Trappenburg and Kirk Heiner) they have provided local members with excellent educational opportuni

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ties to increase their success. In 2014, this chapter participated (by providing seminars, consultations) in the inaugural Asheville Kitchen and Bath Show sponsored by Carolina Home & Garden Magazine. It was a great chance to educate the public on what NKBA members offer, as well as why and how to work with professionals.

TV personality Mike Baird was guest speaker at an event hosted by the NKBA’s Mountain States Chapter.

Northern Michigan

Mountain States

Northern Michigan enjoyed a fantastic turnout at a 2014 meeting when they featured one of their very own members – and a KBIS 2014 presenter – Dawn Whyte of Lake Street Design. She gave a brief presentation on designing outdoor kitchens. Following Dawn’s presentation, a representative from Houzz educated members on the site and how to target local users.

In January of 2014, the Mountain States Chapter hosted a special event, focused on Marketing For The Trade Industry. The guest speaker was TV host Mike Baird. He is an international real estate and design educator best know for remodeling and flipping homes as the host of Spike TV’s Flipmen.

Mike shared his ideas, current projects and formula for a successful project.

He proved to be a dynamic speaker, inspiring chapter members with tips and ideas on how to enhance motivation and improve their brand.

Northern New Jersey In June, NKBANNJ presented their Annual Bill Farnan Memorial Scholarship Award to three deserving high school seniors who will be attending a university to achieve higher education in the areas of design. This chapter takes great pride in supporting the future of the industry through the scholarship awards, while honoring the memory of Bill Farnan who was a longtime NKBA Member and representative for Kitchen and Bath products.

He loved to work with new people and was always promoting the NKBA and their educational programs. The recipients were Mina Lisanin from Cliffside Park High School, Jacob Silen from Rumson Fair Haven Regional High School and Anthony Toma from South Brunswick High School.

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Susquehanna Valley The highlight of 2014 for this chapter was hosting the national inauguration of Susquehanna Valley’s own John Petrie, CMKBD, as National President of the NKBA at the beautiful Hotel Hershey. This is the same venue where John’s father, Les Petrie, was inducted as national President.

John Petrie, CMKBD, accepting a chapter gift from outgoing chapter president Pat Caulfield, AKBD,CAPS, with incoming president Elizabeth Marcocci, CKD,

Congratulations to all of our chapters on a successful 2014.

Here’s to making 2015 even bigger and better for the NKBA!

Time to update your leaky sales tactics?

Just like kitchen and bath fixture designs, approaches to sales, marketing and business management change over time. What worked ten years ago may no longer be the best option. When’s the last time you gave your approach to business an overhaul? NKBA University offers eight diverse learning streams, specifically designed to help professionals from the kitchen and bath industry realize their full potential. Classes are designed to fit into your schedule, and are specifically created to add value and results to your career. nkba.org/university

®

The NKBA would like to extend congratulations to members who celebrated a major milestone anniversary of 25 years or more with our association this year. These anniversaries certainly acknowledge a legacy of success and longevity but, more importantly, serve as a platform for building an organization’s future. Each anniversary is a major achievement, and we want to thank each of these members for their continued support and for seeing the importance in being part of the NKBA.

25 Years • Alexandria Technical & Community College, Alexandria, MN • Archipelago Hawaii Refined Island Designs, Kailua, HI • Bernard Building Center Inc., Hale, MI • Boyette Kitchens & Baths, Bloomfield, NJ • Capuano Home Appliance Sales Inc., Farmingdale, NY • Central Plumbing & Heating, Anchorage, AK • Cutter’s Interior Solutions, Lake Saint Louis, MO • David Newton and Associates, Knoxville, TN • Design First Kitchen Interiors, Ottawa, ON • Deslaurier Custom Cabinets Inc., Ottawa, ON • Dream Kitchens Inc., Nashua, NH • East Lawn Supply Company Inc., Nazareth, PA • Eurotech Cabinetry Inc., Sarasota, FL • Formica’s Kitchen Designs, Johnstown, PA • Gilmans Kitchens & Baths, San Francisco, CA • Griffin Design Kitchens Ltd., Victoria, BC • Hansgrohe, Inc., Alpharetta, GA • House of Kitchens Ltd., Sioux City, IA • J B Kitchens And Baths, South Weymouth, MA

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CONGRATULATIONS

• Jacqueline Mead Designs for Kitchens & Baths, Kingwood, TX • Jaeger Lumber, Union, NJ • Kitchen Emporium, Portsmouth, VA • Kitchen Planners a Division of CDB, Inc., Rockville, MD • Kuntriset Kitchens, Norwich, NY • Lensing Home Consultants Center, Evansville, IN • Modern Kitchen Center, Glenwood Springs, CO • Premier Kitchens, Lafayette, CA • Prince Kitchens, Glen Rock, PA • Richard J Bell Co Inc., Wyckoff, NJ • Ring’s End Inc., Darien, CT • Riverhead Building Supply Design Showroom, Calverton, NY • Riverhead Building Supply Design Showroom, East Hampton, NY • Roth Distributing Company, Saint Louis, MO • Salerno’s Kitchen Cabinets Inc., Saddle Brook, NJ • Steigerwald’s Kitchens & baths, Inc., Grove City, PA • The Bath + Beyond, San Francisco, CA • The Kitchen Specialist, Inc., Durham, NC • Total Living Concepts, Barrie, ON • Walden Cabinets, Garland, TX • Westridge Cabinets Ltd., Red Deer County, AB

30 Years • American Cabinetry Inc., Honolulu, HI • Angelo Associates Inc., Pittsburgh, PA • Area Kitchen Centre, Portsmouth, NH • Bay Cities Kitchens/Baths/Appliances, Santa Monica, CA • Dave’s Cabinet Inc., Chesapeake, VA • Dewils Industries Inc., Vancouver, WA • Elmwood Kitchens Limited, Saint Catharines, ON • Florida kitchen & bath designs, Inc., Lakeland, FL • International Kitchens, Bellevue, WA • Kitchen Fair, Inc., Willmar, MN • Kitchens & Baths of Distinction, Indianapolis, IN • Lawsons Inc., Moncton, NB • Linn’s Prestige Kitchen’s Inc., Fort Walton Beach, FL • Litt’s Plumbing Kitchen & Bath Gallery, Parma Heights, OH • Marine Home Center, Nantucket, MA • Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre Limited, Pickering, ON • Neena Mcneely & Company, Mobile, AL • Remer Plumbing & Heating Inc., Saginaw, MI • Rkb/ Rons Kitchens/Baths, Burton, MI • Sparta Trades Kitchens & Baths, Sparta, NJ • Timberline Kitchen And Bath Inc., Denver, CO • Willis, Burlington, ON

40 Years • Beauty Craft Kitchens & Baths Inc., Green Brook, NJ • Cabinet studio, Inc., Winston Salem, NC • Designer Kitchens & Baths Inc., Deerfield, IL • George Bush Kitchen Center Inc., Derry, PA • Kitchen Associates, Sterling, MA • Mother Hubbard’s Custom Cabinetry, Mechanicsburg, PA • Stuart Kitchens Inc., Timonium, MD • The Kitchen Company Inc., North Haven, CT

50 Years • BSH – Thermador, Irvine, CA • Chandler’s Plywood Products Inc., Huntington, WV • Craft-way kitchens Inc., Wilmington, DE • Giorgi Kitchens Inc., Wilmington, DE • SEN Design Group, Chapel Hill, NC • Ulrich Inc., Ridgewood, NJ

Congratulations to Members Celebrating NKBA Milestone Anniversaries!

KBIS marks the culmination of many industry contests– what sets the NKBA U Professional of the Year apart from the rest?

WINNER 2015

business acumen so they can take their careers and businesses to the next level.

We were thrilled to see so many different parts of the industry represented in the entries we received; the caliber of applicants set the bar pretty high. But the Professional of the Year is not about how accomplished you are or how lucrative your business is—it’s about recognizing those who are committed to professional development and driving the quality and enrichment of our industry—regardless of what stage they are at in their careers.

Competing in Professional of the Year differs from other NKBA contests—how so?

We live in a time of rapid transformation, where multitasking and constant connectivity are part of our everyday lives. That has a major impact on how we learn, approach professional growth, and manage career trajectory. In order for professionals to stay ahead of the curve and above their competition, they must constantly expand their knowledge and skillset—not only for their own betterment, but for their companies and for the industry as a whole.

Successful professionals across all industries know that learning never stops. The NKBA U Professional of the Year Contest embodies the power and spirit of professional development, and the contest provides a platform for us to recognize growth.

Why did NKBA decide to open the NKBA U Professional of the Year contest to all professionals across the industry—certified and noncertified alike?

Sarah Robinson

When it comes down to it, NKBA U has resources for everyone, and inviting all industry professionals to apply reflects who we serve. Our expanded course offering shows we’re not only certifying designers, but we’re helping builders, remodelers, architects and manufacturers strengthen their Melissa Helvey, AKBD

NKBA University’s Professional of the Year Contest Culminates at KBIS 2015 The inaugural contest celebrating the industry’s most driven professionals will hold the Finals and name the winner live from the show.

KBIS 2015 marks a finale for four industry professionals whose journeys started in July when they applied for the first-ever NKBA U Professional of the Year Contest. After coursework and video submissions, these Finalists have earned a spot to compete for the winning title. We sat down with Nancy Barnes, NKBA’s Director of Learning, to learn more about the contest and what that means for the future of the industry.

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Learning plays a key role throughout the entire process. The online application required entrants to explain how they excel in one of the eight NKBA U Learning Paths and how those skills come to life daily on the job. And in the Final round, Finalists created a video explaining how the personalized NKBA U curriculum they received has helped fuel their success at the individual level and business level.

And finally, at KBIS 2015, our Finalists will take to NKBA’s Center Stage before a live audience and panel of NKBA judges to present what they have learned—all to hopefully be rewarded for their commitment to professional development with the title of NKBA U Professional of the Year.

What kinds of prizes are up for grabs?

We’ve partnered with top industry brands that share our passion and commitment to professional development. In that same spirit, three sponsors have donated the following trips where learning will continue: The winner named Professional of the Year will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Spain to tour the headquarters and factory of Platinum Sponsor, Cosentino. Runners-up will also receive all-expenses-paid trips for two courtesy of the contest’s Gold Sponsors, including Kohler Co., who will provide a tour of its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Kohler, Wis., and GE, who will provide a tour of its Monogram Experience Center in Louisville, Ky. These trips will provide further insight into the industry, including the creation of some of the most widely used products and escalating trends.

Come watch the four Finalists compete live from the NKBA booth on January 20th, 2015. A winner will be crowned immediately following their presentations on how NKBA U has positively impacted their daily lives and careers.

Rhonda R. Knoche, CMKBD Paula Kennedy, CMKBD

NKBA U Professional of the Year Finals and Winner Announcement

Tuesday, January 20, 2015; 12:30p – 2:00p NKBA Booth – Center Stage

Congratulations to our 2015 Finalists!

Sarah Robinson Jansen Inc. Pensacola, FL Design & Inspiration Melissa Helvey, AKBD Great Floors; Spokane, WA Leadership Rhonda R. Knoche, CMKBD Rhonda Knoche Design Portland, OR Design & Inspiration Paula Kennedy, CMKBD Timeless Kitchen Design Seattle, WA Adapt & Innovate

Continuing the connection A report from Progress is about evaluating what works, what doesn’t work and determining ways to constantly evolve.. Social media is not without challenges and we took steps this year to share those challenges and best practices to help our chapters and members navigate social media in the most effective way possible. We want to share our challenges to help you through your own – for your chapter, your company or your personal brand.

the NKBA Social Media Team

This past year, we implemented a three-module social media toolkit for members and chapters. This set of modules was developed to equip the NKBA Chapters with the necessary resources to learn about, launch and grow social media platforms in each area. The tool kit, available in the Member Center on nkba.org, was designed to walk everyone through social media development and participation best practices. The kit offers a step-by-step walk through of popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest. Developing a cohesive approach to social media throughout all chapters is necessary to support the overall branding of our association and can be an excellent way to raise the profile of the association and our members.

Communication is always a top priority for NKBA as we’ve set out to enhance the success of our members, promote professionalism and to provide leadership in the K&B industry over the past 52 years. With the introduction of social media in the last 5 years, we’ve shaken up the way we share information. The way we create meaningful relationships with vendors, clients and communities has completely changed and as a multi-faceted organization, we embrace our social media success and how it helps communicate key messaging. And best of all? We’re able to guide our chapters along the way and lay the framework at a grassroots level.

The NKBA Learning Department also developed a Twitter 101 Reference Guide which can be found in the Member Center on nkba.org for all member “tweeps”.

After prioritizing our social strategy in late 2012 and 2013 and launching, testing and inviting our community to play, 2014 was about growing our community base, introducing several new initiatives, getting strategic in our content, engaging with our audience and empowering members and Chapters to get social.

In addition to supporting of all NKBA programming and community conversations, other 2014 initiatives included:new levels. Some highlights include:

New G+ presence and NKBA Members-only group. G+ allows the NKBA to capitalize on obvious benefits such as search engine optimization and Google search ranking capabilities, expand existing networks, capture a business community and build awareness amongst groups not operating on other platforms and attract a new interest-based network.

New KBIS Showcase page on LinkedIn in support of show messaging and initiatives.

128 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

Twitter chat sponsorships and BlogTour media sponsorship.

Engagement strategies such as Pinterest promotions and live tweeting of events.

Utilizing Facebook as the voting method for our brand new awards program – NKBA U Professional of the Year.

Social Success Shout out to the Columbia River Chapter, located in the Northwestern United States, who participated in all the Social Media training offered by National. Since the training modules wrapped up in March, this chapter has transformed their online presence and are growing their communities.

“After going through the modules I had a much better understanding of each platform and their purposes. We now use Facebook for things like meeting notices, and Twitter for building industry connections. We’re just starting to get involved in Pinterest.” Sarah Soper, VP Communications

Way to go, Columbia River!

Tips, Tricks and Tactics

Find all three of our Social Media Toolkit modules in the NKBA Member Center at nkba.org.

Get Ready!

1. Use an NKBA square chapter logo for all profile pictures (180px X 180px) 2. Create a general email address that can be shared with your other chapter officers 3. Collect member projects or event photography that will be useful to share on your social media platforms 4. Use the same social media headers & names on all your platforms. Don’t change the way you format your name on each platform i.e. NKBA South Florida Chapter should also be reflected on Pinterest & Twitter.

5. Fill in all of your bios with details to increase SEO and Google search rankings

Get Set! 6. We recommend using Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest if you are just starting out in social media 7. Create a mini social media team: designate one lead and 2 or 3 chapter members who will be responsible for assembling and posting content to social media spaces 8. Remember the voice of the NKBA: authentic, authoritative, and approachable 9. Keep text short, post photos, involve your community and ask questions 10. Participate in industry Twitter chats like #kbtribechat

Go! 11. Remember: You are not going to have thousands of followers overnight 12. A quality community is always more effective than quantity 13. Decide on your monthly social media priorities ahead of time to have a well-rounded content calendar 14. Use a calendar format to organize content and see the overall monthly messaging picture 15. Schedule evergreen content weeks in advance 16. Keep an eye on your key performance indicators: ‘Reach’ for Facebook, ‘Impressions’ for Twitter and ‘Likes’ for Pinterest.

17. Keep track of your growth but don’t get hung up on the numbers. These metrics are just a guideline. Remember, it’s an ever-evolving process!

What’s Next for 2015?

SOCIAL MEDIA SNAPSHOT

51%

%OF GROWTH IN 2014

BY PLATFORM

Community Growth in 2014

30%

74%

77% 40%

Facebook 40% Pinterest 10%

535%

80%

Total Impressions 38,561,415

DEMOGRAPHICS*

Twitter 38%

91%

LinkedIn 9% G+ 2%

6% 51%

49%

Other

3%

YouTube 1%

MOST POPULAR PLATFORMS

*Of those who list location & gender

SoMeInfographic-halfpage.indd 1

*Data gathered from January to end of October 2014.

130 | NKBA.org | KBIS 2015

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