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Designer Connection - December 2022
BKBG’s Designer Connection is written exclusively to benefit members of the BKBG Designer Alliance. Connection relates trends, profiles a designer, offers product updates and shares professional development opportunities. Most importantly, Connection is another tool to bring the BKBG design community together, to share best and successful practices and to enable you to build your network of peers who face the same challenges and opportunities that you must address daily. We welcome your comments, input and suggestions for improvement. Post your comments on the Design Alliance TEAMS platform or send them to BKBG Director of Membership and Engagement Jennifer Swenson.
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2022 has been a remarkable year for BKBG’s Designer Alliance. The Alliance comprises a community of more than 400 professionals who share their challenges and opportunities to network, grow and communicate. There is no better evidence of this remarkable community than last month’s Peer Call. More than 50 BKBG Shareholder companies were on the call to discuss lessons learned from the most recent sales training webinar offered by BKBG Affinity Partner Breakfront Software. On the call, Alliance Members also agreed to share on the Designer Alliance Teams Platform the following documents:
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Performance Guidelines
- Kitchen Remodel Step by Step List for Homeowners.
- Sample Contracts
- Sample Disclaimers
- Scope of Work Documents
- Pre-Qualifying Documents
What other resources and training would you like BKBG to provide in 2023? Please share your thoughts on the Designer Alliance Teams Platform or send them to Jennifer Swenson or Taylor Curran.
Click here to share your documents and to view the resources that currently exist.
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At the 2022 Conference, BKBG announced the winners of the 2022 Design Contest sponsored by the Designer Alliance. Nearly 50 projects were submitted, and the competition was extremely tight. The People's choice award was voted upon by 2022 Conference attendees. BKBG congratulates all of the designers taking top honors. | |
Designer Spotlight: Danielle Oen People's Choice Award Winner | |
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Danielle Oen’s (Oen Kitchen and Bath Wapakoneta, OH) kitchen design was recognized as the People’s Choice winner, voted upon by those who attended the 2022 BKBG Annual Conference in Washington, DC.
Danielle’s client wanted to transform her kitchen from a dated space into a modern, eclectic room that reflected her personal aesthetics and personality. Danielle used antique vintage pieces and colors blended with a newer contemporary vibe. She mixed and matched pieces that the client swooned over. The client stated, “The more unique, the better.” While there was a firm grasp of aesthetic desires and needs, Danielle also addressed concerns to maximize space and functionality. This was accomplished by removing the existing soffits in the kitchen and specifying Medallion cabinets to the ceiling to provide ample storage and a clean aesthetic.
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One of the challenges that Danielle and her team overcame was designing a kitchen for a home that was more than 170 years old. They found a solid brick wall behind old plaster that was to be removed as part of the design. The installation crew had to grind and chisel plaster off the face of the brick and even had to paint some of the brick to restore the original color and then seal the entire wall. | |
Danielle paid attention even to the smallest details. She specified teal picket fence backsplash tile that ran horizontally created a dynamic focal point to complement the modern eclectic style. Floating shelves allowed the client to showcase her special heirlooms. Another focal point is the black island with a quartz top. Danielle brought the entire package together by using color, textures, shapes and finishes. Her careful planning, consistent problem solving, and obsessive attention to detail were the winning combination to produce an award-winning kitchen design and more importantly a very happy client. | |
Announcing the 2023 BKBG Design Contest | |
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The goal of the BKBG Designer Alliance Design Contest is to recognize the outstanding skill and talent of Designer Alliance members. Our initial effort exceeded all expectations with more than 50 entries submitted to the inaugural effort in 2022. We’ve capitalized on the lessons of experience to improve the 2023 Design Contest.
The first major change makes it easier for everyone to participate. You can submit entries starting on January 1 through July 31, 2023. This will allow designers as soon as they finish a project to submit it for recognition. It’s an on-demand, real-time opportunity.
The second change is the addition of a new category – best showroom design. Other awards will be presented for:
- Best Overall Kitchen
- Best Overall Bathroom
- Best Other Space
- Best Showroom Design
- People’s Choice (voted on by 2023 BKBG Conference Attendees)
Winners receive a $500 gift card and the recognition of their peers and industry as an award-winning designer – priceless.
Click here to access the entry forms.
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How to Accomplish More in Less Time | |
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Dan Ariely is a behavioral economist who teaches at Duke University and is the author of three best-selling books on irrational behavior. He developed a smart calendar application, Timeful, to help people improve their productivity. Ariely found there are six keys not improving individual time management.
The first is to recognize that the world is working against you. Traditional advertising interrupts and encourages you to purchase products and services. Internet links encourage you to click. Text messages make you stop in your tracks. If you responded to every email, beck and call, Ariely claims you quickly would be broke, obese and constantly distracted. His advice is to develop a plan to reduce distractions. Set aside a certain amount of time each day to read emails and texts.
Control your environment or it will control you, claims Ariely. Your environment matters. Create an environment that makes things that you need to do easy and the things that you should not do difficult. Google conducted an experiment at its New York headquarters where it offered M&Ms in a basket. When the company switched containers to a bowl with a lid, the consumption of M&Ms declined by 3 million a month.
Step 3 develop daily, weekly and monthly to-do lists. Seems like a no brainer, but few employees document what they need to do.
Step 4 take advantage of the most productive hours in a day. Ariely found that not all hours in the day are equal. Most people are more productive in the morning approximately an hour after waking up. So if you get up at 6am, your most productive time of the day would be between 7am and 9:30am. Schedule your most important to-do list items for those hours. Ariely found that most people miss this opportunity, instead focusing their attention on email and Facebook.
Step 5 avoid the biggest productivity drains: meetings, email, multitasking and structured procrastination. The latter is defined as focusing on tasks that give the feeling of progress instead of focusing on deep work that really makes progress. Ariely explains that crossing off items on your to-do list may give you sense of accomplishment, but real achievements take time.
Step 6: Reduce the amount of time on email and texting. A University of London study found that constant emailing and texting reduced mental capacity by an average of 10 points, five for women and 15 for men. This is the equivalent of working after missing a night’s sleep.
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Peer Calls Return February 22 | |
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The next BKBG Designer Alliance Peer Group Call will occur Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 1PM ET. Trends will be the major discussion topic. Several that are currently trending include:
- More natural elements in the home and a desire among homeowners to bring outdoors inside.
- Increased demand for storage and organization tools and options
- Bolder backsplashes and finishes – desire for pops of color
- Adding texture to subway tile
- Use of new finishes for cabinet hardware and plumbing fixtures
- Mixing and matching finishes
- Blue and green cabinetry and finishes
What are you seeing among your clientele. How are you capitalizing on what’s hot and avoiding what’s not?
Plan to learn and share on the Designer Alliance Peer Call February 22. Click here to register.
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Poll Question of the Issue | |
| Do you plan to attend KBIS January 31-February 2, 2023 in Las Vegas? | | | |
BKBG Exclusive: NKBA Badge Program | |
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BKBG has partnered with NKBA to offer Designer Alliance members continuing professional development and skill set enhancement opportunities through the NKBA Specialty Badge Program.
Specialty Badges are the NKBA’s latest concept in professional development. This new micro-credentialing program is a form of personalized learning that recognizes and displays the acquired knowledge of our members across all segments of the kitchen and bath industry. It affords our members the ability to stay current with the latest information in this ever-changing industry.
BKBG is offering 50 badges at a discounted price of $65/badge. Any designer who is a member of both BKBG Designer Alliance and NKBA, can take advantage of this professional development opportunity.
Once registered, you will receive a number of emails from NKBA including the study guide for your course. You will have 90 days to complete the exam and will then be eligible to register for an additional course while supplies last. You will receive a Specialty Badge Certificate upon passing the exam.
The courses will go fast so please register today.
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Making a Great First Impression | |
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When someone comes to your showroom unexpectedly, how you approach, greet and interact could be the difference between landing a new customer or having them walk out the door. Idle chit chat most likely is not a recipe for success. When you approach a prospective client, don’t ask how they are doing because the prospective customer most likely figures you could care less how he or she is doing. A much better approach is to way, “Welcome to our showroom. Please feel free to wander around. If you don’t mind, I’ll check back with you in a few minutes to answer any questions you may have.”
Another no-no is to talk about the weather. One is that you can’t change what is going on outside and likely to occur in the future or what has occurred in the past. Discussing the weather is a waste of time. A better way to ingratiate yourself with customers is to compliment them on what they are wearing, a piece of jewelry or their hair style. Doing so reflect that you are not only observant, but you care about them personally.
Most initial visits to a showroom are information gathering expeditions. Many customers conduct research for more than six months before deciding to move forward with a renovation. A good approach would be to ask, which room in your home are you looking to make over?
Recognize that when you first meet a prospective client, be cautious when you ask about a budget because most likely they might not have one or the figures in their head may be wholly unrealistic obtained from watching HGTV or the DYI network. Plus, people will spend up to three times their budget on things that they connect emotionally to. Think of your own habits. You will splurge on the things that you want the most and that make you feel the best. A better option when budget comes up is to relate that the showroom has a range of options with different prices. To ensure that your dreams are realized, would you mind if I give you a tour and explain the differences?
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BKBG's 2020 training classes (presented by MasterBrand Cabinets) return in 2023. A PDF version of a class deck is on BKBG’s TEAMS platform. Register early because class size is limited to the first 45 who reserve. Upcoming classes are scheduled as follows:
Please contact Jennifer Swenson for the TEAMS link or to register your designers for Designer Alliance.
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We're coming to the close of another fantastic year of BKBG Designer Alliance successes. During this season of celebration, we want to thank all of the BKBG members of the Designer Alliance and BKBG's Preferred Vendor Partners for your continued support and commitment to making our group the best it can be. We wish everyone the most joyous of holiday season and a healthy and prosperous 2023.
Best Wishes from the BKBG Team
Tom Cohn, Carolyn Block, Jennifer Swenson, Sheri Gold, Taylor Curran, Sarah Patterson and Claudia Reyes.
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Wow Dept. – Cutting-Edge Technology From Grothouse
Grothouse released its latest technological breakthrough — the Qi Inductive Hidden Charging System. This exclusive product took several years to perfect, marrying the ultimate in technology with the finest wood products.
Exclusive to Grothouse, the undercounter charging feature eliminates the need for charging drawers, exposed outlets and messy wires. With a focus on luxury esthetics, Paul Grothouse designed this product with the connected client in mind.
The new charging system allows for reliable charging for a wide range of mobile devices. The Qi Inductive Hidden Charging Stations can be installed directly into any of Grothouse’s Wood or Anvil Metal surfaces to offer an elegant charging experience.
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Jeffrey Alexander's Richard Collection | |
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Richard is the newest collection of decorative hardware from Jeffrey Alexander. The Richard collection combines the shapely elegance of soft-squared pulls with contemporary round knobs for a modernistic appeal. Choose from seven finish options, five standard pull lengths, 12" or 18" appliance handles, and 1 1/4" or 1 3/4" diameter knobs. The Richard collection adds charisma to any style cabinet.
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Task Lighting Doppler Motion Sensor Switch
The new Task Lighting Doppler Motion Sensor Switch provides lighting control that can be discretely installed inside or under a cabinet. Unlike traditional infrared sensors that require a direct line of sign to activate, the Task Lighting Doppler Motion Sensor Switch detects movement through any non-metallic barrier up to 2" thick. It is compatible with all Task Lighting LED lighting products and is also available in a bath vanity kit that includes all components needed for installation.
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Bath & Kitchen Business Group
Tom Cohn
Executive Vice President
301-799-7401
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