18 MARY JO PETERSON 20 ERIC SCHIMELPFENIG 22 KEN PETERSON www.ForResidentialPros.com 10/14 The leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen & bath trade ® 38 | Product Trend Report Appliances Spotlight Custom Looks, Flexible Designs Creative Design Ideas for the Smaller Bath 32 | Designer Salary Survey Wages Edging Up but Gender Gap Still Strong 34 | Bath Trends
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18 MARY JO PETERSON 20 ERIC SCHIMELPFENIG 22 KEN PETERSON
20 | Design Technology by Eric Schimelpfenig, AKBD
22 | Bettering Your Bottom Line by Ken Peterson, CKD, LPBC
October 2014 ForResidentialPros.com | 3
24 | Industry Profle
Creating Beautiful Spaces That Function BeautifullyFunction and aesthetics are at the heart of this Idaho designer’s creations.
34 | Small Baths
Living Large in a Small BathBigger isn’t always better: Here, designers work within small footprints to create baths that look great and function well.
32 | Salary Survey
Gender Gap Still Evident As Salaries Edge UpwardsSalaries for kitchen and bath designer/salespeople are trending a bit higher, though women’s wages still lag behind that of their male counterparts, a KBDN survey reports.
34
ON THE COVER Features
In this issue { Volume 32, Number 10, October 2014 }P
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38 | Product Trend Report
Flexible Function, Customized StyleThe latest trends in kitchen appliances favor fexible designs, smart functionality, healthy cooking options and customized style.
49
5249 | Tile Trends
Tile StyleTexture, pattern, size and textiles guide the newest looks in tile for the kitchen and bath.
I’m cleaning the kitchen at 11 o’clock on a Sunday night, contemplating such
mysteries of the universe as: Where did all of this clutter come from? How come, with all of this technology, they can’t make a kitchen that cleans itself? And, why don’t I have buckets of money so I can have the kitchen of my dreams, and then hire some-one to keep it Better Homes & Gardens neat?
Someone out there is making those buckets of money, I’m sure, but it’s not me. And according to KBDN’s newest salary survey, it’s not the majority of kitchen and bath designers, either. That holds especially true for fe-male design professionals, who still represent 71+% of the lowest salary ranges, and only a third of those making $150,000+ (see related Sal-ary Survey, Page 32).
The survey, which showed designers seeing modest gains over 2012 but still de-pressingly low salaries in many cases – along with a dramatic gender gap – begs a couple of questions. One, are we, as an industry, being paid what we’re worth? What can/should we be doing diferently as business people to increase our income? And, for women in the feld, what are we doing to address the gender gap for ourselves and the women who come after us?
Designing a kitchen or bath requires a tremendous level of skill. You need to have the style sense of a trend setting fashionista, the at-tention to detail of a top-level
accountant, the people skills of a SWAT Team hostage ne-gotiator, and the ability to see something that doesn’t even exist…and then sell that vi-sion to someone else who can’t envision it, convincing them to spend tens of thou-sands of dollars tearing up their home to bring a dream to life.
And that’s just the begin-ning. A good design must address the functional needs of the client (or people who share the space); it must work not just in the moment, but function well over time for the way the clients and their family grow and age; it must conform to space constraints,
budget constraints and some-times the owner’s physical constraints. It must include the elements that resonate on a very personal level with the homeowner, so that the space will provide not just function-ality, but also comfort and a sense of home. It must work not only as a cooking space, but as an entertaining space, a technology center and an all-purpose room that can accommodate homework, crafts, household manage-ment, family celebrations and
more. And it must do all of this while looking beautiful, stylish and up to date.
For most designers, this is the part of the job they love best. In fact, when we asked designers this month how they challenge themselves to be better (see related story, Page 6), almost all of them talked about creative design ideas and relationships with people. And, indeed, these are things that help good design-ers become great.
Yet none of the respon-dents talked much about challenging themselves to enhance their business man-agement, sales, marketing or fnancial skills.
Of course there’s nothing wrong with having a pas-sion for the creative part of the job. But without strong financial, business, sales and marketing skills, most creative folks never gain the level of professional success they desire. It’s long been a weakness in our indus-try, and according to Ken Peterson (see related col-umn, Page 22), it’s one of the key factors that keeps kitchen and bath professionals from attaining the kind of income
they could – and that, indeed, their talents merit.
Design professionals would do well to spend some t ime contemplating the complexities of what they ofer their clients, and then figuring out how to raise their profile and sell their strengths, while also shor-ing up their business skills to make sure they’re not giv-ing away profts due to lack of planning, poor fnancial man-agement or simply neglecting the business end of things.
The gender gap, on the other hand, is more compli-cated. After decades of study, there still seem to be no solid answers as to why women consistently make less money than men in the same feld, with the same level of experi-ence, doing the same jobs. Is the problem a glass ceiling, or a “boys’ club” mentality? Is it a cultural norm that encour-ages women to value “getting along” rather than negotiat-ing for more? Is it a lack of confdence – in our skills, our worth, or our ability to ask for, or demand, even, what we’re worth? Is it the decades-old problem of women eschewing math skills and “hard” busi-ness skills compared to their male peers, something that’s evident as early as junior high school? Is it a function of women as a group being more likely to take time of or out to raise children, care for aging parents, etc.? Is it some combination of these, or something else entirely?
There are no easy an-swers, but we should always be asking the questions – and working toward addressing our own business weak-nesses, while educating our clients, our frms, society, and the women coming up in the business so that the gender gap can eventually be closed for good.
Are You Earning What You’re Worth?With industry salaries still struggling and the gender gap remaining prevalent, designers need to assess what they must change to earn their true worth.
“Without strong fnancial, business, sales and marketing
skills, most designers never gain the level of professional
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‘Modern Family’ Seen Reshaping Market, Product MessagingNew York — The modern family is rapidly evolving as a re-fection of changing gender roles and social norms, yet many brands and marketing initiatives are failing to portray the “new reality” of household compositions – or speaking to their needs.
That’s the key conclusion of a major consumer trend re-port issued last month by JWTIntelligence, a New York-based research and marketing communications frm.
According to JWT, the broad, traditional notion of the nu-clear “family” is evolving rapidly into many variations, and that shifting dynamic has major implications for marketers, includ-ing kitchen/bath product manufacturers and design frms.
“The traditional nuclear family – a husband and wife, plus kids – is no longer the norm,” the JWT report fnds. “Today’s parents may not be married; often just one parent heads the household, while more couples are choosing not to become parents. At the same time, gay couples are embracing these traditional milestones as attitudes and laws change. And, as people live longer, more are starting afresh in later decades, and households are expanding to include multiple generations.
“On the other end of the spectrum, more people are liv-ing in households of one, forming families out of friends or even treating pets as family. The emergent diversity in family life includes partnerships without marriage, multi-genera-tional families, ‘silver’ (aging) families, parenting without co-residence and various forms of ‘blended,’ ‘reconstituted’ and ‘chosen’ family.”
As JWT notes, these families and ways of living have long existed. What’s new, however, is that they are growing more common and are likely to increasingly impact kitchen/bath design, consumer purchasing patterns and the way products and design services are marketed.
In fact, the marketing frm notes, only 20% of U.S. house-holds ft the conventional defnition of the nuclear family, down from 40% in 1970. Unmarried parents represent the most common variant on tradition, as more people delay or forego marriage. In the U.S., single parents have more than tripled as a share of households since 1960. People are also remixing tradition and improvising family arrangements. For instance, it’s becoming more common for couples to split up but remain in their home, jointly raising their kids while forming other romantic relationships.
As more people divert from life’s traditional milestones, fewer are also choosing to have children. An array of factors – including the growing cost of child care, women’s rise in the workforce, the trend toward extending careers while delay-ing marriage and children, and urbanization – are driving this shift in cultural norms. Gay marriage is also becoming increasingly popular as public acceptance spreads and laws change. Pets are increasingly becoming full-blown members of the family, with owners treating animals much like humans.
“The nuclear family has become both more complicated and more fexible, taking on new forms to suit new mindsets, JWT observes, noting that fathers are taking on many more domestic duties, while more women are becoming the primary breadwinner and society is moving toward “a more nuanced concept of gender that questions some stereotypes and revises old assumptions.
“Women are less likely to be in charge of household tasks and child care,” JWT points out. “Dads are now co-parents. We’re moving away from the days when men provided for the family fnancially and women took care of most other needs. Couples are rethinking the way household and child care
duties are apportioned. Conventional ideas about male and female domains, activities, behaviors and styles are evolving. Millennials are leading the way, less confned to traditional gender roles and more willing to break long-standing norms, and Gen Z is poised to hold the least rigidly defned view of gender as they reach adulthood.”
JWT adds: “Just as we saw a feminization of the workplace in the past few decades, with more emphasis on such skills as empathy and listening, we are seeing the opposite at home – a ‘masculinization’ of domestic tasks and routines.”
According to JWT, although many brands aren’t yet por-traying the reality of today’s family, or speaking to its changing needs, a growing number of marketers have broadened their defnition of what a family means and have incorporated new types of images into their messaging, recognizing and afrm-ing these consumers.
“At a time when married couples may not be planning on kids, parents could be same-sex or a dad might be the primary caregiver, brands must think carefully about the language and imagery they use and the way they target products and services,” the company said.
“Marketers should acknowledge every type of family. Brands should not only update their assumptions about their consumers, they should seek to better refect the new reality of nuclear families. Don’t hesitate to take a stance: Consumers expect brands to help drive social change, and today’s con-sumer is increasingly open-minded about new forms of family.”
Changes in the nuclear family require a rethinking of brand positioning and marketing initiatives, according to a new report published by JWTIntelligence.
Industry Update { Noteworthy developments impacting the kitchen and bath market }
New Ownership Announced for Kitchen & Bath Design NewsWilmette, IL — Kitchen & Bath Design News’ print, digital and event assets were recently purchased by Sola Group Inc., based here. The closely held partnership of media profes-sionals, headed up by Paul DeGrandis and Patrick O’Toole, bring decades of experience in the remodeling and home improvement industries, joining a team of industry pros that includes founding editor and publisher emeritus Eliot Sefrin.
“Eliot Sefrin and his team have a strong track record of industry leadership, and we look forward to continuing this rich tradition,” said Paul DeGrandis, president of Sola Group, Inc. and publisher of KBDN. “That is why we are so pleased that long-time thought leaders like Eliot, Janice Costa and Anita Shaw, who built the brand, will be staying on board, along with an outstanding stable of columnists and industry experts such as Mary Jo Peterson, Ellen Cheever and Eric Schimelpfenig, among many others.”.
“I look forward to working with Sola Group management on KBDN in retaining the high editorial, marketing and educational standards that we have had in place for more than 30 years,” noted Sefrin.
“With Kitchen & Bath Design News, the go-to source for kitchen/bath designers, our goal is to support the brand in ways that will help it grow along with the industry, particularly with the opportunities presented by new Web and mobile venues,” said DeGrandis.
Sola takes over from Cygnus Business Media, which had operated the brand for almost 20 years. Sola also took ownership of Qualifed Remodeler magazine and For ResidentialPros.com.
All circulation and advertising inquiries can be made to Sola Group Inc., 724 12th St., Suite 1W, Wilmette, Illinois 60091; [email protected].
Stamford, CT Site of KBDN Seminar This MonthMelville, NY — Stamford, CT will be the latest site for “Art + Science,” the series of all-day seminars being presented by Kitchen & Bath Design News in key markets throughout 2014.
The highly acclaimed seminar series is scheduled to continue its eight-city run Oct. 23 at the Hilton Stamford Hotel, in Stamford, CT.
The educational initiative, currently in the second of a three-year run, has already been presented this year in Fort Lauderdale, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Seattle and Denver. After its Stamford stop, the program will con-clude its 2014 schedule on Nov. 13 in Dallas, according to KBDN Publisher Emeritus Eliot Sefrin.
Location and dates for 2015 will be announced shortly, Sefrin said.Designed for kitchen and bath designers looking to refresh their creative
talents and expand their technological skills, “Art + Science” is aimed at identi-fying “what’s next” in design and technology so that design professionals can better address the needs of a younger, less-traditional client while increasing company profts in the New Digital Age.
“Art + Science” spotlights the growing trend toward contemporary kitchens
and baths that require an entirely new way of managing the space and con-necting the elements of the room. Also featured is a multi-media program that presents a vision of the industry’s digital present and future, including ways design professionals can leverage cutting-edge technological tools from initial client contact through fnal contract.
Leading the programs is a pair of KBDN contributors: Ellen Cheever, CMKBD, ASID, CAPS, widely considered to be the nation’s premier kitchen and bath design authority, and Eric Schimelpfenig, AKBD, a leading authority on cutting-edge technology impacting the kitchen and bath industry.
2014 sponsors have included BEST, Geberit, Hafele America, Jenn-Air, Rev-A-Shelf and Showplace Wood Products.
Information about attending any of the 2014 programs can be obtained by visiting KBDN’s web site, www.forresidentialpros.com.
Seminars Set for Kansas City, DenverMelville, NY — Kansas City and Denver will serve as the locations this month for the fnal two in a year-long series of all-day seminars being produced under the terms of an exclusive alliance between Kitchen & Bath Design News and the SEN Design Group.
The seminar series will conclude its 2014 run at the Cosentino showrooms in Kansas City and Denver on Oct. 1 and Oct. 29, respectively.
Titled “Systemizing Your Sales Approach for Maximum Proft,” the program is led by SEN President Ken Peterson, CKB. Created specifcally for showroom owners, managers and sales designers, the programs focus on how kitchen and bath dealers can improve closing percent-ages, sales volume and gross margins by implementing a well-thought-out selling system keyed to today’s market.
Sponsors of the 2014 seminars have included Silestone by Cosentino, Hafele America, Dura Supreme, Medallion/Yorktowne/MasterCraft/Design Craft, Autokitchen, Signature Kitchen & Bath magazine, Cambridge Steel Works, Task Lighting, WoodTrac and Warmly Yours.
Information, including registration details, is available by contacting the Chapel Hill, NC-based SEN Design Group, at (800) 991-1711.
Electrolux Purchases GE Appliance BusinessFairfeld, CT — General Electric has signed a defnitive agreement to sell its century-old home appliance division to Electrolux. The deal is estimated at $3.3 billion.
As part of the transaction, GE has entered into a long-term agreement with Electrolux to continue use of the GE Appliances brand. The transaction has been approved by the boards of di-rectors of GE and Electrolux and remains subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, and is targeted to close in 2015.
“This transaction is consistent with our strategy to be the world’s best infrastructure and technology company,” said GE Chairman and CEO Jef Immelt.
GE has taken steps in 2014 to reshape and focus its portfolio, purchasing Alstom’s Power and Grid businesses in June and, in August, completing the IPO of its North American Retail Finance business, Synchrony Financial.
The activity continues the company’s longer-term redeploy-ment of capital from non-core assets like media, plastics and insurance to higher-growth, higher-margin businesses in Oil & Gas, Power, Aviation and Healthcare. The company hopes to achieve 75% of earnings from its Industrial business by 2016.
“GE Appliances is a great business and we are proud of the role it has played in GE’s history,” Immelt continued. “Electrolux is the right global business for our customers, consumers and employ-ees. We have greatly strengthened this franchise in the past few years. GE Appliances’ people, valuable home appliances brand, products, distribution and service capabilities make it a perfect ft with Electrolux and its goal of accelerating growth in the U.S. Like GE Appliances, Electrolux has a nearly 100-year history in home appliances and they share the same principles of quality, innova-tion and customer value as GE. They are committed to supporting the growth of GE Appliances and value the GE Appliances team and its capabilities.”
“GE Appliances is a well-run operation with strong capabilities in key areas such as R&D, engineering, supply chain and customer service,” said Keith McLoughlin, president and CEO of Electrolux. “We look forward to joining forces with their team of talented and competent people.”
The acquisition will nearly double Electrolux’s business in North America and put it on the same playing feld with the Whirlpool Corporation, which posted revenue of $18.8 billion last year. to Las Vegas.
KBD_10-16_1014 IndustryNewsA.indd 10 9/17/14 8:37 AM
Industry Update { Noteworthy developments impacting the kitchen and bath market }
GE Appliances Announces Dream Kitchen Competition Louisville, KY — GE Appliances will award kitchens that include GE Monogram appliances in its Mono-gram $150,000 Dream Kitchen Design Contest. A total of $150,000 in cash prizes will be awarded, including a grand prize of $25,000.
Kitchens must in-tegrate GE Monogram cooking appliances and refrigerators. Judges will consider criteria of visual ap-peal, creativity, innovation, overall kitchen workfow and design ele-ments/principles in their evaluation.
The $25,000 grand prize will be awarded to the Best Kitchen Inte-grating GE Monogram Appliances. Additionally, a frst-place prize of $15,000, second-place prize of $5,000 and third-place prize of $3,000 will be granted in each of the follow-ing categories: Best Home Kitchen
Design – Traditional, Best Home Kitchen Design – Transitional, Best Home Kitchen Design – Contempo-rary, Best Showroom Display Kitchen
Design and Best Use of GE Mono-gram Appliances “Outside
of the Kitchen” Design. Seven regional winners will be awarded $1,500 each, and all winners will achieve national expo-
sure through an awards ceremony and GE marketing
eforts.The contest is open to all kitchen
designers, architects, professional builders and remodelers. Up to three entries may be submitted (one per category) by the same entrant/entrants, but each entry must be submitted separately. All submis-sions must be received by March 31, 2015, and winners will be announced at the 2015 Dwell on Design show.
14 | Kitchen & Bath Design News October 2014
Marble Institute of America Launches Midwest ChapterCleveland, OH — The Marble Institute of America has announced the Mid-west Stone Fabricators Association (MWSFA) will become the MIA Midwest Chapter. The goal of the chapter will be to increase educational oferings and networking opportunities to stone professionals in the region (Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin).
During the next 18 months of operation, the Midwest Chapter plans to ofer six educational courses. Oferings during this period could include:
• MIA Midwest Chapter Kickof Event• Midwest Stone Summit• Geology in the Natural Stone Industry• Panel Discussion of Key Industry Issues• A Technical Session on Stone Installation• CEU for Architects and Designers
The MIA Midwest Chapter joins the MIA NY Metro Chapter and the MIA Toronto Chapter as the third chapter in the program. Like the other MIA Chapters, the Midwest Chapter will hold quarterly meetings.
Jim Hieb of the Marble Institute said, “This is a great opportunity for the MIA to provide strong educational programming to stone professionals in the region. The MIA looks forward to working with regional members to create a dynamic curriculum which provides benefts for every segment of the industry.”
For more information about the MIA Midwest chapter, visit the chapter Web site at www.marble-institute.com/midwest.
KBD_10-16_1014 IndustryNewsA.indd 14 9/17/14 8:37 AM
Earthquake Ousts Western DovetailMare Island, CA — The recent earthquake in the Napa Valley, CA area partially destroyed the Mare Island, CA location of cabinet drawer manufac-turer Western Dovetail, Inc. The building that houses the company has been red-tagged for demolition as it is no longer safe.
According to brothers and business partners Max and Josh Hunter, they were allowed three short extraction opportu-nities, escorted by ofcials, to salvage what they could from their business. “We did it like a revolving door, tag team, with three trucks, going in, flling up, going out and unloading and going back in, reported Max Hunter to the Vallejo Times Herald.
They were able to rescue fn-ished products, materials and
some equipment, but retrieval of other equipment will take planning and permission to go back inside, he reported.
Western Dovetail is currently op-
erating out of Dimensions Unlimited, one of their customer’s companies. The brothers are hoping to relocate on the island, though they had no earthquake insurance and the move
alone is going to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. They hope to raise about $100,000 to set up a new shop. For information, visit www.drawer.com.
www.TopKnobs .com
908-359-6174
800-499-9095
d r e s s y o u r
c a b i n e t s .
Circle No. 7 on Product Card
Cabinets To Go Donates To VeteranSan Diego, CA — Cabinets To
Go raised $36,000 for veteran
Eric DeLion on behalf of the
Wounded Warrior Project. Jef
Linden, president and CEO
of Cabinets To Go, recently
presented DeLion with the
check.
“Cabinets To Go wants to
make a diference in the lives
of injured service members,”
said Linden. “All of our loca-
tions donated a percentage
of sales from the Memorial
Day Weekend to help fund
vital programs at Wounded
Warrior Project.”
DeLion served two tours
in Iraq, and had many linger-
ing efects from the frefghts.
Wounded Warrior Proj-
ect’s purpose is to raise
awareness and to enlist the
public’s aid for the needs of
injured service members and
to help injured servicemen
and women aid and assist
each other.
KBD_10-16_1014 IndustryNewsA.indd 15 9/17/14 8:37 AM
Thinking Big With Small KitchensWhen designing a small kitchen, it’s important to prioritize, steal space where available, maximize views and storage, give plenty of thought to the lighting scheme, remove unnecessary clutter and be realistic about what is and isn’t possible.
“We must help our clients be realistic and balance their wishes and their beautiful
appliances, sets of equipment and utensils with appropriate
and workable amounts of storage at the point of use and
work surface.”
Read past columns and features and send us your comments about this article
and others by logging onto our Web site: www.ForResidentialPros.com
Planning & Design { Mary Jo Peterson, CKD, CBD, CAPS }
KBD_18-19_1014 PlanningDesign.indd 18 9/17/14 8:39 AM
Years ago we were promised the “smart home.” Along with
that, we were also promised fying cars. If the documen-tary “Back to the Future 2” is correct, we should also have hoverboards next year. In the future, as portrayed by Marty McFly, there’s a great scene where he enters his future home. Aside from being a hilarious mashup of gaudy old ’80’s decor and fu-ture technology, there are a lot of things that came true from that fantasy view of the future.
In that movie, they por-tray the smart home as a voice activated, nearly seam-less operation. We’re getting close to that today, but we’re not quite there yet.
The smart home that was promised and delivered years ago was a proprietary, all-in-one solution that was best installed in a new home during the wiring phase of construction. That’s not great, or even possible for people remodeling, so the market is severely limited. The new way we’re seeing the smart home manifest itself is in the “ap-pifcation” of the home.
Typically this means installing a smart phone-con-trolled device to smarten up a particular part of the home. I’ve had the pleasure, and dis-pleasure, of playing around with a lot of these devices, and I’ll walk you through them so you can better ex-plain them to your kitchen and bath clients looking for smarter home automation.
LOCKITRONLockitron is an app-con-trolled add-on for a deadbolt lock. You just snap this device
over your lock and it will lock or unlock your door with a smartphone app. It’s easy to install, and non permanent. This is great for renters or places where you can’t mod-ify or change your existing lock set.
The promise here is that you never have to use your keys again. The company has come close to that promise, but not close enough. To use this, you have to use the app to unlock your door. This is
fantastic for those moments when you’re away and you can’t remember if you locked your door or not. Where it’s not fantastic is when you have armloads of groceries and you just want your door to be unlocked. Having to pull out your smartphone and open an app is no more convenient than using a tra-ditional key, which is what I find myself doing in this situation. Lockitron says it’s working on this, but there aren’t any updates as of yet.
KEVO SMARTLOCKHaving had trouble with the Lockitron, I turned to the
Kevo Smart Lock. This is an app-controlled smart lock much like the Lockitron. The diference here is that you ac-tually replace your deadbolt.
Additionally, when you ap-proach your door, you leave your phone in your pocket and just touch the metal part of the lock. Upon sensing your phone, the lock will un-
lock without you ever having to take your phone or your keys out of your pocket. As
with the Lockitron, you can still use your regular keys. While I think this is a great implementation, I found my particular unit to be less than reliable.
PHILLIPS HUEMoving on from locks, I also purchased some smart lights. You may have seen these for sale in Apple stores; they’re called the Phillips Hue. These are smart phone-controlled lights. They can come on when you come home, turn
of when you leave, and the colors and dimmer levels can be changed any way you want.
These lights are great. Out of the box installation was as simple as changing a light bulb and plugging a little box into your router. After that, I’ve been enjoying dim candle-colored lights during movies, and bright and cheer-ful lights when I’m cleaning or working. The ease and simplicity of these things is really futuristic. You can also use them with a traditional lightswitch if your smart-phone isn’t around.
NEST THERMOSTATThis is by far one of my fa-vorites. If you haven’t yet encountered this device, it’s the most beautiful thermo-stat you’ve ever seen. It was designed by the former prod-uct designer from Apple who created the frst iPod.
On paper, it’s a program-mable thermostat with much the same feature set as any other dreary white plastic thermostat available in your local hardware store.
What’s diferent here is the thought put into its de-sign. This thing is incredibly easy to install. In just a few minutes, you can have it con-nected. Once done, it asks you a few simple questions and
it’s of and running. There is no programming needed.
This thermostat learns how your furnace and AC work; it knows the weather outside, and it also knows
when you’re home or away. All you need to do is turn it up when you want to be warm, and down when you want to be cooler, and it does all the thinking for you. This device is truly design and technology melded together in one beautifully simple and easy-to-use device. Just as the iPhone made smartphones fun and easy to use, Nest does that for thermostats.
So, do we have a modern smart home? In a way, yes. But everything is separate. This is good on the one hand as we can install these devices easily (and as need-ed) into existing homes. But now we’ve got one company making a great thermostat, and another company mak-ing some fantastic lights. To be truly smart, these devices and services need to talk to each other.
Right now when my thermostat knows that I’m sleeping, it can’t turn of my lights. If I leave my house and I lock my front door, my smart garage door doesn’t go down automatically.
There have been a few companies that have tried to solve this. Google made an attempt with Android Home a few years ago. Apple re-cently announced a universal method for devices like this to communicate with each other. If they pull this off, you’ll be able to ask Siri to turn on your lights, and even set “scenes.” These “scenes” will allow you to have your lights go off, garage door shut, thermostat down and lock the front door when you go to bed.
Apple typically has a way of coming into a market and solving problems like this. Keep an eye on the smart home space. There are a lot of great products out now, and a lot more innovation coming. Today’s tech savvy consumers are going to be demanding this in their de-signs. Marty’s future home is coming!
Is the Smart Home Really That Smart?While the promised ‘smart home’ of the future may still be a work in progress, an increasing array of smart products are helping to automate the home.
“The new way we’re seeing the smart home manifest itself is in the ‘appifcation’ of the home.”
3eaE past colVmns anE featVres anE senE Vs yoVr comments aCoVt this article
Bettering Your Bottom Line { Ken Peterson, CKD, LPBC }
More than 20 years ago I was in Germa-ny to research the
success of European buying groups in the kitchen indus-try. I was taken aback by the scale of the dealer members in those groups. Indeed, most dealerships had chains of 15-20 showrooms, with revenues in the tens of millions of dol-lars and earning 47%+ gross proft margins – very diferent from the single shop, mom-and-pop $1-2M design frms that populate the landscape in our kitchen/bath industry!
How could there be such a diference in development between the European and U.S. kitchen industries? In my interviews with German and Dutch kitchen business owners, I discovered one key factor common to all of them: their sales designers were re-quired to follow a precisely written sales process.
In the U.S., I believe a col-lective lack of discipline has characterized our kitchen/bath industry since its incep-tion, consigning American kitchen dealers to a lifetime of marginal proftability. I also believe this continued lack of discipline is holding back the industry from realizing its full growth potential despite the recent upturn in the economy.
AN UNDISCIPLINED BUSINESSAn undisciplined business is one in which the same is-sues, processes and systems are handled diferently every time. These operations are characterized by displays without discernible themes, incomplete displays, samples strewn around the showroom, an absence of helpful signage that describes the company’s
mission or process of doing business, and sales designers who fail to acknowledge your presence in a timely and pro-fessional manner.
The vast majority of kitch-en/bath frm owners spend their time putting out fres in the feld, chasing checks to make payroll, dealing with
irate customers, procrastinat-ing on major decisions, hiring staff without adequate due diligence or organizational support in place, buying un-necessary things on the fy and cancelling appointments or educational seminars be-cause they’re “too busy.”
Many exhibit such behav-iors because they’ve failed to take the time to design, document, train and clearly communicate how prospects are to be approached, de-veloped, sold and handled throughout the conception and birth of a new kitchen or bathroom. Rather, they ignore the preparation of an annual budget, lack a strategic plan, conduct business without a written Operations Manual, prefer to hire fully trained personnel rather than develop their own and fail to articulate their corporate culture.
As a result, sales designers
follow whatever sales proce-dure they feel comfortable with, regardless of whether it’s efectively designed around the target customer’s needs.
A WRITTEN SALES PROCESSAmerican kitchen dealers would do well to have each
sales designer (1) write down their sales procedure step-by-step, (2) track how many hours on average it takes to get a signed commitment (and retainer check), and (3) track how many days on aver-age it takes from point of lead to signed commitment. Then they should ask themselves:
• Does each team member follow the same process?
• If “no,” which process is the most efcient time-wise in securing a commitment/retainer check?
• Does the most efficient sales process take more than 3-4 hours to land a signed commitment?
• Does the most efficient sales process equal or exceed a 75% closing rate on all leads initiated by an
appointment in the show-room or consumer’s home?The value of a written, ef-
fcient and successful sales process that everyone fol-lows is manifold. First and foremost, it ensures that all prospects will be treated in the same professional man-ner, regardless of which sales designer they engage; commonality of positive experience is critical if you aspire to operating multiple showrooms. Consistently using the most efcient, cus-tomer-friendly sales process will increase the closing per-centages of all sales designers and, as a result, each of your sales designers will increase their individual sales volumes, so you’ll have a happier sales team with a much higher per-sonnel retention rate. Finally, your company reputation will spread, making it easier to plant an additional showroom in a promising secondary or tertiary market.
DEALER SYSTEMS AUTOMATIONI liken the development and production of a new kitchen or bath to that of a car, with both built from an assembly of hundreds of parts. Henry Ford “industrialized” the process of assembling cars, injecting a huge dose of per-sonnel discipline into it. Each person on the assembly line had a specifc task and could be held accountable for per-forming that task properly. As a result, the quality of each car improved dramati-cally, many more cars could be produced, the automo-
tive industry blasted of and “team-building” became a new consulting enterprise.
The kitchen/bath industry is just about ready to blast of because a comparable pro-duction line has fnally been developed. It’s been nearly 30 years since computer-aided design (CAD) was introduced – but there hasn’t been much in the way of new software technology since then.
One stumbling block has been the lack of automated management systems for the k/b dealer to link CAD on the front-end with an accounting package like Quickbooks on the back-end. That dealers have had to perform over a dozen key procedures manu-ally – from client interview to job estimating to contract writing to cabinet ordering to installation scheduling – in-vites errors, delays and poor customer service.
The lack of systems auto-mation has not only hindered dealer revenue growth, but also reduced gross profit margins when there has been growth due to errors from the increased workload.
At this year’s KBIS, an in-dustry-specifc management software was introduced that embraces a proven “Good-Better-Best Selling System” and embodies best dealer business practices while linking with both CAD and Quickbooks.
The Europeans may have much larger and more disci-plined kitchen dealerships with chains of satellite show-rooms. But this new systems technology will give Ameri-can k/b dealers the missing tool to catch up quickly.
Ken Peterson, CKD, LPBC, is president of the Chapel Hill, NC-based SEN Design Group. For more info about the Good-Better-Best Selling System, please contact Peterson at 1-800-991-1711 or kpeterson @sendesign.com. Peterson also welcomes comments, questions or concerns.
“A written, efcient and
successful sales process ensures
that all prospects will be treated
in the same professional manner,
regardless of which sales
designer they engage.”
Read past columns and features and send us your comments about this article
and others by logging onto our Web site: www.ForResidentialPros.com
The Value of Having a Written Sales ProcessHaving a consistent, written sales process can provide numerous advantages for kitchen and bath dealerships, including a more organized sales process, higher closing percentages, increased proftability and an improved company reputation.
KBD_22-23_1014 BetterBottom.indd 22 9/17/14 8:41 AM
Project Case Study { Spotlight on creative, problem-solving kitchens and baths }
Kitchen Gets Design Do-Over Designer updates her original 20-year-old kitchen plan, incorporating sleek lines and open shelving in a layout that is ideal for cooking and hosting gatherings.
26 | Kitchen & Bath Design News October 2014
The second time is
the charm when
it comes to this
Lake Erie home’s kitchen.
Kimberly Martin designed
its first kitchen when the
lakeside residence was origi-
nally constructed in 1995.
“I was fortunate enough to
be part of the project when
the home was built,” says the
designer/founder of Custom
Kitchens by Martin & Co.,
in Rochester, NY. “Its current
kitchen is Round #2. I’ve been
in the business long enough
now that I’m doing kitchens
twice…that’s really a treat!”
ONE-OF-A-KIND LOOKUpdates to this kitchen origi-
nated with the homeowners’
desire to build an adjacent
addition to accommodate a
Circle No. 15 on Product Card
One source for commercial and residential LED lighting products & accessories.
After a long, tough road, the last couple of years have fnally
seen tangible economic im-provements, with the housing and remodeling sectors show-ing slow but steady growth. Kitchen and bath dealers have reported increased traffic, and while consum-ers are still cautious in their purchases, pent-up demand for home improvement pur-chases is fnally translating to increases in kitchen and bath remodeling – and even some luxury splurges.
But, have these economic gains translated to wage in-creases for kitchen and bath designer/salespeople? The short answer is “somewhat.”
On the positive side, the number of designer/sales-people earning salaries on the lowest end of the spec-trum has decreased since 2012, with 17.7% saying they earn less than $35,000, com-pared to 26.3% in a similar 2012 survey. At the higher end, slight increases were evident, with 8% reporting annual incomes in excess of $100,000, compared to 7.2% in 2012.
Additionally, more than half of those polled (52.2%) said they received a salary in-crease in the last two years, compared to 46% in 2012, and nearly 45% said they anticipate increased earn-ings in 2015.
However, it’s not all good news: More than a third of those surveyed said they had not received a salary increase since before 2011. And, the gender gap remained woe-fully evident in the survey results, with women repre-
senting a disproportionate 71% of those making less than $35,000 annually.
That’s according to a re-cent survey by Kitchen & Bath Design News, which polled more than 280 kitchen and bath designer/salespeople across the country about their compensation packages.
SALARY RANGESWhen asked to estimate what their total compensation range would be for 2014, the majority reported earning ei-ther $35,000-$49,999 (33%) or $50,000-74,999 (28.9%), with only 20% expecting to earn in excess of $75,000 (see Graph 1).
Encouragingly, fewer re-spondents reported earning under $35,000 compared to a similar survey done in 2012 – suggesting that salaries are slowly climbing again as the market improves.
When asked how they see the market going with regard to compensation, one survey respondent noted, “Things are getting better…but it’s
slow going.”Another pointed out,
“No one is that fast to throw money around anymore – not the clients, and not the dealerships, either. Everyone is still in cautious mode, so we’re not going to see any kind of real increases unless we can do more and bigger projects.”
While traditionally, sala-ries tend to be higher on the East and West Coast – and, indeed, the higher salary categories were clearly more prevalent among East Coast respondents – the survey results showed some of the highest salaries coming from the Midwest, particularly in major metropolitan areas.
Disappointingly, profes-sional credentials such as a CKD or CBD did not seem to correlate to a higher sal-ary, according to the survey results. This suggests that de-signer/salespeople may need to be more aggressive about marketing their credentials, and educating consumers to
the value of these.The vast majority of those
polled (78.7%) reported working 40-60 hours per week (see Graph 2), with fewer designer/salespeople reporting working part time hours as compared to a 2012 survey. Interestingly, those who said they worked in ex-cess of 60 hours per week did not report seeing mark-edly higher salaries. As one designer stated, “Working 80 hours a week is so over. It doesn’t get you anywhere except exhausted, and then you make mistakes. I’d rather do my job well, be as efcient as I can and achieve some work/ life balance, and I think when you do that, you have a better chance of being successful anyway.”
Not surprisingly, there was a strong correlation be-tween years of experience and salary, with the high-est compensation being reported by those with more than 10 years of experience. Likewise, some of the high-
Salary Survey
By Janice Costa
$75,000—$99,999
12.2%
$100,000—$150,000
5.1%
$150,000+
3.1%
1. Average 2014 Compensation Range for K/B Designer/Salespeople
$35,000—$49,999
33.0%
$50,000—$74,999
28.9%
Under$35,000
17.7%
60+
5.1%2. Average Number of Hours Worked Weekly
40 - 6078.7%
Under 40
16.2%
3. Average Compensation Range by Gender
Under $35,000
$35,000 -$49,999
$50,000 - $74,999
$75,000 -$99,999
$100,000 - $150,000
$150,000+
28.6%
MaleFemale
47.7%
39%
58.3%
60%
66.7%
71.4%
52.3%
61%
41.7%
40%
33.3%
Salaries Edge Upwards, but Gender Gap RemainsWhile salaries for kitchen and bath designer/salespeople are slowly edging up, particularly at the lowest end of the scale, the gender gap remains strongly evident.
KBD_32-33_1014 SalarySurvey.indd 32 9/17/14 11:25 AM
October 2014 ForResidentialPros.com | 33
est compensation was seen at dealerships whose sales volume exceeded $2 million annually; however, there was far less of a correlation be-tween salary and dealership sales volume among those working at frms doing less than $2 million in annual sales volume.
But, while multiple fac-tors were shown to impact salary, according to survey results, gender was the num-ber one predictor of salary, with women scoring far lower salaries across all categories.
THE GENDER GAPRecent White House reports noted that full-time working women earn roughly 77% of what their male counterparts earn. And, from the survey results, it appears the kitch-en and bath industry is not immune to this gender gap. Not only did female designer/salespeople surveyed repre-sent a whopping 71.4% of the lowest salary range (see Graph 3), but, disturbingly, it appears that the correlation between gender and salary was stronger than the cor-relation between years of experience and salary, geo-graphic region of the country and salary, or professional ac-creditations and salary.
“Everyone thinks the gender gap is a myth, that it’s some retro 1950s thing that’s long past, but the truth is, it’s still alive and well in
the 21st century,” noted one East Coast designer. She added, “Although it’s a female dominated feld, there’s still a ‘boys’ club’ in play, and the men still tend to command the top salaries.”
However, it’s not all bad news: At the higher salary ranges, the wage disparity between the genders was far less evident, with women accounting for 40% of those making between $100,000 and $150,000 annually and a third of those earning $150,000+. This represents a vast improvement over the results of a similar sur-vey conducted in 2012, where women represented
only a third of those mak-ing $100,000-$150,000 and 16.7% of those earning in excess of $150,000 per year.
PROJECTED INCREASESWhile more than a quarter of those polled reported receiv-ing a raise this year, and more than half reported receiving a raise sometime in the past two years (see Graph 4), oth-er designer/salespeople were not so fortunate. In fact, more than a third (35.2%) of those polled said their last raise dates back before 2011.
However, looking ahead, the view was a bit more optimistic, with nearly half (44.7%) anticipating in-creased earnings for 2015 as compared to 2014 (see Graph 5).
“It seems to be getting better,” one Midwest de-signer noted. “There were a couple of years where you were fghting to get any jobs at all, but now the clients are coming back, and the money is coming back in. This year has been pretty good for me so far, and I think next year is going to be even better.”
COMPUTING COMPENSATIONThere are a variety of ways to calculate compensation, but most frms seem to go with hourly wages, straight sal-ary, salary plus commission
or commission against draw. Of those polled, more than a third (36.2%) said they are paid salary plus commission, while 21.9% receive a straight salary, 23% are paid commis-sion against draw and 18.9% are paid hourly (see Graph 6).
Those who work on com-mission reported a pretty even split between salary and commission income, citing an average of 49.85% of their in-come coming in the form of salary and 50.15% coming in the form of commission.
These numbers are simi-lar to 2012 numbers, though the number of respondents paid on an hourly basis has dropped by several percent-age points, suggesting that, in the light of a recovering economy, dealerships may be moving away from part-time hourly help in favor of hiring full-time salaried staf to man showrooms that are seeing more trafc.
Interestingly, there has been a shift in how commis-
sions are paid, with 37.2% being paid on the net proft of the job (see Graph 7), up from 29.3% in 2012, 33.3% being paid on the gross proft of the job, compared to 38.6% in 2012, and 29.5% being paid on the actual price of the job, compared to 32.1% in 2012.
As far as benefts are con-cerned, similar to 2012, paid vacation/sick time topped the list of most commonly ofered benefts, followed by medical insurance, an end-of-year bonus, a 401K plan with company contributions and proft sharing.
Far fewer respondents reported receiving dental in-surance, disability insurance or a company vehicle. While the majority of those polled said medical insurance is part of their benefts pack-age, that number is down by nearly 10% compared to 2012, perhaps a result of the rising costs of medical insur-ance premiums.
4. When Designer/Salespeople Received Their Last Salary Increase
Before 2011
35.2%
In 2014
26.4%
In 2013
25.2%
In 2012 - 10.1%In 2011 - 3.1%
Decreasing - 1.5%
5. How Designer/Salespeople See Their 2015 Compensation
Increasing
44.7%
Staying the Same
53.8%
6. How Designer/Salespeople Are Paid
StraightSalary
21.9%
Salary + Commission
36.2%
Commission Against Draw
23.0%
Hourly
18.9%
7. How Commissions Are Calculated
On the net proft of the job
37.2%
On the price of the job
29.5%
On the gross proft of the job
33.3%
KBD_32-33_1014 SalarySurvey.indd 33 9/17/14 11:36 AM
introduced four new high-power electric cooktops and six new
electric built-in ovens. “We are fnding that improvements in
electric power sources allow for the same power that can be
found in gas sources, with additional benefts such as convec-
tion, self-clean and rapid cooking options,” she says.
Indeed, technology is evident in everything from smart
ovens to induction cooktops to refrigerators that can call the
repair center when they’re malfunctioning.
INTEGRATED OPTIONSWith more and more kitchens opening into other living spaces,
homeowners are often asking designers to help their appliances
blend in with their surroundings.
It is essential to ofer the option to seamlessly integrate
appliances into the cabinetry, says Franklin. “Consumers want
the option to have their appliances ‘disappear’ in their space,”
she says.
Steigmiller states that new technology and techniques allow
refrigerators to become virtually invisible in what he calls “a
big leap forward” in built-in refrigeration. “Cabinetry panels
discreetly hide these appliances, allowing the room’s style to
take center stage,” he says.
Elkin agrees that custom cabinetry and appliances that
virtually disappear into a kitchen design remain prevalent. The
Thermador Freedom Collection allows cold storage to disappear
into custom cabinetry, taking on the look of a beautiful piece
of furniture rather than an essential appliance, he notes. The
new Thermador frameless Freedom Induction Cooktop with a
solid black surface also supports this trend.
At Perlick, the company fnds that disappearing kitchens
or kitchens that feature white, fat cabinetry without hardware
are very popular. The company’s units, with zero-clearance
hinging and fully integrated depth, allow a fush ft with sur-
rounding cabinetry.
Johnson says that warmer colors and softer fnishes are
trending in kitchen design. “Soft, matte black, rose gold and
champagne gold are the latest fxture oferings for those who
are exhausted by the sea of stainless steel and brushed nickel
options that currently dominate in the kitchen,” she says. Driv-
ing this trend for warmer colors is the desire for seamlessness
and comfort, she adds. “With more emphasis on open-concept
kitchens, appliances become better integrated with the cabinets.
As the kitchen truly becomes the hub of the home, colors that
instill a sense of comfort help us feel more connected to each
other and our surroundings,” she says.
DISTINCTIVE STYLEOn the fip side, there are those who would like to see their
appliances “pop” in the design, rather than demurely blending
into their surroundings. This desire for a customized experi-
ence drives choices in colors and fnishes, manufacturers note.
“People like perfectly integrated products but still [want
products that are] distinctive,” says Bertazzoni. She notes that
many consumers want applianc-
The new free-standing Profle
Series gas and electric ranges
from GE allow users to preheat,
set the time and check
cooking status using the GE
Brillion mobile app on their
smartphone. The ranges feature
True European Convection with
Precise Air, a warming drawer,
self-clean roller rack, oven
meat probe, tri-ring burners
and notifcation lighting that
turns on when the oven has
preheated.
Circle No. 173 on Product Card
SMEG has launched the retro
Victoria 36" free-standing
range, which marries European
design with high-tech, chef-
inspired cooking functions.
The range features ultra-rapid
18,000 BTU brass burner;
eight pro-cooking functions,
including double European/
true convection features;
chrome shelves with telescopic
guides; advanced rotisserie, and
EverClean technology. The range
is available in classic cream,
stainless steel and gloss black
fnishes.
Circle No. 176 on Product Card
The KitchenAid Architect Series II 24"
dishwasher includes the company’s AquaSense
Recycling System, which recycles water from
the fnal rinse cycle and uses it in the next
load’s pre-rinse cycle, resulting in 33 percent
less water consumption. Fresh water is used
to fnish the cleaning cycle. The fve-cycle/
six-option dishwasher also features a ProWash
Cycle that determines the appropriate setting
for washing dishes, a ProScrub Option and
Whisper Quiet System.
Circle No. 175 on Product Card
RangeCraft Manufacturing now ofers an
oval-shaped range hood with LED lighting top
and bottom, creating a halo efect. The range
hood can be made oval in any
size, width and height, out
of copper, brass or stainless
steel or powder coated in
nearly 200 RAL colors. It can be
fnished with accent bands, rivets and buttons for a custom look.
Circle No. 179 on Product Card
Prizer Hoods presents the
Jewel Tones collection of range
hoods, available in six gemstone
color options: Ruby, Amethyst,
Topaz, Emerald, Mahogany and
Sapphire. Finished in a glossy
sheen, the hues can be added
to any of the line’s 50+ hood
designs. Metals, colors and trims
allow for customization of the
range hoods.
Circle No. 177 on Product Card
The new Verona 36" Electric
Ranges, available from EuroChef,
include electric single and
double-oven versions. Each oven
includes fve high-power sealed
elements on a black ceramic
cooktop surface. A multi-
function European Convection
oven and touch-control digital
clock and timer are also featured.
Circle No. 178 on Product Card
The BEST iQ Blower System is now available in 18 range hoods –
including eight brand new designs – from chimney to island to
built-in. The iQ Blower System makes it possible to calibrate the
hood to each installation, providing individualized performance.
The new Intesa Island Hood, shown, is one of fve island hood
designs available with iQ Blower technology. The contemporary,
slim glass brick design features four-speed control along the side
of the fue and includes a remote control.
Circle No. 171 on Product Card
New Slim Bafe flters from
Imperial Cal. Products have
a pro-style look. The flters are
available on all of the company’s
deluxe models – wall or island
styles.
Circle No. 172 on Product Card
Bosch Home Appliances’ redesigned kitchen line includes
new speed microwave ovens that pair the cooking qualities
of a conventional oven with the speed of microwave
technology. Flush installation matches Bosch wall ovens, the
steam convection oven or warming and storage drawers, and
horizontal alignment allows for easy integration and creates
an even horizontal line when paired with other Bosch kitchen
appliances.
Circle No. 170 on Product Card
Haier America’s Counter Depth
refrigerator with French door
design features 20.6 cu. ft. of
space and is designed to align
with surrounding cabinets.
The Energy
Star-rated
unit includes
Spill Proof
Glass Shelves
that prevent
liquids from
leaking from
one shelf to
the next.
Circle No. 174
on Product
Card
KBD_38-47_1014 PTR.indd 42 9/17/14 8:47 AM
WHAT WILL A DETAIL INSPIRE?
Perhaps a sense of beauty. A moment. Even a higher standard. It’s all possible with
the new Jenn-AirTM Built-In Coffee System. Going beyond espresso and cappuccino
to bring you remarkable precision. With 13 levels for grinding beans, control over the
strength and size of every cup and effortless cleaning, its details promise rich new
experiences—and everyday pleasure.
Discover more at jennair.com
Kitchen by award-winning designer Matthew Patrick Smyth. Most design pieces from his personal collection; brass coffee pot from Florian Papp Antiques, New York.
Only Kitchen & Bath Design News brings the industry an insightful blend of contemporary design and cutting-edge technology in a daylong, in-person educational program. Offered in eight metro areas across the country, KBDN’s Art + Science seminars are led by:
Here are a few of the compliments from seminar attendees:
“Definitely satisfies the more advanced designer, but keeps beginner/ intermediate designers engaged without losing them.”
“Ellen is a tremendous presenter ‒ practical and inspired at the same time!”
“Eric, thank you for speaking ‘designer’ rather than too ‘techy.’ You made sense out of scary digital stuff.”
In today’s kitchen and bath designs, tile is often coming up as the wild
card, where literally anything goes. Going for a classic look? Marble and
neutral stone work seamlessly to bring the design up a notch. Rustic?
How about textured tile and rugged stones? Bold colors and paint patterns
work wonders in an Old World style or internationally inspired theme.
Looking for a little shimmer? Just look for tile with touches of glass or metal.
The possibilities are as endless as the tile being ofered.
Current tile trends include all of these looks, and so much more. Glass, stain-
less, porcelain, stone and terracotta are all making statements of their own, in
a range of colors almost unimaginable. Patterns, textures and painted fnishes
are adding depth and interest where fat surfaces were once the norm.
On these two pages, Kitchen & Bath Design News touches on a few of the
hottest tile trends being seen in today’s kitchens and baths, as well as products
that represent those trends.
Tile StyleTexture, pattern and size guide bold new looks in tile for the kitchen and bath.
October 2014 ForResidentialPros.com | 49
By Anita Shaw
Tile Trends
GLASSGlass tiles add depth and dazzle that ceramic and
stone can’t deliver. Ofered in a range of fnishes
from glossy to fat, glass is shown in an endless
variety of colors, and can work in small doses as an
accent as well as a cover for entire walls.
Swell an o⒎ering GroN &rin "daN`s brand )ouse 'iGty 5wo Geatures Natte glass tile in a NiYture oG si[es and coNpleNentary colors� $aicos .osaics GroN .ara[[i 6S" draws inspiration GroN traditional art glass�
)ouse 'iGty 5wo
.ara[[i 6S"
MIXED MATERIALSTiles featuring a mix of materials are often mosaics,
and usually feature glass or metal for added sparkle.
In addition to glass and metal, common materials
include stone, concrete and marble.
"Nerican Olean
&Nser 5ile
"Nerican Olean`s .orello (lass and .etal .osaic tiles coNbine glass and aluNinuN in a shining coNbination� glass and stone is the preNier coNbination in -ucente Nosaic tile GroN &Nser 5ile�
MOSAICSShapes aren’t static squares in today’s mosaics, as
they can include rectangles, circles and hexagons,
or patterned designs and irregular forms for added
interest. Currently, mosaics that take their design
cues from textiles and wall coverings are hot.
"rtistic 5ile
BellaWita 5ile
BellaWita 5ile`s 1isces .osaics $ollection includes water�Ket cut curWed tiles in a NiY oG teYtured Natte and glossy pnishes� patterns abound in Dapper Daisy GroN "rtistic 5ile which showcases daisies oG Waried si[es shown in a Blue�SilWer blend�
TEXTURE & RELIEFTexture has never been hotter in the world of tile,
and patterns and depths have never been more in-
teresting. Designers are mixing tiles of diferent
shapes, sizes, thicknesses and textures to add per-
sonality and one-of-a-kind looks to backsplashes
and baths.
Daniel Ogassian has developed six new relief tiles for Ann Sacks, playing on the popularity of geometric shapes; the fve patterns from Rookwood Pottery Company’s Jazz collection showcase a number of free fowing forms that can be mixed and matched.
INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCEPattern is prominent in tiles that draw inspiration
from Spanish, Moroccan and other international
infuences. Styles range from elegant patchworks
to bold-colored prints and shapes.
The Moroccan and Mediterranean Handpainted Collections from Fireclay Tile draw their inspiration from wall coverings and textiles; fowers and shapes from Spain, Portugal and Mexico infuence the design of the Mirafores Collection in glass from New Ravenna Mosaics.
Fireclay Tile
New Ravenna Mosaics
DIGITAL IMAGINGContemporary technology is making its mark in the
tile industry in a big way, with digital printing being
relied on to make ceramic tile look like anything but.
The appearance of natural stone, marble, terracotta,
brick, metal, wood and so many other mediums can
now be transferred to ceramic tile to give rooms the
look without the expense and maintenance associ-
ated with other products.
Ragno USA
Imagine Tile
Villa Medici Porcelain tile from Ragno USA is developed using 3-D digital print techniques, as well as worn, softened edges, to create the look of ancient terra cotta; Imagine Tile’s Brushed Steel features a feathered, gradient graphic to achieve the look of metal.
LARGE FORMATWhile mosaics may add interest and
bling to a design, the increasing popu-
larity of oversized, large-format tile
to achieve a clean look is unmistak-
able. Overscale versions of tile create
a sleek look, due to fewer grout lines
and joints.
Composition, a contemporary glazed ceramic tile from Daltile, is ofered in neutral tones in matte and glossy fnishes to give walls a seamless look; super-large and slim are the buzzwords for Cotto d’Este’s Exedra line, which features six marble looks digitally reproduced on laminated stoneware.Daltile Cotto d’Este
KBD_48-51_1014 Tile.indd 50 9/17/14 8:49 AM
C E R A M I C | P O R C E L A I N | G L A S S & M E TA L | N AT U R A L S T O N E | Q U A R T Z
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Up to 164 continuous feet can be powered by 120V
household current!
NEW!I`YYfe�=c\o�C`^_k`e^
NEW!120V RGB LEDI`YYfe�=c\o�C`^_k`e^
PRODUCT FEATURES:
• 7he only 120V 5*% /(' 5ibbon on the marNet that can be powered up to 1�� continuous feet by 120V household current without the need for transformers, drivers, repeaters or amplifers
• 2ffers a Naleidoscope of colors that can be proJrammed to morph at variable speeds or to remain static to suit the ambiance of any room
• Can be cut in the feld and connected as desired
• $n ,3�� 5ated waterproof cover ensures safe use both indoors and outdoors
No Transformers or Amplifiers
Needed!
FREE 1,000+
Page Catalog!
Go to Web:
Catalog 42, Page 1056
Circle No. 102 on Product Card
October 2014 ForResidentialPros.com | 55
Circle No. 101 on Product Card
Your Ad CouldBe Here!
Helping you reach more than
48,000 Quali ed Readersin KBDN’s Product & Literature Showcase
for information about how you can advertise in
this section, Please call Nancy Campoli at:
800.547.7377 ext. 6127
Call Us
Today!
READY TO RETIRESelling 8,000 sq. ft. commercial bldg. Established (25 yrs.) with
lovely 2 bedroom apartment and ofce above showroom. Working cabinet shop and design center.
Property is located in beautiful coastal community in the Pacifc, NW.
• Receive Thousands - for showroom displays and pre-owned luxury kitchens
• Nationwide Buyers - a large network of global buyers
• White Glove Service -
professional, insured crews for removal, pack & transport
Get started by calling us at 212-419-4537
Woodharbor Custom Cabinetry seeks result oriented independent sales representatives with successful sales history to represent our custom/semi-custom/stock cabinetry lines in DE, VA, DC areas and other select territories. Excellent follow up skills and ability to support and build existing network are essential.
Kitchen & Bath Design News (USPS: 828-410, ISSN 8750-345X) is published monthly by Sola Group Inc., 724 12th St, Suite 1W, Wilmette IL 60091; (847) 920-9513. Subscriptions free to qualifed individuals and frms engaged in retailing, designing, wholesaling or manufacturing of kitchen cabinets, countertops, bath vanities and built-in kitchen and bathroom products. One year subscription to nonqualifed individuals: U.S. $55; Canada/Mexico $80; all other countries $100 payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank. Single issues available (prepaid only), $10.00 each. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the opinions expressed by editorial contributions to Kitchen & Bath Design News. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising not in keeping with the publisher’s standard. For subscriber information and address changes, write to: Kitchen & Bath Design News, Circulation Dept., P.O. Box 3257, Northbrook IL 60065-3257, or call (847) 920-9513. Postmaster: Send address changes to Kitchen & Bath Design News, Circulation Dept, P.O. Box 3257, Northbrook IL 60065-3257. Periodicals Postage paid at Wilmette, IL and additional mailing offces. Printed in USA. Canada Post PM40612608. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Kitchen & Bath Design News, P.O. Box 25542, London ON N6C 6B2. Canadian GST#842773848.
KBD_54-58_1014 ClassifiedsAdIndex.indd 55 9/17/14 8:56 AM
If you have a unique space challenge or a desire for additional storage in the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, or anywhere in the house, you’ll appreciate our popular customization program. With more than 2,500 combinations of design options, we can help you create one-of-a-kind cabinet solutions using standard door and drawer openings and frame parts. And the best part is our standard short lead times apply! Think about the space you’ve dreamed about and then Think Customization.