Knowing what to charge for your design services is an important aspect of becoming a professional kitchen designer.
As with most things, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
The most important thing to remember is that the kitchen is a complicated room to design, and however you are compensated for designing it, it needs to be adequate to cover your time.
In this VESTA post I’ll look at the different ways kitchen designers can charge for their services.
Continue reading “Design Fee Options for the Professional Kitchen Designer”
The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, or KBIS, is where designers go to see what is new and trending in kitchen and bath design.
My goal for this show is to search out design details that are unique and can add the WOW factor to a kitchen design.
Last year at KBIS 2022, the appliance manufacturer GE Monogram was a highlight for unique design details and they were on my list to check out at KBIS 2023.
And they didn’t disappoint!
I highlighted their Luxe Kitchen display in a previous post and today will look at their Lucid Kitchen display.
Continue reading “A Look at the KBIS 2023 Lucid Kitchen and Butler’s Pantry”
I have a file on my computer where I will put random things related to kitchen design.
I will use these for insta posts, as part of a course, or in a coaching session.
In this VESTA Blog I thought I would share some of them since you never know when a tip like this will come in handy.
As I said, they are rather random but they are little things I have used in my personal kitchen design practice and thought I would share.
Ai
The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) is a trade show I attend regularly.
It is a great place to witness emerging trends and to look for unique details that can take your design projects to the next level.
Last year at KBIS 2022, the appliance manufacturer Monogram wowed us all with their booth and I definitely saw emerging trends and unique details in their displays.
I highlighted their displays in two blog posts: The Influence of Appliance Manufacturers on Kitchen Design Part 1 and Part 2.
Monogram Appliances was on my “must see” list again this year at KBIS 2023 and they did not disappoint.
I’ll give you my take on their kitchen displays over a few blog posts starting with the Luxe Kitchen display.
Continue reading “A Look at the KBIS 2023 Luxe Kitchen Display”
When I attend the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, I love seeking out new and innovative products.
These products can be seen at large and small exhibitors and I try to get by as many of the booths as possible.
The size of the show though, doesn’t always allow me to get to every booth and see everything.
So, my strategy is to walk the outer edges of the show floor looking for those smaller exhibitors that cannot afford a prime spot.
This is where a lot of innovative, cool stuff can be found.
In this VESTA Blog I will present some those unique products I found at KBIS 2023.
Continue reading “Around the Edges of KBIS 2023”
This year’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS 2023) celebrated its 60th anniversary and broke attendance records.
Held in Las Vegas, Design & Construction Week attracted over 200,000 industry professionals to the city that never sleeps.
Once I made my way through the crowds to get to the design show venue, there were over 1600 exhibitors at the Las Vegas convention center between the KBIS and IBS halls.
While I was unable to visit every booth, I did get to most of the KBIS exhibitor’s displays.
This week’s VESTA Blog post is what I saw as trends in kitchen design at KBIS 2023.
Continue reading “Kitchen Trends from the KBIS 2023 Show Floor”
I was in a showroom last week talking with kitchen designers about kitchen layouts that are popular in our area.
Where I live, the market is dominated by new construction and we all agreed the one-wall with island layout or galley kitchen is seen over and over again.
The L-shaped with island used to be the most popular, but there seems to have been a shift as of late.
There are a few reasons why I believe the one-wall with island layout is so popular in new construction.
In this post I’ll go over the reasons why builder’s pick that layout so often, and then using a case study will show you how you, as the kitchen designer, can add some excitement to this layout.
Continue reading “Adding Interest to the One-Wall with Island Kitchen”
It is that time of the year again!
All the interior design trends for 2023 are getting posted.
Every year I do my research early January and put together what I feel will be trending in Kitchen design for the upcoming year.
I then attend KBIS (The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show) to see if the show’s displays agree with me.
Also, starting last year I stopped by the Designer Discussions podcast to talk about KBIS trends and this year I’ll be with them again the first week of February.
I feel 2023 is going to be the beginning of a direction change for kitchen design overall, so let’s jump in and see if you agree.
Continue reading “Top 2023 Kitchen Design Trends”
Attending a design tradeshow is often a highlight for a person working in the Kitchen & Bath Industry.
The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) is running from January 31st through February 2nd and is back in Las Vegas this year.
I have my flights book and my hotel reserved and can’t wait to check it out!
I know many of you will be attending and this blog outlines how to get the most out of attending KBIS or any other design trade show.
Read on to get my top tips for a successful tradeshow experience.
Continue reading “How to Plan Your Trip to KBIS”
This fall I instructed the certification program for Interior Decorating at the local college.
During my lectures I tried to sprinkle in tips for the students on running a design business.
One of them was the importance of collecting inspirational images to inspire both themselves and their future clients.
It got me thinking about how important my process for collecting inspiration has been for my design career.
In todays post I will outline how my Vestabul Design inspiration library has evolved over the years and why I believe it is important
Continue reading “How to Build your Inspiration Library as a Kitchen & Bath Designer”
Experimenting with different cuisines became a past time for many people in the last couple of years.
Even though the ability to go out to a restaurant is no longer restricted, many people are using their new found cooking skills and even expanding their repertoire.
Many cooks also discovered there are many condiments available in the marketplace to help them achieve resturant worthy meals at home.
This trend means the storage of condiments in the Kitchen is more important than ever.
Read on to see my top 10 condiment storage ideas for Kitchen Designers.
Continue reading “The Top 10 Condiment Storage Ideas for Kitchen Designers”
Many designers new to kitchen design, will want to dive into designing their client’s space as soon as possible.
There is a lot to be said for enthusiasm, but you really need to sit back and formulate a plan.
That plan begins with asking your client some questions.
There are many questions that you may want to ask, such as:
- What cabinet style do you want?
- What finish do you want for your countertop?
- Do you want a pro style range?
But, these questions so early on in the process may not be the best way to start.
In this post I want to explore the 5 questions every kitchen designer needs to ask before they embark on designing their client’s dream kitchen.
Continue reading “Questions You Must Ask Your Kitchen Design Client”
Jan Rutgers
