It’s interesting to look at the landscape of Interior Design and what this field is really like after design school. Besides my own experience, graduating with a bachelors in Interior Design, I speak to a lot of design school students and mentor some of them.

Design schools have a lot they focus on to make sure their graduates have all they need, like design principles to understand scale, form, function, etc., but not a lot is taught about business or a focus put into Kitchens and Bath Design. In fact when I was in school we hardly focused on Residential Interiors at all. When I speak to schools now, I find out not much has changed. Most students are going into commercial design, which is not surprising as it is what they know a lot about.

I am NOT knocking any school, just laying it out there. When I was in school, I had one semester designing a Kitchen and I absolutely loved it! It was layered with both technical and creative aspects and was hooked. I wanted to know more, but resources were limited and the internet was non-existent. I remember one Kitchen firm downtown Nashville that I applied for an internship wanted me to have more experience. That catch 22, had me pause and made me feel ill-equipped for my new found dream. It was out of reach.

It wasn’t until years later, when my residential design firm was already 10 years old, that I got an opportunity to work part time (while still keeping my design firm) at a Kitchen and Bath firm. Hantel Kitchens and Baths is also a construction firm so I learned a lot from being on site and being on-site with those who were building what we were designing.

I was taken in and molded by this company. I was taught more than construction, but the depth of study that is Kitchen & Bath design. I was introduced to NKBA (National Kitchen & Bath Association) and jumped in to learning all that I could! I loved how the meetings continued education through courses, and the organization as a whole was focused on construction and building. We got to meet other Kitchen & Bath professionals, builders, and trade partners. It was a world that shared and embraced it’s members!

Now that I have served several years and positions in the NKBA (never treasurer-haha!) I have a desire to be a bridge in our industry. I want to speak to students and let them know the options that are out there. There are so many facets to this field and if they are interested in Kitchen & Bath design, I want to share all that I can with them.

Not just students either, but I like to invite design professionals at all levels to engage and learn from each other. This year, besides our chapter meetings, we started doing coffee meet ups for local design professionals. With no agenda other than to talk business and share ways to help each other. Of course, I like some structure so I do plan a topic and talking points, but these have been so fulfilling. I have people reaching out and saying what impact it made to just talk business.

Every organization (NKBA, ASID, IIDA, etc) has it’s value, it’s audience, and it’s goal to support it’s community. When on a recent student panel, I said to the students to try all of them and see where they fit best. They might find out they like more than one! Each city might have a slightly different vibe for these organizations, but wherever you are planted, see what seeds you can plant to help you flourish. These groups can help you learn, grown, and get connected to like-minded professionals.

Through NKBA I have become a Certified Kitchen & Bath designer. This was not an easy feat. I studied several text books for over a year, passed the written test. Then studied for and passed the drawing test that took about 8 hours! I find that doing the hard thing is worth it, you just have to put in the work. NKBA also gives other continuing education offerings called badges. These badges help educate in the Kitchen & Bath industry and let your clients know that you have a specialty in that area. I have encouraged my team to learn and grow through these badges and we are picking up more skills that will help us serve our clients better every day.

NKBA is about continuing your education, it is learning construction specific solutions to our client’s biggest design problems, seeing new materials and installation methods, networking with design professionals and great trade partners, and its about design community! Like the saying goes, a rising tide, raises all ships!

This is why I am NKBA.