December’s webinars are focused on building trends. By Dianne M. Pogoda
A new year is fast approaching, with the operative word being “new.” And that means learning the latest trends in building, as a foundation for bringing exciting, functional and current kitchens and baths to clients.
NKBA’s free webinar series focuses on building trends in December, with generous sponsorship from Samsung. Each month, NKBA offers free 60-minute webinars, each of which features a presentation by an expert in the specific subject matter, delivered via a virtual platform. The sessions offer certified participants 0.1 CEU per event — it’s an easy way for designers to collect the CEUs needed to maintain NKBA certification. Participants must engage in 80 percent of the sessions to receive CEU credit; registration closes two hours prior to start times. All times listed are Eastern. This month we have four great webinars to participate in.
Beginning the series on Dec. 2 at 12 noon, Richard Landon, CMKBD, NWSID, owner of his namesake design firm in Bellevue, Wisc., will present “Transform, Satisfy & Inspire: Trends in Kitchen Design.” He’ll begin with the premise of designing to inspire, creating holistic solutions for clients that look great, work well and feel right.
Kitchens in this century are evolving rapidly, in terms of how they look and function, but also in the emotional triggers attached to the space. This webinar will explore what’s driving these design trends, show how to stay on or ahead of trends, thus enhancing the competitive edge in the marketplace. A key aspect of this will be to show how attendees can respond to these emerging trends at budget, custom and bespoke levels.
To register for “Transform, Satisfy & Inspire: Trends in Kitchen Design,” click here.
Next up, on Dec. 3 at 3 p.m., Shari Canepa, ASID, CID, LEED – Green Associate CA, GBP, MA , principal designer at Sonoma, Calif.-based Interior Spaces Inc., will talk about “The Disappearing Kitchen” — and that’s not counterintuitive to the mission of the NKBA!
In this webinar, Canepa will explore the concept that kitchens, though they have been the center of the home for many years, are moving away from center stage, visually speaking. It is not that people are cooking less, rather that there is a trend away from the kitchen as superstar.
“From my point of view, there is also a weakening of the concept of the great rooms as the best idea to strive for in a house plan,” Canepa says. “Looking at historical space-planning trends and moving into current lifestyle needs, I propose that we are just on the cusp of some serious changes. Add to this trend away from ‘bigger is better’ and the sensitivity to sustainable design, we are about to see some significant changes.”
The session aims to explore these concepts, including trends toward smaller homes with smaller footprints, and the movement towards sustainable multi-use spaces.
To register for “The Disappearing Kitchen,” click here.
On Dec. 10 at 12 noon, Jim Gurulé, founder and president of KitchenPlan.ai in Danville, Calif., will host “Capture, Create, Collaborate – Improve Your Customer Experience Through Innovative Technology.”
Technology is changing how consumers approach just about all aspects of their life, including kitchen renovation projects, buying behaviors and decision-making processes. Gurulé will reveal how breakthrough approaches in tech can improve the renovation experience, how to use these technologies to better qualify prospects, capture more clients, gather valuable information during the planning process to save time, reduce errors and better collaborate with the trade professionals involved in the project — resulting in more revenue and improved margins.
This session will also share a case study with Habitat for Humanity ReStore and EPAM, a global technology leader and user experience expert, that will illustrate how the industry can use technology to promote kitchen renovation sustainability, donate pre-owned kitchens and divert waste from landfills. Guruléwill show how to leverage inexpensive or free AI technologies; discover how the latest mobile camera phone AR technology will allow potential clients to capture their existing kitchen renovation project data, saving time and expense and allowing designers to prepare for a much more impactful first meeting, and how to create a real-time 3D kitchen project file in the cloud for further iterations, easy access and collaboration with all project stakeholders.
To register for “Capture, Create, Collaborate — Improve Your Customer Experience Through Innovative Technology,” click here.
Finally, on Dec. 12 at 12 noon, Barbara Kratus, sales & marketing director at Infinity Drain, New York, will present “Modern Waterproofing, Linear Drains and Time Savings.” Linear drain systems have become an important element in overall bathroom or “wet space” design and are widely used outdoors as well. While waterproofing is an assumed piece of any wet space, it is important to confirm the correct waterproofing installation as it applies to the drain and flooring and whole wet space. Kratus will offer a fundamental review of the different types of drains, along with a comparison of traditional waterproofing systems and the latest, modern waterproofing technology. Attendees will learn to understand the applications of the newest waterproofing materials available to simplify installation and creation of waterproof spaces, and gain a knowledge comfort level when talking to providers and installers about waterproofing and linear drains.
To register for “Modern Waterproofing, Linear Drains and Time Savings,” click here.
