August’s free webinar series is focused on the use of various surface materials and the design effects they create. By Dianne M. Pogoda

 

Tile, stone, wood, glass, metal — just like the clothes we wear, the surfaces in our homes set a tone and often establish a distinct design personality.

August’s free webinar series, generously sponsored by the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF), explore options and in selecting the surface materials for kitchen and bath that are durable, functional, timeless and beautiful.

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 live sessions to receive CEU credit; registration closes two hours prior to start times. All webinars begin at 12 noon, Eastern Time. Create an account at the NKBA store at www.nkba.org to register.

Leading off the series on Aug. 4, Scott Carothers, Director of Certification & Training for CTEF, will lead a discussion on “Specifying Ceramic Tile, Stone and Glass for Kitchen and Bath Installations That Work.”Surfaces can be among the most permanent and costly components of a kitchen or bath remodeling project, so it’s important that they perform well and look great for a long time. Successful tile installations combine great design with the appropriate installation standards and best practices. Especially in the bathroom, surfaces need to handle large volumes of water, so tile choice is critical. This webinar will illustrate the wide array of tile products available for K&B applications, which products are appropriate and will function well especially in wet environments, and the advantages of using Qualified Labor as defined by the Tile Council of North America (TCNA). Attendees will also learn key characteristics of tile, stone and glass, and learn the important considerations in a proper tile installation in the kitchen and bath.

To register for this webinar, click here.

Next, Christine J. McDuffie, Regional Sales Leader at Hallmark Building Supplies Inc., presents “Surfaces – The Art of Mixing Materials,” on Aug. 12. As design increasingly becomes a fusion of ideas, material, technology and the environment, it’s important for designers to provide a link among nature, technology and aesthetics, for both interiors and exteriors. This webinar will provide information about the benefits of various surfaces, wood, concrete, solid surface, quartz, etc., and how they can blend together to achieve beautifully functional, long lasting spaces. Attendees will learn to identify the basics of various surface materials and their use in specific applications, how to mix materials to achieve different looks, and evaluate the functional aesthetic of various surfacing materials and how they can combine to create beautiful interiors.

To register for this webinar, click here.

On Aug. 19, learn about “Exploring Innovative Natural Stone Designs – Sustainable, Versatile, Resilient,” with Dacia Woodworth, Architect & Design Community Liaison at the Natural Stone Institute.Award-winning natural stone projects will illustrate the versatility, sustainability and resilience of natural stone, as Woodworth shows how common and custom natural stone products are used in innovative applications in commercial and residential projects and explains how stone differs from manmade building materials. Attendees will earn what metrics the industry uses to define sustainability and how this compares with artificial product, as well as the geology of stone, how it is processed, standard sizing, how it is specified, bid and sourced.

To register for this webinar, click here.

Finally, on Aug. 27, Nelson Wills, Partner and VP of Business Development for Element Designs, discusses“Modern Materials for Contemporary Design.” This webinar is an essential guide into trends in the kitchen and bath industry for the next generation, and how to incorporate clean and transitional/modern materials into today’s and tomorrow’s designs, including the Influence of European standards. Attendees will learn to describe the characteristics of three contemporary design materials, discuss the interior design applications for aluminum, glass and high-gloss acrylic, and how these elements fit into contemporary design.

To register for this webinar, click here.