NKBA shared valuable tips gleaned from exclusive research — from designers, for designers — at its luxury kitchen summit.
By Dianne M. Pogoda
There’s a path that designers must travel to reach the design stratosphere, and it’s mostly paved with embracing a philosophy and being true to a process.
At the NKBA Summit: Luxury Defined, sponsored by Cambria, Head of Research Tricia Zach shared the best advice from designers, gleaned from NKBA’s latest research, The Luxury Kitchen Showcase study.
A report on the first part of this research, focused on the characteristics of the luxury client, appeared in NKBA’s newsfeed on Wednesday.
Designers in the study came to the luxury market from very different paths. A few were focused on this career since childhood and attended design school, but others pursued unrelated fields (finance, medicine) before discovering their passion for design.
But no matter how they arrived, they concurred on a few key steps that help them attract work in this rarefied space.
“All nine designers agreed that creating a luxury kitchen is a privilege that’s earned, one kitchen at a time,” said Zach. “One summed it up like this: ‘You can’t hunt luxury; they’ll run from you. It’s a tight-knit club. You can’t knock on their doors… Take incremental steps with each client, proving that you’re the person, one client at a time. And then, the work finds you.’”
Here are five tips to guide aspiring designers on the path to luxury:
1. Know Yourself
“Develop your confidence — you have to know your ‘why,’” Zach said. “Believe in yourself and invest in yourself.”
Designers say it’s critical to find a niche, tell a story about what makes their work special to build their brand, and become a trusted advisor to clients.
“And, I think, one of the most important lessons in today’s market is to outsource your gaps,” Zach added. “Don’t be afraid to hire professionals to manage your social media, or to help develop an overall brand strategy, to place you on panels or to increase your media visibility. This allows you to focus on design and to nurture relationships that will lead to additional business.”
Other advice: Create a process and stick to it, and don’t be afraid to stretch out of your own or the client’s comfort zone: dare to include original art and artisan-created pieces or take a chance on unexpected materials to make a project truly authentic, original and personalized.
2. Know the Client
“This second step is particularly important with this clientele,” Zach said. “You need to know the client so well that you give them not just what they are asking for, but also include what they didn’t even know to ask for.”
3. Refresh and Reinvent
Designers stressed that to compete for business in this space, it’s critical to invest in the business — for instance, by leveraging sophisticated technology like CAD and laser measurements that help make the process smoother, faster and more efficient, as well as investing in professional development.
“Our designers emphasized the importance of continuing education — in the form of industry shows, webinars, podcasts, print and digital media, or even hiring a coach,” Zach said. “The fastest way to earn the trust of the luxury client is to be knowledgeable. Follow edgy designers who inspire you. Expand beyond your field — travel, observe architecture, visit museums, study jewelry, furniture, fashion, cars and music. Take note of nature, shapes, forms and curves.”
She added that collaboration is also a key step in the “refresh” process. Find a mentor, build a team of thought partners, and regularly meet with other designers who aspire to do luxury work and share ideas. A good place to start is NKBA Chapter meetings.
4. Build/ Leverage Your Resources
It really is about what and whom you know. “You’re only as good as the resources you bring to the table,” Zach advised. “So, find time to attend trade shows for inspiration and product resources, develop relationships with skilled trades people and artisans, partner with upscale designer resources and share services, like photoshoots.
5. Debrief and Repeat
All the designers agreed that it’s really the little things you do at the end of a project that can make all the difference. “Celebrate the project,” Zach said. “Schedule a big reveal or an open house, not only for the clients, but also for all the professionals who worked on the project. Be sure to archive the project by designing and producing a book. Clients will love it and you can include it in your portfolio, use it as a sales tool and protect the intellectual property of the design.
“This brings to mind the one thing many designers seem to forget: Photograph every single project, even if you can’t afford a professional and only use your iPhone,” she continued. “You need visuals for your portfolio, your Instagram and Pinterest pages. Also, magazines will want to see images before committing to coverage.”
One more closing point: Don’t forget to ask for referrals. The designers concurred that the most important advertising is word-of-mouth. “If the client loved your work,” Zach said, “chances are they will want to trumpet you to their friends and acquaintances.”
Participating designers included Anne-Marie Brunet, CMKBD; Nar Bustamante; Brendan Flanigan; Cindy McClure, CKD; Jan Neiges, CMKBD; Alyson O’Hanlon, CKD; Sarah Robertson, AKBD; Peter Salerno, CMKBD, and Vicky Serany.
On-demand access to the study and videos from the summit are available to NKBA members at no additional charge. Non-members may purchase the conference video package for $99, and the Luxury Kitchen Showcase study for $1,995. Visit NKBA Research for details.
