NKBA Free Webinar Series
The NKBA Free Webinar Series program is one of our new NKBA Education is Genius initiatives. Our webinar series is nationally recognized for providing up-to-date professional development opportunities for our members and other industry professionals involved in the kitchen and bath business world.
We know time is precious but staying current on CEUs and industry information is an important part of what makes industry professionals and brands more valuable. NKBA secures Subject Matter Experts to present free one-hour webinars on the monthly topics featured below. All webinar participants receive 0.1 CEU credit for attending a webinar.
These 60-minute webinars each feature a presentation by an expert in the specific subject matter, delivered via a virtual platform. Certified participants must engage in 80 percent of the sessions to receive CEU credit; registration takes just a few clicks click here and is available until two hours prior to start times.
Additionally, one of the primary missions of NKBA is the continuing professional development of our members and helping them to maintain the highest standards in the industry. Part of this is the three levels of certification — Associate Kitchen & Bath Designer (AKBD), Certified Kitchen & Bath Designer (CKBD) and Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designer (CMKBD). Click here for certification details.
Here’s a rundown on the topics for 2020:
January: Business & Marketing
Webinars this month will focus on business and marketing strategies for growing a kitchen and bath business, with special emphasis on branding, social media strategies, taking time to build your prospects and business success drivers to grow your business.
February: Smart Home Technology
Smart-home technology continues to grow exponentially — and it can be intimidating to designers and consumers alike. February sessions will discuss the latest smart-kitchen products and mobile trends for smart home. Some of these will include devices designed for Aging in Place clients, the emerging segment of the wellness field (known as Biophilia), the differences between limited integration and whole-home integration, and the future trends in kitchen design.
March: Outdoor Living Spaces
Another area with major growth potential is outdoor living. March’s series will discuss some of the tradeoffs your client might consider when adding an outdoor kitchen, exploring simple and complex design ideas for outdoor kitchens and baths, what the future will hold for outdoor spaces and ten ways to inspire your outdoor living designs for your client’s entertainment needs.
April: Sustainable Living + Design
Sponsored by Geberit
Sustainability is a buzzword these days — but what does it really mean, and what elements can designers and remodelers incorporate into their projects? This series will explore advanced products, systems and technologies, the basic design practice steps that can be implemented to improve air quality, promote convenience and reduce carbon emissions from the built environment. We’ll also cover proper food storage to eliminate waste and how appliances and devices can improve efficiencies in the home.
May: Modern Lighting
Light is one of the most powerful tools in the designer’s tool chest. This month’s webinars will focus on lighting to improve wellness at home, how light affects human biology and how new technologies are designed to improve biological functions. Also discussed will be layouts and lighting applications, best practices for lighting plans and calculations, and new concepts in designing lighting for kitchens and bathrooms.
June: Color + Style Trends
Sponsored by Amerock
The effect of color has a big impact on a room’s design and the people living in it. These sessions will cover new influences and approaches in today’s product design processes, what’s trending in appliance colors, how to fractalize your designs with elements from the natural world, the effect of color and how it influences consumer habits and needs, and how various decorative hardware styles are influenced by architectural eras.
July: Small Spaces Design
Sponsored by Blum
As designers, making a small space visually appealing when clients want to fill every inch for storage, can be a challenge. This month’s series focuses on exploring products that are useful for small-space concepts, making the most of square footage with functional hardware, designing showers with frameless glass, and how to maximize storage in small spaces and specify products to solve your client’s needs.
August: Surfaces + Design
Sponsored by Ceramic Tile Education Foundation
When designing kitchens and baths, the surfaces that get the most attention are countertops and backsplashes. All of this and more will be covered in our series this month that includes specifying ceramic tile, stone and glass installations, the art of mixing surface materials, exploring innovative natural stone designs that are sustainable, and modern materials for contemporary design.
September: Living in Place
Sponsored by Geberit
When speaking about Living in Place, the fundamental goal of this booming design sector is to extend independent living for as long as possible. Webinars this month will define what Living in Place is and how it can be applied in every home, how smart technology in kitchens and baths aid independent living, how it can be used to accommodate a wide range of lifestyles, and how functional hardware impacts kitchen and bath designs.
October: Storage Design Trends
Sponsored by Hettich
2020 will see a wide range of new kitchen and bath storage options that are focused on making daily lives more effortless and functional. Webinars this month will focus on how to increase profits and customer satisfaction with interior storage, how to expand your portfolio with innovative storage solutions, the importance of functional hardware and design trends that feature what’s new, now and next
November: Design Software
Mastering various computer-aided design software is a necessary skill for designers who want to stay up to date in their profession. This month’s series includes various presenters who will focus on project management efficiencies, how to design and sell using 3D design software, designing a kitchen with CAD, and the importance of guided design to collaborate and interact with clients.
December: Architecture + Design
Sponsored by Geberit
With a focus on architecture and design, this month’s webinars will feature a technique for unlocking your design concept and working toward an inspiring design solution. Other topics include designing a millennial-friendly kitchen and bath showroom, incorporating the concept of wholistic wellness in an “intelligent” home, and the remodeling industry trends and how to manage customer expectations.
For more information and to register for the webinars, visit the NKBA online store!
Read what NKBA’s webinar attendees are saying:
“I have been designing kitchens and baths for 41 years now. One thing I know is I do not know everything. In these webinars the various presenters have given ideas and training that have given me new insight. This is an hour of time well spent and look forward to the next session.”
John Hays, CKD, Kitchen Designer, The Home Depot
“I am so grateful for the NKBA Free Webinar Series. They are up to date, short, informative and to the point. They are my “go to” for inspiration and education. Thank you NKBA!”
Maria Jenkins, Ottawa, Canada
“I thoroughly enjoy the webinar programs provided by the NKBA. Not only do they allow me to learn in depth about topics that interest me, but they also allow me to do so from the comfort of my own home. The webinars create a flexible learning environment that is cost effective and enables me to earn CEUs while studying multiple topics instead of an all-day training that only encompasses one.”
Shane Silverman, Freelance Kitchen & Bath Designer & Entrepreneur with Monat Global
“I cannot say enough about the NKBA Webinar Series. With running a busy company and having such a hectic schedule, it is a breath of fresh air to sit in the comfort of my own office and participate in these webinars. What makes it even better is that I am learning valuable information and skills from my own peers, fellow professionals in the industry that I look up to and admire. The webinars are always engaging and each time I learn something new to help improve my business.”
Ebony Stephenson, CAPS, Designs by Ebony, LLC, National Kitchen and Bath Association 30 Under 30
Archived Recordings
Most of NKBA’s webinars are recorded and available for review. Click on the link below and you’ll be connected to the NKBA Recorded Webinars YouTube Channel where our most recent recordings are available for your mobile or computer devices. Note that NKBA does not offer .1 CEU for reviewing our recorded webinar sessions.
NKBA Recorded Webinars YouTube Channel
Have Questions?
If you’d like to speak to someone about the NKBA Free Webinar Series, call 800-THE-NKBA or email learningfeedback@nkba.org and an NKBA staff member will be in touch with you shortly.