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NKBA Summit: Luxury Defined Hits and Highlights


The centerpiece of this expansive kitchen by Peter Salerno, CMKBD, is a custom hood over a Wolf range in a space bathed in abundant natural light. Photo by Anthony Salerno

June 25, 2021

By Dianne M. Pogoda

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) Summit: Luxury Defined, sponsored by Cambria, shared a wealth of information last week for two days, sharing informative research, intriguing discussions with luxe designers and luxury market experts. The event also celebrated the NKBA Renovation Angel Luxury Kitchen Recycling Awards.

NKBA EVP and CSO Suzie Williford, who hosted the NKBA Summit, welcomed Summer Kath, EVP of Design at Cambria, who introduced some of the company’s latest products and innovations, and attendees had the opportunity to win prizes including stunning quartz serving boards from Cambria and the NKBA’s new coffee table book, “The Luxury Kitchen.”

Here are some quick highlights from Day 1 of the NKBA Summit:

  • The Luxury Kitchen Showcase Study: This exclusive NKBA qualitative research, detailed by NKBA head of research Tricia Zach, revealed that luxury is about an experience, it’s simple, it’s personal and it’s beautiful. High-end designers say luxury is not purely about a budget nor about chasing trends, and they concur that designers can’t chase luxury – luxury finds them. Luxury clients are outcome-driven, and most had a specific vision or expect their kitchen designer to deliver a finished product that would delight them – and they were willing to invest to get that result. As one designer said, “A faux luxury client is only interested in the fixtures – high-end appliances, certain cabinets. Real luxury clients know they’ll get that. They want to know how you will deliver, how you will take care of them and what they can expect from you.”
  • The Path to Becoming a Luxury Designer: Helene Oberman, managing director for Interior Design, and designer Nar Bustamante discussed Nar’s journey to luxury, from his childhood in Mexico to moving to the U.S., changing schools and careers to finally landing in the luxury sphere. Flexibility, he said, was the key to his progress. Starting at age 14, he worked with helping his uncles, who were contractors, and discovered a passion for building, architecture and working with his hands. This ultimately led to work as a builder, carpenter, cabinet installer, being drawn to the overall kitchen and bath arena and earning a place in the luxury market, one kitchen at a time. Said Nar, “I dream about kitchens every day.”
  • Luxury Clients — Who Are They? Winston Chesterfield, founder of Barton Consulting Group, a luxury market strategist, defined demographics and explored consumer behavior in this unique sliver of the market. The Ultra-High Net Worth (UHNW) individual is worth $30 million or more; There are a little over 280,000 individuals in this category in the world (about 104,000 in North America), with a combined wealth of $35.4 trillion. If they were a country, they’d be the largest economy in the world. Significantly, about 38% is liquid assets — meaning then can spend it, it’s not tied up in stocks or long-term investments. Like most of us, they care about good value, not getting ripped off, not wasting money and enjoying their homes and family. The difference, of course, is virtually unlimited resources. Suppliers of luxury must offer newness, freshness, world-class service and a deep knowledge of their specialty.
  • The Luxury Client/Designer Relationship: The relationship between any client and designer is delicate, but especially so in the luxury realm. Wendy Cohen, CEO of Power House Smart, a networking and education community for leaders in all areas of luxury, discussed the nuances with designers Vicky Serany and Jan Neiges, CMKBD. “It’s our job as designers to make clients feel as if they are our only client,” said Vicky. “We ask lots of questions, we look at the client’s timeline, vision and budget and they must all align, otherwise someone isn’t going to be happy. Build that core relationship and solve their challenges.” Jan added, “The luxury client is really in it for the journey. You have to communicate a lot, you don’t say ‘no we can’t do that’ or ‘we’ve never done it.’ You have to consider the pros and cons of a product or idea, discover what’s really important to the client and stick to your process from start to finish. And treat all your clients like your grandma.”
  • Modern Luxury Kitchen: Designing Without Rules: Throw away the rulebook. That’s what Anne-Marie Brunet, CMKBD, and Peter Salerno, CMKBD, discussed with NKBA VP of Marketplace Pamela McNally. When designing a luxury space, choose the unexpected – finishes that are layered and unique; artisan creations for decorative as well as practical applications; a mix of unusual materials; customized handles and hardware; reconfigured space by removing walls and claiming square footage from other rooms. Careful communication among all parties – designer, architect, contractor, trades and client – helps a non-traditional plan go smoothly. It’s critical to gain the client’s trust. When the homeowner trusts the designer, there’s a greater willingness to take a chance on the unconventional.
  • NKBA Renovation Angel Luxury Kitchen Recycling Awards. This was the second edition of these awards, produced by Renovation Angel, the nation’s largest upcycler of luxury kitchens, in collaboration with NKBA. Steve Feldman, Renovation Angel’s CEO, presented honors for “Achievement in Repurposed Kitchen Design,” an “Angel Discretionary Award” and “Achievement in Luxury Recycling,” including the most valuable kitchen donated – $78,415 – to Wettling Architects.

On the second day of the Luxury Summit, NKBA EVP and CSO Suzie Williford, who hosted the event, welcomed Arik Tendler, chief sales officer for Cambria, and Summer Kath, EVP of design for the quartz giant, who discussed the company’s evolution.

nkba summitPolished quartz countertops and high-gloss cabinetry reflect natural light from an oversized window, while fur-covered stools around a custom-shaped island and petal-like pendants add a touch of whimsey in this sleek kitchen by Jan Neiges, CMKBD. Photo by Virtuance

Here are some highlights from Day 2 of the NKBA Summit:

  • The Luxury Kitchen Deconstructed. Sarah Roberston, AKBD, of Studio Dearborn in Mamaroneck, N.Y., and her client, Carla Zinman, an interior designer herself and founder of Round Hill Design in Westchester, N.Y., spoke with luxury market expert Susan Brinson of House of Brinson and dug deep into the design elements that propel a kitchen into the realm of the ultra-high end.
    • “The most important part of the process is to invest the time to get to know the client, get to know the space and how the client lives,” said Robertson. “Start slowly, and as you get to know one another, you can learn what it all means in terms of what you can do for them in their kitchen.”
    • Tailoring storage to specific needs keeps everything neat and easy to maintain, it streamlines preparation and cleanup and contributes to the overall luxuries of time and serenity. “When it’s all tucked away,” said Robertson, “it feels like luxury”
    • “Sarah really pushed the envelope on storage and all the details of the space,” said Zinman. “Every detail was thought-out, planned and executed to perfection.”
  • Luxury Clients: How Do They Think? Karen Brandon, Senior Marketing Manager of Luxury Appliances at Nationwide Marketing Group, delved into the mindset of the luxury client, their habits, attitudes and aspirations, and how to appeal to the top 1% of consumers. She broke it down by the acronym VALUES:
    • Versatility: To cater to both the clients’ function and lifestyle needs
    • Availability: Be available to your clients at all times.
    • Lasting Guarantee: It’s a big investment — it had better last!
    • Uniqueness: The luxury customer responds to design personalization and things that are exclusive, limited and rare.
    • Evolving: New audiences are coming into this market all the time. The HENRYs, High Earners Not Rich Yet, will be your target audience in no time. Get to know them, their values and priorities, and where they shop and research: online and in social media.
    • Sustainable and Smart: This audience highly values green product that doesn’t leave a big carbon footprint, and smart appliances and other systems that can be app-controlled from a mobile device.
  • The Role of Marketing/PR in Developing Your Niche. Erik Perez, founder and principal of Hello PR in Los Angeles, discussed best practices and strategies for building a marketing plan that will make a business stand out and attract the high-end consumer. He was joined by Brendan Flanigan, designer and owner of Brendan Flanigan Interiors in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and Manhattan at the NKBA Summit.
    • Marketing starts with listening to the client to create an authentic experience, and use original design and materials.
    • Create a look that’s your own, Flanigan said, with your own stamp. What is it that’s uniquely yours, that you bring to every project – for me it’s warmth and a unique artistry. It should appear effortless.
    • In this digitally based world, Instagram is a really important platform for designers to showcase their work, Flanigan noted. Your website presence is really important, and for this this customer, discretion is really important, so they might not be into social media, so this is where print comes in as well.
    • Tic-Toc, Perez said, is also coming on strong and is now where Instagram was about 10 years ago, and is making an impact. So is Clubhouse, where you can listen and not participate.
  • Luxury: What It Is… and What it Isn’t. It’s not just about the money. Danielle Garofalo of REALM Global moderated a panel discussion on what luxury really means, what should be included and what should be avoided, with Alyson O’Hanlon, CKD, Owner, Clive Christian Kitchens NJ, and Nar Bustamante, president of Nar Design Group in Sacramento, Calif.
    • O’Hanlon said years ago, luxury was basically about cars and hotels, and the kitchen was relegated to the back of the house. Now, it has become the gathering place, the hub and the showpiece of the house — often even more than the living room — which has elevated it to luxury status.
    • Most people think luxury is unattainable, said Bustamante. While it is about the highest quality products, it’s also about spaces that are intentionally created for that particular client. That’s what makes a space truly luxurious.
    •  To create the luxury experience, both designers concurred, listen to the client. If the design isn’t customized for how they live, cook, entertain, clean — it’s for naught. How the designer makes the client feel is really what luxury is all about.
    • Name brands, for instance in appliances, are incredibly important — in most cases, Bustamante said. But he also works with local artisans to create unique pieces that he conceives to go with the particular design. “But the most important brand is the Nar Design Group – that’s what my clients are buying, then have to believe in me, and know that I stand behind my work.”

Winners of Summit prizes, including NKBA’s Luxury Kitchen book and/or gifts from Cambria, include: Payton Selby, Lance Condray, Davis Leichsenring, Naila Bulhoes, Jennifer Kading, Patty Whitman, AKBD, Ellen Myli, Jeffrey Sandifer, Eva Anderson, Nancy Young, CKBD, Breck Dangler, CMKBD, Lisa Spriggs, Greg Delmoico, Ted McIntyre, Linda Hamilton, Scott Wise, John O’Halloran, Nena Triplett, Gina Williams, Lorrie Hochuli, Catherine Weiland, Tori Mills, Jason Lockhart, Bev Lewyn, Ronni Fryman, Heidi Huddleston, Peggy Triggs, Tim Blair, Patrice Aumann, Bryan Marquardt, Mark Grewe, Beth Kemmer and Max Isley.

All sessions from the NKBA Summit: Luxury Defined will be available on-demand for NKBA members at no additional charge, while non-members may still access them for $99.