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KBB’s 2021 Person of the Year

September 3, 2021

It’s that time again! We are so proud to announce the winners of our third-annual Person of the Year initiative. This year’s candidates are definitely passionate, innovative and making an impact – many going the extra mile to support and mentor other professionals during what has been a difficult time. KBB recognized one overall winner and seven Praiseworthy Picks who have made and will continue to make positive strides in our industry.

Person of the Year: Cheryl Kees Clendenon, Owner and Lead Designer of In Detail Interiors

I met this wonderful designer during one of our annual Editorial Advisory Board meetings at KBIS several years ago, although I had already been familiar with her projects for some time. Cheryl has such an original design eye, and I have always loved seeing her work, which is expertly brought to life in the myriad photographs she sends my way.

The Pensacola, Fla.-based designer came up with her own accreditation – Damn Good Designer – when she told a challenging client that she was the “best damn designer” he would ever work with.  She said it made her laugh, so she put DGD on her business cards and never looked back. Years later when they met again, the same client said he had admired how she disarmed the situation, and now it is her big, bold brand. And if you have ever met Cheryl, you know bold might be an understatement.

Cheryl Kees Clendenon with two members of her In Detail Interiors team, daughter Libby (right) and Liz (middle), the VP of everything. Photo by Greg Riegler Photography

Her Facebook Group, Small Business Think Big, has a whopping 1,800 followers – all of whom benefit from her affinity for small businesses and helping her colleagues succeed. Her monthly Box of Brilliance (BOB) virtual subscription brings other designers into her day-to-day world along with her team. They share best practices, marketing ideas, jobsite dilemmas and solutions and end each month with a group coaching meeting with some 67 designers. She says it is the next best thing to being in the same office.

A longtime fan of working with brands, the designer is also on the SKS Design Council and loves being involved with brands that are truly looking for partners; she is not interested in the glorified role of product promoter. She does, however, do whatever she can to promote other designers in the industry because she loves seeing people succeed. Her favorite quote is “Eighty percent of success is just showing up,” and if people need a nudge, she is okay being the nag. Cheryl virtually introduced me to our 2020 Person of the Year – Veronica Solomon – a year or so before she was nominated by sharing some photos of her work, which we eventually ran in KBB.

During the pandemic, she became an expert on the head-scratching Paycheck Protection Program and used her skills and panache to help others apply for this necessary benefit. The designer’s passion for small businesses and helping others in her industry succeed are why she was chosen for this award.

I had the delightful opportunity to interview Cheryl on these and many more topics, including advice for those just starting out, what it’s like working with family members and lessons she’s learned along the way.

2021 Praiseworthy Picks

Photo by Steven Dewall

Sarah Barnard, Principal Designer, Sarah Barnard Design LLC in LA

Sarah Barnard says the idea that sustainability is intrinsic to historic preservation and interior design set the foundation for her practice. The designer is a WELL- and Legacy LEED-accredited professional and adheres to the idea that each person has their own needs and requires an individual space to meet those needs.

“I’ve always felt conscious that most spaces aren’t inclusive of all people, particularly those with disabilities, sensory sensitivities and post-traumatic stress,” said the designer. “I believe an individualized approach should be applied when creating spaces to support physical and emotional needs.

Having special needs is not always an easy topic of discussion for clients. To make the conversation a more comfortable and effective one, Barnard and her team use inclusive language to create a more open discussion and ensure that their clients’ ideas are valued even if a different solution may be the one chosen. During the pandemic, Barnard has been focused on designing peaceful bathroom retreats, and she shared her insights creating inclusive environments at the NKBA’s 2021 Voices from the industry conference.

Richie Breaux, Owner/President ATN Construction in Kapolei, Hawaii

When your company is named one of the fastest growing in the nation for 2021 by Inc. 5000, you are having a pretty great year. Add that accomplishment to a list of other recents for Breaux, including creating a virtual reality design lounge so homeowners can see actual renderings of their project that he says provides them with a real sense of space and flow.

Breaux and his wife have also developed a new media platform around programming that he says expresses a positive view of the Hawaiian Islands, their heart and culture of design, remodeling and the arts community.

During the pandemic, the builder pivoted like the rest of us and developed a Target Budget Calculator to help designers, builders and clients create more realistic parameters around cost – before design begins. The online portal eliminates the hassle of multiple steps, and Breaux and his team hope to see the tool used nationally to help change the way the industry traditionally does estimates and to help meet homeowners’ expectations without leaving the comfort of their homes.

Jonathan Brill, President and Founder of Amityville, N.Y.-based Infinity Drain

Jonathan Brill’s innovative donation ideas for his community culminated with the onset of the pandemic and are still being developed and implemented more than a year later. His efforts began with mask donations to those organizations that needed to stay open and safe, including adult care-giving institutions, supermarkets and the police department.

The team at Infinity Drain then moved on to selling the KN95 masks to businesses for a small cost and donating those proceeds to hospitals and charities. This effort led to fostering a variety of programs with different organizations to give back to the community. One such example is the Urban Farm Project, and effort through the Long Island chapter of the Young President Organization for its families to build a garden for the Services for the Underserved.

Brill and his associates continue to deliver 250-300 prepared meals a week to local charities, and his future plans include the development of the newly registered nonprofit, Mission Belly Full (MBF). MBF’s goal is to eliminate hunger within the community by providing meals one plate at a time.

person of the year

Patricia Davis Brown, CMKBD, Owner of Patricia Davis Brown Designs LLC in Vero Beach, Fla.

This mover and shaker has had quite the banner year, having won industry awards, served as a judge for other competitions, been named a member of the Dacor Design Council and was featured in the Sub-Zero/Wolf Designer Spotlight. Brown’s firm was hired by a second luxury home developer – increasing sales by 50% during the pandemic – and she saw an increase of 90% in income on her Dig This Design blog by adding new vendors and running multiple posts a day.

The designer has been mentoring a college student while working for her design firm, which she will join full time later this year after she graduates. She believes the younger generations are the best independent workers, and she said she learns as much from them as they do from her.

Brown launched her renovated company website last year with a portfolio of fresh, new projects and also obtained her CMKBD certification. At KBIS 2022, the designer will be presenting at the NKBA’s Voices from the Industry conference on diversifying business Offerings and creating multiple income streams.

Sarah Robertson, AKBD, Owner of Studio Dearborn in Hudson Valley, N.Y.

The pandemic hasn’t slowed down this designer, who has won multiple awards and has been involved in a variety of speaking engagements, including the NKBA’s recent Luxury Design Summit. In 2020, Robertson also designed the House Beautiful Whole-Home Concept’s kitchen and pantry.

The designer is currently a brand ambassador or consultant for Dacor, Samsung, California Faucets, Bradco Stainless, Schrocks of Walnut Creek and Docking Drawer, and she is also on the Renovation Angel Board of Directors.

“Kitchen renovating is a wasteful process where we are often removing perfectly good cabinetry, fixtures and appliances that just don’t fit with a homeowners’ tastes,” said Robertson. “Recycling kitchens is the perfect opportunity to keep a lot of valuable material out of landfills.”

The designer is a blogger and social media influencer with huge followings on Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest, and she says her success is about consistency and delivering helpful and inspiring information. Her Kitchen Confab website will launch later this year and will serve as a forum for discussing all things kitchen design.

Markie tuckett

Markie Tuckett, Owner, Timber + Plumb Inc., Windsor, Ontario

When designer Markie Tuckett was named an NKBA Thirty Under 30 recipient in 2020, she knew it was going to change her life and her career. She says the main thing she learned is that the age-old phrase “community over competition” is really the truth. Just a short time later, Tuckett and her design assistant Savannah Mason created their firm’s blog and focus on topics that educate clients, spark creativity and help them prepare and plan for their renovations.

In March 2020, Tuckett created the Stay Golden Grant – an idea borne from the COVID-19 pandemic, when she became concerned over all those businesses unable to start because of all the changes it was sure to bring. The $1,000 grant was awarded to the owner of ZuleEats, a small business in Windsor & Essex County, which also received a six-month mentor-ship from Tuckett to provide resources and guidance for running a small and/or new business. The firm plans to offer the grant again with the plans to service more than just one business. Details to come!

nick vanderhovel

Nicholas Vanderhovel, CMKBD, Owner, Kitchen NV, Pinckney, Mich.

After having worked at his family’s business for 10 years, this designer started his own firm in the midst of the pandemic. Vanderhovel’s mother – and mentor – started her company at the end of the recession, so he decided to take a page from her playbook. Now the owner of Kitchen NV, he says his impetus was the desire to explore his own path.

“As my clientele and my platform grow, I am able to reach more people and share what I have learned,” said the designer “I don’t hesitate to reach out to other designers who inspire me, and I recommend others do the same. We all have different skill sets, knowledge bases and perspectives and add our own value to the conversation. We can all learn from each other, and when we do, it improves us as individuals, our companies and the lives of our clients.”

Vanderhovel is one of the youngest people in the country to receive his CMKBD and plans to open his own showroom by the end of 2022.