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Industry Profle AT A GLANCE J&B; KITCHEN DESIGNS Locations: Arlington Heights, IL; Des Plaines, IL; Lawrence, MI "We really listen to our cliwith casted wall shadow. Principals: John M. Lewis and Brigitte Manzke ents, which is a big part of The new generation of 20Showroom: Utilize various dealer showrooms. our design and business phi20 software, along with the Hours of Operation: Any time, seven days a week. losophy. It's not an 'our way structural software, has also Number of Employees: 2 or the highway' approach. reenergized the design team. Business Philosophy: "We take our business extremely seriously, yet we have nothing but fun dealing with We often hear clients tell us "With the latest version I can our clients. We love what we do!" people don't listen to them. create a panorama so clients But listening is important us." can 'walk' through the door, During the initial meeting, go up the stairs, etc.," he says. Manzke will take extensive notes derived from a stan"I can load it onto a disk, then send it to the client to show dard set of detailed questions. Then they'll dimension them how it would look as they walk through the space. the structure and each designer will create a plan using "Our clients can truly get a realistic view of their the design software. "It's great for our clients because kitchens," he continues. "The better we are at it [computer they see two entirely diferent scenarios within the same design], the more it sets us apart from the competition. It structure," he says. puts us on a diferent level." T he desig n duo w i l l also create multiple plans highlighting how material changes, such as a diferent door style, fnish, backsplash tile, wood specie, etc., can entirely change the look of the space. "We don't go into a client meeting without showing them at least 10 diferent views of their kitchen," he says. While this number of designs could overwhelm, Lewis notes the exact opposite is true. "It really knocks their socks of," he says. "No one has ever complained about too many pictures!" Technology also gives Lewis and Manzke the ability to make changes on the fy, as they're sitting in meetings with their clients. "I can move pass-throughs, change a window size or add glass to a cabinet," he says, "right on the spot as we're sitting with clients." SAVE TIME, ENHANCE PRECISION Within the design software, Lewis and Manzke can load each manufacturer's catalog – nearly 20 cabinet suppliers alone – giving them precise door styles, crown mouldings, etc. This also gives them the ability to easily receive sell prices from manufacturers and generate quotes for clients. "The software automatically generates lists based on the most recent catalogs," he says. "It saves so much time, especially when changes are made…no more line items, no more inputting each individual cabinet. It's a whole new world!" Lewis and Manzke can also add other elements such as appliances (building them to spec if needed) and granite to their designs. They can also create custom ventilation hoods and add extra touches such as sunlight streaming through a window and a plant on a windowsill, complete In a minute A bathroom becomes a more special place because of Geberit. More roomy. More aesthetic. Just more. Geberit installation technology is securely located behind the wall. Where it should be. • This client brought Lewis and Manzke an illustration of a ventilation hood they had seen and hoped to incorporate into their kitchen (left). Utilizing the design software, the Spend all the extra minutes you want, as long as you know Geberit is behind the wall. Call 866/787-3924 for your designer's kit or visit → geberitnow.com. duo created a custom hood, with similar design features, from cabinet supplies that were loaded into the program (right). Computer renderings, several versions along the way, also gave the clients the ability to visualize their kitchen and make design changes as needed. The end result is a kitchen of their dreams, with a custom hood that looks nearly identical to the original illustration (top). December 2013 ForResidentialPros.com | 29 Circle No. 18 on Product Card