Kitchen & Bath Design News

JUN 2015

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June 2015 | ForResidentialPros.com | 37 She continues, "Working vignettes and interactive displays also allow customers a hands-on experience interacting with the products. Display- ing a version of a product with the maximum features and benefts can certainly be a very efective selling tool. Customers can easily transition from color, options or technical fea- tures to a more basic model, whereas it can be difcult to visualize some upgraded applications and benefts without showing the model with all of the 'bells and whistles.'" Nick Geragi CKD, CBD, ASID, gen- eral manager at the South Norwalk, CT-based Klaf's, also subscribes to the "variety is the spice of life" theory, with a mix of both full kitchen dis- plays and vignettes. At his showroom, he notes, "The 'other rooms' tend to be the vignettes. Smaller, they represent lifestyle spaces such as the 'Man Cave,' Coffee Bar, Library, Master Suite/ Closet, Outdoor Kitchen, Wine Cel- lar, Laundry and Mud Room. While smaller, they can be more impactful when set up live for customers to experience." His advice for creating efective vi- gnettes is to "make them unique. Use products, materials, ideas and technol- ogy in ways you have not done before. [For example], if your business is in proximity to lakes and boating, dis- play a bar as if for a yacht." Ultimately, he believes designers need to "create drama, and entertain their senses and their imaginations." Jennifer Gilmer, CKD and owner of the Chevy Chase, MD-based Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath, Ltd., agrees that it's not enough for displays to just be attractive and engaging; they also have to show things that are unique. She says, "It's really important to stay on top of the technology, be ahead of the curve, show types of hardware others don't have yet, diferent ways of handling appliance garages, doors and drawers, etc. Lighting the inte- riors, drawers – its really important to show all these things, because if you're recommending something that's foreign to someone, it's difcult for them to fully understand how it would beneft them. People are afraid of the unknown, so when you can show it in your showroom, they understand it much better, and you can illustrate how it can beneft them." THE 'RED KITCHEN' EFFECT Many years ago, common wisdom said that showrooms needed "the red kitchen" – basically, a dramatic display with a design that consum- ers would be unlikely to buy, but that would draw attention and prove that the firm was creative and cutting edge. People would come in and ad- mire the red kitchen…and then buy a standard white one. While red kitchens no longer seem to be adorning showroom windows, the concept has continued to evolve in many showrooms. Kirk believes, "What was accom- plished by the 'red kitchen' vignette of the past will, in the future, be replaced by interactive technologies. It's about making a statement that you are on the cutting edge." Gilmer notes, "It's important to have something in the front window that really wows them," and suggests a smaller display so it can be read- ily changed out on a regular basis to keep interest. She points to one of her displays – a quartersawn, high-gloss walnut high loft in the shape of a piano – as one that provides dramatic "wow" appeal, but adds, "after that, we have a white Shaker display that's more typi- cal, so they don't get scared of." She continues, "After a more ordi- nary display, we have another unusual one – in our case, red crocodile leather doors. I'm constantly doing research to fnd things that are new, like wood foors that are wavy instead of having straight planks; these were introduced to our country just two months ago, so you won't see them everywhere else. Even beyond that one dramatic dis- play, you need to have things others don't have." Bailey notes, "The concept of the 'red kitchen' is still important today… but it must be balanced with displays showcasing popular everyday models so that the average customer can re- late. It's critical to support products At Neil Kelly, Kathleen Donohue believes that showroom visitors are looking to the designer to 'edit things down' for them, and ofering a serene, well put together, not overwhelming space helps to do this. She believes complete displays help consumers better envision design possibilities, while an area to sit down and get comfortable also creates a more relaxing experience. Ultimately, she believes that, in the showroom, 'We need to show people what they can imagine in their own kitchen, comforting them but not assaulting them with too much stuf.' Photos: Aaron Ziltner, Neil Kelly Co.

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