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Finally, four years later in 1997, Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath was born…just across the street. It is safe to say that Gilmer has found success in her geographic area. The designer uses her brick and mortar showroom location to bring in business. To remain an industry leader and trend setter, JGKB is constantly changing and updating its showroom to include the most "in- teresting, exciting and stunning displays," as well as incorporating what she believes to be the top products in the industry. AHEAD OF THE CURVE Being in the Washington, DC area, many of JGKB's clients are looking for the most on-trend designs for their kitchens and baths. According to Gilmer, they are even willing to go out on a limb for something new and diferent. However, the challenge is working with mostly traditional houses and making them more contemporary. "In order to get a contemporary kitchen to work in a traditional house, we usually design them to be 'warm' contemporary styles," says Gilmer. "This means that we will combine natu- ral wood with high-polished, painted doors – or recommend a reclaimed wood foor." Reclaimed wood is one of the many "out-of- the-box" materials that Gilmer has used in her designs – and even in her own kitchen. Another unusual material featured in her showroom is a custom-made hood made out of "gnarly, knotty" cherry wood. While Premier Custom Built, the manufacturer, thought she was "nuts" for not using refned wood, they still made it. It has turned out to be a hit both with Premier and with Gilmer's clients. Other trends that Gilmer has been at the forefront of are backpainted backsplashes, a hot rolled steel island and Macassar Ebony engi- neered wood. PATH TO SUCCESS Gilmer knows that no man (or woman) is an is- land, and believes that the right staf is essential. While she admits that she may be a demanding boss at times, she thinks this is also a big factor in her frm's success. "My business philosophy is that every staf member is critical to the whole of the company, so no one is more important than the other," states Gilmer. "It's also important for me to have a comfortable place to work, so I've worked tirelessly to fnd the right employees." Being surrounded by the right employees includes having a trained engineer, a junior de- signer who graduated from an NKBA-accredited interior design program, an in-house PR person and an outside frm that handles social media. Gilmer underlines the importance of market- ing and how it has helped her frm brand itself, gaining recognition and awards. Houzz has been a key player as well: JGKB has more than 150 projects and 2,000 photos on the site, which have been added to over 10,000 ideabooks. When it comes to her company's success, Gilmer counts on not only the quality of her work, but also on the care given to customers. "Clients appreciate the fact that we are all about service, about making sure that they are satisfed with the fact that they decided to work with us," asserts Gilmer. "We service our clients, even 15 years later, if they need doors adjusted or something repaired, and we don't charge them for this service as a show of appreciation for their business. They are usually blown away that good old family businesses like ours still exist in this day and age, where we appreciate them as much as they appreciate us." As she adds the KBDN Seminar Series to her repertoire, Gilmer looks forward to what lies ahead. "I'm excited about my career moving in this direction and especially excited that I'm learning from the best, just like I did when I started my kitchen and bath career!" AT A GLANCE Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath Location: Chevy Chase, MD (just outside Washington, DC) Principal: Jennifer Gilmer, owner Hours of Operation: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Sat. Number of Employees: Full-time employees range from 10–12, with interns from a variety of schools also part of the mix. Major Product Lines Carried: Premier Custom Built, Greenfeld Cabinetry, Decor and Zonavita, ArtCraft, Miele, Sub-Zero/Wolf, La Cornue and Gaggeneau Design Software: Auto CAD, Sketch-Up Business Philosophy: "My business philosophy is that every staf member is critical to the whole of the company, so no one is more important than the other." This master bathroom features a wood countertop and bench top, both with waterfalls. Additionally, there is a spacious shower large enough for two, multiple shower heads, a TV and a heated towel rack. Gilmer had this 'chest' above the oven range custom-made out of rough cherry wood. It has turned out to be a focal point in the JGKB showroom that many customers request. This kitchen has a mixture of backsplash tile that mimics weathered wood planks and a reclaimed live-edge wood center island. February 2016 • KitchenBathDesign.com 27