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Issue link: http://kitchenbathdesign.epubxp.com/i/391330
used by people of all ages and abilities. It's another way I am able to ofer my clients excellence and timelessness in design… beautiful spaces that function beautifully!" STRIKING A BALANCE A focus on function and aesthetics is at the heart of all of Dunlop's de- signs. "Function is important because a space has to work," she says. "At the same time, it has to look beautiful. There isn't much point in having one without the other." Achieving that design goal is unique to each client, where the designer bal- ances lifestyles and aesthetics with budgets to ensure a fnal project that refects personal style. "It's very much my clients' kitchens and baths," she stresses. "My role is to take their needs, aesthetic and budget and mesh them together to refect their taste. I recall walking into a project one day that was only bare walls and studs. I could im- mediately tell who the designer was based on the style. I don't have a spe- cifc style, but rather a diverse portfolio. I think it's important that my clients don't feel pushed into a certain style. I would much rather have someone know it's my project because it's a beautiful design that functions well, rather than because it has a particular look. "I want to give my clients the best version of what they want," she con- tinues, "while making sure that it functions well." UNIQUE WORKING KITCHEN Like other designers, Dunlop welcomes clients into her showroom. However, her showroom is unlike others since it's her own home's kitchen. The designer lives in downtown Boise in a somewhat commercial environment, so when the building where her previous showroom was located was sold, she decided to turn her own kitchen into her show- room. "It has really worked out well," she says. "People love to see a kitchen designer's kitchen!" She designed her ap- proximately 400-sq.-ft. kitchen with cabinets and accessories in a variety of styles and fnishes as well as four diferent counter- tops. "It's an interesting kitchen from that perspec- tive," she admits. "It really is a working display." D u n l o p m a i n t a i n s a separate office in her home where she keeps sa mples, but she a lso relies on manufacturer showrooms – including those with displays she has created – when need- ed. "I can also take clients to other kitchens I've de- signed," she says, adding that referrals and word- of-mouth advertising is important to her market- ing program, which also includes a Houzz profle and Facebook page in ad- dition to her Web site. With limited paper ad- vertising, Dunlop focuses on being a visible part of her community. "I'm in- volved in the local ballet," she says. "I'm considering hosting some community events, such as the open- ing party for the ballet. It keeps me involved in the community so people know who I am and what I do." Circle No. 13 on Product Card p While the layout of this bath is fairly typical, Dunlop jazzed it up by adding special elements such as detailed travertine tile. "The approach was to take a standard hall bath and elevate it to an elegant space," she says. A focus on function and aesthetics is at the heart of all of Dunlop's designs, including this bath. "It has a lot of details with an Old World formality," says Dunlop, "but the tower adds functionality and space to store modern-day conveniences." Photo: Jason Ropp, RoppOp