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38 | Kitchen & Bath Design News January 2015 Industry Profle By Joe Dowd A lthough kitchen design is a passion for Shannon Davis Johnston, her fnest profes- sional work didn't earn her a dime. Money isn't everything and, for the owner of a kitchen and bath design firm on the North side of Chicago, the prospect of making a diference at the community school just down the block was a life- changing experience. In addition to giving back to her community, her involvement in this rewarding vol- unteer project created a wonderful opportunity to utilize her design skills while networking with other industry professionals. TEACHERS' LOUNGE "I live in an amazing neighborhood, and the community puts a lot into the school, but they are always short on money. We've actually had to raise money to pay for an art teacher and a music teacher," says Shannon, who is not only a Certifed Kitchen Designer but also the mother of a second-grader and a two year old. She is involved with "Friends of Audubon," a non-proft organization which raises funds to support Audu- bon School. Unfortunately, the school has seen neglect caused by municipal budget cuts and the ravages of time. She and other volunteers in FOA were working on another project when she was approached about Audubon's teachers' lounge. "Another mom, Friends of Audu- bon member Karen Lee, said, 'You've got to check out the teachers' lounge; it's so crummy,'" she says. "The teach- ers do so much for our kids and we thought we should do something for them." Shannon described the kitchen as "disgusting." She continues: "The refrigerator was ugly and dirty; the cabinets were old. The paint was peel- ing and the foor was a mess. Many of the teachers wouldn't even eat there. They just ate lunch at their desks." Expanding on Lee's idea, Shannon talked with others in the Audubon school community. What started out as a plan to paint the room soon grew into a full-blown renovation; the group would launch a grass-roots efort to redesign a brand-new teachers' lounge. Shannon has been working in the kitchen and bath design industry for 20 years, having worked in several showrooms and done freelance work as well. Ten years ago, she "took a leap of faith" and went out on her own. She now operates Shannon Davis Designs out of her home ofce, re- lying primarily on design software to virtually "build" and customize remodeled and new kitchens for her clientele. Her business is focused on the Chicago area, particularly the North Shore, but she also has some out-of-state clients. Many of the clients come from contractors who recommend her work. Initially, she used her garage as a storage facility and transported samples of her cabinetry, tile and countertops to her clients. But her business has since grown to the point that she now uses a separate storage facility. She brings the products to her clients so "that way they can touch and feel the product," she explains. "A lot of my work comes from refer- rals from contractors, but sometimes a client comes with a general con- tractor," notes Shannon, who meets with clients at their homes or in her home ofce. "Others want to interview several contractors. Every job, every client is unique." Designer 'Gives Back' Through Community School Project sunnywood.biz sagehilldesigns.com NEW FOR 2015 NEW FOR 2015 Metro Gray Harper Jayden Mission Oak Circle No. 21 on Product Card Designer Shannon Davis Johnston put her skills to a diferent challenge when she volunteered to remodel a teachers' lounge at her local school.