Kitchen & Bath Design News

JAN 2018

Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.

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spaces that are interesting and aesthetically pleasing as well as sellable and appealing to the market. When a sale occurs before the construction process is complete, she serves as a transition between the builder and homeowner, helping match material selection to lifestyle and needs. "I am also working with a client who hasn't even designed their house yet," she says, adding that the project is in collaboration with a de- sign-build firm. "They brought me in early so I am sitting in on meetings, helping to create spaces based on their growing family. Getting in on the initial phase of projects like this al- lows me to shape the space, rather than design within it." Kasoff also works within a realm of repeat business. "We develop relationships with clients," she says. "We'll do a bathroom, then a kitchen, then an addition. I take a lot of pride in repeat business, and I take my reputation very seriously. "My clients all know each other," she con- tinues. "Detroit is a very tight knit community. People who are in a position to hire a design- er know each other. They work together and socialize together. They attend the same events and parties." MAINTAINING INDEPENDENCE Kasoff has chosen to build and develop her business without a showroom or affiliation with any specific product lines. "Because we are on construction sites so much, or we meet with clients in their homes, we work out of my house," she says. "We'll bring samples to clients or meet them at granite yards or product show- rooms. A showroom isn't appropriate for us." Independence gives Kasoff the ability to create unrestrained where she needn't design within a certain brand of products or materials. She maintains that it also keeps her true to her design/business philosophy of never pushing her own agenda. "It's important to take time to understand who your client really is, and to develop a rela- tionship with them," she says. "Then the design becomes a collaborative effort. Every single one of my projects looks different. That's because they aren't my designs. They are designs that happen by creating a space with a client, for a client. "People often ask me during the design pro- cess, 'What would you do?'" she continues. "My response is, 'Don't ask me…I would make your house Moroccan and turquoise with hanging plants and lanterns!' But that isn't what people see on Houzz or on my website because we are creating spaces for our clients. It's important to never push your own agenda." Kasoff has also built her business on hard work and a refusal to give in to fear, doubt or anx- iety. "There are no excuses," she says. "And there is zero room for 'what ifs' or second guesses." While Kasoff 's focus is on the residential market, she still gives a nod to her past by taking on a few commercial projects, such as "those projects where clients want to go a little 'funky'," she says. In the past year, she also branched out and added interior design to her services list. "It allows us to continue working with a client after we've done the hardscape, after we've designed a kitchen or bath," she says. "Now we're designing bedrooms, too. I used to think that it didn't matter what color a couch was. But now I see that it's a comprehensive approach to design." ▪ This kitchen was created for an automotive executive bachelor who wanted a beautiful space. Gray Shaker cabinets and white quartz countertops combine with a glass metallic backsplash and stainless steel appli- ances to reflect the homeowner's edgy style. 52 Kitchen & Bath Design News • January 2018 DESIGNER PROFILE THE Solution for Rollout Shelf adjustabillity Smart · Economical · Easy KBIS 2018 - Booth S3475 Circle No. 31 on Product Card

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