The kitchen and bath industry in North America is extremely rich in creative flair. Designers, specifiers and showrooms are so good at creating spaces that will transform how we live in our homes. But perhaps where the industry might look to challenge itself more is not so much on the design side, but on the delivery.
That space in between what is designed and what is built is a very complex world of construction realities, installation priorities, tolerances, services and even human behavior. This world is where most problems begin, but it’s also where stronger collaboration between designers and tradespeople might unlock better results.
Above, at InstallerSHOW NYC, from left: Simon Acres, Mark Conacher, Eric Marshall, Sharon L. Sherman, Mark Rosenhaus and Wilson Matthew Betances.
For designers in particular, spending time closer to the coalface has never been more valuable.
You might view design and installation as two distinct stages of a project, but I see them as completely inseparable.
Decisions that are made early in the design stage affect how a project is built and installed. Any assumptions around things like structure or services can have huge implications as the project progresses.
This is why designers who deeply understand the way tradespeople think and problem-solve tend to design with far more confidence. They will ask better questions. They will anticipate where the pressure points are. They will have a clearer overall understanding of what happens as the project transitions from one stage to the next. That knowledge does not replace their creativity, but instead, strengthens it.
So much of the professional development available to designers focuses on inspiration, current trends and specification, and there’s enormous value in that. But I think there is also great value in occasionally stepping into a room where the conversation is driven by installers, builders, plumbers, carpenters and various other trade professionals.
Trade conversations land differently; they’re grounded in reality. They focus on what happens when something doesn’t fit quite as expected or when materials arrive late or damaged. These types of discussions tend to be extremely practical.
For designers, having an opportunity to listen in on these conversations can be a real eye-opener. It can offer a rare insight into the pressures tradespeople experience and the decisions they make every day. That understanding can really change how designers communicate and collaborate on future projects.
InstallerSHOW NYC
The InstallerSHOW has long been established in the UK as a trade-focused event built around education, skills, and real-world application. Over the past two years, the introduction of kitchen and bathroom content into the UK show has been particularly well received, embracing a growing recognition that this industry benefits from a closer alignment with the trades that deliver them.
This March, the InstallerSHOW made its debut in the United States, taking place in New York City.
The event maintained that same core philosophy: education-led, trade-focused and grounded in practical knowledge. While the show is currently centered around plumbing, HVAC and refrigeration, the themes it addresses – workmanship, systems, processes and professionalism – are still highly relevant to anyone involved in the kitchen and bath sector. Having spoken at the InstallerSHOW in the UK and at the New York event, I have seen firsthand the quality of discussion and the appetite for learning within the trade community. Designers who step into this environment are not out of place, but instead expanding their professional perspective.
At the InstallerSHOW NYC, I participated in a panel discussion with Mark Rosenhaus, owner of Rosenhaus Design group; Sharon L. Sherman, founder of Thyme & Place Design and current KBB Person of the Year; Eric Marshall, co-founder of The Closet Training Institute; and Wilson Matthew Betances, founder and CEO of Energize Us EDU. Simon Acres, managing director of Simon Acres Group, moderated the panel.
The subject – a comparison of the state of the skilled trades in the UK and US – engendered a lively and wide-ranging conversation. Similarities and differences in apprentice education and training, employee retention, the roles played by local and federal governments and other topics were on the agenda. A video of the discussion can be viewed here, on the Simon Acres Group Facebook page.
Much like KBIS has the IBS, running alongside the InstallerSHOW NYC was New York Build Expo, the largest construction show in New York City. This trade show is hosted annually at the Javits Center, bringing together more than 40,000 visitors from across construction, architecture, engineering and development.
For designers, the combination of the InstallerSHOW NYC and New York Build Expo creates something pretty special and offers them a chance to see how ideas move from concept to completion, and to engage directly with fellow professionals who are responsible for making that transition work.
In these types of environments, professionals have an opportunity to understand more than just their own discipline. Designers who appreciate construction realities can manage expectations earlier and more effectively. They can collaborate more smoothly, and they are better positioned to defend design intent when challenges arise.
Equally, tradespeople benefit from understanding the thinking behind design decisions. When both sides engage openly, projects become far more solution-focused.
In an industry that thrives on collaboration, understanding how others think is never a wasted effort.
—Mark Conacher is CEO of KBB Momentum, a consultancy serving kitchen and bath installation businesses and retailers
