The White Diamond Cabinets & Design showroom in Westminster, Calif., needed an overhaul. After outgrowing its original location and recognizing the need for more connection throughout the disjointed spaces, the family-owned company moved into a new building in Anaheim – one where the showroom and design firm offices could all be located under one roof.
“The previous space lacked purpose, functionality and personality,” said creative director, Lisa Conley. “Our challenge for the new showroom was to create a fresh take on visually stunning areas that showcased all we had to offer.”
New Beginnings
Instead of the previous randomly placed multiple vignettes, the new showroom features distinct spaces with their own personalities in terms of materials and color palettes. Three presentation rooms – each showcasing a different style – feature wall, window treatment and furniture brands.
The new showroom’s circular layout directs visitors naturally through the space – whether they turn right or left at the entry. It provides an even flow where each area leads to the next organically. The entire showroom is interactive, and clients are welcome to open the cabinets to get a feel for the product quality, convenience accessories and ease of use.
The Main Kitchen Showroom
According to Conley, the new design was not to include multiple vignettes; the goal instead was to feature one grand kitchen display. The main kitchen space offers a modern design achieved through rift-cut, white oak cabinetry and quartz slab countertops.
“We wanted to create something with a contemporary yet timeless feel,” said the designer. “There is a subtle contrast of tones, a mixture of textures and materials and a touch of elegance.”
Three different cabinet vendors are highlighted in this area – Dura Supreme and the Shiloh and Eclipse brands by W.W. Wood Products – with three door styles and three finishes. Kitchen glassware, plates and accessories are on display in the glass cabinets on one side of the space.
White Diamond Cabinets & Design partnered with Monogram in this kitchen showroom to showcase a variety of the brand’s appliances, including a 48-inch range top, 30-inch wine sommelier and 24-inch microwave drawer.
Multi-Functional Breakroom
While mainly used by the employees, the functional break room also serves as a stunning showroom. Conley said the idea was for it to be a stark contrast from the overall space but not so different that it felt out of place.
“The goal was to go moodier in this space, so we utilized a much darker color palette than the other areas,” she added. “We wanted our team to feel transported to a different space when retreat for lunch and also offer clients a completely different aesthetic as a display.”
Rich, black tones accompany the pop of deep wine red in the wallpaper that is subtle enough not to feel overwhelming. The metallic brass backsplash – illuminated by wall sconces and under-shelf lighting – adds the element of glamour the design team wanted to infuse in this space
One large wall in the break room displays all the showroom’s hardware options, so the space is not only beautiful but also functional. The showroom collaborated with Wolf, Sub-Zero and Cove to display the brand’s appliances in this space, which includes a range, refrigerator and dishwasher.
Overcoming Hurdles
Because there were nine designers involved in the creation of the White Diamond Cabinets & Design’s new location, Conley said there were a lot of ideas and opinions that needed to be pared down to achieve the goal of a less chaotic and cleaner visual. The company rents the building, so certain approvals were required for such things as upgrading the public restrooms.
Once everything was demoed in the new space, it was discovered that a wall had a jog out in the back corner that was structural. Since it could not be removed, the installer had to cut the cabinet on site so that it could be installed around the jog out. From the exterior, Conley says you can’t tell that the interior of the cabinet has been cut out to accommodate this.
Another challenge was staying on budget, as the design team would often come in over with certain choices, so some of those had to be recalibrated. Because the break room was primarily going to be used by the employees and not visitors, they chose a more budget-friendly cabinet line in this space.
As far as lessons learned, Conley says to measure 10 times and only order once. She also said the project allowed her team to empathize with homeowners over the stress of a renovation.
“The experience helped us understand what clients have to go through, since we were the ones actually living through the remodel,” she added. “It gave everyone that firsthand experience of knowing what it’s like to have a kitchen sink that doesn’t run and a toilet that’s not operating. It allowed us to have more compassion with our clients, which makes our work all that much better.”
Sources
Design: Lisa Conley, Creative Director, White Diamond Cabinets & Design Photography: Kyle Ortiz Photography
Featured Brands in the Showroom: All-State Floral, Antolini, AquaProof Flooring, Arizona Tile, Arteriors, Atlantis Flooring, Atlas Homewares, Bernhardt, Brentwood Hills Flooring, Brizo, Cambria, Cove, Dacor, Dekton, Daltile, Delta, Dewils Cabinets, Duchateau, Dura Supreme, Elysium Tile, Emser Tile, Fabricut, Four Hands, Fuzion3, Global Views, Gold Leaf Designs, Hanstone, Hardware Resources, Hoodsly, Hudson Valley Lighting, Hunter Douglas, Ikonni, Jaipur, JF Fabrics, John Richards, Kohler, Kravet, Leftbank, Mantra Cabinets, Monogram, NatureKast, Neolith, Noir, Panaget Flooring, Pental Quartz, Pronorm Cabinets, Real Stone Systems, Rev-A-Shelf, Ruvati, Schaub, Scott Group, Sherwin-Williams, Stanton, Sub-Zero, SunPan, Surya, Task Lighting, Thermador, Thor Kitchen, Tile Club, Top Knobs, Uttermost, Visual Comfort, W.W. Wood Products, Wolf, York Wallcoverings, Wallquest, Waterstone, Zodax
