Opportunity for Education at the SEN Spring Conference

We are passionate about kitchen and bath design, and demonstrate this in our commitment to the design process and to our customers.  While you usually find us in our showroom or busy working at a customer site, we also make education a top priority.  Staying on top of the latest design techniques, industry trends, and new materials and products contributes to our goal of enhancing customers’ lifestyles through the design process. 

The SEN Design Group is the nation’s first and largest kitchen and bath buying group, and as a member we participated in the SEN Semi-Annual Conference last month in Jacksonville, FL.  These conferences are a prime opportunity to catch up on the latest kitchen and bath design trends and share knowledge among industry colleagues.

 John Lang contributed a presentation titled, “Hire Right for Your Team, the First Time”.  This topic brought useful insights to kitchen and bath design firm owners on how to find the right applicants for the positions they require to support business goals and provide value to customers. It also offered tips on the selection process and incorporating new staff into a team.  Having the right people in place is essential to supporting a productive business, a creative design team, and effective implementation of projects.  Most of all, having the right staff in the right place ensures we provide the best value to our clients.  This and other workshop topics are sure to inspire SEN members in their business processes this year!

Vendor partnership is an essential component of SEN membership, and the conference is an ideal time for vendors to display and talk about their latest products on offer.  Kitchen renovation and bathroom remodeling specialists can use this time to meet the vendors and find out about the latest products and trends.  Here are a few of the products we loved and hope to see more of this year.

Tiles play an important role in both kitchen and bathroom design as they may be used to cover floor, walls, shower surround, and backsplash.  They help define the style of a room, and at the same time must be durable enough to withstand water, dirt, grease, and more.  There is an amazing array of tile sizes, shapes, colors, and materials to suit any design.  We participated in a visit to Emser tiles to see some of their latest styles that will be sure to feature in designs this year.

Different sizes may suit different spaces and give a unique look to the room, like the extra-large 32 x 32 format tiles pictured below left or the 19 x 39 tiles shown below right.

Large format 32 x 32 tiles.
19 x 39 format tiles

Tiles are an excellent way to incorporate a natural appeal into a design, like the pebble tiles for a shower floor below left or the new wood look tiles below right.

Pebble tiles for a shower floor.
Wood look tiles

Gray tiles continue to grow in popularity as gray is a popular choice for kitchen and bath neutral color schemes.  These gray tiles from Emser offer a sophisticated flair to any style room.

Gray tile designs from Emser.

Tiles offer many options to include texture in a design, and these pillow tiles provide a unique appeal.

Pillow tiles

Tiles were not the only products we enjoyed seeing at the conference.  The new composite sink from Artisan shown here is durable and a beautiful addition to any style renovation.

Artisan composite sink

The Oceania tub display did not disappoint with tub styles that are the perfect addition to a bathroom project.  Who wouldn’t want to have a relaxing bath in one of these! 

Oceania tub display

Education is an important component of making sure we offer our customers value for money.  The business tips, design advice, and new product trends shared at the SEN Design Group conference play a key role in our ongoing efforts to stay on top of industry trends and meet our number one goal of customer satisfaction.  Contact us to find out more about how the kitchen and bath design process and the range of products on offer can help you achieve your ideal design.