Planning to remodel your kitchen and/or bathroom?
Consider hiring an NKBA-Certified Designer!
NKBA stands for National Kitchen and Bath Association, a non-profit organization that supports professionalism in the kitchen and bath industry.
According to NKBA's website, being "established in 1963 as a network of kitchen dealers, it has evolved into the premier association of designers, retailers, remodelers, manufacturers, distributors, fabricators, installers, and other industry professionals."
I was exposed to this organization when I was a design student at Chabot College, California. My professor Barbara Daher, who was a huge advocate of NKBA encouraged students to join as student members, so we could get exposed to the industry and be connected with professionals early in our careers. Often times, she invited Certified NKBA professionals to speak in our class and for them to engage with students. She did not only consistently motivated us but also designed the full semester in a way that we could enter our final project into the NKBA student design competition. My eyes were opened since, then. I went to school eager to be an Interior Designer, but after discovering the kitchen and bath industry in my college days, I've decided to fully pursue this route. Since then, I’ve been actively engaging myself in this network. Over the years, I have witnessed some cutting edge innovations emerge to fulfill consumers' needs. Attending design events, chapter meetings, design seminars and webinars, industry showcases, and training were not only fun and exciting, but it helped me grow as an aspiring designer.
In 2012, I became the president of Chabot College Interior Design club, and together with my colleagues, we pushed to get the school accredited and affiliated by the NKBA. By successfully doing so, it did not only benefit the new members and students, but it also paved the way for me to be eligible to take my AKBD (Associate Kitchen and Bath Design) certification right after graduation. In 2016, combined with my work experience and knowledge in the industry, I passed the rigorous exam and became a Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer. This 9th year of my career, having fulfilled all the requirements and standards set by NKBA, I am now an eligible candidate to apply and be a Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer!
As a designer, these certifications were proven to be beneficial in my career and my everyday encounter with clients, design projects, and job site conditions and issues. Taking the certifications equips me everyday to resolve design dilemmas and challenges for 9 years.
I am emphasizing that a 2-year or 4-year degree is great to have under one’s belt, but nothing compares to the School of Hard-Knocks! The NKBA-Certification is a seal in our professional field when it comes to accomplishments.
For consumers, hiring an NKBA-Certified Designer is truly an investment because they will be working with the experts in the kitchen and bath field. If you are serious and fully committed about creating a difference in your space, hiring a professional designer will be worth every penny.
One can hire an architect or an interior designer to provide a general layout for the kitchen and bathroom, but an NKBA Certified Designer possesses the capability to hone all the specifics and details in an efficient manner. These designers understand the language communicated with contractors, builders, installers, craftsmen, vendors, and building inspectors. They know the ins and outs of the industry and business. They can provide design solutions with their advanced skill level, and they can help control your budget by preventing further jobsite issues. They are not only reliable during the design process, but most of the time, they are also actively involved during construction. According to NKBA, "Certified Kitchen & Bath Designer® (CKBD) specializes in the design, planning, and execution of residential kitchens and bathrooms. Furthermore, CKBD designers prove that specialized technical and communication skills are necessary to succeed as a certified designer.
The hallmark for the kitchen and bath professional, NKBA certification is based on continuing professional development, in-depth testing, and extensive industry experience.
NKBA-certified designers are internationally recognized as experts with proficiency in the NKBA Kitchen & Bath Planning Guidelines with Access Standards, which recognize the importance of consumer health, safety, and welfare in kitchen and bath design.
Certified designers have demonstrated a thorough knowledge of residential construction and mechanical and electrical systems through NKBA standard examinations."
Certified designers like me do not only provide space planning solutions and help clients specify materials to help transform spaces, but we also implement our competence by applying industry standards and recommendations while keeping current codes and regulations in mind to make the space aesthetically pleasing, safe, practical, and functional.
If taking the Associate certification requires academic skills, to be a Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer, one has to execute technical skills, problem-solving skills, time management, and a high level of critical thinking skills.
To be eligible to sit on the examination, "CKBD applicants must document a minimum of five (5) years of experience. A minimum of two (2) years must be dedicated to full-time residential kitchen/bath design, including design execution or project management. The remaining three (3) years can consist of full-time kitchen/bath design or related industry experience. All applicants must also earn a minimum of sixty (60) hours of NKBA education units or NKBA-approved college coursework. All sixty (60) hours must be completed before the candidate’s application for certification can be approved. Courses should be documented accurately on the application. Applicants must pass their AKBD exam prior to scheduling their CKBD exam. A professional recommendation and client references are also part of the requirements.
When I applied for CKBD in 2016, I was one of the first few people in the nation to take the combined kitchen and bath test (the previous certifications required applicants to take 2 separate exams for kitchen and bath). I was given a 72-hour window to complete the examination. I received 2 case scenarios with 2 existing floor plans: 1 for a kitchen project and 1 for a bathroom project. Looking back in my exam experience, it takes an average of 2 months to finish a design project with complete drawings and specifications in real life, but we were only given 3 days to generate design solutions for the hypothetical clients. Yes, 3-intense days that took an enormous amount of laser-focusness and time-efficiency. I took the exam on a labor day weekend, and I made up my mind that I would only take it once. In those 2 days, I started at 5 am and ended my day at 1 am. I even got very sick, but I still managed to finish it 6 hours before it was due on the last day.
The CKBD examinees were required to generate 8 pages of drawings: Four for the kitchen project, and four for the bathroom project. We also had to turn in a complete specifications sheet for both projects. I produced all my drawings using AutoCAD, and I submitted the 8 pages in .pdf format. While working on those drawings, we had to keep in mind that we would be scored in "the following content categories: graphics and presentation standards, design solution (planning and safety floor plan), elevation plan, mechanical plan, and construction plan."
I did not just only rely on my 5-year experience, but the Preparation Course for CKBD helped me tremendously in handling the pressure that came with the exam. In the Prep course, we were trained to have a time table in order to designate our precious efforts on each task. We only had 72 hours, and every minute had to be spent wisely and efficiently.
It was the most rigorous test that I had to take, but I can say that it was all worth it. There were only 3 people in the nation who passed the exam that year. One of them was me, and the other was my best friend colleague, Lisa Narum. It really gave us both a sense of pride and accomplishment. We were then interviewed by NKBA about the exam experience, and our testimonies were published in the newsletter:
So, what is the value of hiring an NKBA-Certified Designer?
Working with a certified professional is incompatible with hiring a designer, decorator, or kitchen and bath specialist. You will not be paying the design professional by the hour but by the years of experience and skills, he or she accumulated mastering the craft. As I mentioned, hiring an NKBA-Certified Designer is an investment, and you will experience the return of your investment when you choose to work with one. You will not only ease the stress and burden off your shoulders, but the transformed space will speak for itself.
To find a Certified Designer in your area, check out this link, filter by location, and click on the certification to narrow your choices:
Коментарі