KBB - April 2010 - (Page 16)

Focus Inspired Design Three students discuss their reasons for wanting to become kitchen and bath designers The 2010 NKBA/K+BB Student Essay Contest asked: What/who inspired you to become a kitchen and bath designer and why? What do you hope to bring to the profession? Forty-eight students (registered NKBA student members attending a full- or part-time NKBA Supported or Endorsed Program) responded, and three were selected, all from the same university! The finalists are eligible for a first-prize award of $1,500, a second prize of $1,000 and a third prize of $500, in addition to an expense-paid trip to KBIS in Chicago, where the winners will be revealed on April 17 at 3:15 pm at the NKBA booth (N5701). Following are the three finalists’ essays. Congratulations! I have ruminated on questions like these since I finished would stop at this point and say to themselves, “This kid is a high school: Where are you going to go to college? toolbox—everyone knows you get nowhere in life doing How are you going to support a family? What are you things that way,” and often, that is true. Thankfully for me, going to do with your life? They have been my faithful life is not without its little ironies. companions through “moor and fen, crag and hill.” I Imagine a collage of various jobs, a wide swath of colknow them well. Of late, I have had time to reflect on lege classes, travel, sports, broken-down cars, funny roomthe specific questions posed by the NKBA. Believe it or mates and years of social interaction. That was my life for a not, my answers to all of these questions are the same. while and it was great fun. At first glance, these experiences Let me explain. may seem unrelated to a career goal or even to a context. I’ve had this funny feeling that I’ve been on the However, once I took a step back and saw the bigger picoutside of an inside joke for much of my life (by “much ture, I found that each had its own place in the matrix. Kevin Anderson of my life,” I mean from my late teens to about a year That is my first point. My inclination to follow fun was anySchool: Brigham Young ago. I am in my fourth year of school). The joke goes thing but moronic. I instinctively knew that I could find a University, ID something like this: My father wanted to be a lawyer Program: Interior Design career path by pursuing my interests (that may be a truism, since he was in the eighth grade; my Sunday school but we often do it the other way around: We pick the career teacher, Sally Drinkwater, wanted to be a nurse since third grade; and and then get interested). For me, the word “interest” was synonymous my only red-headed friend, John Stanz, wanted to be in “The President’s with the word “fun” and therefore, I sought “fun” things to do. It was not Own” marine band for as long as I can remember. My career aspirajust hollow entertainment. Building skateboards turned into building cabitions, funnily enough, were a little different—I didn’t have any. Get it? nets, designing surfboard racks turned into designing millwork and drawI became aware of my deficiency at a particularly awkward social ing logos turned into drawing perspectives. It was a subtle transition, but gathering. You probably know the kind: No one you know bothers to eventually kitchen and bath design became what I did for fun. Once I show up, and you, alone in your new punk rock T-shirt, are forced to realized how much I enjoyed hashing out cabinetry and laying tile, it was make conversation with the same sex. In my experience, party banter a natural decision to turn it into a career. Call it “practical inspiration.” centers around three main points: name, location and occupation. It My second point is this: Even though my fun was costly time-wise (I was the third one that got me this time. am currently on the seven-year plan), its actual value, as it pertains to “So what do you do?” kitchen and bath design, has been priceless. A helpful cliché to “Me? Uh, (awkward pause) well, I’m in school.” describe the process is: “I found myself.” In finding myself I found Being “in school” safely connoted that I was working toward a conmany usable skills, which, in turn, led me to design. Tell me if the folcrete goal, regardless of whether or not I was actually doing so. I defilowing attributes are not necessary as a kitchen and bath designer: nitely was not. In fact, I was only in school because I didn’t know what drawing; presentation and communication skills; how to do business else to do. I cringed at this thought and ended the conversation. with people; how to install just about anything; how to manage Although it was embarrassing, that exchange catalyzed an effort to myself, my time and my money; how to work on a team; and, above find a career direction. I went around and around with various options, all, knowing that I love to do all of these things. I look back at my fairly but finding that nothing fit, I decided to forget about it and just have fun. myopic decision to just have fun, and honestly, I am a little floored That was a conscious, albeit frustrated, decision. Now most people that it turned out so well. Continued on page 18 16 + K BB April 2010 / www.kbbonline.com / The Official Sponsor of KBIS www.kbis.com http://www.kbbonline.com http://www.kbis.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of KBB - April 2010

KBB - April 2010
Contents
Online Content
Editor's Note
Focus
Consumer
Trends
Products
Design
Top Projects
Merit Projects
Cover Story: In the Mix
Honorable Mentions
Practice
Education
Editorial Index
Ad Index
Favorites

KBB - April 2010

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