Oooooh Shiny Things!

(by guest blogger Julie Burke)

A couple of weeks ago Christie and I had the opportunity to briefly attend the Kitchen Bath Industry Show (KBIS).  Our schedules are so hectic right now that we couldn't afford the time to attend the full conference but we just couldn't bear the thought of missing out on the design event of the year. So we poured over our calendars until we found a very small window of opportunity and off we went!

The highlight of the show for Christie - faucet by Ann Sacks

Hardware really is jewelry for cabinets!

Shiny...and pretty!

Because our time was so precious we had to do some serious prioritizing. We choose to mostly skip the Builders Show, which is twice the size of the Design Show, and dedicate our time to the pretty, shiny things. Our mission was simple but challenging: to race through  400,000+ Square Feet, 537 exhibitor booths and 4 fully constructed model homes in 8 short hours.  This was going to take some serious focus, stamina and coffee...lots of coffee. And did I mention focus?? We are easily distracted, too many fabulous things to look at!

So beautiful!

Fancy feet for cabinets?? Yes please!

Besides the obvious draw of all of the shiny, pretty things, KBIS plays a very important role to our business each year. We are always seeking to improve the services we provide to our clients.  At a trade show like this, we get the chance to see and be informed about the latest products.  This is so valuable in allowing us to be the best possible resource for our clients.  By seeing in person what is new in the market, it allows us to make the best selections to meet those specific needs and budget of each project.  When you choose to invest in improving your home it’s important to be able to feel comfortable that you've made informed decisions and gotten the most “bang for your buck”.

We also use an opportunity like this to further develop face to face relationships with our vendors and suppliers.  In the event of a design crisis you can truly appreciate having someone you can call directly to help you resolve a problem.  That is worth its weight in gold. Because of this, we work hard at establishing and maintaining relationships with a wide variety of vendors.  These kinds of connections also help us ensure our clients are getting the best value and pricing whenever they work with us. 

We loved this simple, sleek vanity. 

Does this make you want to remodel
your bathroom or what?!

  

Providing excellent service to the people we get to work with is very important to us.  But we also totally love seeing all the gorgeous fixtures! These pictures show just a few of the things we found to be the most beautiful. We also saw a lot of great new ideas, innovations and trends. For more of those check out our Pinterest page. When you're ready for your shiny new kitchen or bath, you know who to call! In the meantime, we will just leave you with this eye candy...

Simply stunning. 

Stunning and affordable? Sign us up!

Julie is Christie’s design assistant.  She attended Harrington Institute of Interior Design in Chicago where she got her AA in Interior Design.  She has worked as an architectural draftsman, office manager, and personal trainer/health coach prior to joining Christie as design assistant, draftsman, Pinterest aficionado and finder of pretty, shiny things.

Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas

"Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given-when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes."
-- Joan Winmill Brown

Hurrying through the days before Christmas I can't help but feel like they are slipping through
my fingers  I had good intentions of wrapping up all my work by early December. I imagined
myself moving through the days leading up to Christmas enjoying each little moment.  Sadly
it is now December 17th and I am still working on design projects, trying to squeeze in some
decorating or baking in the odd hour here and there.  I have not gotten to my wrapping, nor
have I sat around in my pj's watching Hallmark Christmas movies all day.  Time is passing me
by and I realize it is time find more joy in this season.

Then I have to ask myself the question "How do I find any joy for this season within
this hectic life I lead?" After giving this some thought I realized I need to keep my focus
on the importance of giving rather than receiving. I have always been a big believer in the
idea that the more you give, the more you get back.  As a Christian the act of giving is one
of the main foundations of our faith. It's so easy to loose track of what is going on around
us. Coming to the end of another hectic day I suddenly realize I haven't made time for

 those I love the most, much less time for others outside of my little circle.

 My goal is to take the remaining days of this holiday season to be inclusive and generous
with others.  It has been a year of blessing and now is a wonderful time to give back.

I want to encourage you to find those sweet moments to love other people,
to give anonymously, to make the places around you a little brighter, try a new
a recipe or craft.  Celebrate your traditions and try not to let the weight of the
burdens you carry keep you from seeing the joy in this season.

I have a sign in my office that says " life does not have to be perfect to be 

wonderful."   I bought it to remind myself to enjoy the beauty around me,

to not get caught up trying to make everything a Pinterest moment. 

I hope you will find joy in the little things in 2015.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.