For over 30 years, SEN members and vendors have created an enormously rewarding partnership atmosphere. The industry’s first buying group laid the foundation for independent kitchen and bath design firms to support each other’s business growth by partnering with the world’s best kitchen-build product vendors.
Assembled from a network of the highest caliber niche services – from vendors of world-class cabinets supplying kitchen and bath design firms with their products – to the installers who fulfill those orders in their homes – the independent kitchen and bath industry is a network of people excelling in what they do and contributing to each other’s growth for lasting success.
Ken Peterson, CKD, started the SEN Design Group in 1994 to network with people who have dedicated their lives to the home remodeling business. Each fall, SEN celebrates men and women who have demonstrated outstanding service to the independent kitchen and bath industry.
This year, 23 awards were given to kitchen individuals representing design firms and product vendors who demonstrated excellence to their peers and clients and contributed outstanding innovation to independent kitchen and bath design build.
Highlights of the Event
September’s Fall Conference took place at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel and featured SEN conference staple expectations and covered new ground.
Brandon Fitzmorris and Bryan Winemiller led The Sales Forum for Designers, where attendees brainstormed in small groups to come up with solutions to their everyday challenges:
- How to undercut your competitor’s influence by being a one-stop market shop?
- How to go from low-balling projects to earning higher gross profit margins than you ever imagined?
Rise & Co. led a workshop on recruiting and retaining design talent, which covered the topics of perennial importance that every design firm must embrace in our dynamic market environment:
- Is your team synergized, motivated, and centralized?
- How is it possible to be client-centered and earn higher profit margins?
The most popular event of the week was the tabletop meetings, where members participated in 10-minute pitch sessions with vendor partners to learn about their products, lines, and services. As always, this year’s Fall Conference was a hotspot for networking – and the tabletop pitch sessions were the nexus of contact-building activity.
Spotlight: DMR Remodeling, Inc.
Dave Russo has been in the residential remodeling business since 1976 when he began working with his father. In 1991, he founded his own company, DMR Remodeling Inc. Before honing his craft in the kitchen and bath industry, he took on various installation jobs, such as whole-house remodeling, basement rec rooms, insurance claims, repairs, and rebuilds.
DMR Remodeling believes in and practices engaging prospects through every step of the remodeling process so that no prospective client feels lost or that they’re on their own during the complex home remodeling process.
Unique among its peers, DMR Remodeling does all of its cabinet building and installations. Since DMR’s inception, Russo has helmed every aspect of kitchen remodeling – from preliminary search to orientation, booking, design, and installation.
DMR outsources the talents of other contractors who have worked with Dave for decades. For the many design dealers who operate with 20th-century values and tactics, DMR Remodeling is a testament to the work ethic and drive prevalent during the pre-tech decades – from the mid-century boom through the 1990s when CAD was a dirty word – and every aspect of the kitchen-bath remodeling business was exclusively conducted in person.
DMR is among the rare kitchen and bath design firms that have mastered every aspect of the business.
For over thirty years, Dave has been a one-man team, demonstrating his talent out of extensive experience. Dave handles designing and budgeting, sourcing products, interior design, electrical and plumbing, work, demolition, lighting, design, insulation, drywall and plastering, carpentry cabinet building, flooring, tile and stonework, painting, acquiring permits – and, of course – consulting.
In cabinetry, DMR has partnered with Custom Wood Products, Jay Rambo, and Holiday Kitchens. DMR uses Silestone and Caesarstone for customers purchasing granite and quartz countertops and works with Café Countertops to serve clients preferring wood surfaces. They source Ruvati Sinks, Waterstone, Kohler, Brizo, Delta, Moen, and American Standard Faucets.
A noted DMR collaborator, Rusty Fig, who has worked with DMR Remodeling on multiple projects, stated:
“I have collaborated with Dave from DMR Remodeling as an interior designer on several projects. I am careful who I collaborate with, as my reputation is on the line as well. I can’t tell (you) how impressed I am with Dave. He genuinely cares about the client, the quality of the work, the timeline, and the budget.”
With over three decades of dedication to his craft and two dozen five-star reviews on Houzz, Dave Russo of DMR Remodeling has demonstrated tremendous dedication and talent to the kitchen and bath remodeling industry.
Team Russo: You never walk alone.
Awards Dinner
The outstanding and unique moment at the fall conference was a speech by Dave Russo of DMR Remodeling Inc., who cut from a different cloth from what is typically discussed at kitchen and bath design conferences.
David Russo opened the awards dinner Wednesday evening with a message of resilience in the face of mortality.
David and his family have suffered a series of tragedies in recent months. In July of 2023, at age 59, David was driving his pickup truck when he had a seizure and drove off the road. While no one was injured, his doctor visit resulted in a diagnosis of glioblastoma (GBM) – a type of aggressive, rapidly advancing brain cancer that stems from the glial cells in the brain or the spinal cord.
Following his diagnosis, Dave consulted his team of doctors, a neurosurgeon radiation, an oncologist, and a neuro-oncologist to learn his prognosis. The doctors gave him more devastating news. Glioblastoma is a permanent diagnosis. Dave will have cancer for the rest of his life.
For Dave, aside from being with his family, the thing for him to do now is fight cancer. Dave described his battles against glioblastoma as his “new normal” and said the sensible thing for him to do is to keep fighting.
Dave identifies as a Catholic and said that his faith in the Lord has been a point of resilience in his life. Resilience is a keyword for Russo.
Last April, the Russo family was beset by another horrible event. While traveling home from spring break, two of his daughters, inseparable twins, were traveling home when their car flipped over at 3 a.m. One of his daughters entered a comatose state, which she has not awakened from.
Every day, the Russo household embraces the fragility of life and testifies to their faith in God. Amid these twin family tragedies, Dave has decided not to sell his business, though he put DMR Remodeling on indefinite pause.
These days, Dave operates on the consulting side of the kitchen and bath industry rather than the design and installation side. Since being diagnosed with glioblastoma, Dave has advocated for cancer awareness and research.
Award Winners
To find the competing categories’ 20 winners, The SEN Design Group observed the work of hundreds of businesses. Each of this year’s winners made excellent contributions to the group through their purchases and leveraged SEN assets to further develop their operations. SEN hosts a nexus of creative individuals, so each year, it is difficult to choose winners from the excellent firms representing us.
Best Design-Build
Barnes Building and Remodeling – Worcester, Mass.
BB&R focuses on providing a seamless experience for their customers. Since 2004, Kevin and his wife Jane have been deeply involved in every order. Kevin directs the building, while Jane heads interior design.
Over the past 20 years, BB&R has become renowned in Worcester, Massachusetts, for providing experiences that take worry out of the time and expense of the intricate decision-making process of home remodeling.
Best Newcomer
Natalie Spinolas –Tailored Spaces LLC – Harvard, Illinois
Natalie treats her customers like her friends. Tailored Spaces evolved from a two-year trip Spinolas took around the world after college. Cutting her teeth on cabinet design, Natalie brings 18 years of experience in the kitchen and bath industry.
Congratulations, Natalie!
Best Showroom
Naples Kitchen & Bath – Naples, FL
Brian and Tina Raymond
Tina attended the awards dinner on behalf of Naples since Brian was managing their current job roster.
Since 1999, Naples Kitchen & Bath has served the Collier County, Florida, area with high-quality products and skilled designers. Naples Kitchen & Bath operates with a nine-point customer-centered approach – from initial design to installation review and job completion. Naples has consolidated its centralized selling platform, and Bryan Raymond advocates for tech advancements in the kitchen and bath industry. Since centralizing Naples’ selling platform with DesignAlign, its business has doubled, and Naples’ calendar is booked with jobs well into 2025!
M.A. Peterson Award
Ken Peterson – The SEN Design Group – Charlotte, NC
Presented annually since 1997, the M.A. Peterson Award recognizes kitchen and bath industry excellence. In past years, Ken Peterson CKD presented this annual award in honor of his father who is in the NKBA Hall of Fame as one of that organization’s founders. In a switcheroo, Dan Luck, SEN Senior VP, hijacked the presentation and named Peterson as the 2024 award winner. Goaded to give a speech, Peterson commented on his delight in helping SEN members become the best they can be. Ken said he is stepping away from SEN to spend more time traveling with his wife, Barbara.
Congratulations, Ken!
Top 10 Member Firms
Deems Kitchens and Counters – Homosassa, FL
“We are always looking for what’s next so that in the end, with our every act of service, your dream project becomes a reality.”
Deems is a family-run business started by Art and Pat Deem as Deem Cabinets in Florida in 1971. Deems has been a SEN member for eight years, having joined on New Year’s Eve, 2015.
Deems prides itself on customer satisfaction and outfits every job with a client-centered six-step process. Working with mid to high-end cabinetry, Deems’ designers experience the remodeling process with their customers using the latest industry tech, ensuring delivery of the customers’ vision.
Deems offers a masterful design-installation service. From Planning to Completion, Deems works hands-on with customers, tangibilizing the remodeling process at every step.
Gilmans Kitchens + Baths – San Francisco, CA
Winner of Best of Houzz six times since 2012, San Francisco’s Gilmans Kitchens + Baths is known in The Bay Area for delivering experience and excellence in design on time.
Gilman’s Kitchens + Baths have streamlined their services to ensure their projects run smoothly and efficiently for their clientele.
A large operation, Gilmans has expanded with three other showrooms in San Mateo, Mountain View, and San Rafael, California.
Autograph Kitchen Design – Cornelius, NC
“Any kitchen design company is only as good as the people behind it.”
Scott Holcombe joined SEN a few years ago. He and his Charlotte-based team have made tremendous contributions to the SEN Buying Group by supporting Dura Supreme and Custom Wood Products in a big way.
Beyond the Box – Billings, MT
Kristy Fergusen won the M.A. Peterson Best Businessperson of the Year award in 2023.
In just ten years, Kristy and her team have built Beyond the Box from three to 540 clients, while the team has expanded from two to twelve on staff. Twice voted Best home remodeling company in Billings in 2021 and 2022. Beyond the Box continues to reach and surpass its revenue goals.
Aspen Grove Kitchen Bath – Frisco, CO
Linda Miller has been a long-time asset to the SEN Design Group. A past advisory council member operating in Frisco, Colorado, Aspen Grove Kitchen Bath has been an exceptional supporter of SEN vendors, especially in their relationship with Dura Supreme.
Becoming president in 2002, Linda Miller has grown Aspirin Grove kitchen bath to a lofty stature in the Rocky Mountains. Linda and Co’s six dozen five-star Google reviews are testimony to their business-to-consumer value in their market.
Cabinet Style, LLC is a three-woman team helmed by Amy Boysen from Coralville, Iowa, serving the greater Iowa City area. Since joining SEN in 2010, Cabinet Style has been a design source for their ecstatic customers.
With a 4.9 rating on Houzz, Cabinet Style thrives on customer recommendations and repeat business.
Their website’s gallery of beautiful project photos stretching over a decade of experience and their 2,400 square-foot showroom speak to the panagyric testimony of their clients.
“Cabinet Style: if you require design expertise and professionalism in execution.”
— Patrick O’Brien
dRemodeling – Philadelphia, PA
Eight time Best of Houzz, and 11-time Angie’s List Super Service Award winners, founder Dan Dragomir’s dRemodeling is the best of the best out of Philadelphia.
Since 2008, the remodeling firm has built a solid reputation as a dependable kitchen and bath design and installation provider.
From Dan’s humble beginnings working 80+ hour weeks to winning his first contract for KS Engineers, which he fulfilled afterhours – to launching his remodeling service from his basement with a few technicians he had met on previous jobs – the fledgling company survived the 2008 recession and tripled its profits in 2010 before having an astounding decade of growth and becoming Philadelphia’s premier design and build firm in 2019.
Guthrie Kitchen Bath Plus – Nashville, TN
With a 91% approval rating on Home Advisor and numerous five-star reviews, Michael Guthrie and his team have been building successful jobs offering complete design-build operations to Nashville and surrounding areas since 2012.
Guthrie Kitchen and Bath is a long-time SEN member and an asset to the kitchen and bath industry. Guthrie has contributed great value to the buying group by supporting vendor partners. At an excess of 250,000 purchases, Michael and his team are among the firm owners leading SEN in vendor support.
The Material Bar – Lakewood, WA
Owned and led by Kerstin Morey, The Material Bar is a shining example of how successful niche marketing strengthens business development. Morey is a YouTuber with 11.5 thousand followers whose show discusses everything about kitchens.
In and around the Seattle metropolitan area for the past six years, The Material Bar has demonstrated marketing excellence, and Kirsten is a great asset to marketing development at SEN conferences.
Morey offers an inclusive service, consulting out-of-state viewers of her channel who have questions about starting their remodeling process.
Kitchen Concepts Plus – Salisbury, MD
Incepted in 1990, Mike Donahue has led Kitchen Concepts Plus from its start as a furniture maker for retail stores such as Kohl’s and Macy’s before switching in the early 2000s to home remodeling.
Based in Salisbury on the Delmarva Peninsula, Kitchen Concepts Plus is a diverse business in commercial and residential spheres.
Since joining SEN eight years ago, Mike Donahue and his team have been valuable, stalwart supporters of SEN vendor partners.
The Medalists
The medal awards are given to the vendor partners who make the biggest contributions to SEN Design Group members’ businesses throughout the year.
Bronze
Cutco – Olean, NY
The bronze level recognizes vendors who have sold 100,000 to 500,000 units to SEN members’ clients.
Cutco is a company whose superior quality products are just as well known as its lifetime warranty, the “Forever Guarantee,” which truly puts the customer first by offering sharpening, repairs, and replacements of their products, even if they are damaged due to misuse.
Silver
Daltile – Dallas, TX
The bronze level recognizes vendors who have sold 500,000 to 1.5 million units to SEN member clients.
Since 1947, Daltile has built a reputation as a leader in stonework and tile for design in private and commercial buildings.
Known for producing high-quality tile, having an eco-friendly company focus, and innovations such as Stepwise™ – a slip-resistant tile – Daltile is known as a world-class brand.
Gold
Custom Wood Products – St. Mary’s, KS
Custom Wood Products is one of those rare companies that blends the mainstream accessibility of product availability and artistry craftsmanship. Known for including “intentional imperfections” in their products, custom wood products have the feel of being wrought by a craft person because they were indeed handmade.
CWP woodworkers have been known to embed hidden functional features into their designs, such as drawers gliding on invisible tracks due to exceptional joinery techniques and tables having expansion capability that does not disrupt the visual flow of the design.
Homeowners who have purchased Custom Wood Products know that CWP brings the intimacy of handcrafted designs of yesteryear to the kitchen and bath industry of today.
Best Partner of the Year
Cosentino – New York, NY
Run by Eduardo Martinez and his family out of Macael, Spain, since 1945, Consentino has been a leader in creating sustainable surfaces and technological innovation for architecture and design.
At the forefront of innovation since its inception, Cosentino is making its mark in hybrid trends by blending environments and has taken the home design industry by storm.
From “resimmercial” living/workspaces that speak to comfort, accessibility, and privacy in the professional sphere to the dedicated tranquility facilitation of “spathrooms,” which reimaged the bathroom as a den of escape – the modern homeowner’s world is filled with multifarious sources of inspiration and luxury.
Best Newcomer Vendor
CNC Cabinetry – South Plainfield, NJ
“We believe everyone deserves access to beautiful kitchens, and we do our best to make that happen.”
CNC Cabinetry is a family-owned company that expanded from a New Jersey enterprise to a half dozen locations throughout the United States.
Industry pioneers, CNC was the first cabinet manufacturer to focus on high-end cabinetry from Asia, and has proven its resilience in the remodeling industry, leading the upward demand for Asian-made cabinetry.
Rep of the Year
Barbara Vargas – Nobilia, New York, NY
A relative newcomer to the industry, Barbara Vargas has graced Nobilia North America, Inc. with her talents for over five years.
We look forward to seeing you at our next conference
Since 1994, The SEN Design Group has demonstrated leadership in independent kitchen and bath design and build. From innovating industry education, peer networking, and strategic development, SEN delivers many opportunities to learn how to thrive in the enormously lucrative and competitive kitchen and bath industry.
Through webinars and in-person conferences, SEN events inspire and teach business practices and proven methods to augment gross profit margins. Numerous figureheads in the industry have singled out SEN as a one-of-a-kind network-building opportunity, a beacon of educative knowledge and resources, with an unparalleled commitment to the success of independent kitchen and bath designers.
SEN annual conferences allow owners and sales designers to mingle with industry, peers, and vendor partners. The goal is generally always the same: to pick up new ideas, resolve common business issues, polish off strategies, and adopt or refine or adopt new revenue streams. Each conference is a fresh and vital hotbed of activity that is exciting at every step of the way.
Our history is rife with success, and it exists because of our members.
—SEN Design Group
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