NKBA announces 2011 kitchen, bath design competition winners

The National Kitchen & Bath Association announced the finalists in the 2011 NKBA Design Competition, honoring the best kitchen and bath designs of the year.
The 2011 competition honors the top three designs in each of nine categories, as well as special “Best-Of” award winners, from the nearly 500 entries received. Winning designs were announced at the Design Competition Awards event in April, during NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas.
“The National Kitchen & Bath Association is proud to offer NKBA designers the opportunity to have their best kitchen and bathroom designs from the past year acknowledged for their excellence,” said David Alderman, 2011 NKBA president. “The designs selected, represent the finest in function, personalization, innovative- thinking, and beauty.”
A complete list of winners in each category can be found on NKBA’s website.

Nick Miller Design provides drawings for cabinet makers, designers

Nick Miller Design  provides cabinetry drawing sets to cabinetmakers and kitchen designers who do not have the time or capabilities to create the sets themselves. The company’s owner, Nick Miller, says he is able to draw kitchens, baths, home offices, libraries, mudrooms, theater rooms and other built-ins – all custom-based. Miller can also output shop drawings, showing as much detail necessary for the particular application. Miller says his services may be useful to companies looking to capture a larger market share, but that are unable to hire anyone new. Completed drawing sets are usually returned within 48 hours as a pdf, according to Miller, and he can output in any paper size or scale. Cost varies with the plan and detail level required.Examples of Miller’s work are on his website, www.nickmillerdesign.com, along with the answers to some common questions. 

NKBA encourages new product entry to 2011 Best of KBIS Competition

The National Kitchen and Bath Association’s 48th annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show will showcase the year’s most exciting products during its 2011 Best of KBIS Competition.
KBIS will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, from April 26 to 28. Products entered into the Best of KBIS Competition will be judged by a  panel of senior print and television media members, and the winners will be announced at Center Stage in NKBA’s booth (C3529) on Wednesday, April 27 at 1:30 p.m.
The celebrity and media judges are Maureen Alley, editor of Residential Design + Build; Karl Champley, host of “Wasted Spaces” on DIY Network and host of Home Live Radio; Justin Fink, senior editor of Fine Homebuilding; Bert Kleiser, publisher of Canadian Kitchen & Bath; Christina Koch, editor of Qualified Remodeler; Mark McMenamin, senior editor of Interior Design; Eugenia Santiesteban, senior style editor of Veranda; Rebecca Thienes, senior market editor of Country Living; and Jack Thomasson, house planner for HGTV “Dream Home.”
The main categories for this year’s competition include Best of Kitchen, Best of Bath, Best Universal Design Product, Best Green Product, Best of Show and the People’s Choice Award, which is voted by attendees during the show. KBIS exhibitors are encouraged to submit their innovative products from the last 12 months. Products will be judged on the merits of functionality, quality/durability, flexibility, aesthetics/style and innovation. The deadline for entries is April 15. To enter a product or for more information, exhibitors should visit the show’s Best of KBIS Competition Web page.

NKBA announces 2011 Design Competition finalists

The National Kitchen & Bath Association announced the finalists in the 2011 NKBA Design Competition, honoring the best kitchen and bath designs of the year.
“The NKBA, along with our sponsors, is proud to offer member designers from across the country the opportunity to be recognized for their level of skill in applying innovation and creativity to kitchen and bathroom design,” said David Alderman, 2011 NKBA president.
NKBA selected three finalists in each of nine categories: small kitchens, medium kitchens, large kitchens, open plan kitchens, powder rooms, small bathrooms, large bathrooms, master bathrooms and showrooms. The winning designs will be announced at the Design Competition Awards on April 26, during NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center

Kitchen Tune-Up offers free franchises to US veterans

Kitchen Tune-Up will waive a total of $4,000,000 in franchise costs as part of its offer to give 100 free franchises to honorably discharged veterans throughout the U.S.
The offer includes the franchise fee, exclusive territory, training and a start-up package, which is a total of $40,000 in initial fees per person.
“We are providing veterans with a unique opportunity to start their own business with no initial fee,” said Dave Haglund, Kitchen Tune-Up founder and president. “I feel strongly that we need to do our part in showing appreciation of our military veterans. Service men and women have proven their leadership and teamwork skills, and we know they will do a fantastic job of stimulating their local economies by utilizing this unique home improvement business.”
Interested applicants should contact Craig Green by phone at 800.333.6385 , craig@kitchentuneup.com.

KML opens laminate showroom in Washington

KML opened a design showroom in Tacoma, Wash., to demonstrate its thermally fused melamine products.
The showroom is staffed with thermo-fused melamine experts and provides education on thermo-fused melamine’s special characteristics. The KML showroom also provides custom manufacturing support and environmental products to meet specific design criteria.
“By partnering with architects and designers we can better understand their needs so that we can give them the exact products they want, quickly,” says KML management.

Mastercam partners with 20-20 for kitchen designing system

Mastercam is partnering with 20-20 Technologies in kitchen designs. Customers can now design in 20-20 Design or 20-20 CAD and output information to Mastercam to automate the toolpath, nest parts and post out the code.
The process begins with creating drawings in 20-20 Design or ShopWare CAD. The products in these drawings are imported into the manufacturing software which manages all parts, materials and reports and releases the parts for machining.
This creates DXF files and your worklist. The process is designed to be seamless, as it is parametrically connected.
The DXF files are fed into Mastercam ATP, which generates the toolpaths, nests the parts and generates the code for specific machines.