Are you keeping up with the latest cabinetry technology? Applying product and material improvements to enhance the quality of projects and the lives of your clients can help set you apart from the competition.

Quartz was for Watches

Ten or 15 years ago, dovetail drawers were a relatively expensive upgrade — if available at all. The most popular wood species was oak. Cabinet boxes were usually particle board or plywood.

Most countertops sold were laminate. Natural stone was for high-end homes, and Corian was the popular choice for countertop upgrades if the clients could afford it. Quartz was to keep watches running on time and cushion-close drawers and doors were not even a gleam in the home­owner’s eye.

Accessible Improvements

Now there’s low- or no-formaldehyde furniture board and plywood, FSC hardwoods, and other eco-friendly options. Dovetail drawers with cushion close are standard in all but the lowest-end cabinetry.

Still specifying roll-out trays in base cabinets? Improved drawer glides and readily available dovetail drawers make three- and four-drawer cabinets a better option. Many cabinetry companies now participate in the Kitchen Cabinetry Manufacturers Association’s Environmental Stewardship Program, helping improve interior and exterior environments.

If your clients knew that granite is essentially strip mined, they might not be so excited to buy it. Many people consider quartz and solid surface a better option for its low maintenance and ease of cleaning and repair.

Your competition is working hard to apply new and improved materials in their designs to distinguish themselves from others. Go one better by becoming an expert and educating clients.

—Jeff Kida, a designer and kitchen and bath dealer, owns DDS Design Services, in Chicago.

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