With a number of approaches to showroom design, one of the most important is a design that immerses the client in the reality of living with the products shown. This is vital because showrooms are not selling “products” as solutions. Advisory board member for the KBIS 2016 Innovative Showroom Awards, and founder and CEO of Artistic Tile, Nancy Epstein, explains how this makes for an effective showroom.
“These are solutions that allow the client to personalize their space to reflect who they are and how they wish to live. The products do not live independently; they become an integral part of an overall space,” clarifies Epstein.
The client needs the space to feel real in order to feel entirely submerged. The showroom should have the ability to demonstrate how the product will look once installed. Epstein explains that having racks of plumbing fixtures lined on the wall just doesn’t cut it anymore. “By having a refined selection, that shows the owners searched for appropriate solutions, not by having every product on the market. Clients want the best products from each of the product categories they are seeking, and they want help making their decisions,” said Epstein.
This leads us to staffing and training. This is another valuable asset that will make for a remarkable showroom experience. “Having the people in place to help the clients select the most appropriate solutions remains the most important thing a showroom can supply,” described Epstein. “The best interaction is still with the sales associate, the rest is just bells and whistles.”
This year’s top finalists are invited to attend an Academy Award style ceremony in South Hall on the KBISNeXT Stage. Each finalist will be individually recognized and winners will then be announced. The ceremony will be held on the first day of the show, January 19th, from 3:45PM to 4:15PM.