The Hawaii Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) Aloha chapter collaborated on a first-time, cross-over event to bring “The Art of Innovation” to members of both organizations in a special session presented by Lunada Bay Tile.
While Continuing Education Unit (CEU) accredited events are commonplace for both the NKBA and ASID, this was the first time the two organizations planned and executed one event to benefit all its members. In addition to the chapters collaborating, two separate retailers, Bella Pietra Design and The Tile Warehouse, Inc. Kona, worked together with Lunada Bay Tile to sponsor events on Oahu and in Kona on The Big Island.
“Collaboration is key to design, so it was natural for our two organizations to collaborate on this,” said Christine Reimer, Senior Interior Designer, Allied ASID, chapter president. “Many of our members participate in both chapters, so we saw an opportunity to not only bring our groups together for networking and time efficiency, but also because we all benefit from sharing similar information.”
“Equal participation by both planning committees was a key to the event’s success,” said Pamela O'Donnell, Kitchen and Bath Designer, NKBA Aloha Chapter President. “Afterall, we are all working together toward the same goal: education for our members.”
The Lunada Bay Tile presentation was ideal for this joint event because it speaks to all designers, no matter the space in which they work. In this presentation, Feras Irikat, director of Design and marketing, Lunada Bay Tile, teaches participants how to practice the science of creativity in everyday life and in business.
“In its purest sense, invention can be defined as the creation of a product or introduction of a process for the first time," Irikat said. "Innovation, on the other hand, occurs if someone improves on or makes a significant contribution to an existing product, process, or service.
“What is interesting about the presentation is that attendees learn how to implement innovation not just into business but, on a broader level, how to implement innovation into all areas of life,” said O'Donnell. “The presentation is universal, so while our members work in different spaces, we have similar interests. And tile is everywhere in design today; tile allows every designer to get very creative.”
Many of today’s tile offerings, including those from Lunada Bay Tile, offer unique styles and designs; many are hand-made, and artistic patterns can fit into either a modern design or traditional design. “Designers need a wide palette from which to choose,” Reimer added.
According to Reimer and O’Donnell, the use of tiles by designers has expanded dramatically into every room of the home. Tiles are not only defining kitchen backsplashes and adorning powder rooms, but also are used as dramatic fireplace surrounds, as accent walls in foyers and living rooms and on dining room ceilings – any place wallpaper or paint is used. “Tile surpasses two-dimensional confines and introduces texture and color into a room,” Reimer said.
Forty designers attended two separate events in May, one in Honolulu, on Oahu and one in Kona, on the Big Island. “For the past two years, we’ve all been tied to our homes, and it’s great to be getting together for live events again,” said O’Donnell. “We look forward to planning other events together.”
To learn more, visit nkba.org.
