As the showroom openings and programs at the Indiana Design Center continue to ramp up, we ‘d like to take a moment to tap into the expertise of IDC team member, Linda Kirby. Linda serves as the IDC National Brands Consultant and, with over 27 years of design industry experience, has great insight to share on showroom design, product merchandising and trends. If there’s a topic we missed, be sure to post your question in the “comments” section and we’ll address it in future Q&A posts.
Q: What is the importance of having national brands represented in a design center?
A: Consumers “trust” national brands. Manufacturers work very hard to create credibility (i.e. Gerber, Sears, Kleenex, etc.) and it only takes one serious mistake to lose that trust as Toyota and BP have demonstrated.
Q: In your experience designing showrooms, what are the keys to a great space for showing products
A: When selecting a space to display product, things to consider are: location, parking, safety, ADA accessibility, great lighting, ceiling height and an understanding of the geography of the space if renting or leasing an existing space.
Q: In the world of showrooms, what is “IN” and what is “OUT”?
A: “IN” It’s all about the consumer’s experience and interactivity with the product. ”OUT” are plasma screens that do not allow touch screen interaction.
Q: When it comes to building products, what do you find to be most revolutionary this year?
A: There are too many new products to declare any singular revolutionary product (i.e. kitchen cabinetry with more storage and accessories). The best thing to happen is that manufacturers are continuing to use sustainable materials and trends to reduce their energy expenditures and attract new customers.
Q: What do you think are Indiana’s strengths when it comes to design or product manufacturing?
A: Being centrally located between 5 major cities - Louisville, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Fort Wayne and Columbus, OH – has advantages in creating a one stop design center destination, meeting place and stage for product introductions other than Chicago.
Q: How will the Indiana Design Center affect the State’s professional design industry?
A: Even in the early construction and leasing stages, the IDC has already created great dialog and energy among and throughout the design community. IDC can and should become a meeting and learning platform.
About Linda Kirby, IDC National Brands Consultant:
Linda Kirby is President of Kirby Design and Consulting, an Indianapolis based design firm specializing in commercial interior design. Kirby Design and Consulting provides commercial design consultation, professional design team coordination, planning and budgeting, purchasing, and furnishings installation. With twenty-seven years of commercial design experience, Linda has a long track record of successfully planning and executing an unlimited variety of commercial design projects.
Linda Kirby has been recognized both nationally and locally as an award winning industry expert. In 2008 she received the IBS National Silver Award for Best Design Builder. Town & Country Homes awarded her third place in the 2004 National Kitchen & Bath Association and she earned the 2003/2004 Award for Non Residential Space. Linda is a published consultant for design, serving as a quarterly columnist for Design Center Magazine from 2005 – 2008. She is currently a contributing resource and columnist for Kitchen and Bath Design News.
