Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Britton.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Amy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Back in 2005, after 20 years of designing for other people, I decided to go out on my own so I could give people the type of unique design and outstanding customer service that I’d always wanted to. It’s hard to be spontaneous, creative and free when working for a big company – so I started my own little company!
I now have the flexibility to give my clients exactly what they want, and I can spend as much time as needed to come up with a fantastic solution for their project. One of my specialties is thinking ‘outside the box’ and bringing a fresh perspective to sometimes difficult design situations, and I relish the challenge of a project that presents tough questions.
I don’t have a big showroom; I love my small intimate ’boutique’ where we work together on all of the important design concepts and elements. I also provide my clients with full-color computer renderings so they can preview and understand what their project will look like when completed.
My personal credo: there are very few things more personally gratifying than seeing a client who is ecstatic about their new kitchen or master bath.
Has it been a smooth road?
Starting a small business, especially a design business, can be a challenge. A designer’s brain is wired for creativity, not bookkeeping; design and drafting, not marketing; color and contrast, not cost projections. So there can be a steep learning curve on the business part, but the business part is obviously pretty essential if you want to keep designing.
The hardest part to learn is that there are so many hats you need to wear, and not all of them are fun, pretty hats. Many of the hats are boring black bowlers.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Artisan Kitchens, Inc. story. Tell us more about the business.
So….we design and install wonderful kitchens and bathrooms, and pride ourselves on offering creative solutions – we’re anti-cookie cutter, you might say. We try to buck popular trends and make sure the spaces we design are personal for each client, because when it’s just right for you and your family, then it is ALWAYS trendy. We embrace the use of color, texture and the unique use of various interesting materials. But most of all, we are proud that we don’t have any one identifying ‘look’, because our projects always reflect the aesthetic of our clients, not our own.
One thing we don’t do is feel bound by the confines of convention. Our philosophy is, if we see a great solution that means moving windows and doors, re-arranging traffic patterns, even swapping rooms around, we will suggest it. We feel you need to know all your best possibilities before you make a final decision and pull the trigger.
We have become pretty well known for designing custom accommodations for pets (which we all know are family members) and a few of our pet projects have been featured in publications and blogs all over the world. We’ve been in the NY Times (twice), the Wall Street Journal, and many, many remodeling magazines.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I can only foresee this industry growing…the ball has been started downhill and it will keep rolling…the kitchen is the nerve center of the home and any house that doesn’t have an up-to-date kitchen will be seriously lacking in functionality.
As people get busier and busier, we’ll need all the help we can get to stay organized and on track. Major appliances are getting smarter and will be able to help by being communicative, programmable, and responsive. More focus on healthy lifestyles, including diet, will mean that the cooking center will need to have all the right tools in all the right places to facilitate healthy cooking practices. Families will always need to have a place to touch base, unwind and eat, and the kitchen will be that central place, so it also needs to be pleasing to the eye, easy to use, and comfortable.
In a similar way, the master bath will be an oasis. It will still serve basic daily functions but should also have a component that says “come on in and soak and let the day’s stresses melt away”.
I think the biggest trend will be… that there is no one big trend. Everything will be very individual and personalized.
Contact Info:
- Address: 937A Main Street
Osterville, MA 02655 - Website: www.artisankitchensinc.com
- Phone: 508-428-8828
- Email: info@artisankitchensinc.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Artisan-Kitchens-Inc-103436902401/
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/artisan/__public
Image Credit:
Amy Britton CKD
John Moore Photography
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