Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2020 - 48

KBB

SPECIAL

SECTION

KBIS 2020

A Talk with Matthew Quinn

KBB's Person of the Year discusses his unusual design
beginnings & taking leaps of faith in business
As principal of Atlanta-based Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio and
KBB's 2019 Person of the Year, designer Matthew Quinn is known for his
original and client-inspired designs. He is the recipient of numerous national
design awards and has been widely published - even having authored two of
his own books. Quinn is also a partner in Nashville's first design center - the
Nashville Design Collective - where he will open Design Galleria Kitchen
and Bath Studio's second location. Chelsie Butler, KBB's executive editor,
conducted an exclusive, in-depth interview with Quinn on the KBISNeXT
Stage during the show.
Did you always want to be a designer?
MQ: No - my parents wanted me to be a doctor. My first week at medical

school, I had an anxiety attack, realized I did not want to be in that field and
flew to Paris. Like anyone who spends time in that city, I left wanting to be an
architect. When I came back to the States, I wanted to go to Georgia Tech,
but I would have had to start all over again with an architecture degree, and
I didn't have time for that. I went to American Intercontinental University
instead; I started taking classes in space planning and drafting and absolutely
fell in love with the latter. I applied for a position with a firm - Design Galleria - and was hired despite my inexperience because he said my smile was
better than the other candidate. I've been in love with kitchens ever since.

Were there any leaps of faith you took as your career was developing?

MQ: When the owner of Design Galleria offered to sell me the business and
I agreed, that was a massive leap of faith. The owner asked me what I could
live on and paid me that - everything else went to the down payment on the
business. It was eight years of basically making nothing, but it was so worth it.

Tell us how you got started in product design and share some detail on
your brand relationships.
MQ: I'm very blessed to have great clients, and they want products that solve

specific problems. Some products work so well that it made sense to license
them and have them mass manufactured - like my design for the Julien
Home Refinements' Corner Sink. I have been working with MTI Baths in
Suwanee, Ga., the longest, and we've come up with some amazing bathtubs
and sinks. We have a new sink design that I swear is going to save marriages.

What's the best advice you've received? Given?
MQ: My father taught me the Golden Rule growing up, and that's what I still

follow and promote. Always put yourself in another's shoes, and treat others
as you want to be treated.
What stands out as a cool project you've worked on?
MQ: I never think about the project but the people. I have to be connected to

the person in that space. One project, which was just recently on the cover of
Traditional Home, was for a client with an autoimmune disease. Every decision
had to be made in terms of air quality.This client was the most beautiful, kind
woman, and unfortunately she is not doing well. I just recently delivered the
magazine to her, and she was so happy to see her dream kitchen on the cover.

How did you become interested in being an author?
MQ: Writing a book was about sharing my designs and process, but it ulti-

mately is about getting business. I also included guidelines about how I think

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Photo by PWP Studio

and some of my favorite things, like a bible of products I love using. Some
of it is just about the love I experienced working with some of these clients
and these designs.
What aspect of being a kitchen designer excites you the most, and how
do you stay inspired?
MQ: I like to visit my clients at breakfast or dinner and see the chaos. I study

this and feel inspired to solve that chaos and make life easier for them. We
always do a thorough two-hour-long interview and go over small details, like
how many times they pass between appliances and if they clean as they go
when cooking. I get excited about saving a client time. If I am able to do that
and the family is interacting more, that makes me so happy.
What made you decide to open another Design Galleria showroom in
Nashville? How did you come to bring in Richard Anuszkiewicz as the
lead designer?
MQ: Nashville is on fire. We've always done a lot of work there, and recently

the stars aligned to open a space. We fell in love with this massive mop factory and developed it into Nashville's only design center. Richard is the lead
designer of that showroom, and we work well together. If you know Richard,
his personality and design style are perfect for Nashville.

What has been your most significant achievement?
MQ: I would say the team we have assembled here at Design Galleria and

the Matthew Quinn Collection. There are 34 people in our firm, and many
have been there for 15 years or more. I couldn't do it without them. They are
solution oriented, make the clients happy through the Golden Rule, and they
love to come to work almost every day.

What has been the greatest lesson learned as you've grown your brand
and business?
MQ: Every time I think I need to discount services to get a job, I always regret

it later. Don't be afraid to charge what you're worth - your experience makes
you faster and better than your competition.To me, it is important to establish
the value for my unique design and high level of service and stick to it.

What does the future hold?
MQ: With the design center in Nashville, I've discovered that I love develop-

ment. Other cities might have similar needs that we could also fulfill. I will
also continue in product design, knowing that I am a better product designer
while still designing quintessential kitchens and spaces as well.

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Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2020

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