KBB - May/June 2013 - (Page 42)

WEB SAVVY David Stimmel STIMMEL CONSULTING GROUP, INC. www.stimmeldesign.com Is there someone you wish would follow you? Sure. It could be the CEO of Sub-Zero or the editor and publisher of Architectural Digest, so I can share my ideas on where the industry is going for its next “look.” I think our industry is desperately searching for it, but has not found it yet. Whom do you follow on Twitter? Hutker Architects. I was fortunate enough to work with them in a home in Menemsha, Mass. I love their work! Also @knittingzeal and @ fortunecookie, plus the ones you’d expect – DIY, HGTV, House Beautiful and others. It’s always good to see what your clients see. Where are you geographically? We are centered in the suburbs of Philadelphia, in a 400 — yes, 400-sq.-ft. — studio in a retail area known as the Main Line. We also have offices in Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Apex, N.C., and Indiana. Recently, we have been spending a considerable amount of time on projects in Cape Cod and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as New York City, so we expect to expand in those locations within the next two years. Where are you professionally? I am the president and senior designer of the Stimmel Consulting Group, Inc. Our primary focus is kitchen, bath and millwork design at the upper-middle to high-end market. We are National Kitchen of the Year award winners (seven times, from five different groups), along with [being awarded] similar honors for baths and other rooms. We have worked on product development for various kitchen- and bath-related products. Our work has been published in more than 50 magazines on three continents and seen on HGTV and DIY. What is your Twitter handle? I have a Twitter handle that I keep private. It’s just for friends, family and clients who have become…well… more then just clients. I recently opened another relating to business @stimmeldesign. 42 + K BB Are you on Facebook? Of course, isn’t everyone? I have a personal page for friends and family, but not one for my business. I’ve yet to see a kitchen- and bath-related page that was as good as a good, informative e-newsletter. We retain clients all over the nation via our website. Currently we are designing a whole house 400 miles from our nearest office, complete with kitchen, baths, library, boudoir and an interior millwork package. We cultivated the lead through our website. What do you do on Twitter and Facebook? I’m more old school. I love staying in touch with friends via Facebook and Twitter, but I don’t love the concept of using Facebook as a business tool. How often do you update on both? When the mood strikes and time is available. We check our website regularly and answer every request from “What is this tile in the room I saw on HGTV?” to “Why did you choose walnut over oak for that vanity on page 54?” Everyone gets answered. Do you have a blog and what kinds of topics do you blog about? I have written many articles that have been published, but I May/June 2013 / www.kbbonline.com / The Official Sponsor of KBIS www.kbis.com currently don’t blog. However, I expect to jump in before the end of the year. What are three favorite blogs or websites you read for kicks? I love the humor of Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart of the “Daily Show.” It is a great break from my day. I love to cruise Houzz just like everyone else. In our studio we stream WMVY. com. If you don’t listen you should, because it’s the best mix of music ever. What kind of phone do you have? DroidX What do you use your phone for? What don’t we use our Droid for, besides the obvious — photos, recording meetings, flashlight and scheduling? Who could live without texting? I end every day with 15 minutes of clearing my mind and writing text drafts to send the following morning when I wake up. The Color Note app has made the need for a day planner obsolete. What work-related apps have you downloaded? Essential Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom magazine’s app (from the U.K.) is terrific. eBay and Etsy apps are mainstays. The Weather Channel and Trulia are critical when you have projects all over North America. Trulia, if used properly, can tell you so much about a township, street or house across the country. Do you have an iPad or tablet? An iPad. We use it for note taking and as a portfolio. And much, much more. How much time during the week do you spend on social media? Difficult to say, every week and day is different. Is this problematic? No, I won’t let it distract my focus. I like to keep my eye on the prize. ■ —Janet Groeber http://www.stimmeldesign.com http://www.kbbonline.com http://www.kbis.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of KBB - May/June 2013

KBB - May/June 2013
Editorial
Show Director’s Note
Online Contents
Opinion
KBIS SPECIAL SECTION
Web Savvy
Trends
Products
Abroad
Design
Form and Function
A “Wow” Design
Favorites
Ad Index

KBB - May/June 2013