Open Book: How 3 Kitchen Designers Went From Start-Up to Success
Three kitchen designers, six questions – discover the challenges, turning points and must-have tools for these pros
In this monthly story series, Houzz goes behind the scenes with three companies that carved out a niche for themselves as specialised kitchen designers. Read on to discover their greatest business challenges, breakthroughs and the best professional advice they’ve received. This month, we caught up with Steve Johnson, director at Retreat Design; Chris Ruffé, director of Bondi Kitchens; and Illan Elberg, sales and marketing manager of GIA Bathrooms & Kitchens.
Chris Ruffé, director of Bondi Kitchens
- Chris Ruffé: Starting with nothing! I started Bondi Kitchens by myself in a garage on Bondi Beach, NSW, without the factory and office space or the manufacturing, installation and design/project teams we have today.
Illan Elberg, sales and marketing manager of GIA Bathrooms & Kitchens
- Illan Elberg: The biggest challenge for us occurred when our business was growing rapidly. Although this was an exciting stage, it was also fairly challenging to find the right staff to help our business grow and reflect our high standards and customer service.
2. How did you trade out of it?
- Steve Johnson: There were some pivotal projects at the beginning that defined our unique style and helped position us in the market. Through word of mouth and past projects, we were able to establish our niche and provide a great design service with quality imported products.
- Chris Ruffé: Time and hard work – that’s the secret. We moved to a larger space and invested in the industry’s best machinery.
- Illan Elberg: There is no glamorous answer here, I spent a lot of time searching for the right people. We used word of mouth, online adds and agencies to find the perfect team.
3. What brought about a major turning point in your company?
- Steve Johnson: Our first multi-residential project working with leading architects in Perth, WA, helped promote our business and cement our name in the industry. Primarily, our focus is on kitchen and bathroom renovations. However, this project enabled us to supply multi-residential developments with our quality Italian-made cabinetry in volume.
- Chris Ruffé: Around the six-year mark, the business started to take shape when we got consistent work (and growing pains – a good problem to have) with Sydney’s best designers as well as getting new client referrals from previous projects.
- Illan Elberg: Opening our showroom and office was a major turning point. It really allowed us to focus on the design services that we could offer and start building the design side of our business.
4. What’s the best tool your business uses?
- Steve Johnson: We use SketchUp and Layout to design and document our projects and Smartsheet to manage them. We also use all of the social media apps to build our brand and portfolio of projects online, which is very useful for marketing our business.
- Chris Ruffé: We use industry-specific software for design purposes and we have invested in German machinery, including the Biesse CNC Router Machine and Holz-Her Edgebander. These high-quality machines have been instrumental in achieving our level of quality.
- Illan Elberg: We all work with iPads. This helps us collaborate and stay connected and it’s a great tool for both the design and construction sides of GIA Kitchens & Bathrooms. We use iPads to show examples of previous work, and on-site to document works.
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5. What do you think are the challenges ahead for the industry?
- Steve Johnson: Continuing to educate the market about the importance of products designed to stand the test of time from a quality and design perspective, rather than fast fashion and interiors.
- Chris Ruffé: Local manufacturing is getting more difficult with the rise of off-shore competitors and with competitive pricing. More often than not, the industry forgoes quality products, but that doesn’t stop most people, sadly.
- Illan Elberg: I think the construction and renovation industry has taken a hit from the unrealistic expectations that have been displayed on TV renovation shows. These shows are there for entertainment and unfortunately, they create unrealistic expectations for customers on timeframes, budgets and quality.
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6. What’s the best professional advice you’ve been given?
- Steve Johnson: Run your business efficiently and evolve in a considered way to move through the ebbs and flows of the changing economy without affecting your offering to the market.
- Chris Ruffé: Strive for perfection. Build your business on high standards of quality and craftsmanship – success will follow. Our aim is to exceed expectations, always.
- Illan Elberg: Stop chasing the money, and start chasing the passion.
Your turn
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Missed last month’s interview with Houzz professionals? Catch up here with Open Book: 3 Designers on Business, Branding and Breakthroughs
1. What was the most challenging time in your business?