Firm’s Green Focus Creates Competitive Edge

DELRAY BEACH, FL— Kermit the Frog said it best: “It’s not easy being green.”

Deborah Scannell and Richard Knoll would agree. They would argue, however, that environmental consideration is the necessary next phase for the kitchen and bath industry, and they think the idea is about to sweep the nation.

The partners at Kitchens, Baths & More, based here, believe that the industry trend is undeniable.

Says Scannell: “It’s green, green, green everywhere you turn.”

Scannell and Knoll say their company is on top of the trend, promoting green products, such as a cabinetry line with no Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) finishes.

“It’s our intent to use high-quality yet low-impact materials such as sustainable wood veneers,” said Knoll, who believes being green requires a “cradle to cradle” approach, which means rethinking how products are specified, so that when the client looks to remodel, as little refuse as possible ends up as landfill.

Thinking in terms of what may be reused and recycled, they believe, ensures the best results for the home – and the environment.

Green Movement

For Kitchens, Baths & More, being green translates to using sustainably designed products in the kitchens they design and install, the partners say.

“It’s relatively new for us and the rest of the world; we’re all novices at this,” says Scannell, “We wanted to be ahead of the curve.”

Initially, the partners didn’t realize how few companies provide environmentally friendly kitchen products. Yet they have experienced a growing demand from consumers. The firm has responded to this by carrying not only green cabinetry, but also a series of countertop products that are certified for use in the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program.

“There’s a lot involved in becoming a green supplier,” Scannell says. “You have to be mindful of water usage, and where a product is shipped from, and how far away that is from the jobsite.”

“We are doing a lot of research so that when we talk to a client, our process is as green as it can be,” explains Knoll.
Going green isn’t solely about the products, though, it’s also about the staff. For instance, a recent addition to the team, David Linzer, is not only a CKD, he also has a background in green building. Linzer is a member of the USGBC and Florida Green Build Coalition.

Building a Partnership

The principals have been together in business for two years now. All bring years of experience to their roles in the firm. Scannell has worked for 10 years as a kitchen and interior designer, and met Knoll about two years ago when he was looking to redesign his own kitchen.

Somewhere in that process, Knoll, now 62 and a graphic designer by education, went from a customer to a principal. “Instead of getting a kitchen, I got a business,” Knoll said.

Scannell is both an interior designer and a kitchen and bath designer. Her interest in design was formed at an early age; she was fond of reorganizing furniture. Scannell, a graduate of the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, began her career as a design assistant.

“I receive satisfaction from creating a functional yet stylish environment where families and individuals begin and end their days, she notes. “My desire for this work keeps me inspired and keeps my ideas fresh.”

Scannell says she enjoys all stages of kitchen design and development, from the initial drawings and design phase to construction and finishing details.

The firm is located just north of Boca Raton and just south of Palm Beach. According to Knoll, the clientele is so diverse, it runs the gamut from those who need a kitchen done on a $10,000-$15,000 budget to a recent customer who needed an all-cherry closet valued alone at $83,000.

The firm’s business philosophy is simple: “We have systems in place to preclude disasters because we care and our reputation in on the line,” says Knoll. “We approach our work systematically, and from the heart.”

Working with Clients