Alright everyone, we’ve officially been in the new space for 2 years! Woohoo! We couldn’t be more grateful for the love and support we have received from all of you.
In 2015 I knew Designs by Dawn had outgrown our old space, spatially and literally. I began a deep soul-searching quest of Who is Designs by Dawn? What makes us different? It took over a year for me to really focus on setting my intentions for the future of the company and for me personally. As I daydreamt about a high-end Kitchen and Bath showroom, the associated costs often squashed my delirium and for another year I continued doing what I had always done and settled with complacency.
On the brink of a New Year, I sat in my home on December 30, 2016. I cleared my mind of all distractions and took a very deep breath and set my intentions for my future. I decided in that in the new year ahead, I would self-motivate and inspire myself to achieve tangible goals that I needed to set for myself and my business. This is the list I wrote (withholding only the most personal):
- Be the Best Kitchen Designer EVER!
- Customer Satisfaction 100% Exceed Expectations
- Generate good leads that are a direct result of Builder and Architect relationships
- Accomplish Extraordinary things
- Grown my business
- Build the BEST showroom in all of Michigan
- Choose to be around the right people
- Associate with positive, goal-oriented people who encourage and inspire you
- Avoid negative people at all costs. They are great destroyers of your self-confidence and self esteem
- Mange my team by objective. Tell them exactly what you want them to do, then get out of their way.
- Be a great leader the way I am a great friend
- Be a resource, an advisor, counselor, mentor and friend to all clients, builders, architects
Then I wrote this down: “I commit my above goals to paper to increase the likelihood of achievement by 1000 percent”
As soon as I found my intentions and committed to them, I started to notice that things were happening.
The most prominent location on main street in downtown Petoskey was vacant and undergoing a huge renovation and transformation. This building had been on the market for quite some time and I had assumed it was under contract. On a whim I picked up the phone and made a call to the Realtor, to my surprise, the space was available! After a few weeks of writing a new business plan, and designing a fabulous showroom that would function in the available building, I put in an offer for the space and it was accepted. I just couldn’t let this opportunity pass me by. On April 27, 2017 I signed the 10-year lease and prayed I could make it work.
I approached each display vignette as an individual design project. What do I want to display? Who do I want to partner with and represent? What products offer my clients the most value for their investment? What could I display that no one has seen before? As the design took shape, I proceeded full steam ahead with construction, ordering and planning. A mere 9 months after I set the intention, the ribbon was cut, and we opened the doors to “Designs by Dawn”.
When you step inside you are instantly greeted by a Home Foyer design comprised of entry lockers and wainscot paneling with a heavy architectural moulding. Accented by a geometrical shaped wallpaper and a custom 8 foot door I opted for a striking first impression. The second display is our reception area. It highlights a contemporary coastal feel with high-gloss lacquer cabinet and the sought after waterfall countertop edge. A hexagon shaped tile on the front (installed by me), is a great example of current tile design. The next vignette is of a master bedroom and bathroom and includes a platform bed with built-in nightstands, what I call the perfect sized shower, and a freestanding sculpture stone bathtub. In the middle of the showroom, We feature two large kitchen displays that are a great juxtaposition to one another. The first being “Up North Rustic”, features a stone façade and the latest Wolf and Subzero appliances. Our second display, which is a working display kitchen, features white cabinetry with Walnut and black accents. This kitchen is the quintessential “Classic Modern” style that I personally relate to the most. This display features modern appliances by Thermidor. Our favorite conversation piece is the built-in steam oven and seconded by the induction cooktop. We have over 17 vignettes and are currently installing a new wine bar today!
We are not a retail store and there is nothing for sale. The showroom is a customer experience center and I am very happy with how it came together. If you haven’t already, please come visit our showroom and if you call ahead, I can set some time aside to give you a tour personally! We have been very well received by our downtown community and are looked at as one of the pioneers of what is now becoming Designers Row!