By Nicholas Tamarin
Few names are as synonymous with NKBA | KBIS education and excellence as Judith A. Neary, CMKBD. A longtime educator, designer, and advocate for professional growth, Neary has made countless contributions to the NKBA | KBIS community—as a volunteer, chapter officer, and trusted subject matter expert.
As owner of the small boutique Roadside Attraction Design Studio, Judith brings both creativity and technical mastery to every project. She holds NKBA’s highest level of certification and has guided hundreds of designers through the certification process. Beyond NKBA | KBIS, she was an original member of the inaugural Design Advisory Council established by Jenn-Air and continues to contribute to the industry through her partnership with the NKBA | KBIS.
We talked to Neary about her journey and her dedication to increasing professionalism in the industry.
What was the moment or incident that moved you to the design profession?”
I am always interested in what the tipping point is for Creatives that moves them to pursue this segment of the industry. So here is some of my backstory. My journey started with Troll dolls. They were naked, ergonomically challenged, and had no furniture. At age four, I took my younger brother’s building blocks and started creating furniture. I also stole from Barbie, everything except the shoes. I could not make those work for Troll feet. My parents got a small clue about me when my second-grade report card from the nuns stated, “Judy refuses to color within the lines.” Fast forward to junior high. I almost failed drafting class because I put the room dimension between the lines instead of on top of it. Who knew that would become the graphic presentation standard for the NKBA? At one point, I started down the path to becoming an archeologist, but I lost interest when it came to the chemistry classes. In my late twenty’s I went to an astrologer for a larger perspective on life. She told me I was going to go through an epic Saturn return and “to get enrolled in a school that focused on the creative arts,” and by the time I was done, I would find a profession. So, I enrolled in the Design Institute in San Diego. Initially, my career path was in commercial and hospitality, because I was not interested in engaging with homeowners. How ironic that I ended up in this profession.
What would you say to emerging designers to advance their professionalism?
Get dirty. You need to know what it takes to build what you visualize. The contractors will respect you if you understand what is involved in their trade. Learn how to use power tools, do a demo, set a toilet, tape dry wall, and do a dump run to put it all in perspective. I did two years in a millwork and cabinetry course. I was the only female and the only one with all ten fingertips. The knowledge I gained from that experience is still in use today, and I have earned the respect of my project partners. Lastly, it’s not about you and what you want. It’s about your client and their needs and wants. The authentic Creative will set their personal opinion aside and be challenged to find the solution – even if it involves harvest gold, avocado green, or mauve and sea foam green.
What keeps you inspired?
The community where I live and the non-profit organization I lead. To put this in perspective, I am the only kitchen and bath designer in the lower 48 states who practices in a single zip code. Eleven thousand residents, 37 square miles, and the island is only accessible by ferry boat or private plane. The diversity and full spectrum of weird residents is beyond description.
I am inspired – and sometimes terrified – of the homeowners’ requests. Each project has some crazy problem to solve or a random artifact to incorporate into the completed project. I am constantly challenged to do “weird” in a whole new way, and I do it really well.
What perspective could you share regarding certification?
To summarize briefly. First, you need to understand that if you are certified to do something, then you have been recognized as being qualified in that specific activity. The NKBA implemented certification due to the emerging profession specializing in the design of kitchens and baths. Parallel to that was the initiation of title acts defining the roles and responsibilities of professional interior designers.
Since the initial certification testing process established by the NKBA, the requirements to be awarded the designation of CKBD and CMKBD have increased, as they should, due to the evolving complexity of our industry. At the same time, the expectations from homeowners working with a design professional have also increased.
In pursuing certification with the NKBA, you should be motivated by a personal and professional desire to demonstrate your expertise, advance your career, boost your credibility, and open up new opportunities for recognition in this specialized profession.
What’s next for you?
I look forward to continuing to support the NKBA in education and certification. Non-profit work motivates me both personally and professionally and continues to drive me onward. My next big project is to build a community center that supports training programs, entrepreneurship, and community collaboration with other island-based nonprofits.
