NKBA’s VFTI Conference at KBIS 2025 offers a powerful array of CEU-qualified learning sessions.
By Dianne M. Pogoda
NKBA’s highly regarded Voices from the Industry Conference at KBIS 2025 in Las Vegas provides attendees the opportunity to learn about the latest trends and business strategies shaping the future of the industry and earn CEU credits, with options for on-site training or on-demand viewing after the show.
The VFTI series is generously sponsored by Floor & Decor.
Subject Matter Experts will conduct more than 70 sessions for the upcoming edition, Feb. 25 to 27 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Seminars and workshops are organized into six tracks: Building & Remodeling, Design, Hot Topics, K&B Trends, Leadership & Management, and Marketing. KBIS attendees may purchase a package including the Expo pass plus a conference pass for all on-site VFTI presentations and unlimited access to on-demand sessions throughout 2025. All sessions are CEU-qualified.
Here’s a closer look at the 16 sessions in the Design track.
Tuesday, February 25
Unlocking Space: Innovative Solutions for Small Condos
9 – 10 am
Instructors: Shaily Godhani, Industrial Designer, Estheteak; Mansi Makadia, Product Designer, Estheteak
Ability Level: Beginner
Discover game-changing strategies for maximizing kitchen and closet space in shrinking condo designs. Explore the efficiency of sliding doors over hinges and the sleek practicality of lighted profiles as space-expanding handles. Join us to revolutionize your approach to modern interior design.
Luxury Accessibility: How to Create Beautiful & Functional Bathrooms for Aging in Place
10:45 – 11:45 am
Instructor: Carol Chiang, Founder, Presenter, Occupational Therapist Evolving Homes
Ability Level: Intermediate
This presentation demonstrates how luxurious and accessible design can seamlessly coexist. Learn how to transform bathrooms into spaces that blend stunning design with comfort and safety for aging individuals, and how to overcome the misconception that accessible bathrooms are institutional and sterile. Discover how strategic planning and thoughtful design increase home value and reduce stress during unexpected transitions, and how to collaborate with clients to create personalized, stylish, and functional bathrooms that cater to individual lifestyles.
Navigating Through the Forest of Finishes
10:45 – 11:45 am
Instructor: Sarah Nielson, Designer, Presenter, Showplace Cabinetry Design Center
Ability Level: Beginner
Wood species conversations are among designers’ most common issues. Expectations are high and sometimes unrealistic, especially when it comes to exotics or “livelier” wood characteristics. This session explores the differences and characteristics of common wood species used in K&B design, offers tips on how to navigate these conversations, and shares important details to help manage clients’ expectations and help them understand the various finishes.
AI Meets Design: Workshop for Kitchen & Bath Designers
12:30 – 2 pm
Instructor: Vanessa DeKoekkoek, Product Manager, Design, Presenter, Cyncly
Ability Level: Intermediate
Step into the forefront of kitchen and bath design with a hands-on exploration of how generative artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing today’s industry. This dynamic session illustrates how you can utilize AI in creating personalized, captivating spaces. Discover how AI tools are inspired by each step of the design process, and how they are reshaping the design landscape in real time. Through live demonstrations and compelling real-world examples, you’ll walk away with tools to enhance your design business.
The Power of Process: Stop the Crazy and Take Control of Your Design Process
12:30 – 2 pm
Instructor: Betsy Brandenburg, Owner, VFTI, Designer Sanity
Ability Level: Beginner
Having an effective design process is the foundation for getting organized, taking control of your time, and increasing your profits. Designers tend to underestimate the time it really takes to bring a design from programming through completion. This session will break down each step and help designers gain a thorough understanding of the time needed to complete the process. Attendees will complete their own process workbook and leave with a finished, customized design plan they can use to elevate their business.
Do You Measure Up? Creating Healthier Living Spaces
3:15 – 4:15 pm
Instructor: Jillian Pritchard Cooke, Founder, Presenter, Wellness Within Your Walls
Ability Level: Intermediate
Consumer demand for wellness-focused spaces is rising, emphasizing the importance of holistic approaches in kitchen and bath design. This session explores practical steps to create healthier living spaces that attract clients and enhance profitability. Attendees will discover how to integrate sustainable materials, resilient fixtures, and innovative technologies to achieve aesthetically pleasing and health-enhancing environments. Learn about innovative design principles focused on advancements in ventilation, materials, and smart technologies, and how these elements promote wellness.
Enhancing Your Designs with Biophilic Lighting
4:15 – 5:15
Instructor: Hannah Hacker, Owner, ASD Market Week Educational Series, Adapt Design, LLC
Ability Level: Intermediate
Buildings that incorporate biophilic design elements can enhance the health and well-being of their occupants. This presentation explores how design professionals bring some of the benefits of biophilic design into their projects through creative lighting strategies.
Wednesday, February 26
Hydrotherapy to Hydration: Enhancing Home Wellness with Water Solutions
2:15 pm – 3:15 pm
Instructor: Paula Kennedy, CMKBD, Founder, Presenter, Timeless Kitchen Design
Ability Level: Intermediate
This seminar reveals the transformative power of water in residential design, from hydrotherapy to hydration, the benefits of water therapy (steam, hot-water, and cold-water treatments), and how to integrate these into wellness-focused home environments. Learn about the importance of water quality, whole-home filtration systems, advanced kitchen technologies like insta-hot faucets and connected appliances for water purification, and the psychological and emotional benefits of water, focusing on biophilia and its calming effects on the mind and body.
Thursday, February 27
What Stone is This? An Interactive Experience
8 – 9:30 am
Instructors: Dacia Woodworth, Architect & Design Community Liaison, Natural Stone Institute; Mark Meriaux, Manager of Accreditation and Safety Programs, Natural Stone Institute
Ability Level: Intermediate
Clear up confusion about various natural stone types and how they perform in this “science lab” session. New colors of natural stone are introduced regularly, but their stone type may be mislabeled. This can cause confusion about practical application and care for countertops. This session illustrates how to identify various stone types, so designers may properly advise clients about use, care, and performance in the home.
2025 Global Color and Design Trends
9 – 10 am
Instructor: Ruthanne Hanlon, National Color & Design Manager, Presenter, PPG Architectural Coatings
Ability Level: Beginner
Step into the future of design with a captivating exploration of color and design trends for 2025 and beyond, meticulously crafted to resonate with evolving consumer moods and mindsets. Ruthanne Hanlon delves into the influential forces shaping these transformative shifts, ensuring your ability to create spaces that not only meet but exceed the desires of your clients. This session promises invaluable insights into the next wave of design innovation.
Creating Luxe Design at Bargain Prices with Tamara Day
12:15 – 1:15 pm
Instructor: Tamara Day, TV Host & Designer, Presenter, Tamara Day Design
Ability Level: Intermediate
Good taste doesn’t always require a big budget. Tamara Day, designer and host of the hit TV show “Bargain Mansions” on the Magnolia Network, shares her unique insights into every aspect of the remodeling process, from essential plumbing considerations to selecting the perfect light fixture. She elaborates on her expertise with key ingredients that peak in a beautiful living space, with tips and tricks and her inspiring take on the latest design trends of the year.
Universal Design Innovation Secrets
12:30 – 1:30 pm
Instructor: Catherine Deutschlander, MN-AS, CKBD, CAPS, CID, CEO | Founder, Presenter, CW Design
Ability Level: Beginner
Picture yourself navigating a narrow hallway with a laundry basket, your child trying to reach the microwave placed above the stove, or your grandparents maneuvering a walker through the house. These scenes and situations embody Universal Design, which permeates all our living spaces. Universal Design integrates principles and guidelines of the ADA from commercial spaces into our homes, promoting everyday health, safety, and well-being. This session presents practical, proven examples and strategies for designing a safe home environment for everyone.
Unleash Your Design Voice: Embracing Your True Design Style — From Classic Neutrals to Bold in Kitchens & Baths
1:15 – 2:45 pm
Instructors: Rachel Moriarty, CEO and Principal Designer, Rachel Moriarty Interiors; Sharon Sherman, Founder and Owner, Thyme & Place Design
This invigorating, interactive workshop breaks free from cookie-cutter design norms. Explore a world where design meets individuality and learn to identify your design DNA, discover your unique aesthetic, and uncover your authentic design voice. You’ll learn about the strategic use of color to craft kitchens and baths that resonate with your client’s personal flair; gain insights on merging technical expertise with creative freedom; learn to blend essential technicalities with imaginative expression to achieve beautiful, functional spaces, and much more. Walk away with practical tools and tips to confidently infuse your personal style into every project.
What Do You Need to Know About Color When Designing a Bathroom?
2:15 – 3:15 pm
Instructor: Amy Bartlett, Creative Director, VFTI, Kast Concrete Basins Ltd.
Ability Level: Intermediate
This session explores the impact of different colors on mood and emotions and how color choices can create a calming, invigorating, or luxurious bathroom experience. Case studies will illustrate successful bathroom color schemes and their psychological effects. Attendees will learn strategies for integrating both bold and subtle colors, the role of accent colors and how to balance them with neutrals, basic color theory, techniques for creating harmonious color schemes, and more.
Wellness in the Kitchen: Cultivating Health through Kitchen Workstation Design
5 pm – On-Demand Only
Instructors: Gabby Vonigas, Director of Sales, The Galley; Samantha Jaramillo, Director of A&D, The Galley
Ability Level: Beginner
This course explores the intersection of kitchen design and wellness, focusing on how the thoughtful selection and integration of appliances can enhance health and well-being. Participants will learn how to design kitchen spaces that promote efficiency, organization, and ergonomic principles to reduce stress and fatigue while cooking. Through a holistic approach to kitchen design, including considerations like layout and appliance placement, attendees will discover how to create environments that inspire healthy cooking habits and facilitate meal preparation.
Throughput: The Key to Keeping the Design Department Flowing
5 pm – On-Demand Only
Instructor: Doug Howard, Director of Consulting, Presenter, Remodelers Advantage
Ability Level: Intermediate
This presentation will focus on strategies for streamlining the design process, prioritizing work to maintain a steady production flow, and removing obstacles to making it all work successfully.
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Early-bird pricing is available through Jan. 10, 2025. NKBA members pay $575, and non-members are $775. From Jan. 11 to Feb. 22, members are $675, non-members are $875, and for on-site registration, Feb. 23 to 27, members are $775, and non-members are $875. (Student and faculty rates are also available, click for more detail.)
For more detail and a full schedule of sessions, click here.
