Case Study: Cassidy Davis – The Modernist Group
June 4, 2021
The Modernist Group provides specification, budgeting, and installation services for the Häcker cabinet and countertop systems in the US. Headed by Jeffery Sears, founder of the Home Depot Design Center and Pirch, and Design Director Cassidy Davis they work with consumers and multi-family clients. In this case study, we catch up with Cassidy Davis on her experience of using Winner in her inspirational kitchen designs.
How did you get into kitchen design?
I always wanted to design, as my Dad was an architect and I always had a love for design. Instead of following in my Dad’s steps, I wanted to specialize in one field in particular, so he recommended I learn in the field. I applied to work as an intern in a design house selling German brands in Texas where I first turned my passion into a career.
After a few years, I moved to Dubai where I was a senior designer for a market-leading Häcker branch. Working in the UAE, taught me to work quickly and accurately, as most of the sales needed to be done on the first meeting. Winner really helped with this, as it provides that ‘wow’ moment for customers.
After moving back to the US, I met Jeffery, my business partner who was setting up a new venture to sell Häcker kitchens, and the Modernist Group started from there.
Can you tell us more about the Modernist Group?
The Modernist Group was formed in 2020 by Jeffery Sears, who is the former Co-founder of another successful kitchen retailer Pirch, as well as the Home Depot Design Center. I joined the Modernist Group as a Design Director at its foundation, bringing with me my knowledge of Häcker and Winner. I am responsible for all the design inquiries from designing kitchens through to their installation.
The Modernist Group provides specification, budgeting, and installation services for the Häcker cabinet and countertop systems in San Diego and Baja, California. We don’t have a showroom yet, but we are in the process of creating a beautiful Mobile Showroom, which will be really useful in showcasing our range to developers.
How long have you used Winner Design?
I’ve been using Winner since I moved to Dubai in 2018. I really enjoy it because I can design quickly and always get the “wow” factor from my customers thanks to photorealistic renders. The accuracy of the Häcker catalog in Winner is excellent, which gives me full confidence when I am designing a kitchen that the design and quote will be accurate.
I have used other CAD systems in the past where the realism of the renders falls short. The visualization of a design is very important to sell a kitchen quickly in a very competitive market.
Tell us more about your design process?
I usually start working to sketch out the initial ideas and then I move to design in Winner. The quality of the renders on Winner does the job for us and I have learned to work quickly in front of our customers. Due to the ease of Winner, I can work quickly in front of customers and make changes on the spot. It has never been easier to change styles, colors, and catalogs while creating the dream space for my customer.
What tips do you have for other designers?
The most important tip is to know your clients and build a relationship with them. It is super important for me to bring happiness and emotional connection with the customers in the design. With Winner, I can add the background in the window and some architectural details of their house to help our customers to see themselves in their kitchen.
Why would you recommend Winner Design?
Buying a kitchen has a lot of emotion attached to it, so being able to present an image that transports them into the kitchen is essential and Winner delivers that ‘wow’ moment. Using Winner provides the customer with the confidence they need to purchase quickly. Easily making changes and rendering live in front of the customer eliminates the ability for excitement to wear off, a cheaper alternative to be requested, or the risk of losing the sale entirely.
Find out more about the Modernist Group:
For inspirational designs, see Cassidy Davis’ regular posts on LinkedIn:
