In this lively podcast episode, Amandork from Foster Decor Consulting chats with the dynamic Jamie McConnell, founder of The Cabinet Nerd. Their conversation kicks off with a fun backstory about how they met through design groups and social media, where Jamie initially hid behind a family-inspired logo.
As they reminisce about their journey together, Jamie shares how she transformed from a shy introvert to confidently showcasing her personality and expertise in the design world. This evolution has not only empowered her but has also allowed her to embrace her passion for cabinetry and kitchen design fully.
As the discussion heats up, Jamie dives into current trends in kitchen design, emphasizing the shift away from cookie-cutter layouts towards personalized, functional spaces that truly cater to individual needs. She highlights the growing preference for unique materials like Calacatta Viola marble, which adds a dramatic flair to kitchens while still prioritizing functionality.
Jamie's enthusiasm for collaborating with interior designers shines through as she explains how she enjoys marrying technical precision with bold aesthetics, making her a powerhouse partner in any design project. The episode wraps up on an uplifting note, celebrating Jamie's journey of self-discovery and her commitment to supporting fellow designers, making it clear that her passion for design is matched only by her love for community and collaboration.
Transcript
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Hey everybody. Welcome to peer 2 peer podcast with me, your host Amandork from Foster, Decor consulting, and today we have Jamie McConnell founder and designer of The Cabinet Nerd, girl.Â
Jamie McConnell: Okay Hi, welcome.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Okay, I'm super excited to have you on because we work together now, it's been actually a few years, right? …
Jamie McConnell: Yeah. Yeah.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: when we started to work together, was that back in I want to say 2020,…
Jamie McConnell: Definitely 2022. is when we started working on our website and branding. And I think I started following you on Instagram in 2021, so it's been a while.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Yes, so how we met was following each other. I think we both were in the design Facebook groups and I was cherry-picking. I was going around and cherry-picking the cool people following them and you had shared all these really cool renders and I was like Man this guy is so cool. This Thomas painter or whatever the name was and it was a logo and I just thought you were dude for the longest time and then't know. I think it was maybe months later. You had updated your photo and everyone was like, what?
Jamie McConnell: Surprise.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Wait wait your name is Jamie can be a guy or girl's name, but still I remember the Thomas Sphincter or something like that. And can you explain why we were all confused?
Jamie McConnell: Mm- Yeah. It was Yes,…I'm an introvert B. I'm really shy and didn't want to be putting myself. I want to say private and… I want to be putting myself out online for the whole world to see and know my business. And then I had initially named my company after my family and… my family names because they're my motivation, So Thomas J studios, my dad's Thomas,…
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Okay.
Jamie McConnell: my brother is Thomas my siblings so we all have jays in our name so it…so it was just a tribute to my family but,
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: But I mean look how far youve come you have a female profile picture. You identify as female you are showing your face.
Jamie McConnell: Yes.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: You're not hiding behind that logo. I mean, we did a lot, From when we met and doing the design challenges that I would host, and to the point of what, I think I need this VIP intensive. I think I need to figure out, who I am, and how to really help my business. So you remember what that was like, gosh years ago now,
Jamie McConnell: No. I was really scared. I was really nervous and apprehensive, I just wanted to design and that's just what I love doing. And so the whole marketing and branding my business, it was New to me. I was like I have to do.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Yeah.
Jamie McConnell: What and Why is this important? it's just all the jobs I was getting at the time was all referral.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Yeah.
Jamie McConnell: So I'm like, Why do I have to market? and that was with us working together. That was something that you really really helped me to understand. And it's just that, businesses so much more than me doing what I love but it really is about building those connections and those relationships and I have to be the face of my business. Whether I'm shy and introverted. I have to be, the cabinet nerd avatar, and come on and be The person for my business. So that was One of the many things that you really helped me with and now, look at me. Now I'm sitting here on a project.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Yeah, I love it now. I mean, you are so talented. You obviously are very nerdy and love everything about cabinets and kitchen design and things like that. But yes, when you are a small business owner and you're supposed to be wearing a lot of hats, and sometimes people do and then sometimes people have a stack of hats, next to the door or in the trash can. And so it's like, Okay, you really don't have to do everything for your business, but somebody does. So that's where you can either delegate that out or, just all right. I'm gonna do a branding photo shoot. I'm gonna hate every minute of it, but for the success of my business, I mean stranger danger is real as we're all online service providers and we have to kind of build that trust, nurture our followers and get them to understand us because especially when you changed your profile picture, just that act of seeing, an actual….
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Human being. I mean, this was even before we're working together, just peers It was like, my gosh, I just felt like I really got to know you like even if it was still a guy, a picture of Thomas, whoever Thomas was in that moment, it would have been guy. That's awesome. I feel closer to you, and I definitely feel a lot closer to you.
Jamie McConnell: Yeah, I think a lot of people, yes.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: And no, but you're just so cool and fun and easy to talk to and you are again, one of the cherry-picked people. I was just like Hey you want to be in this design, chill out challenge with me and 10 other people and you guys are the cool kids.
Jamie McConnell: Thank you, Amanda.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Tell me a little bit about your style because that's always my favorite part is really figuring out your design style and your niche. And that's kind of what the VIP intensive is for. It's very self-discovery and I think that's something you actually said while you were doing it my gosh, I'm learning so much about me through, this questionnaire and these worksheets that I gave you. I give you a lot of homework.
Jamie McConnell: Yeah. you did…which again being kind of a nerdy junkie. I'm like I need homework and it was such a great process and I got to learn so much about myself and who I was as a person and now evolving into being a business owner Because I spent so many years designing for other people and homeowners and clients I really did not get to know who I was as a style. But over the past couple years,…
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Yeah.
Jamie McConnell: I've really seen a lot of commonalities come through and I love using the right product for the project, the craftsmanship and the quality, and the cabinets, and the materials and using natural materials and sourcing, what's local to us. And I realize, wait a minute that's all craftsmen and prairie style architecture. And I was like, that makes me happy and I grew up in the Midwest, I went to design school in Chicago, so Frank Lloyd Wright was such a huge influence.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: yeah, he still is
Jamie McConnell: And I didn't realize until a few years ago, my mom's house, I grew up in was a craftsman bungalow house. I was like, we had all the heavy eves and the big porches I was like I just meant to be…
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: wow.
Jamie McConnell: where I am right now and it was so good for you to be able to pull that out of me. And it's all coming together now.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Yeah, I'm so glad so okay, so we fast forward to now after you learned a lot about who you really wanted to help and what are you doing in your business? what is Jamie? The cabinet nerds for those who don't know.
Jamie McConnell: Jamie the cabinet nerd as far as style or… what I'm like projects that I work on.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Who you help because I remember, we were kind of targeting homeowners for a while and…then we switched it to your peers.
Jamie McConnell: Mm-hmm Yes, I'm still very heavily involved in my peers, in interior designers and remodelers. It's really just more business to business. I love those collaborations with the interior designers, I'm definitely more on the technical side. So the aesthetics are really challenging for me to lay out, all the materials and the aesthetics. So I love partnering with interior designers that are just bold and colorful and…
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie McConnell: then marrying the two of us together just projects are phenomenal. So yeah.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: So that's the ultimate dream team. Okay, all of you interior designers out there since this is peer-to-peer that's why I like hosting our peers because we can help each other. that there's so many kitchens that a lot of designers won't do because it gets you technical, and they don't want to deal with all the measurements and my gosh, that I would love to just focus on the finishes and make the pretty part. So you really are you said a powerhouse team. If you can find all those interior designers out there that are turning down kitchen projects, call Jamie the cabinet nerd. She's got She will do all the boring stuff you don't want to do. That's really exciting for
Jamie McConnell: It is, that's what, all that designers are all out in the field and talking to people and measurements and going to the shops. I was like, No. it sounds crazy. I love reading blue parents and reading through the spec books, just to make sure that everything's gonna fit and function. And it's Just what I do. Just the technical side. Yeah.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: I love that because it sparks joys, are those technical blueprints,…
Jamie McConnell: Yeah. It does. Yeah.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: measurements like that is awesome, I love that. So, That's who you help right other interior designers so no more homeowners. Are you completely out of the homeowner game? Okay.
Jamie McConnell: no, I have so much experience and education with homeowners and a lot of times, the designers will bring me in and have me work one-on-one with their homeowners Or I've had a lot of designers,…Hey, I don't have the capacity to take this on. So then I do work just one-on-one with the homeowners and I love the homeowner aspect because I really get to Really dive down and get to know them and…understand their style and learn about their needs and lifestyle. And it's just Those kinds of collaborations, the really personal collaborations. Those really make a big impact too.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: That's so homeowners out there too. If you are listening, Jamie will accept you. But is there a particular style that you gravitate to when it comes to projects? Are there any styles that you actually turn down? If it's like Okay no I don't do modern minimalism or I don't do farmhouse or you just up for anything.
Jamie McConnell: I've never turned down a project based on a style. I will turn down a project based on boundaries and personalities if we don't mesh well.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Okay. That's good.
Jamie McConnell: if we won’t be a good fit to me that's more important than the style. Yeah, but there are definite wish list projects that I have.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Yes. Okay, Tell me.
Jamie McConnell: Yes, so I do have a design bucket list. I call it and it's the lack hornu French range. Man. yeah,… I went to a training. gosh, probably last year and they were specializing in the lockhorne and it is just ham crafted perfection.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Okay, I said nothing, not safe for work, but this is kitchen p***. We're talking about right now.
Jamie McConnell: Yes, yes, again, I don't know what it is. it's something about the materials and the craftsmanship. And that each piece is literally still handmade by dozens of team of skilled craftsmen and artisans. And the clients who want a lock or new are one of two people, they're either love to cook and appreciate that precision and the materials and how it enhances their own skill your client or homeowner, who just Is setting an experience. for their guests, for their family and those are just two types of clients that I want to work with.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Wow, that is Okay, so speaking of trends and things that are exciting what are you loving right now in terms of design trends and things like that that's going on
Jamie McConnell: Good question. So I'm not focusing so much on the material trends but what? All my designers and remodelers and even homeowners are coming for and asking me for is functionality in their kitchen. Yeah. And it's grown every year since covid. And it's just, we were all at home, we all had to start cooking a lot more and everyone's just realizing what does and doesn't work in their space and they just really want a space to work for them. And My designers on the homeowners who come to me are so over. The cookie cutter layouts and the builder grade materials and it just doesn't work for them.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Wow, that's exciting. So they're moving away from Cookie cutter and getting more custom.
Jamie McConnell: Yes, yes. And it's Not even to the scale of hundred thousand dollar custom cabinets. It's just a layout that works for them. If it's the dishwasher needs to be on the left because your left handed, that's a custom kitchen to me and just making that space work for the users in that kitchen. That's what a custom kitchen is to me.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: So that's what's exciting. it's again Jamie the cabinet nerd is very nerdy very technical and now you're homeowners, are kind of getting to that point too where they do, want some technicalities, with form over function. So, that's very interesting. Yeah, you're trending right now.
Jamie McConnell: Yes, yes. Yeah, and It is, and of course, everyone wants their kitchen spaces to be beautiful. But so many more people are coming and saying, I just need this to work for me the Builder grade the mullions in the center I can't open a pot and pan I just want drawers that kind of functionality is everyone is asking for that. So
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: But they still want the natural stone, They still want those. Particular materials, too.
Jamie McConnell: Yes, I'm still seeing a lot of natural stone and being asked definitely natural stone is high up on the list. But it's not so much the whites and the Grays anymore. I've done about three projects now where we've used the Calcutta Viola I think is the name and so it's the white background but it has a purplish veining through it and it's either really subtle or really dramatic in places but it's such a statement piece and those are the kinds of collections and stories that my homeowners and clients are putting into there into their kitchens.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Yeah, you did mention that the calicata, Viola countertops,…a white or off, white marble from Italy with deep purple violet veining and…I just thought, my gosh, this is perfect for your branding because you are all about the purple And natural materials and I didn't even know that was a natural color that you could even get.
Jamie McConnell: Yeah it is and that's what's great about being able for homeowners to partner with an interior designer. Is We know what's out there? You just tell us, what it is. You're dreaming of and wishing for and we're gonna find it and we're gonna make it work for you.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: You love the scavenger hunt, So when a client tells you I don't want to bring this up, but I do like X You're like, my gosh, that constraint actually gives us, inspiration and creativity, then versus that,…white board where. It's just like, anything surprise me. It's like, Wait, I don't know. It's too many options. You need to narrow things down.
Jamie McConnell: Yes, yes. And that's who is where designers again, they know what's out there? So they can say, I've worked with this and I don't prefer this material for XYZ reason. So here, let's, keep you just in your lane so that let's say in our lane, on this particular design
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Love that. what are you currently working on right now?
Jamie McConnell: quite a few projects. So I do peer reviews for a showroom. I had three of them come across my desk. again it's super attention to detail and making sure that what they're specifying in their contract is being ordered. And what's being ordered is actually going to fit their space and making sure the cabinets are sized and door hinges are swinging correctly and appliance cutouts are our size appropriately and custom appliance panels. And so It's a lot of back and forth, attention to detail, referencing researching, a lot of the technical nerdy stuff that I enjoy doing.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: So you help draw and quote, their product lines as well, and 2020 design software.
Jamie McConnell: Yes. Yes. So a lot of cabinet dealers or showrooms that just kind of have an overflow of work and they don't want to hire another designer. Hey Jamie,…can you help us take this off our plate? real quick. And yeah, absolutely. that's something I love doing as well.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: And are there any design events that you've been going to or headed to anytime soon?
Jamie McConnell: So kind of going back to that whole countertop last week. Two weeks ago, I went to Rocktoberfest So it was a local slab yard here in the Dallas area and they truly believe that stone is art. And so they had so many different forms of art. We had a live band, they had a live artists doing workshops. They had artists come in and hang their paintings off the slabs. So their art was for sale. They turned the whole side of their warehouse wall into a video display. And I saw probably half a dozen the 10 different purplish veining.So The materials are there. They're just waiting to be selected and installed.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Wow, that sounds so cool. And is there another place that you're headed to or have gone to I think design hounds right at kbis.
Jamie McConnell: yes, nothing is official yet but I decided that this is the time or my season to just say To opportunities that are scaring me and pushing my comfort zone. And yes. So I did apply for Design Hounds Cave is this year. To be on the panel. So,
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Good for you, girl, I love that you're putting yourself out there. That's awesome. What about in Chicago?
Jamie McConnell: Yes, very much so.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Anything happening over there?
Jamie McConnell: I mean, I can never turn down a trip to Chicago, just, being my hometown. So yes, I was just a couple weeks ago. I was gonna road trip out there and meet up with some of my other design colleagues. They're designed Chicago Week, which is a tiny mini version of K-biz, but it was all held at the Mart with all the,…the vendor showrooms. And we're all gonna go and support one of our girls. She was talking on one of the panels. So we're all just gonna meet up and catch, some more design trends and support each other, and have a girl's day on the following day.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Wow, that is awesome. And what about nkba anything happening over there?
Jamie McConnell: October is our national kitchen and Bath month. So our local Texas chapter. We host A, I keep saying I'm still on the Council. Yes. Yes, but yes. So we host our biggest event of the year we recognize and celebrate all of our local designers, we hosted design wards and just get a chance to have our homeowners meet with the local designers and recognize everyone. So that's a really fun time. And then yeah we have our holiday event and…in December. So yeah, just wrapping up the year with our local nkba chapter
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: So, you're not on the council anymore, but you're still an active member, right?
Jamie McConnell: Yes, I'm still an active member. I still go to our monthly meetings which reminds me that last month I won Trivia night. Yeah, we are at the new kichler showroom down in the design district,and we hosted a trivia night.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: What girl? what kind of questions were they asking that you answered?
Jamie McConnell: So it was about Dallas architecture, which I'm not even from Dallas. I'm from Chicago. And I won. Yeah, there was obviously kitchen design questions and planning guidelines. There were lighting questions. So some of my dabbling in photography, kind of helped with those questions. Yeah, and…then there was some general pop culture questions.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: that is so cool. is there anything else that you want to add to before we wrap up? And I mean, this was great. It's been such an honor to have you on the show.
Jamie McConnell: That. I mean, I owe you such a huge. Thank you. I mean I can say real three years later.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Aww im gonna cry
Jamie McConnell: I'm really coming back to being full circle. personally, I just went through and decided to leave a very toxic marriage. And that I had separated from it, emotionally and physically. I got to see how muddy my life was And I really saw how all that translated into my business. And so when we were filling out those initial design questionnaires man,…you had a really hard job of trying to get that information from me and make it into a clean website and…
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: You definitely had some walls there. But it’s a process!
Jamie McConnell: Yes.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: I remember when we were first kind of working together and you were shy about things like you can be shy but then you can also be very energetic and enthusiastic and really dive into the homework. So I applaud you for working as hard as you did. I mean, you filled stuff out like it was diary, entry.
Jamie McConnell: and it was, part of a personal exploration but no, we've just Man to just be able to come full circle now. And like I said to just sit here and I am now the face of my business and the brand of my business and it's what I love to do and you're really able to Pull that out of me. So I just wanted to say thank you.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Thank you so much. I always connect a lot with my clients…
Jamie McConnell: Welcome.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: because about 90% of my clients are peers first. And that's where I think we really just shine is just helping each other as peers and as women and just as people. So to me sometimes the job isn't even a job. when you love what you do and it's just about like you said the connections that you even have with your homeowners and your peers and what you do. it's just so natural, it's very organic. And, I don't feel like, I have to go to work and look at, worksheets, it's like, I get to learn about Jamie!Â
Jamie McConnell: you did and it's just a huge. Thank you to be able to be sitting here now and just come full circle. So yeah, huge thank you.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: my gosh, I loved working with you. I love your work. I love everything that you do and I'm just so grateful. You came on our show because you are definitely a huge part of the design community. Everybody go follow, is @JamietheCabinetnerd for your social media handle.
Jamie McConnell: Instagram is @JamiethecabinetnerdÂ
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: And your website.
Jamie McConnell: then Website is just straight up the cabinetnerd.com
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: Yes everybody, please follow her, especially you designers out there who are listening. You guys can have a great partnership, she will do literally all of the boring stuff. How I feel. I just want to do the color part, And look at the materials and the furniture and all of the pizzazz. As I think we call it and you're just like no, that's the boring stuff like that.
Jamie McConnell: So I know, I like what I see, but I don't know…how to pull it together. And it's just I prefer being The behind the stage and lifting up the designers. that's my favorite part.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: I love that. we have that in common, we both lift up our peers and so that's why you're on the spirit of peer podcast. So thank you again. everybody say bye. Jamie. Thank you so much for being on this podcast and…
Jamie McConnell: Bye everybody. Thank you.
Amandork | Foster Decor Consulting: you guys tune in next time for another peer-to-peer podcast.Â
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