National Kitchen and Bath Association named DreamMaker remodeling franchise designer Emily Alt to list of young industry leaders

The National Kitchen and Bath Association has named Emily Alt, a designer for the DreamMaker remodeling franchise in Grand Rapids, Michigan, one of the top young professionals in the kitchen and bath industry.

Emily Alt

Emily, 25, works with DreamMaker franchise owners Bill and Jane Wolf. She joined the business after graduating from Adrian College in 2012 with an interior design degree, and she says DreamMaker has given her the opportunity to learn and be part of a team that communicates and works well together.

“It’s a great atmosphere. We all work as a team, and I have been able to learn a lot by working with the carpenters and seeing projects all the way from conception to completion,” Emily says. “It’s not just showing people some nice cabinets and fixtures, selling them and sending them on their way with a ‘good luck!’ We take care of everything for clients, which makes a huge difference.”

The NKBA 30 Under 30 winner says she has grown quite a bit in the two years she has worked with DreamMaker. She has added sales skills to her design background and has embraced opportunities to learn about broad industry trends. The Wolfs sent Emily to Las Vegas in 2014 for the Kitchen Show to learn about new products and remodeling techniques. Emily is going to the show again this year — this time as a presenter — thanks to the 30 Under 30 recognition.

“DreamMaker gives me a lot of tools to be able to pull off interesting designs,” she says. “We have access to products and learning opportunities that really set us apart. DreamMaker is so versatile.”

Remodeling franchise offers creative outlet

Emily says she owes her love of design to her parents and their house projects. When she was little, her father invited her to help decorate a pole barn that he built as a man cave. For decor, she turned a motorcycle wheel into a mirror. It was a fun project, and she was hooked.

When she got to college in 2008, the housing market had just dropped. Some tried to dissuade her from studying interior design and tying her future to real estate and renovation. She knew, however, that four years was a long time and that the housing industry had plenty of time to recover. Four years later, she joined DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Grand Rapids as a major remodeling industry rebound started to take hold.

Before and after: A kitchen designed by Emily Alt of DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

She enjoys working with a variety of clients — some who are open to all kinds of options, and others who have very specific visions for their homes. “I get to help people discover new styles and make their visions into reality.”

She encourages those who are interested in interior design to consider businesses like the DreamMaker remodeling franchise, which helps customers from the beginning of the design process all the way through the completion of the project.

“It’s a completely different experience for the customer and the designer,” Emily says.

Learn more

DreamMaker franchisees and their employees have won a long list of national awards over the years, and it’s a reflection of the caliber of the people who have joined the brand and the systems that are in place to help them serve customers and run a great business. For in-depth details about the DreamMaker remodeling franchise opportunity, download our free franchise report. You also can learn more by visiting our research pages.