Before: This kitchen felt cluttered, dark and tight.
Jackie Dubbe Ohana began as a high school art and English teacher, then worked as a newspaper editor. But she wanted more creativity and artistry in her life, and she’d always loved rolling up her sleeves to tackle remodeling projects. She went back to college. “My family saw the top of my head for a year, because I was studying all the time” she laughs. She got her certification in kitchen and bath design and launched J Dubbe Design shortly thereafter.
She fondly recalls her first project, where she swung sledge hammers and crow bars right beside the contractors on demolition day, then painted the new walls. She loves to do the physical work of remodeling whenever she can. “I love that! I’ve laid tile, leveled floors, done demolition, installed back splashes, put in electrical outlets, wires and sockets, anything they’ll let me help with, because then I’ll understand it better,” says Jackie.
Understanding exactly what her clients need is precisely what Jackie does as a designer. “Kitchen or bath designers aren’t interior decorators,” she says. “They know architecture and how the systems of a home work, from electrical and plumbing, to the way cabinets are sized.”
It’s her job to ask lots of questions of her clients. How many people are you cooking for? What do you like to cook? Do you like roll-outs or not? That way her designs will be comfortable and easily support her clients’ lifestyles.
“I understand how you might use your kitchen better than a contractor might,” says Jackie. Shopping with her clients offers insight into their tastes and preferences. “Just yesterday I was shopping with a client, and when she looked at a particular vanity, I saw her eyes light up. I knew- we’re going to build the rest of the bathroom around that. A contractor isn’t watching for that, but I am.”
After: Jackie’s design removed a wall, installed beautiful floor to ceiling cabinetry to maximize storage space and both task and ambient lighting to create an open, inviting space.
That combination of intuition, planning and design also appeal to her in Waldorf education. Her children have attended City of Lakes Waldorf School since Kindergarten, and this year, they will graduate. “While teaching in public schools, I saw the arts diminish, but they’re at the forefront in Waldorf. They’re doing a play, and the circus, and they have recess and go outdoors. Their teacher has become like part of the family,” she says. The education has been valuable to their family and that’s why Jackie has been a longtime school sponsor.
“Waldorf is attuned to kids and treats them as creators. It isn’t stifling. It’s just a great place for kids to be kids.”