Kasnea Martin, co-founder of Kitchens by Professional Designers and Designer Kitchens and Baths, and president and publisher of the well-known industry-related Kasmar Publications, died recently in Palm Desert, CA.

Martin and her husband, Don, were jointly inducted into the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) Hall of Fame in 2006 in honor of their dedication to design excellence within the kitchen and bath industry.

In the mid-1980s, the Martins had the idea of creating a magazine featuring the work of talented kitchen and bath designers, along with articles focused on kitchen and bath planning topics of interest to consumers. To insure the quality of the projects that were published, the Martins created a selection committee/advisory board of noted industry professionals.

Kasnea Martin’s objective in starting the Kitchens magazine in 1987 was to promote professionally designed kitchens. She felt that consumer magazines did not reflect the talents of kitchen and bath designers, but rather the tastes of editors and, all too often, featured “staged” projects or ones created by interior designers rather than rooms planned by trained kitchen specialists.

Her efforts over the past 22 years provided an opportunity for both new and experienced designers to become recognized for creative and well-produced projects. In addition, she searched out new designers, encouraging them to submit their work for publication, and supported the NKBA and various industry-related educational programs, including the Center for Kitchen and Bath Education and Research (CKBER).

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