Meet Trey Monroe, Kitchen King and 2021 Rising Stars Top 10

Trey Monroe | Age 33
Senior Designer at German Kitchen Center

Within his 15 years in the industry, Trey Monroe has apprenticed with Stan Topol & Associates Inc. in Atlanta and studied kitchens with German Kitchen Center (GKC) in Manhattan. Through a background in marketing and design, a little osmosis and asking a lot of questions, he learned enough about industry personalities, timeless design styles and the famous architects behind them to know this was his calling. Since 2016, he’s been going full-throttle with GKC, where he’s earned multiple awards, including Designer of the Year.

What makes your design style unique?
I seek to always learn and change. My design style is always evolving but maintains a timeless, effortless approach. My craft is different from others before because of my apprenticeship in traditional design from a world-renowned Southern interior designer and then the much more modern style of Manhattan. I am able to blend these two styles into one transitional model that works for the discerning clients of Atlanta. 

How do you give back to your community?
Giving back to the community is super important to me. I like to provide design education for students in the showroom and via Zoom. At GKC, we also offer design services at no charge so people can come into the shop and work with a trained kitchen designer even if they plan to purchase elsewhere. 

What’s the most important part of the home?
The kitchen, duh! This is the main part of a modern home. People spend the most time in this part of the house. It makes sense to have something that works for them in this space. A lot of people think of the ‘resale potential,’ but in reality, the home should reflect the people living there.

What has been your most challenging project?
We designed a kitchen with glossy lacquer in bright blue. At first, I thought the designer was out of her mind, but we selected a color from the Leicht Le Corbusier color palette called Cerulean Blue. This combination of blue lacquer, white glossy and walnut cabinets from Leicht made a perfect kitchen for this client’s lake house. 

www.germankitchencenter.com
www.instagram.com/gkc.atlanta

Meet the 2021 Rising Stars Top 10  & Fab Four Winners. Learn about what makes them excel in the home industry