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BRAND TALK: On Door Glass and the Market’s Demand for Simple, Clean Lines

Brand Talk By ODL

With operations in over 40 metropolitan areas, BMC Stock Holdings (BMC) is one of the largest providers of building products and services to residential builders and contractors in the United States. Its range of capabilities include millwork, structural component manufacturing, consultative showrooms and consultative design centers.

Since merging with Stock Building Supply, BMC’s business has expanded greatly, particularly in the south and west regions of the country. Kay Johnson, BMC showroom manager in West Jordan, Utah, shares her insights on growing industry trends and the value of a welldesigned home entryway.


Q: Your company, BMC, does a great job looking for and responding to trends. Can you talk a little about that, and what trends you’re seeing?
A: I always listen to the designers out there; they give me an idea of what they’re looking for. I also do a lot of searching on my own, for example watching what people share on Pinterest. Whenever I pick up on a trend, I then bring those products in so they’re readily available. These days, the word I keep hearing from both builders and homeowners is “simple.” Simple glass, simple frames, clean lines. No one wants flowery, elegant glass or an oval shape. Everyone wants simple. This clean, modern aesthetic is really bridging a gap across the generations; there are a lot of different demographics wanting the same look.

Q: Tell us about your experience with ODL, Inc. who you’ve worked with for over 15 years now.
A: There’s always been a lot of decorative door glass, but not a lot of creativity. When ODL came out with designs and different caming options, that was huge — helped us get past the brass phase. ODL has always thought ahead, and they’ve been great to work with. They helped me grow my first glass gallery. That really took off. Now, I’ve got a 22,000-square-foot showroom, and nearly every door has ODL glass in it.

Q: What kinds of tools do you use to sell ODL’s Doorglass?
A: I’m a big believer that if you make something easy to buy, people will buy it. We put out a great catalogue and let customers take all the literature they want. We refer people to ODL’s Your Door Stylizer™, which helps folks choose an ODL Doorglass design from a library of images and see how it looks on their house. We also invite customers in to see and touch the glass, which is so different than looking at it online. And it helps to have someone on the showroom floor at all times — gives that warm and fuzzy feeling.

Q: How are customers responding to ODL’s Spotlights® Doorglass?
A: Customers really appreciate that Spotlights comes in so many configurations and styles. They especially like the Frosted and Clear styles for their simplicity, and the shapes sell. ODL has enough shapes available that customers can create their own Doorglass configurations; that’s what makes it fun for them. They feel like they have something the neighbor down the street won’t have. Customers also turn to ODL for a streamlined, sleek frame — part of the trend toward modern doors with clean lines. These days, we’re using ODL glass in a lot of door makeovers — and we’re doing a lot of door makeovers!

Q: Tell us more about the door makeovers.
A: Customers want an upgrade. They just don’t like brass anymore, and sometimes they’re no longer excited by their old sidelights. A makeover is a cost-effective way to do it, because who wants to tear out a door frame if they don’t have to? So if a customer wants a modern look, we can do that with Spotlights — really upgrading their entry. And once one person does a door makeover, their neighbors see and it spreads. We’ve also been able to break into HOAs with door makeovers. HOAs will pick three different looks that owners can select from, giving everyone a sense of power and choice. Honestly, we are killing it with makeovers right now; I wish I could do a segment on a talk show.