Napa Home and Garden has named Darrell Gardner as Vice President of Creative. Gardner will lead Napa’s creative teams in product design and development, showrooms and photography.
“Darrell brings an extensive knowledge of global sourcing and merchandising to Napa” says company President and Founder KC Cunningham. “He will help our company grow and develop new products in the Napa tradition. We know he’ll use his expansive industry knowledge to build on the successes of the Napa Brand.”
Prior to this new role, Gardner was the Director of Product Development, Furniture and Accessories at ELK Group International. In over seven years at ELK, he worked on all aspects of design and development, sourcing, photography and showroom planning. Before ELK, Gardner was a Product and Visual Merchandising Designer for Two’s Company. His love of travel, art and architecture have facilitated over sixty trips to Europe and Asia in the past seven years, giving him a wealth of knowledge, as well as enriching his life.
“Napa is so well regarded in the industry because of their beautifully crafted products and stunning showrooms,” Gardner states. “I couldn’t be more excited to join a team of such talented professionals. I’m thrilled to bring my skills and industry knowledge to Napa and to create new offerings for their customers.”
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Gardner earned his Masters of Fine Arts in Interior Environments from Virginia Commonwealth University. He joined Napa at the beginning of December and is helping the company in preparation for the launch of their new Atlanta showroom at January Market.
“I recognize Napa’s strong foundation within the home décor segment,” adds Gardner. “I understand their aesthetic and their importance to retailers and designers --- and I look forward to expanding on that.” Napa welcomes buyers to stop by their new showroom during January market to meet Gardner in person. Their new showroom is located at AmericasMart, Building 2, 10th Floor, Suite 1010.
