For its second event in a series of regional trade show experiences, Design Edge Co. heads to the Pacific Northwest this spring to host a unique two-day event for interior designers at Fremont Studios in Seattle’s Fremont Arts District, March 2 - 3.
Here, the design community from Washington State, Oregon, Vancouver, B.C., and surrounding areas, will gain direct access to home furnishings brands and executives, along with special product previews, educational programming and networking activities.
Design Edge is a first-of-its-kind, highly curated, trade-only event, bringing the best designer-focused industry brands to interior designers across North America.
Event partners and sponsors for Seattle in March include NWSID Seattle and Portland Chapters, ASID Washington State, ASID Oregon, High Point Market Authority, National Kitchen and Bath Assn. and Luxe Interiors + Design magazine, as the media sponsor.
On the event’s opening day, programming includes a NWSID sponsored presentation from 10 - 11 am, “What’s Next in Wellness and Sustainable Design,” with a host of panelists, including acclaimed interior designers Barclay Butera and Thom Filicia, as well as executives from Palecek, Seasonal Living and Vanguard brands. A cocktail reception is scheduled for 4 to 6 pm.
On Thursday, March 3, interior design coach and author Melissa Galt leads a session from 9 to 10 am for designer-entrepreneurs on the topic of how to leverage flat fees for billing. Galt will also moderate an afternoon panel discussion, from 2 - 3:30 pm, featuring nationally recognized interior designers Beth Dotolo of Pulp Design Studios; Paula Kennedy of Timeless Kitchen Design; and Garrison Hullinger of Garrison Hullinger Interior Design; along with executives from Taylor King, Woodbridge and Charleston Forge.
To attend Design Edge Seattle, interior designers may register here at no charge. [https://bit.ly/35trgCF] Information about room block reservations at the W Hotel located at 1112 4th Ave. is also available on the website. Contact Lee Hershberg at lee@designedgeco.com with questions.
The inaugural Design Edge event was held in Boston last September. A majority of last fall’s participating furnishings manufacturers have committed to exhibit again, at the March event.
Design Edge Co. brings the trade show to the interior designer, according to founder and CEO Lee Hershberg. “We’ve landed on a winning formula for both designers and vendors,” he says.
“Design Edge allowed me to connect with vendors that I adore and haven’t seen,” says interior designer Prudence Bailey who made the trip to Boston from her home base in New Canaan, CT. “I can see new products from vendors that I’ve ordered from, and also meet new vendors and have the opportunity to see their goods, so overall, it’s a worthwhile investment of time.”
Interior designer Robin Gannon, based in Lexington, MA, described her experience at the Boston event this way. “[It’s] a great representation of High Point Market on a nice, manageable scale. All your reps are there so you can understand more about how to buy from them. You can do a sit-test, and touch and feel the products.”
From the vendor perspective, Dan Minor, president of Charleston Forge says, “At the inaugural event in Boston, Charleston Forge was introduced to 176 design firms with which we were not previously connected, we opened eight accounts with orders, and others are moving forward. With these new connections, we have a new target group. We have seen the appreciation shown by the New England Designers to us for making the effort to travel to the event, which will result in positive outcomes from our marketing efforts. Also, in the greater Boston area, we utilize M-Geough as our to the trade showroom. We have seen an acceleration of orders with them since the event.”
“When we first heard about the Design Edge platform, we were immediately on board,” addss Tara Rogers, vp sales and merchandising for Taylor King. “We had such high expectations for the first event in Boston, and we’re happy to say that Design Edge Boston exceeded our expectations. The event was very well organized, and it was attended by an impressive amount of high-end design firms. The interaction we had with the designers was outstanding. We’re looking forward to Seattle in March 2022.”
Future Design Edge Co. events are scheduled in key markets around the country through 2023. Design Edge Co. is on Instagram @designedgeco
