AmericasMart Atlanta is staging its second annual Fall Design Week, Sept. 25-29, 2017. Developed with the interior designer in mind, Fall Design Week connects buyers with trends and tastemakers through educational events, networking opportunities and access to hundreds of showrooms and thousands of lines.
“Fall Design Week is another step in AmericasMart’s ongoing evolution and positioning as a key resource for interior designers,” said Jenny Heinzen York, AmericasMart vice president of home. “In extension to our robust Open-Year-Round lineup, Fall Design Week adds hundreds more lines to the buying mix, and our emphasis on business education and CEU sessions makes this week a must-not-miss for the design community.”
In addition to home décor, home accents, rug, gardens and casual furniture showrooms open for the market, designers and retailers will have the opportunity to source from select gift showrooms including Wolf Gourmet, Primitives By Kathy and Kalalou, plus open-year-round showrooms including Creative Co-Op, Appelman Schauben and Daniel Richards.
Designers are treated to a week of educational and networking opportunities, kicking off with a September Soirée celebrating the launch of the new Georgia Chapter of the Interior Design Society on Monday, September 25.
Nicole Ruffing, designer account executive at The Sherwin-Williams Company kicks off the programming on Tuesday, September 26, with the Sherwin-Williams Colormix® Forecast 2018 and a discussion of the colors that will impact design trends for the coming year. Next, digital influencer and marketing expert Mark McDonough of the Tastefully Inspired blog shares “Five Things You Need to Be Doing to Grow Your Social Media.” Tuesday closes out with LuAnn Nigara of A Well-Designed Business podcast, moderating a panel discussion “Talking Tech for Designers! The Newest Digital Tools and Tips You Must Have in Your Creative Arsenal” with McDonough, Sarah Daniele of Mydoma Inc. and Sandra Funk of House of Funk.
Programming on Wednesday, September 27, begins with Elizabeth Ralls, editor-in-chief of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles in an intimate Q&A with Will Meyer of renowned New York City-based design boutique Meyer Davis and his client, chef and restaurateur Ford Fry. Later, marketing guru Fred Berns, author of “Sell Yourself! 501 Ways to Get Them to Buy From You,” shares the tools designers need to transform their current online bios-or craft new ones-to spotlight their “special-ness” in “Create a Killer Bio: Promote the Star That You Are.”
Berns returns with Amy Flurry, author of “Recipe for Press,” and Linda Weinstein of One Room Challenge™ for a panel discussion, “Pitch Perfect: The Keys to Securing Great Press, Brand Collaborations and Buzz,” moderated by Vicki Bolick of “The Ace of Space” blog.
Designers get a jumpstart on 2018 and pinpoint which colors, materials and styles are influencing the next wave of home and design in “The Business of Trend: Global Insights in Home Décor” presented by Michelle Lamb, editorial director of The Trend Curve on Thursday, September 28, followed by a two-and-a-half-hour workshop “Styling Photo Shoots Like a Pro + Insider Tips to Get Published!” presented by Annette Joseph, author of “Picture Perfect Parties” and photographer Christina Wedge.
The final day of Fall Design Week, Friday, September 29, will offer several events. The team from Imagine Media Consulting leads two must-see social-media discussions. Co-founders CEO Shantel Khleif and COO Margot Dukes present “Social Media Marketing for Interior Designers and Retailers,” followed by “Social Media Marketing in a Pay-to-Play World” presented by Community Success Manager Carolyn Whalen and Digital Media Coordinator Devyn Lamon.
The millennial marketing conversation continues with a panel discussion “What Millennials Want: Connecting with Today’s Most Influential Consumer,” moderated by Nicole Bowling, editor-in-chief of “Lighting & Decor Magazine” and “Millennial Home,” featuring Gen Sohr of Pencil & Paper Co. and consumer trend expert Pam Danziger.
Buyers are invited to take a deep dive into AmericasMart’s latest Vignette Exhibition, “The Great Reset: Redefining How We Live, Design and Do Business,” with two tours lead by the designers. A curated showroom tour exploring the designers’ favorite products at AmericasMart is led by Vicki Bolick on Tuesday, September 26, and Gen Sohr on Friday, September 29.
Buyers are also able to get a complimentary professional headshot taken by photographer Heather Fulbright, Tuesday – Thursday of Fall Design Week.
