It felt so good to be at the San Francisco Mart again today. That’s because everyone at the Mart is so warm and welcoming, from the team at the registration desk to the group responsible for all the logistics around events and speakers. This is a place I like to come to, and I think there must be many designers who feel the same way.
Some of those designers attended my seminar this morning. We had a great crowd for a variation on Nine New Trends: A Vision for the Future™, the talk I gave in High Point a couple of weeks ago. The key differences were that I wanted to expand some areas. I wanted to include my forecast for textures and finishes in this talk, and I thought it was important to expand on what is happening with surface design since I know that interior designers always look for more about our pattern forecasts.
After the morning seminar, I took a break for lunch and came back for the Student Roundtable event that I have been looking forward to since it was planned. As the first event of its kind at the Mart, we had just a handful of students sign up for the hour-long session. That turned out to be the perfect size group. There were enough people (15 were there by the time it was all over) so none of the students felt like they had to speak, and few enough so that the environment felt intimate and everyone had a chance to talk about what was important to them.
These women (no men!) varied in age from young adult to those preparing for a second career. They asked about the how long a trend lasts, where to look for trends and how trend can play a role in ultra-high-end projects. We explored eco-chic materials, new lighting options, the impact of pop culture icons like the iPod on décor and the important aging market.
I got so much out of hearing the questions and comments this group had for me that I could have stayed at that table for another hour. I hope I will have a chance to participate in another session like this one again.
In the picture above, my back is to the camera. That’s OK. The students were the key players today.