The Event of Design By J.A. Romig | JAN.08.08 Plan a weekend. Plan a week. Attend a design event and come away the better for it.

You've seen them on television. You've drooled over the fantastic wares and outstanding ideas they introduce. You fallen asleep dreaming about the things you could do with your newfound inspiration. Design events aren't just for TV cameras and network broadcast. Stations like the HGTV and Fine Living have proven to be imminently popular with a wide variety of audiences from customers, to consultants, to vendors and manufacturers. Those television networks turned the spigot on what turned out to be a flood of home and building design fans. Let's not forget the influence of TV shows, their affect on the tastes of ordinary people helped bring new business to both manufacturers and designers. Today, the customer is better informed and more open to new ideas. What's more, they're eager to do their homework by reading trade magazines and more importantly, attending design events. This is an exciting time to be in the design business. The products coming out and taking hold are more than just nice things. They are important things, revolutionary things and especially green things. People are beginning to realize that it isn't enough to buy a few recycling bins for the kitchen and replace incandescent light bulbs with florescent ones. As our resources begin to dwindle, the prices we pay for the basics like electricity, gas and water will only rise. Tough times are ahead unless we start to buy green, build green and live green. The concepts of sustainability and eco-friendliness aren't just for scientists anymore. Average people now want to improve their environments, not because it's the trendy thing to do, but because it makes economical sense. Why waste money on wood flooring when bamboo is just as beautiful and comes from a rapidly replenishing resource? Why cover that sofa with some chemical-laden polyester when hemp is just as lovely and wears far longer? Why support unfair labor practices and land abuse when there are so many Fair Trade suppliers and vendors? These are the new concerns of the modern buyer. They want their design purchases and plans to have social significance. They want to leave the box stores and see what the clever kids are creating and selling. They want consultation. They want direction. They want to go to the design events. And if they can't make it, they want to deal with professionals that attend design events. Regardless of your situation, there is a design event for you. A good number of trade shows will open to the public for at least one day. If you are a home or office owner, you should have no problem locating an event somewhere near your town.

A Fair A design event is just a specialized version of a trade show or convention and trade shows and conventions are nothing more than glorified county fairs. Fairs were bigger, better open markets, and open markets date all the way back to ancient civilization. In other words, relax. A design event doesn't have to be stressful or intimidating. Don't forget to have some fun.

You can expect to see all sorts of manufacturers, representatives, presentations and products. Sometimes an event will concentrate on high-end, high-price goods. Other events will cover the more pedestrian fare. The rules for a design show are kind of vague. You'll find shows that center on building materials and fixtures. There's a show that celebrates and revels in nothing but chairs. There are artsy shows that are all about unique and extraordinary pieces. The big conventions offer the gambit of the design industry from the latest in flatware to the finest seating for your private jet. For industry types, design events serve multiple purposes. There will be educational seminars. There will be new products and prototypes, shown before they hit the market. There will be networking possibilities galore. Make deals. Meet and discuss with industry leaders in person. Understand the concepts and philosophies behind the companies you admire. You might even have the chance to get a little hands-on training with scheduled workshops. If you're needing a venue where you can reach out and touch the very people that shape your success, then attending or exhibiting at a design event is a must. If you want to find an upcoming design event, the first place you should check would be the nearest design museum. Almost every developed country in the world contains at least one museum dedicated to decorative or textile design. These venues often host shows such as the ones described in this article. As for established design events, here is the cream of the crop: IDS – Interior Design Show / Toronto, Canada IDS is a complete-package interior design event. The top designers and companies from both Canada and the world converge to present talks, exhibit an array of products and introduce innovation. Maison & Object Paris / Paris, France Prepared to be inspired at the big show hosted every year in Paris. A mixture of reference awaits you in the world of decoration, creation and design. A mosaic of trends, new talents and new concepts all ready to be discovered at this exceptional design show. ICFF / New York, NY 20,000 attendees and 600 exhibitors pread out over 145,000 square feet. The "International Contemporary Furniture Fair" offers programs, featuring design movers and shakers. Over 30 countries are represented and products from every level of design are on exposition. I Saloni 2008 – Milan Design Week / Milan, Italy If you want to know exactly how, where and when the trends, colors and standards are determined for the season, come to Milan. Or wait and I Saloni WorldWide will visit a city near you. Either way, experience the cutting edge of all that is design when you attend a Salone del Mobile event. Promosedia – International Chair Exhibition / Italy The International Chair Council holds this annual event to honor and exhibit one of the greatest creature comforts known to man, the chair. Awards are given out for the Top Ten chair designs as well as Chair of the Year. Catering to both home buyers and industrial, Promosedia is an event not to miss. Visit the FOKaL Design Events Calendar for more... You don't have to be a passive design observer anymore. You can jump right in the flow by attending one of the many events, held across the globe. More than ever, it's time to upgrade your knowledge, your business and your surroundings. Great change is afoot and design events are lighting the way to a brighter, greener, healthier tomorrow. Plan a weekend. Plan a week. Use the big show in France as an excuse to visit a foreign country. Contact your local museum or trade association to see if any events are coming to your town. Get out there and show your face and shake some hands. Talk to experts. Gain first-person insight into schools of thought and business models. Enjoy gazing at all the amazing, cool, new things. Attend a design event and come away the better for it.

By J.A. Romig | FOKaL Writer

[ JAN.08.08 ]

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