WestWeek Recap

(Okay, before I (Kari) begin, I must apologize for the really terrible photos in this post. I have an old iPhone and the picture quality is miserable. I'm not really a gadgety type of gal and my photos show it---sorry.)

This week was Westweek at the Pacific Design Center in L.A.

Last year was my first time attending Westweek, and after attending again this year, I can honestly say this is now a MUST on my yearly calendar. If you are a designer (or a design student), Westweek is a great way to network, learn about new product and ideas, and come away inspired.

Here's a brief recap of Westweek from my perspective:

Got in to the Hollywood area on Wednesday morning---so happy to see sunshine! There was rain looming on the horizon, but a little Vitamin D to start our morning out was most welcome after the rain we've been seeing in the Central Valley!

The Blue Whale, a.k.a the Pacific Design Center:

First up was a great roundtable of editors. Charles Cohen mediated the panel discussion between Michael Boodro (Editor-in-Chief, Elle Decor), Newell Turner (Editor-in-Chief, House Beautiful), Ann Omvig Maine (Editor-in-Chief, Traditional Home), and Dara Caponigro (Editor-in-Chief, Veranda). It was interesting to hear from these editors who, while not designers themselves, are exposed to the best of the best when it comes to design. There was discussion on the importance of designers (Michael Boodro announced, "People say 'I have good style so I don't need a designer.' Well, I'm fairly good at math but I'd never do my own taxes!") The editor panel also discussed on how designers should go about getting their work published---very good information for designers who dream of having a spread in Elle Decor or Trad Home someday!

The conversation also ventured into the topic of "California Design" and how livable luxury is being reconsidered today. I enjoyed this part of the conversation---I love the idea that consumers are spending more on one special piece that they'll love for life instead of making a lot of little ho-hum purchases that need to be replaced frequently (which eventually ends up costing the consumer more in the long run, but people often take a short-sighted view of their home).

Following this roundtable discussion, we headed over to the Schumacher showroom to hear the lovely Trina Turk discuss her fabric line. It was fun to hear how she collects inspiration photos and vintage textiles to drive both her ready-to-wear line and her line for Schumacher. I love Trina Turk, so this was a fun hour for me! Trina's use of color is something that always speaks to me---it's happy, bright, joyful, and her style is very Californian. She is a talented person, for sure, but she also comes across as genuine and friendly.

Following Ms. Turk's presentation, we heard Christiane Lemieux (DwellStudio Founder and Creative Genius) discuss how to build a modern design business. Christiane is a dynamic speaker and had a lot of great things to say about using current technology and social media to drive a brand. She also briefly mentioned that DwellStudio's new furniture line will be launching next week at Highpoint! She referred to the line as "Decorative Modern" and said it is "midcentury luxe." Oh, how I wish I was headed to Highpoint this year! I cannot wait to see the new line---everything DwellStudio does is spot-on in my opinion, so I'm beyond excited to see what the furniture pieces look like.

To cap off the day on Wednesday, Michael Boodro (Editor-in-Chief, Elle Decor) led a keynote discussion titled "Demystifying the Designer." The panel present included Amy Kehoe, Peter Dunham, Oliver Furth, and Windsor Smith. All four of these designers are amazing, but I have to admit it was a huge treat to be in the same room as Windsor Smith and Peter Dunham, two designers I admire so greatly! Their discussion about Interior Design as a professional field was enlightening and entertaining!

On Thursday, we listened to Steve Nobel (Executive Director of the Decorative Furnishings Association) talk about "Transitions in the Design Industry." This "town hall meeting" turned into quite a lively discussion---there were a lot of opinions in the crowd about where the design industry should be headed in the future, especially with the current state of the economy in mind.

Finally, we attended a humor-filled discussion panel with four of the five designers from Bravo's upcoming show, "Million Dollar Decorators," to air this summer. Nathan Turner, Kathryn Ireland, Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, and Mary McDonald bantered about their upcoming reality show, design philosophies, and such. The four on stage had amazing chemistry (turns out these designers are all friends in real life and even vacation together) and I cannot wait to see Bravo's new show this summer.

Some of my favorite quotes from this panel:

On living with style, Mary McDonald: "If you really love style, you'll set the table better, you dress better..."

On being a designer, Kathryn Ireland: "Creating magic is the best part of my job."

Such a great few days! In between the sessions, there were visits to showrooms, enjoying cocktails and meals at local eateries, and lots of discussion about design---one of my very favorite things!

If you are a designer (or aspire to be one), I highly recommend you put Westweek on your calendar for next year. You'll leave inspired!