Retail Observer

May 2015

The Retail Observer is an industry leading magazine for INDEPENDENT RETAILERS in Major Appliances, Consumer Electronics and Home Furnishings

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MAY 2015 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 35 35 T he 2015 Architectural Home Design Show was a winning, milestone year, drawing an at-capacity crowd of over 40,000 and offering more square footage of high-end design than ever before. Even with a spring snowstorm, the aisles were brimming with enthusiastic and engaged attendees all four days. Show managers took advantage of the additional floor space created by the smart move of DIFFA 's Dining By Design to the adjacent Pier 92 to bring in an expanded range of over 400 exquisite brands across all show categories. New products dominated the floor as exhibitors used the hot design event as a launching pad, unveiling their introductions to the show's savvy audience. The ReFRESH area of kitchen, bath and building products featured celebrity chef tastings and instructive demos of the latest tech innovations on display. The bigger-than-ever MADE/SHOPS pavilion of artisan furniture and art was developed with a truly curated sensibility. Furniture & Furnishings was equally impressive with brilliant solutions for indoors and out. The show also boasted powerful programming and networking opportunities. The Jenn-Air Master Class Studio was the place to be for inspiring and hands-on content delivered by industry icons including a keynote by Architectural Digest Editor-in-Chief Margaret Russell as well as sessions with Martha Stewart & Christophe Pourny, David Rockwell and the dashing Property Brothers. It was all rounded out with on floor cocktail parties, social media contests, special tours and industry awards. According to Susan McCullough, senior vice president, MMPI, "We bring together the best makers. Whether they are high-end manufacturers or highly-skilled artisans producing custom-made pieces, exhibitors hit it out of the park this year with innovative ideas across categories. The expanded show floor filled with ahead-of-the- curve introductions is emblematic of our continued positive growth. It solidifies and further builds on our reputation as a design forward, one-stop luxury resource for the home." Thanks to its wide range of diverse offerings, this show has become a fixture for trade and consumers alike. "What I love about the Architectural Digest Home Design Show is its balance between innovative hi-tech products—glossy white lacquer automated closets or wall ovens that sync to your iPhone—and its very thoughtfully selected array of individual artisans producing one-of-a-kind rugs, furniture, lighting and accessories with pure heart and soul," says interior designer Karin Edwards. She continues, "Even larger vendors embrace a more bespoke spirit for these few days." The rich and well-rounded show boasted a total of 425 brands and 338 exhibitors including 95 in Furniture & Furnishings, 84 in ReFRESH and 159 in the MADE/SHOPS section. From tabletop to textiles; fireplaces to flooring, there were 30 product categories. Pulling exhibitors from all over the globe, the show featured nearly 30 international exhibitors from countries including Belgium, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, UK, etc. In total over 174 different cities were represented. While there is still a strong local showing including 74 Manhattan-based exhibitors and 48 Brooklyn-based exhibitors, this year's edition featured 31 West Coast exhibitors. T H E 2 0 1 5 E D I T I O N O F T H E A R CH I T EC T U R A L D I G ES T HOME DESIGN SHOW O U T P E R F O R M S O N A L L L E V E L S

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