About Design Confidential
Design-Confidential.com, a new design blog dedicated to becoming the “go-to” portal for design professionals to share ideas, inspiration and influence the creative life. Design-confidential is updated daily featuring all things design along with trend forecasts, product reviews, interviews and trade show coverage. Recurring features include The Inside Scoop covering innovation and products across all industries; Design Intell -discussing issues and challenges facing the design industry today and Someone You Should Know- the backstory about both prominent and emerging designers that are meant to challenge and engage readers.
Founder and Editor Deb Barrett is an award winning designer who has built a reputation for cutting edge couture treatments, professional speaker, trend consultant and author. Deb Barrett is the principal in Window Dressings, Inc. a couture window treatment and soft furnishings firm near Chicago, Illinois. During her successful tenure in design she has had extensive experience in a broad range of areas. Her fascination with what’s around the corner and the constant search for inspiration has led her to her current roles as trend strategist, designer and design blogger.
Writing about design on a daily basis and traveling keeps her in the loop when it comes to design and trend topics. Look for posts highlighting Deb’s travels to design shows with special sections covering interational and national design shows, visits to ateliers and studios and interviews with prominent design trendsetters.
What’s Deb’s Story?
Deb’s passion for design began growing up in the Wisconsin where her mom and grandmothers passed on their interest in the art of gracious living. They introduced her to the decorative and home arts early; teaching her skills like sewing, rosemaling, decorating, and slipcovering. Her first job was sorting inventory in the family business- a job that was the spark that fueled her entrepreneurial spirit.
Deb knew early on that design and fashion was in her blood; turning her eighth grade science project into a treatise on the modern American home of 1968. Following college and a degree in fashion merchandising, Deb did a 10 year stint in the corporate world at one of the nation’s top retailers. She worked in the home store where she managed and merchandised several multimillion dollar departments.
Deb combined her twin passions-design and windows- when she founded Window Dressings, her couture soft furnishings firm. The entrepreneurial lifestyle allows her the freedom to work remotely, maintain close contact with clients and friends, and connects her with creative types worldwide.
In addition to this blog and her design practice, Deb regularly contributes to Vision and a variety of consumer and trade design publications. You can also find her writing a weekly Trendspotting blog or speaking across the country to design and window covering professionals.
If you are interested in Deb for a speaking engagement or interview, please click here.
