I will be speaking at Decorating Den National Conference at Renaissance Glendale, AZ on Sunday, May 22, 2011
Here’s what I’ll be speaking about:
Design Inspiration: Past, Present, Future
There’s an old adage: “If you’re going to borrow, be sure to borrow from the best.” Discover the eccentricities and exuberance of Tony Duquette, the unstudied elegance of Sibyl Colefax, the surprising boldness of Dorothy Draper as we explore the design giants of the past. You’ll see some of their trademark design elements and learn how to incorporate these classic concepts into your designs. There is no better place to look for inspiration today then to study the trade secrets of the greats like John Fowler, Sister Parish, Billy Baldwin, David Hicks, Elsie de Wolfe, Syrie Maugham. With their signature styles as a frame of reference we’ll see the latest new product introductions, color and material trends from some of the world’s leading design shows through photos and actual sampling. This whirlwind tour brings the latest design theme to you, outlining how certain products and style references develop from one show to the next. Get your hit of international inspiration along with a sneak peek of what the design future holds, all without having to walk endless miles of aisles.
Transform Custom to Couture: A Designer’s Guide to High Style Window Fashions
Learn innovative ways to make a window statement with this designer’s guide to High Style Window Fashions. We’ll cover style prescriptions for all types of specialty windows such as dormers, arches, bays, atrium doors, window walls and more. Learn the tricks the pros know to turn a problem window into an opportunity. Then we’ll turn our attention to design and construction techniques that can make your custom window fashions into couture treatments. Discover dressmaker-inspired specialties as stitch in the ditch, hand picking, slotted seams, trapunto, corded tucks, ruffling, curtain fills, origami bands and wadded hems; plus Deb’s original and innovative headings. See samples right off the runway in this presentation that will help build your own one-of-a kind couture portfolio of inspired techniques, processes and creative styling’s and takes your work to the next level. We’ll discuss how to specify these techniques, what fabrics each works best with, and how these can be used to build your bottom line.
