Presentations

This course will offer concrete tips and tactics for writing a clear and concise plumbing specification, with focus on luxury hospitality and high-end multi-family residential. The learner will recognize potential pitfalls and will be able to avoid costly errors. It will demystify plumbing in general and empower the learner to specify more confidently. The course will also offer best practices for working with plumbing vendors so that your projects flow smoothly and seamlessly from start to end, resulting in successful, cost-efficient installations and high client satisfaction.

Join Exquisite Surfaces and Luxe Interiors + Design for an exclusive Meet and Greet breakfast with Luxe Homes Editor, Shannon Sharpe. Mix and mingle with design industry peers and acquaint yourself with Exquisite Surfaces’ meticulous selection of antique salvaged materials and innovative surfaces ranging from stone, wood, terra cotta, tile and more. For over twenty years, Exquisite Surfaces has been the standard bearer for extraordinary flooring, old and new, classic and cutting-edge.

This one-hour course will give a new understanding to the kitchen workstation - a culinary system, where one can prepare, cook, serve, entertain and clean all in one central and convenient place. The kitchen is even more functional and ergonomic with a cooktop next to the workstation. This new linear cooking concept is much more efficient than the traditional kitchen work triangle layout. Hosted In: Monogram Design Center, Suite 124

Pigments serve many functions in paint other than supplying color. This course will explore how color choices affect the appearance and performance of architectural paints. We will discuss the types of pigments used in architectural paints. How paint is tinted, and how pigments and colorants influence factors such as hide, gloss, fading, durability, and price.

Delta invites you to join Traditional Home’s Editor in Chief Jill Waage and top designers for a deep dive into customizing one-of-kind spaces for clients. Showroom will serve coffee and light breakfast bites.

In this dynamic one hour course, we will cover the various stages involved to manufacture a wide plank floor; from the initial stages of sawing the log, to the final prefinishing process. We will discuss how each of these steps can impact your desired design vision and fulfill your design requirements. In addition, we will cover how to question and evaluate potential suppliers to determine their ability to fulfill specific design requirements.

Today’s “Living Kitchen” is pushing design in new directions. The classic kitchen triangle is designed primarily around one cook and the pattern of traffic that they will take to access 3 main points: Cooking, Washing and Cold Storage. As appliance/plumbing size, shape and technologies evolve, the fundamentals behind kitchen planning need to do the same. Join Poggenpohl and True Refrigeration for a lively panel on how today’s kitchen triangle is being disrupted.

Every style has a story. Join renowned designer, Michael Berman, as he discusses the influence that timeless Mid-Century Design has had on today’s culture and design industry based on his own personal experiences and observations. Drawing inspiration from art, history and nature, Berman has completed interior projects from New York to Los Angeles for an enviable client list made up of the business and entertainment worlds’ elite. He has also lent his creative vision to various exciting alliances including an American Modern plumbing line for Rohl. Coffee, Tea and Pastries will be provided.

Learn about the growing wellness industry and the impact spas have on commercial and residential projects. Explore the basics of integrating a spa environment into bathroom designs.

For most of recorded history, the history of architecture has been the history of the house. Architects Stuart Cohen, FAIA; Julie Hacker, FAIA; Doug Farr, FAIA; and Scott Fortman, AIA will discuss the houses that have most influenced their architectural thinking and their built work. The panel will be moderated by S. Claire Conroy, Editor in Chief of Residential Design Magazine, a new national magazine for residential architects and custom builders. Join us to hear about Iconic Houses that have widespread appeal based on culturally determined ideas and forms which they embody, idealize, and often transcend. Coffee and pastries will be served. Followed by Q&A. Attendees earn 1.5 AIA CEU Seminar

When daydreaming about your new kitchen, do you dream in color or black and white? Join House Beautiful Market Director Carisha Swanson and Tiffany Brooks, Shelley Johnstone and SuzAnn Kletzien for a lively conversation that cracks the kitchen color code and explores bringing personality – and perhaps a magenta Heritage range – into a traditionally utility-first space. What do your kitchen color choices say about you? Pick a color, literally, and let’s find out!

Colormix 2020 – Color in Balance – This course will take the participant on a visual journey with stimulating imagery, factual statistics and perceptive research that supports the 2020 forecast for color and design trends. We will explore the diverse ideas influencing future color and design trends that include global, technological, historic, psychological and economic factors that shaped our forecast. Introducing 45 trend colors, spun into five welcoming and intuitive palettes that bring joy, serenity, and focus to the mind, body, and spirit. Presentation: MEET ON 6, Suite 6-180, Reception to Follow: Sherwin Williams Color Studio, Suite 163

Executive Vice President, Creative Director Stephen Elrod takes us through what’s new from Lee Jofa and Brunschwig & Fils with a spotlight on the latest color and style trends in the industry today.

There are many different types of window treatments that can be installed in residential and commercial projects. This course provides an introduction to these various types of products, the considerations (and client benefits) when automating shade and window treatments.

With innovative details and custom touches, a highly personalized dressing room is becoming the new must-have space in any highly curated home. Couture cabinetry designer, Christopher Peacock, design experts Suzanne Lovell, and Shea Soucie join Galerie Magazine editor in chief Jacqueline Terrebonne for an intimate discussion touching on all the opportunities for individual style that go beyond simply what’s hanging in the closet. Presentation: MEET ON 6, Suite 6-180, Reception to Follow: Christopher Peacock, Suite 148

Join Traditional Home editor-in-chief Jill Waage and Meredith Luxury Home Portfolio executive editor Samantha Hart, as they share Mick De Giulio’s latest published project from their pages. Learn how he broke new ground for the home- and in his own work

Eliminate holiday cooking stress with easy-to-prepare dishes that will make a big imapact. The Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove Corporate Chef will present delicious tips with Shannon Sharpe, Homes Editor. Eliminate holiday cooking stress with easy-to-prepare dishes that will make a big imapact. The Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove Corporate Chef will present delicious tips with Shannon Sharpe, Homes Editor.

Mark Reed from SFERRA will discuss the importance and quality of cotton used in fine linens and answer questions about thread count

You finished a great project but need a little help promoting it and your work. Learn how to get published in this panel discussion hosted by Fantini. Esteemed editor Elaine Markoutsas will tell you how, while architects, designers and industry professionals share their tried and true tips for working in today’s world of media. Hosted In: Artistic Tile, Suite 105A

An open conversation with a panel of movers and shakers that are literally faced with having to re-design their homes based on their actual life situation.

Fact filled motivational presentation will provide you with strategies that will help you take your business to the next level.

Make the Rounds! Join the ten companies housed in the Design Resource Center for a delicious and relaxing progressive lunch.

Good design is not a luxury, but a necessity. Hear from three industry veterans what luxury means today. The Design Insights Forum has new data on the most affluent design concentric consumer, and we will show you how to reach and retain the most desirable design minded clients.

Italian design is recognized for a commitment to utilizing the highest quality materials, implementing luxurious details and balancing ultramodern style with everyday functionality. While these classic design tenets have been around for decades, they evolve as Italian designers and products remain on the leading edge of interior design. In this session, Luca Lanzetta will lead a discussion on how to leverage the best of Italian design and implement its distinctive philosophies in residential interiors.

Travel back through the years of modern architecture and interior design with Thayer Coggin’s, Phil Miller. He will highlight the American masters of the modern movement, how modern design was influenced and discuss its hallmarks, motifs and defining materials.

Social media can be a powerful tool to grow your business – especially when it comes to interior design. Join Chicago-based artist and designer, Josh Young, and Sophie Miura, digital content director for Domino magazine, as they discuss the impact the digital age has had on the design industry. Young will share his experience, how he created a name for himself and built a brand that was strongly impacted by social media, and demonstrate how to connect to an uncapped audience. Lunch will be provided.

Join us for a lively panel discussion as we take a look back at Benjamin Moore’s color trends from 2014 through the present. We’ll explore common threads and discuss the social, political and economical influences that drove those color choices...all in anticipation of the 2020 Color Trend launch!

Learn the different types of saw cuts which create unique grain structures, as well as the different color, stain and finishes used for wood flooring. The presentation will outline the major differences between engineered and solid wood flooring. You will also leave with basic knowledge of installation guidelines as well as care and maintenance of wood flooring. Coffee & pastries served

After moodboards are approved and appliances and furniture installed, there’s always more styling to be done. Designer & Lifestyle Expert Nathan Turner and AD West Coast Editor, Mayer Rus, discuss the evolution of the design industry from decorating to “lifestyling” — and how to expand your business into this new space.

Join Rowland Ricketts as he speaks about his collaboration on hand-woven rugs that highlight materials and the hand of the individual weaver.

How do you stand out in an increasingly competitive online world? You use these eight (mostly free) website, social and email tactics to create a fierce digital brand strategy that will set you apart from everyone else.

How do the best designers create rooms that go beyond the standard array of handsome furnishings? How do they use light and shadow, color, materials, and composition to delight and inspire—whether in a charming children’s room; a sumptuous, serene bath; a dazzling and dramatic dining room; or a living room that evokes serene comfort and ease? Dering Hall’s Michael Boodro will moderate a conversation with some of today’s top designers as they share the skills and techniques they use to create truly special and memorable rooms.

Learn the basics of light spectrum and how to apply color metrics to interior lighting specifications using the latest in custom LED technology.

Join DOM Interiors to discover the latest innovations in door technology and the dramatic role pre-manufactured doors will play in your projects. In this accredited course, we will explore the differences between custom millwork and pre-manufactured doors, uncover the hidden costs in typical door proposals, and examine the different types of doors available in today’s market.

Colormix 2020 – Color in Balance – This course will take the participant on a visual journey with stimulating imagery, factual statistics and perceptive research that supports the 2020 forecast for color and design trends. We will explore the diverse ideas influencing future color and design trends that include global, technological, historic, psychological and economic factors that shaped our forecast. Introducing 45 trend colors, spun into five welcoming and intuitive palettes that bring joy, serenity, and focus to the mind, body, and spirit. Presentation: MEET ON 6, Suite 6-180, Reception to Follow: Sherwin Williams Color Studio, Suite 163

New Style Cabinets invites you to join Luxe Interiors + Design Homes Editor Shannon Sharpe and top design, architecture and construction experts to explore innovation in technology and design, with discussion on challenges around smaller spaces and high-rise buildings. Join us for an engaging panel discussion as we examine the impact of new knowledge on the future of design. Soft drinks and pastries will be served.

The rooms that move us the most as memorable experiences can be the conceptual starting points for interior architecture and design. Stuart Cohen FAIA will introduce the idea of an iconic room and three architects and interior designers will then make presentations discussing what they consider to be a room or space that has been influential in their work. They will then show examples of their current work and discuss the relationship between the two. Julie Hacker FAIA will moderate a discussion after the presentations, followed by questions from the audience. Waterworks will be serving light fare and Beverages.

Please join GRAFF as Brian Pinkett, partner in the world-renowned architecture firm Landry Design Group, demystifies the process behind creating grand estates and shares completed and upcoming projects from the new monograph.

Technology is one of many factors influencing the way people live, work, and gather in their kitchens. But a smart kitchen is not defined exclusively by technology. What makes a kitchen smart is how well it works for the people who cook and congregate there. In this presentation, we’ll explore the keys to creating a real-life smart kitchen, from customizing a layout to choosing the right appliances, finishes, and features—both high-tech and low-tech—to complement the life that’s lived there. Special cooking demonstration and tasting by Girl & the Goat.

Join Lori Weitzner as she discusses the ins and outs of licensing and what designers should consider to make the most of opportunities.   Following the presentation Lori will open the floor to a Q&A discussion, sign copies of her book “Ode to Color,” and offer customized color readings.

Production of silk from the beginning: presented by Tim Johnson, Director of Sales and Marketing, Jim Thompson.

‘The Heart of the Home’ A fireside chat, Q&A on making the investment in your kitchen. Also, from the perspective of high end realtors to discuss what’s trending as far as kitchen design in the marketplace. What’s driving sales and why many homeowners should consider a kitchen remodel. Chat participants will include Rama Dandamudi, M.D., President Snaidero Chicago as well as a top Chicago Realtor c/o Chicago Agent Magazine. Moderated by Chicago Agent Magazine Publisher/Partner, Anne Hartnett. Light appetizers and refreshments will be served.

GRAFF welcomes architect Brian Pinkett, partner, Landry Design Group, for a book signing and reception as he presents the firm’s newest book: ‘Modern to Classic II: Residential Estates by Landry Design Group Hosted In: Marshall's Landing, Floor 2

Join ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME magazine Editor in Chief Amy Sneider and publisher Steven Mandel along with contributing editor and ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME podcaster, Jen Sergent as they discuss today’s media landscape and the makings for a powerful cross-platform marketing strategy. They will also reveal best practices for media pitching and follow-up, major no-nos and many more insider secrets and insightful advice. Moderated by ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME Communications Director, Lisa McMahon Communications. Followed by a delectable tasting with Executive Chef at the GE Monogram Design Center, Jon Liddell.

Moore & Giles is pleased to offer our third Leather CEU approved by the IDCEC and AIA. This course will examine sustainable design, the green building movement, and sustainable leather and how it contributes to LEED buildings. Resources for searching for sustainable products will also be discussed. Our goal is to share our passion for sustainable leather and highlight the movement of transparency and intention in the built environment.

Join Paris Ceramics, Luxe Interiors + Design and influential Chicago-based interior designer Ilene Chase for a unique pairing of Paris Ceramics’ gorgeous stone, marble, limestone, and terracotta collections with select premium wines.

Join True Residential and Residential Design Magazine for a CEU presentation, “Designed for Entertaining.” Discover the optimal elements and features for entertainment-focused clients and entertainment-based spaces. Enjoy light bites and champagne following the presentation.

Join ELLE DECOR to meet the successful women of design who are breaking boundaries, building companies and finding the perfect work-life balance. Panel: Powerful Women in Design

Pella Windows & Doors invites you to look inside Alison Victoria’s design & development business. Please join us for this rare view behind the doors of this HGTV star’s world, both on and off screen.

CEU presentation showcasing the benefits of using porcelain on kitchen countertops, walls/floors.The event will be accompanied by a live cooking demonstration by a local Sushi restaurant which will give attendees a firsthand look at the features and benefits of using the material. Guests will have the chance to try the food and there will also be bar service.