Interior Design Society Designer of the Year Awards 2016

What an amazing time we had at the National Interior Design Society Conference this year.

 The conference was held at the Scott Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona.

We were joined by ARTS - Accessories Resource Team this year and it was a huge success.

These were some of the topics:

5 things your business must have to succeed

Naked Negotiating

Will the real economy please stand up

Simple Social Systems for Designers

The Jugglers Mindset

Your comfort zone is your kill zone

Color and Trend Reportage

Building a Sales Culture

Building a Thriving Life

It was a two day conference filled with great topics and amazing networking. As a Designer, I am always wanting to keep my business fresh and want to keep learning so I can be the best I can be for my clients.

Being a part of The Interior Design Society is one of the ways I do that. Monthly meetings, training throughout the year and then the yearly conference is something that is worth being involved in.

It is also a great way to get to know other designers. The time we spent talking after sessions, discussing thoughts of dinner, etc. was some of the most valuable time for my business EVER!

Happy Veteran!

On the second day of the conference we did a charity event for the local veterans. We were on the news that night so you can see that below. It was an exhausting day but so incredibly awesome to give back to the community. Seeing celebrity designers like Kellie Ellis and Suzanne Kasler and Donna Moss join in with us was the highlight of our time as well.

We had 140 designer volunteers, 1000 donated items and 132 rooms were transformed.

The charity project we did this week in Phoenix with the Interior Design Society was on Fox 10 news! Look closely, you may see me sweating in the background lol. It was worth every bit of sweat and hard work for these guys! You can read the story by clicking here.

On the last night, we had the National Interior Design Awards Ceremony. This photo includes some of the Dallas team. (from left; Stacy Steidly, Nicole Arnold,  Linda Baker, Ruthie Staalsen, Ginger Curtis and Michael Bauer - Dallas Market Center, VP of marketing, home and design.

I received an award for Designer of the Year 2016 for Kitchens $50,000 and under.

Lots of awards from our Dallas team! So proud of each and every one of them!

This is the kitchen that helped me win!!!!

BEFORE PHOTO

AFTER

AFTER

(Photography by T. Lamar Photography)

Thank you Interior Design Society for an amazing weekend of learning, recognition, collaborations and friendships.

Can you guess which shoes are mine? #branding

I hope you have something in your life or business that inspires you. If not, step out and join something that keeps you motivated and connected to others that are doing something amazing for their business and/or their life.

Peek into our Dwell with Dignity Thrift Studio 2017

We have been working hard on our Dwell with Dignity Thrift Studio space. It has been a joy to do this vignette in memory of Dot Greenlee.

Swirl artwork was by Jennifer Ayyed and light blue glass rock artwork by Latoya Jones. Acrylic bases done by E&D Plastics.

Thank you to IDS Dallas Chapter for selecting me, along with Barbara Gilbert and Nicole Arnold to honor Dot in this way.

Artwork by Christi Meril

Dot was known for her use of bright colors, specifically pink.

Art by Artist Mary Howe

We wanted our space to be bright and happy, just like Dot.

Thank you to our main sponsors Robert Allen, Kisabeth Furniture and Nomads Loom. The stunning floral arrangements were donated by Curate Florals (Linda Baker, IDS President).

After we finished the space, the designers that knew her well said the space is a great representation of what she loved.

The lighting in our vignette is spectacular and I want every single light fixture for  my home.  The above fixture is from Currey and Company and it gave our installers fits. Very heavy and lots of sharp edges.  It is the star of the show in our vignette.

One of IDS Members, Josh with Stal Timber donated these unique side tables made from 100 year old beams. They are spectacular!  Paired with the rug from Nomads Loom and the navy velvet chair and sofa donated by Kisabeth Furniture, they are just gorgeous.

Follow me on Instagram to see more behind the scenes clips of our vignette and the event itself.

Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek.  This Charity event will be held on April 5th, just in time for my 50th birthday!  You can purchase tickets at https://www.dwellwithdignity.com. It is the event of the year, I promise!

If you can't make it to the party, Thrift Studio 2017 will be open to the public, starting April 6th and will be open for a month.

Stay tuned for more photos after the event is over.  Hope to see you there!