Big Picture - June/July 2018 - 14

beyond décor

Creative
Connections

Tapping into the creative vision of interior designers can provide clarity - and build
business - for PSPs jumping into interior décor. | by Rachel Nunziata

BIG PICTURE

Julne/July 2018

ometimes you have to go looking for inspiration.

Over the past few months, some of the largest
residential, commercial, and hospitality design
shows took place. In June, I attended my third
consecutive NeoCon at the iconic Merchandise
Mart overlooking the Chicago River. Boasting several stories
of temporary tradeshow booths and high-end permanent
showrooms, there's never enough time to see it all. While I've
attended many conferences, tradeshows, and special events
during the past six years, nothing compares to design shows,
which are bursting with inspirational creative energy.
If you already dabble in the interior décor market and have
not attended shows like NeoCon - or BDNY and ICFF in New
York - they are a must. Design shows are energetic and
expansive, with attendees and exhibitors who are designers,
developers, facility managers, and specifiers, plus material
manufacturers showcasing new products in mesmerizing
booth designs. With all the eye candy, it can be difficult to
focus on your goals and objectives. My favorite trends from
this year's shows: earth tones, reclaimed wood, deep greenish
blues, and handcrafted-inspired wallcoverings - including
digitally printed grasscloth. Search designated hashtags on
any social media platform, especially Instagram, and you'll
find plenty of post-event inspiration.
It's clear at these tradeshows and events that digital print
is alive and growing in the residential and commercial
hospitality sector: from various direct-print and rigid architectural surfaces to Dip-Tech printed glass and fashionable

accent furniture, plus yards and yards of textiles and wallcoverings. I even recognized a ceramic tile line featured in a
design publication with a dramatic, large-scale, digitally
printed Carrara marble pattern. There are more companies
developing brands, which is increasing the competition and
simultaneously creating a need for customization. Product
companies and manufacturers are also adopting in-house
digital print - or outsourcing to print providers. This allows for
product modifications of color or scale and smaller curated
collections. Digital print is also becoming widely accepted for
discerning markets like interior décor due to improved color,
image quality, and durability.
DIVING INTO DÉCOR
For those PSPs who are eager to enter décor but don't quite
know where to start, ask yourself, "Do I have a true understanding of what designers want or how they work and think?"
I believe this is an extremely important question and something I still ask myself 11 years after earning a Bachelor of
Fine Arts degree. We discussed several of these factors during
my panel discussion, "If Wallcoverings Could Talk: New

RACHEL NUNZIATA is a digital print business and market development specialist
with an undeniable enthusiasm for interior and home décor segments. She is a
graduate of Ringling College of Art & Design in Sarasota, Florida, and has a knack
for enabling synergies between artists, interior designers, and industry experts.
You can connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter @RachelNunziata.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelnunziata/ https://www.twitter.com/RachelNunziata

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Picture - June/July 2018