The Decorative Furnishings Association (DFA) announced details regarding its first-ever, industrywide Summit taking place February 1 in Dallas. This and other updates were made at last week's DFA meeting at Hearst Tower.
Summit participants will include 50+ American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Chapter Presidents; shelter magazine editors and publishers; 10 independent design centers from across the country; and DFA member companies.
“The underlying premise for the Summit is that only by working together can the interests of the potential client, designer, showroom and design center be served, and the natural obstacles to change be overcome,” said DFA Executive Director Steve Nobel.
The meeting will consist of roundtable discussions on topics such as: conditions affecting today's marketplace; the shift in consumer expectations; alternate channels of distribution; marketing the value of design; and diverse business practices.
Each table will develop action plans on topics such as: shopping patterns in showrooms and design centers; access policy and practice; clarity with business practices in the showrooms; and media support for consumer marketing.
The DFA also announced that Design Centers International (DCI) has joined in mutual cooperation with DFA on behalf of its 10 independent design center members from Minnesota, Seattle, San Francisco, Laguna Niguel, Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, Philadelphia, Las Vegas and Michigan.
At the Summit, the design centers will offer individual reports on local market conditions, trends/observations, industry changes, opportunities, and new design center programs/initiatives.
In other news, Dan Cahoon, Jerry Pair President and Owner, was named Co-President of DFA along with current President Carey Kravet, President of Kravet.
Two new board members were inducted including William Li, Senior VP of Ralph Lauren Home, and Julia Noran, President of Editor at Large. They join the following current board members: Andrea Rubelli, President of Donghia, Bergamo and Rubelli; Susan North, Creative Director of Schumacher; Kathy Banfe, President of Farrow and Ball; Kate Kelly Smith, Chief Revenue Officer of Hearst Design Group; Jim Druckman, President of New York Design Center; and Ashley Stark, Creative Director of Stark.
Also at the meeting, ASID President Randy Fiser gave a summary of his inaugural "State of the Industry" address. He presented research showed interior designers as a group generate over $9 billion in revenue annually. Interior design firms generate revenues of just under $7.3 billion; the 17,000 self-employed designers add an estimated $1 billion; and architecture firms estimate $1 billion in revenue from interior design services.
Interior designers specify more than $46 billion worth of products and services a year. On average, individual design firms specify $2 million, and large firms specify $10 million or more. Product sales on average account for 60% of a design firm’s total revenue.
For DFA membership information or further information about the Summit, please contact Steve Nobel at (917) 648-4993 or snobel@nobelinks.com.
