Designer Experience-According to LiLu Interiors

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Before we get into the blog today, I'd like to share some exciting news! 2020 is off to a fun start! I am honored to announce I have been nominated and selected as a finalist for the prestigious Design Hound Influencer Award! It is with a very humble and grateful heart that I ask for your vote!
You can vote daily for me through January 18th. I would appreciate if you did!
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Designer Experience: According to LiLu

Get Inspired-Designer Experience

It’s the new year and I’m looking forward too many fabulous projects and wonderful experiences in 2020. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t share with you one of the top experiences, I had in 2019. The is the Designer Experience I attended in Atlanta in November.
The lineup of inspiration was incredible. We had a great first day of talks by fellow designers from around the country.

Moving Interior Designers

Highlights of our first day for me were a talk by Stephanie V, a designer from Atlanta whose career has evolved into a design/build career. She has her general contracting license. Her message of empowerment and not limiting yourself in your career resonated with me and left me feeling like I could pursue my goals no matter my age or gender.
I was truly moved by the keynote speaker Shelly Rosenberg of Oak and Acorn. After having two children with special needs, Shelly found family life a bit challenging and as a designer does, started looking for ideas to create a supportive environment for her children. Her research and exploration of evidence based-design solutions have led her to a new mission in life. She helps families with special needs children design spaces, incorporate simple environmental changes that help their kids thrive instead of struggle. Quieter dinners, better bedtimes, happier more focused kids have been the result. Read more about Shelly at AcornandOak.com.

Designer Experience-Mart Day

The second day of Designer Experience was a chance to tour both of the local design centers, The Atlanta Decorative Arts Center and America’s Mart. There were far too many beautiful and fabulous things to mention here. There were three highlights of the day as far as I was concerned. We were a small group and we were treated to talks by Alexa Hampton and Emily Morrow among others.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of hearing Alexa speak, the next time you have the chance, go! Don’t hesitate, her down to earth personality and wit are worth the trip. I would fly to see her speak so if she is at your local design center PLEASE go and listen. Her new collection with Theodore Alexander is smashing also. Her Instagram feed isn’t bad either.
Emily Morrow’s story of creating engineered hardwood flooring that creates a sustainable living for men in prison, creates a savings for them to start a new life and gives them skills to take with them when they have served their sentence was so interesting and inspiring. Check out both their beautiful products and the inspiring story of the skilled workers they employ.
The third highlight of the day was getting to know my fellow designers from Atlanta and around the country. It is so wonderful to have a community of like-minded individuals to talk with and to discuss current issues affecting our industry with.

CURREY FAMILY FARM

The final day, and absolute peak experience of the trip was our third day visit to the Currey Family farm. Many of you reading (especially the designers) have heard of Currey and Company. A beautiful lighting, furniture and accessory line that is well crafted and well regarded. I knew a lot about their product but almost nothing about the family that started the line.
We were able to visit their family farm in Sparta, GA for an intimate tour of the home and grounds and I could write a book about the experience, don’t worry though, I just hit the highlights.
The house is a restored home from the 1840’s and is a prime example of how rehabilitating a home in a community with economic challenges can start to bring new life to the town.
The furnishings in the home are all period antiques and the collections the Currey’s have are fascinating. All a study in low waste living in a way. Using antiques and collectibles to furnish their home meant nothing was newly built and no new resources went into the home.
In addition to seeing their beautiful home and its fabulous porch, we toured Elm Street Gardens, their no-till sustainable farm. No-till is a fabulous approach to farming that is not only organic but ensures the richest soil and therefore, the most nutritious produce. Read more about no-till and the broadfork used in this type of farming here.
They also have a mushroom growing business called Sparta Mushrooms.
The two companies provide much needed employment in Sparta.
Equally inspiring was a talk from a bonsai master who came all the way from Japan to show us this unique artform and talk a bit about mindful living. I loved it because I am on my own mindful living journey the beauty of the bonsai spoke to me as a designer.
Knowing more about a family and their care for their community and commitment to the environment creates an appreciation of their story. The day at the farm was so inspiring it made me curious and I have done research on no-till farming and eco-friendly farming!
I really want to thank the staff of Designers Today for putting on Designer Experience! I enjoyed it immensely.

Bringing Intention Home

At LiLu Interiors, we love designing spaces that support our client’s lifestyles. It is our intention to find out your intentions. Would you like to create a home that is a reflection of your style, interest and values in life?  Surround yourself with color that speaks to your soul? Whatever your intention is, we want to know. We are in the business of designing interiors and creating spaces for you to live out your dreams. Whatever your dream is, we will creatively collaborate with you to design a home that uniquely expresses who you are and how you live. Give us a call, let’s bring your intentions home. 612-354-3271