“I strongly believe that good design improves people’s lives. Living in a beautiful, comfortable and functional space adds value to lives every day. Studies show that bringing in natural light improves health and wellbeing.“
This was the philosophy that earned Rita Carson Guest a Coverings 2016 CID Award.
Italian Stone
Her design firm, Carson Guest, specializes in law offices and luxury residential designs. Known for their attention to detail, the firm gravitates toward beautiful stone products, something that Carson enjoys taking a sneak peek at while attending Coverings. “I often start with the Italian stone vendors since they have some of most beautiful displays and stone.”
She’s drawn to stone because the material lasts forever. The long-life also means it’s important to choose materials that won’t date. “If you need to go with the latest trend, I would suggest doing so with pillows or accessories that easy to change out once the trend passes and you are tired of the look. I like materials that are timeless and serve as a great background for good art and other materials.”
Porcelain Tile
Guest is also a big fan of porcelain tile. She’s noticed the trend moving toward large scale tiles. “The biggest new trend I’ve seen over the last few years is the introduction of the new large scale porcelain tile products. Many are really beautiful.”
The latest trend comes with a bit of a warning. Guest has found that, as beautiful as the large scale porcelain tiles are, installers sometimes struggle to put them in. “The largest challenge is finding installers who know how to work with those products. It is important to choose vendors who provide training on how to install their products and support to installers.”
A big advantage to attending Coverings is the ability to speak with vendors, face-to-face. While you’re checking out the product, find out what kind of support and education they offer the installers.
Here are Guest’s top 3 ways to make the best use of your time at Coverings:
- Organize your tour of the show. There is a lot of ground to cover so organize your tour of the show to be sure you hit the products you need to see first. For instance, I often start with the Italian stone vendors since they have some of most beautiful displays and stone. The show is organized by countries which is terrific since different types of stone are quarried in different countries.
- Seek out brand new products. If you are working on a job where you need large scale porcelain tile, seek out that area. I found a lot of beautiful porcelain products that I had never seen for the first time at Coverings.
- Attend a CEU. Find time to attend continuing education programs. They are always interesting and valuable.
Ready to rub elbows with CID winners, meet new vendors, discover the newest materials and trends, and educate your team to take your business to the next level? Register for free for Coverings 2017.
