So I didn’t win, but one of my favourite people did. Deb Barrett won the education award. She is a designer and window coverings expert, she’s written three books and she has also coached and trained design professionals in the industry for many years.
I was lucky enough to sit beside her on the shuttle from High Point to Charlotte when I attended Spring market last year and it was a pleasure to get to know her.
And I was very honoured to be nominated, especially to be in the category of education as I love teaching!
Thank you so much to everyone at WithIt. If you are a designer and not a member of WithIt, you should join. It’s a great place to grow yourself and make connections!
I also had my picture taken with Mona Delia (below) who runs everything at High Point, I am happy to announce that I’ll be a sponsored blogger again at Spring market coming up April 18 – 23, 2015. Mona and I are both wearing outfits that match our hair colour!
Sara Lyke who is the Executive Director at WithIt (below).
I also met Kimberley Wray who was the creator of WithIt (above left) who was there with her sister Glynis.
Then Monday I toured around the showrooms and here’s what I noticed:
There were beautifully decorated bar carts everywhere. A trend that is perfect for an empty corner in your living or dining room.
Gorgeous oversized art at Four Hands.
I’m trying to predict what the next animal motif will be after birds, horses and owls.
Lions? What do you see.
Global Views
We’ve been seeing oversized pendants and chandeliers for a while now but that trend is moving to table lamps.
This one is looking dangerously like something from the 60s don’t you think? It’s pretty all the same.
I love this vertical 3D vignette on the wall with the addition of the REAL plants. Wouldn’t this be easy enough to duplicate on a wall in your home?
I was walking around the show with my good friend Barbara Miller and she noticed that this display had fake porcelain succulents thrown in with real ones.
I know so many of you have a huge aversion to faux (a teeny understatement) but I promise you, if I came to your house armed with some of the faux that’s out here now, I’m pretty sure you’d be more than thrilled with the result! I have so many vignettes in my home, it would be a full-time job to keep EVERYTHING ‘fresh’.
Love the idea of mixing fresh with faux, especially if you don’t know it’s fake until you touch it.
When it gets dusty, throw it out if you don’t want to wash it. You’ll still have saved a bundle on fresh.
The instant Barbara Miller (above) saw this ferris wheel she said:
“See, I want a house where I could put in a ferris wheel and it wouldn’t look stupid!”
I said, “That sounds like something a designer with a business called Yes Spaces would say!
Maria Killam, Cheryl Draa and Jackie Von Tobel
I also met the famous Jackie Von Tobel who toured a group of us through the Wynn and the Encore hotels. Jackie has written the best books on window coverings, get them here.
Jackie lives in Las Vegas so she toured a group of designers who specialized in window coverings here because of the opulent use of fabrics everywhere. (We were not allowed to take pictures.)
There’s upholstered walls everywhere, heavy drapery and wall hangings, all designed to muffle the sounds of such a large casino hotel.
Okay, I’m off see some more people! Gotta run! xoxo Maria
Related posts:
2015 Trend Alert: Olive Green from High Point
Maria’s Favourite Trends from Fall 2014 High Point Market
Maria Killam’s Trend Forecast from 2015
If you would like to transform the way you see colour, become a True Colour Expert.
Maria, You have such a good attitude! You are such a special person! I am so disappointed that you did not win the award. You are so deserving of it. There are other awards and maybe next year will be your turn. You are a winner to all of us anyway.
I was surprised yesterday that I was awarded “Best of Houzz” for 2015. Do you belong to Houzz?
Take care and enjoy the rest of your time.
Nothing better than a humble brag, folks! 😉
I once had some faux fruit in a beautiful bowl on my dining table. My dad came over to visit, sat down and plucked an apple from the bowl and bit down on it. Now that’s some real looking fruit! One of my fondest memories of him. We all had a good laugh. Glad you are having fun in Vegas!
I had some green faux apples on my table for probably three months when my husband said, “I’m surprised those haven’t gone bad already.” haha
LOL!
Hey Maria,
I am disappointed with you because you deserve it too! Always a Winner to me!
Looks like you are having a great time with my drapery people. Are you going to have time to go to Vision while you are in Vegas ?
Congratulations on your nomination, which is a big thing in itself and well deserved. And by the way – you looked stunning!
All I could notice was your gorgeous white dress! Stunning! 🙂
Oh and yes, Congratulations on your nomination, that is not nothing. You should be proud!
Congratulations Maria..
If you’re still thinking about a stylized logo/monogramme, have you checked out this website where you can get these designers & entrepreneurs, to design just about anything for $5. Very worthwhile, and so affordable that you can hire several to come up with something and you might hit it really lucky. it’s just fun to explore the site to see what’s being offered for $5. Here’s the link:
https://www.fiverr.com/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=rg_five*+com&utm_content=c-000013&utm_campaign=brand-bd_ca
Thanks Linda, will certainly check this out:)
WELCOME to Las Vegas, Maria! It is good to have you here…so near, but yet so far. I live in the ‘other’ Las Vegas, the residential area.
I, too, am sorry you didn’t win the education award, but I hope you enjoy being here anyway…as much as I enjoy all you share with us. You are not only a good instructor but a delightful one.
WOW – YOU look terrific!! This all sounds like SO much fun…enJOY! franki
Congratulations on your nomination, Maria. I love reading your trend posts. I learn so much from you!
Congrats on your nomination, Maria!
Thank you for sharing the beautiful pictures. If you took all those, your photography skills are rapidly improving!
Looks like you had a fabulous time.
Maria, Congratulations on being nominated!
I don’t think I have ever seen you look more stunning!
What’s your secret?
So much goodness in this post; your nomination, insider views and photos. I love the big lamps and 3D wall vignette. As for the next animal, my most repinned pin is an octopus triptych.
Congrats. You will win.
Your time will arrive. It is destined.
Vegas is the most complete aesthetic location I’ve ever been for ‘commercial’. No element, none, left untouched by experts. World class experts.
Fine to see some names/faces behind what I’ve enjoyed aesthetically in Vegas.
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
Congratulations, Maria on your nomination. I agree that the fake succulents are amazing. I gave one to my Mom for her apartment and she almost watered it. I also bought one for a table on my patio and brought it in to over-winter in my living room! I wonder if I am fooling anyone…
It seems to me that the “warm goldish sorta” color on
the base of those table lamps would be more of a
classic gold that you could use in handles and faucets for
the kitchen like in your last post and not get sick of it or have it go out of style…………am I right?
Carol
Maria,
Become a member of Houzz.com. It will increase your business and inspire you (and us) at the same time.
I’m a member, here’s the link:
http://www.houzz.com/pro/mariakillam
Maria
Glad you’re having a wonderful time even if you didn’t win. Great attitude! And great networking!!!
To me, it doesn’t matter if you didn’t win this time. You are still top colour lady in my books. And I love, love, love, your dress and shoes. Impeccable styling!
As usual, I love your posts!
Your hair has grown longer since the last time I saw a picture of you, and I think your hair looks gorgeous!
Thanks for all of your wonderful posts!
Margo
P.S. Thanks to your blog, I have totally changed how I select paint for a room. The information that I have received from you has saved my husband from having to repaint several rooms—thank you.
Thanks Margo, I did get it blown out that day so that’s why it looked particularly good 🙂
Maria
Congrats on your nomination! Love the large table lamp you posted! I have to tell you how awesome you look in the photos! You look beautiful and happy. Great dress too!
Wow you looked beautiful in that lace dress and gold heels! You go girl! I am sorry you didn’t win but it was a group of stellar women and all should win because you each do so much! Thanks for the peek into market trends. Fun! I was suppose to go but just couldn’t feel good being away right now. Work is crazy
Kudos on your nomination. Well deserved. Love your blog content and refer to it often. What was the predominant color? Was Marsala everywhere? Again, congrats.
Thanks Mark. No it was not ANYWHERE. Not much changed since Fall market in terms of colours and when you think about it, home decor can’t change as quickly as fashion, it would be impossible for manufacturers to keep up!
I so enjoyed your beautiful photography in this post… WOW! Thanks!
I’m so sorry you didn’t win but you are still the Educator of the Year in my books. You looked Absolutely Beautiful!!!
Glad to see I’m in line with the bar cart trend though mine isn’t glam glass and brass. Scored a vintage Harvest Gold metal one that folds in half lengthwise from a consignment store for practically nada. Note sure where it will end up in my house but I had to have it.
And I’m totally with you on faux plants. Nothing like what we had before. Nobody realizes that the ones in the two big pots at the entrance to my little courtyard aren’t live. (The only time I remember is if it rains hard and afterwards, I notice the plants floating askew at the top of the pots which have filled up with water.)
Ohhhh…love the trends I am seeing here. I adore big art.
I also have a “glam” glass and antique gold bar cart by LeBarge I bought at a thrift shop about 15 years ago for $50.00. I am using it in my dining room right now (with big art above it, BTW) but, it has held various positions of honor around my home. Everything old becomes new, again!
You look terrific, you ARE terrific. I was sure you’d win, but am proud as can be nonetheless. To us, you are a STAR!
Many disappointments lead to the huge win and I’m sure your time will come pretty soon, just be patient.
Stunning dress!
You should have won!
I would feel better about faux plants if they were biodegradable and not destined for a land fill.
“When it gets dusty, throw it out if you don’t want to wash it.” Please, no!
Feeling good about our contributions to the world is more important than having temporart bits of decor garbage. I agree with Lorri.
It’s 2015, people. Let’s be smarter than that.