Deb’s Seminar Topics
Below is a parial list of seminar topics that Deb can bring to your company, design event or chapter. Looking for something special? Contact Deb for more information or to customize a presentation.
Design Seminar Topics
Design IS…
Design is Social; Design is Science; Design is Process and Design is Personal.
Above all, Design is not manufactured in excessive quantities and churned out; design is something that is created with thoughtfulness and consideration; it has a story, and a soul. Design disciplines are now collaborating and cross-pollinating in ways that are transforming design. We’ll identify and define each overriding theme and then explore the people, places and ideas driving it through case studies and example. Lastly, we’ll drill down and analyze how they are revolutionizing the design experience.
Textile Crash Course for Design Professionals- 6.0 Hour Course
Fabric selection is the most favorite part of a designer’s job and the most difficult. Textiles are a complex discipline with staggering choices. We’ll discover the language of cloth with an eye to defining and differentiating between terms, techniques and materials in the interior design context and finding out the attributes and processes that give fabric its finished appearance. In an extensive discussion, we will focus on today’s fabrics; narrowing in on weaves, printing processes, dyes and finishes providing an understanding of the various characteristics and properties that make fabrics appropriate for use in interior environments. Gain an understanding of challenges that face designers and workrooms with today’s fabrics. This hands-on seminar will send you home with a swatch reference manual.
Smart Solutions: Harnessing AI in the Custom Window Covering World
Discover how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the world of interior design, with a focus on custom window coverings. Deb will delve into how AI-driven tools can streamline the design process, enhance personalization, and elevate customer experiences. This seminar will help demystify AI, introduce tools and strategies that any design pro can implement. We’ll explore and demo the top five A I tools no designer should be without. Follow along in this interactive format as we provide practical demonstrations, equipping you with actionable strategies to integrate AI into your sales and design processes to stay competitive and innovative in the custom window covering market. (P.S. AI helped write this description!)
Delivering the Luxury Custom Window Covering Experience 2.0
How can we make design the “it” experience? As a luxury purveyor, your challenge is to offer exceptional experiences; engaging clients on a higher level through your brand. This up-to-the-minute presentation will give you keys to succeed. Gain exceptional insight into what this highly-sought-after clientele expects; who they turn to for advice, what products and services they consider valuable and other insider tips. First, we’ll redefine the new luxury WT experience. We’ll discuss the luxury consumer; what they strive for and what it means to your market. Then, through concrete examples, we’ll explore positioning, sourcing and crafting your image as a stylemaker to the elusive high-end customer. Finally, we’ll finish with sampling, presentation and marketing tips to get that client’s attention.
Future Views: Design Trends for 2025 and Beyond
Just back from the world’s leading design shows, Deb will share the next wave of silhouettes, patterns, colors and materials for your future window treatments. Looking at 2025 and beyond in this discussion of window covering and design trends; she’ll provide you with actionable inspiration at the window. Deb will open her little black book of secret sources and market finds as she shares new product designs, palettes, patterns, textiles, products, materials and more with her visual presentation through imagery and actual samples to monetize key directions. You’ll walk away understanding the trends that are shaping the next wave of window covering design, the drivers behind purchasing custom, and many more aspects of what it takes to work with today’s design clients.
Textile Tech Support
It is not enough to simply highlight the beauty, uniqueness, and versatility of fabrics; it is the designer’s responsibility to select the appropriate fabrics for their intended end use. In this seminar, gain an understanding of today’s fabrics to help you make correct fabric selections for window treatments. This is a real-life application-based class. We’ll discuss fabric constructions, properties and qualities- the good and the bad; which ones are appropriate and which ones aren’t for your custom window coverings. We’ll compare and contrast linings, interlinings, finishes, textile enhancers and provide specifying strategies in dealing with difficult textiles to help you solve those troublesome nightmares.
The Style Sourcebook 1.0 Hour
Today’s interiors are a result of a diverse mix of culture and time. Emulating those styles drawn from other parts of the globe can transform a room and transport your client to a different world. This seminar is a discussion of those global styles as we explore the elements that make it up. Gain an understanding of appropriate furnishings, textiles and colors while gaining insight on how to (re)create that look in your client’s homes. We’ll discuss Modern English and French Country, Lodge living, Russian, Scandinavian and more. We will discuss color, fabrics, furniture, walls and floors, design details and the hallmarks of each period through PowerPoint and actual samples. You’ll go home with a sourcebook to show your style smarts.
It’s a Material World
The design industry is more competitive than ever, with better-educated, more discerning design clients. How do you compete when your potential clients are shopping many of the same sources as you? Wow them with innovative, unique materials from resources they’ve never heard of! Translucent concrete, LED wallpaper, emotionally-reactive fabrics and more: New advances in material science are delivering fascinating new products to the marketplace everyday. These distinctive products and materials can give you the edge when dealing with internet-search savvy clients and aggressive competition, making your proposals difficult to price-shop.
Master Class: The Geometry of Design
Don’t let our title scare you. This class will cover design lessons in the elements and principles that make up the vocabulary of design including proportion theory and The Golden Rectangle. Learn how to apply these rules to translate pleasing proportions to fit a client’s room or window. We’ll also explore the other elements and principles of design and how they are interrelated – Scale, Balance, Line- even color. Finally, with pattern mashups de rigueur today, we’ll discuss pattern scheming and put together schemes that you can use as a jumpstart for your client presentations.
Pattern Play: Lessons in Scheming a Perfect Mix
Nothing creates impact on a window like color or pattern, but it can also create some nervous moments in the life of a design professional. Applying of a few guidelines and having an understanding of color and pattern schemes can result in much success, when designing your projects. We’ll discuss how to put together color schemes, work with color and your client and take a sneak peek at what color trends will be on your client’s mind in 2015. Plus, we’ll explore pattern- from styles, motifs and layouts to repeats and schemes- that you can use as a jumpstart for your custom client presentations. 1.5 hours
Window Covering Seminar Topics
Window Fashion Master Class: Part 1
Window treatments are a complex business from design details to specifying and selling. Many designers stir clear of what is one of the most profitable niches in your design business. Learn the tricks of the trade as we delve into the intricate window fashion design process and share tips, and trade secrets that the pros know. Did you realize there are more than 100+ decisions the designer makes in the custom window design process? And at any one step things can go wrong. We’ll cover the elements that make up the vocabulary of custom window treatment design including calculating yardages, drapery hardware and drapery weights, what fabrics and linings each works best plus pattern placement. Our online supersession design lab focuses on giving you success strategies to perfect your designs. Use your lab notes to enrich your design notebook with solutions, options and details for your clients that are real life tested.
Window Fashion Master Class: Part 2
Window treatments are a complex business from design details to specifying and selling. Learn the tricks of the trade as we delve into the intricate window fashion design process. Part II of our supersession design lab focuses on the more challenging aspects of designing window fashions including offset pairs and multiple draws, ripplefolds, comparable fullness, using a proportion wheel and much more. You’ll gain success strategies to perfect your designs. Deb pulls back the curtain to unveil the secrets of the bespoke window. She’ll inspire you to flex your design muscle with a in-depth examination of the tips and the secrets of impeccably tailored treatments. You’ll gain a wealth of couture knowledge about dressmaker-inspired specialties; plus original and innovative headings, edges and hems. Enrich your portfolio with techniques, artistry and details to offer your clients.
Secrets to the Bespoke Window 1.0 Hour
Made to Order window treatments are a complex business from design details to specifying and selling- learn the tricks of the trade- from design, fabricating and installing to presenting them to your clients. An in depth examination that will offer you the tips and the secrets that the pros know. You’ll gain a wealth of couture knowledge from a mix of hands-on samples and images as we detail the steps necessary to create some of these looks. Enrich your portfolio with solutions, options and details to offer your clients a truly custom crafted window fashion.
The Top 20 Window Fashion Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Have you seen design projects that make you shake your head? This session covers the most common don’ts when it comes to custom soft window treatments. You’ll see and hear some interesting stories about inappropriate choices, bad installations and custom window treatment no-no’s and we’ll tell you how to turn it into a do. You’ll come away with some great tips, tricks and trade secrets on what to avoid on future projects.
Get That Look
Borrowing inspiration and techniques from others can help motivate you in your business. Why not learn from the best designers and pros in our niche and adapt their winning strategies to your business. In this elevator pitch style format, we’ll talk about the best ideas for solutions, techniques, design and innovation we’ve been collecting. Plus, we’ll share secret sources employed to achieve the finished look. You’ll be certain to walk away with at least one idea or strategy you can put into practice.
What Makes This Window Treatment Work?
Window treatments are a complex business from design details to specifying and selling- learn the tricks of the trade- from design, fabricating and presenting them to your clients. This is an in- depth examination of the best examples of classic beauty, inspiring, inspired and solution driven window designs with as much personality as the decorators who designed them. Gain an understanding of how a window can be made to look other than it is, and discover the nuances in the design process that make it all work. We’ll offer you the tips and secrets that the pros know that go beyond the window. Enrich your portfolio with solutions, options and details for your client. Learn innovative ways to spice up your treatments and turn a predicament into a success.
The Custom Window Treatment Client: Version
This highly informative presentation debuted last year to rave reviews and this year Deb is back with all updated information based on exclusive research on the custom window treatment market. Featuring in-depth analysis of custom window treatment purchasing–by region by product style and more, along with the crucial factors that drive purchasing decisions. New research tracks changes in purchasing patterns and product preferences to give a better feel for where the market’s headed. Plus, discover how to put all these facts to good use–learn how to reach the new consumer and interest them in this unique product category. And we’ll share effective ideas for packaging your services, positioning your business, developing a brand and much more, so you’ll leave set for success.
Delivering the Luxury Window Experience
How can we make the window the “it” experience in home decorating? As a luxury purveyor, your challenge is to offer exceptional experiences; engaging clients on a higher level through your brand. This course will give you keys to succeed. Gain exceptional insight into what this highly-sought-after clientele expects on their windows; who they turn to for advice, what products and services they consider valuable and other insider tips. First, we’ll redefine the new luxury experience. We’ll discuss luxury consumer demographics and behavior; what they strive for and what it means to your market. Then, through concrete examples, we’ll explore positioning, sourcing and crafting your image as a stylemaker to the elusive high end customer. Finally, we’ll finish with sampling, presentation and marketing tips to get that client’s attention.
Business Seminar Topics
The Profit Potential: Pricing Your Design Products and Services
Do you charge and get what you deserve? How do you price your goods and services? The answer given ten years ago is different from the answer of today. Pricing is much more than a number. How you price your services and charge your customers has changed dramatically with the rise of today’s new consumer. If you plan on being in business 5 years from now; how you price your design services will be key to capturing new business, markets and niches. You will leave with a pricing protocol to apply to your business, including a business and personal evaluation to help establish your current value to the client. 3 hours .3 CEU
Behind the Curtain Insider Secrets to Building a Soft Brand
The design industry is more competitive than ever, with better-educated, more discerning clients. How do you compete when your potential clients are shopping many of the same sources as you? Distinctive soft products and materials can give you the edge. This is a road map to harnessing the power of soft accessories to build your design brand. We’ll discuss the drivers behind purchasing soft home furnishings, define the opportunities, compare and contrast them to help you choose which ones work best for your business. Plus, give you the must- do steps to get started. You’ll discover how to tap into the soft goods niche to engage clients, generate buzz and leverage its influence to help you craft your image as a savvy stylemaker.
A Guide to a Sustainable Design Business Model
The design landscape is in the midst of a C change and professionals must design asmart business as well as quality environments. The same principles of responsible sustainability can be applied to our business practices. This new age of design requires a commitment to create a sustainable business before we can create sustainable spaces. We’ll examine ethics and values, compare ideas and discuss perspectives that can shape our decisions. We’ll identify tools to be more productive, efficient and greener and that will ensure success. We’ll devise new strategies and technologies to streamline and strengthen your business and new approaches to enhance your credibility. Environmentally sound business choices made today help to ensure the future health of our business, designs and planet.
Steal This Idea!
Borrowing techniques from innovative industries can help revitalize your business. In this fast-paced seminar you’ll get dozens of new ideas that have proven successful in other categories including, consumer electronics, packaging, telecommunications, fine dining, Hollywood and more. Why not learn from the best—Ian Schrager, Steven Jobs, Joss Whedon, Eric Ripert—and adapt their winning strategies to your business. In this elevator pitch style format, we’ll talk about the best ideas for marketing, business, design and innovation we’ve been collecting. You’ll be certain to walk away with at least one idea or strategy you can put into practice.
