Student Interior Design Expo 2008:
Expanding Design Dimensions at the Expo!

By LuAnne Zilka, Director of Student Affairs

Nearly 500 Interior design college students and educators representing 22 colleges and universities from Minnesota and 7 neighboring states expanded their design dimensions at the 9th annual ASID / IFDA / IIDA Interior Design Expo held at International Market Square in Minneapolis on Friday, February 8th. The Student Interior Design Expo is a fun filled, all-day informational and educational event for students, educators, design professionals and industry colleagues.

lunch

Design students at check-in.

gabberts

Students and complimentary gift bags.

In addition to the students, 150 interior design industry professionals participated as speakers, vendors, career information, interior design studio and showroom tours, and volunteers.

Even though the weather was cold and icy outside, it was warm and inviting inside IMS as the students started off the day with a continental breakfast. During breakfast, they listened to keynote speaker Lola Waston of Lola Waston Interior Design give advice on “The 10 Things They Don’t Teach You In School”.

Then it was off to a variety of breakout sessions which included:

The Business Side of the Business by Elizabeth Cohen, Managing Partner RCC Interiors
Commercial Design by Manda Morales & Ann Fritz
Green Design by Rachelle Schoessler Lynn, 2030
Home Access/Universal Design by Susan Lasoff of Susan Lasoff & Associates
Hospitality Design by Andy McDermott & Gregory Houck of Shea
How to Sell/Marketing on the 6 Things Design Students Need to Know About Selling by Skip Anderson
Residential Design: Contracting Your Design Knowledge to Design Industry Professional by Annie Ballantine of Annie Ballantine Designs
Residential Design by Mary Hickey of Gunkelman Flesher Interior Design
Trends/Forecasting by Annette Johnson Wildenauer, Senior Design Consultant
Working With a Builder by Jeffrey Turk & Nathan Beck

At lunch, students had the opportunity to dine with design professionals and ask away about their varied careers and experiences in the industry. After lunch at the vendor and career fair there were 36 industry vendor tables and 10 career tables for the students to visit. Students also received valuable information at the ASID, IFDA, IIDA, NEWH and NKBA tables on the advantages and importance of student membership in a design organization. Many of the showrooms at IMS were open during or had special open house programs throughout the day for the future designers.

The Interior Design Expo is volunteerism at its best! All of the speakers, showroom and design tours, lunch volunteers, committee members, vendor fair representatives, career information folks, and membership table representatives volunteered their time and talents. Many IIDA members also volunteered their time to make this day such a success. A special thank you goes out to all of you! Next years event will also take place in February 2009.

breakfast

Expo committee members at information table.

billly beson

IFDA and IIDA members at check-in.

eric

Keynote speaker Lola Watson spoke on, “10 Things They Don’t Teach You in School”.

meg

Andy McDermott and Gregory Houck of Shea present hospitality finish boards at a break out session.

expo

Rachelle Schoessler Lynn speaks on Green Design.

meg

Skip Anderson educates the students on, “The Six Things All Design Students Should Know About Selling”

expo

IIDA booth at the Expo. L to R: Nick Nelson, Alyssa Peterson, Eric Lovestrand.

meg

Mary Deeg from RSP with future designer at the Career fair.

expo

Students eagerly waiting for their name to be called for door prizes

meg

Some of the Expo committee members: L to R, Nancy (IFDA), LuAnne (IIDA), Darren (IMS), Maureen and Karen (IFDA)

expo

Meg Anderson from Innovative Furniture Solutions with students at the vendor fair.

meg

Breakfast in the atrium and balconies at IMS.

THANK YOU to the following Sponsors, Vendors, and Donors of products and door prizes:

Vendor Tables

Allsteel, Armstrong World Industries / ArmCom, Bellacor.com, Benjamin Moore Paint, Bob’s Binding & Serging Inc, Boylu Contract Carpet, Cambridge Commercial, Commercial Furniture Services, D. L. Couch Wallcovering, Designtex, HiLine Inc, Innovative Furniture Solutions, Intersource Inc, J & J / Invision Carpet Systems, Kate-Lo Tile & Stone, Lee’s Carpets, LG Solid Source LLC, Lon Musolf Distributing Inc, Mannington Resilient, MDC Wallcoverings, Murals Your Way, PPG Architectural Paint & Finishes, Premier Sun Controls Inc, RBC Tile, Robert Allen Contract Fabrics, Rubble Tile, Steelcase Inc, S & T Office Interiors Group, USG Building Systems, The Wells Associates, Wilsonart International

Career Information Tables

Architectural Alliance, Ellerbe Becket Inc, Gabberts Design Studio and Furnishings, General Office Products, Henricksen, Macy’s Interior Design Studio, Prime Staff Inc, RSP Architects Ltd, Shea Inc, Target Commercial Interiors

Membership Information Tables

ASID, IFDA, IIDA, NEWH, NKBA

Donors of Products and Door Prizes

Baker Knapp & Tubbs, Bridget Richardson, The Collection on 5, Designtex, Duxbury Ltd, FiberSeal, Hamilton House IV, Ldt,-Sherill, Hampton Row Inc, Helen Fraser & Associate, Hoffsommer & Russ, Holly Hunt Minneapolis, IIDA, Innovative Furniture Solutions, International Market Square, KDR Showrooms, KKE Architects, Kravet, Lee Jofa, LG Solid Surface LLC, Metro Magazine, Midwest Home Magazine, Midwest Plant Works Inc, Mpls St. Paul Magazine, Murals Your Way, PPG Architectural Paint & Finishes, RBC Tile, Robin Strangis, Rubble Tile, S & T Office Interiors Group











Herman Miller / Intereum KI / Tim Healy & Associates S+T Office Interiors Group		Bolyu Contract Carpet Designtex Formica Corporation General Office Products w.d. frederickson, inc.