Jan 16, 2013

Las Vegas Market Follows the Road to Emerald in a Color-Inspired Exhibit, Co-presented by Pantone and Houzz

A dazzling Emerald City awaits home furnishings industry professionals who attend Winter Las Vegas Market, January 28-February 1. Inspired by PANTONE®’s 2013 Color of the Year—Emerald—and co-presented with Houzz, Las Vegas Market’s “Road to Emerald” will present a colorful, juried, “total home” product exhibit in a flagship location on the first floor of Building C.

In a partnership with Pantone and Houzz, “Road to Emerald” will sparkle with three lifestyle concepts that showcase noteworthy products from current and future Las Vegas Market tenants, all against the backdrop of recent Pantone color picks: Emerald, Tangerine Tango and Honeysuckle. Ultimately, “Road to Emerald” will inspire retailers and designers as they shop Las Vegas Market this winter, including Gift+Home and the Las Vegas Design Center.

“We wanted to create a visually striking, merchandised window display that represents the ‘total home’ product offering available at Las Vegas Market, plus a dazzling Emerald City right here in Las Vegas is a natural,” said Dana Andrew, VP of Global Marketing & Communications of IMC. “From furniture and accessories to gifts and tabletop, our ‘Road to Emerald’ mixes on-trend products with impactful colors that continue to bring excitement to home and gift stores.”

Featured products read like a who’s who of home furnishings: an enchanting light fixture designed by Mary McDonald for Robert Abbey; chairs and tables from Las Vegas Market newcomers Julian Chichester and Mr. Brown; a best-selling vanity table and chair from Christopher Guy (who returns to Las Vegas Market this winter in a new showroom) complemented by a glam-inspired upholstered lingerie swivel chest and faux sheepskin bench created by Michael Amini of innovator AICO; a timeless dining table from industry bellwether (and Las Vegas Market first-timer) Stanley Furniture, adorned with a complete tabletop presentation by internationally-renowned home brand Alessi (a future Las Vegas Market tenant); wall décor from the Barry Dixon Collection by Arteriors; a new rug from the Genevieve Gorder Collection by Capel; eclectic accents from Phillips Collection; and many more colorful surprises.

Just as Emerald ushers in sophistication and luxury in the fashion industries, so, too, does this lush and verdant color fill interiors with a sense of renewal. “The presentation will artfully demonstrate how retailers and interior designers can incorporate bright, bold, relevant colors and product into their store fronts and design projects, deliver thoughtfully merchandised ‘lifestyle’ vignettes in their floors, and ultimately educate their customers on how to use home accents, gifts and furniture to freshen up an existing room and complement their homes,” said Andrew.

Color has long been the go-to for creating in-store excitement. In a recent article, for example, industry forecaster Jerry Epperson advised retailers to “be colorful, not just in your merchandise, but in your display, ads and attitude. Most consumers describe furniture stores as dull, drab and dark. Be memorable and communicate what you learn (at market), the local media editorial staff and to your customers. Tell them what to expect, and create interest,” said Epperson.

Adding a dynamic interactive component to “Road to Emerald,” the showcase is co-presented by Houzz— the leading online platform for home remodeling and design—ultimately extending the showcase beyond market week. Accessible online or from a mobile device, the virtual display on Houzz will extend the reach of market to Houzz’s community of 11 million monthly homeowners and design enthusiasts, 32,000 of whom are interior designers who use Houzz to showcase their own work. Referred to as the Wikipedia of interior and exterior design by CNN, Houzz will be integrating these three vignettes via online ideabooks in which each vendor will have a physical and virtual “green tag” allowing visitors to learn more information about the product and vendor. iPads will be installed in front of each vignette and industry professionals attending on-site and online who join the conversation and comment within the Road to Emerald ideabooks on their favorite color palette and design will be entered to win an iPad mini, sponsored by Houzz.

“We’re excited to partner with Las Vegas Market on this interactive display, which will showcase exhibitors’ products through our popular green tag feature and give designers and consumers in the Houzz community new inspiration on colors and trends, live from market,” said Liza Hausman, VP of Community, Houzz. “This display will also bring to life the inspiration and collaboration tools designers and other industry professionals can find on Houzz, from using ideabooks to gather inspiration and collaborate with clients, to participating in discussions with the broader community about new trends.”

Featured Las Vegas Market exhibitors in the “Road to Emerald” showcase include:

AICO/Amini Innovation Corp.

Alessi

Arteriors Home – Barry Dixon Collection

Authentic Models

Bridgewater

Capel

Christopher Guy

Classic Home

Coton Colors

Creative Co-Op

Crystorama

DEMDACO

Duralee

Feizy Rugs

Global Views

Greenleaf

IMAX

Jiti Designs

Julian Chichester

Lazy Susan

Leftbank Art

Lexington Home Brands

Loloi Rugs

Magic Scarf Co. / Divas Ltd.

Maxwell Fabrics

Mr. Brown

Phillips Collection

Robert Abbey – Mary McDonald

Stanley Furniture

Studio A

Thumprints

Towne & Reese

Villa Home Collection

While at Las Vegas Market, designers will also get a sneak preview of yet-to-be-released new research from Houzz, giving them a window into the client perspective. Liza Hausman, vice president of community for Houzz, will share the results of a massive study on what consumers want, how much they are willing to spend, the demographics for consumers who are ready to hire a designer, and top design trends among homeowners in the Houzz community. Hausman will also share success stories and best practices from designers in the Houzz community on Tuesday, January 29 at 4 pm.

Las Vegas Market attendees can join the conversation through Las Vegas Market’s social channels on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram via a common hashtag #RoadToEmerald. Buyers can still register for Las Vegas Market, January 28-February 1, 2013, or book one of the discounted host hotels, as low as $39 a night. Visit http://www.LasVegasMarket.com to register and to see a full schedule of events.