Boutique Design | boutiquedesign.com

Meeting the people behind the products at NeoCon.

By Megan Krause

One of the biggest benefits of attending trade shows in our industry is that they give you the chance to actually meet the designers behind the latest products for hospitality settings. So it was for me at this year's just-completed NeoCon, the giant contract furnishing show held annually at the multi-level Chicago Merchandise Mart.

For example, I was lucky enough to have designer Roger Thomas show me around the Boyd Lighting showroom, where his handiwork was on display. He told me how he eliminated the problem areas from his Regent Pendant, which features a strong outer frame, by omitting the glass encasement and lighting the rock crystal or Swarovski “candle” from above to avoid frequent burn outs. Besides lending his creative (and practical) eye, Thomas also hand carved the metal detailing in the Ormolu sconces that hung on the showroom wall.

When I visited Bentley Prince Street, I chatted with carpet designer Samantha Weisman about the latest trends in carpeting. She said that high-luster materials have been used in most of the company’s carpets and bright, bold colors are working there way back in as accents. In general, she feels a certain level of excitement in the industry that is pushing out plain neutral carpets that dominated the market for years and ushering in texture and bright colors.

With creativity and technological advancement fueling product innovation, I can’t wait to see what’s next. And, more importantly, I can’t wait to see how these new objects fit into the hotels of the future.