Resilience & Strength Across the Southeastern Design Community - Novità Atlanta

Sep 20

Over the last decade plus, the Southeast has blossomed into a hotspot for design, architecture, creativity and industry innovation. Despite waves of uncertainty in a variety of forms throughout the pandemic, from those of us on the front line we are pleased to report that the Southeastern design community is absolutely booming.

Atlanta, Charleston, Birmingham, Charlotte, Nashville, New Orleans….these cities are filled to the brim with empowering voices. From the editor’s desk, to the architect’s drafting table, to the designer’s chair and beyond, the south emerges from the pandemic with a vigor poised to offer creative inspiration, design that pushes our industry forward and so much more. The community is diverse, bright and drawing more attention from consumers and editors from design centers such as New York and Los Angeles. It is equally important to note that the community is nurturing opportunities for important conversations around representation and inclusion, as a result of national conversations and calls to action over the past 18 months.

Throughout the pandemic, it was a treat to follow along and draw inspiration from lifestyle voices such as Mandy Rye, Gen Sohr, Landyn Hutchinson and Danielle Rollins; virtually follow along on the project progressions of designers MA Allen, Melanie Turner, Forbes & Masters, Cortney Bishop, Mark Simmons, Charlotte Lucas, James Farmer, Dwell by Cheryl and architects Jeffrey Dungan, Young Pak and Keith Summerhour; virtually wander through the landscapes of the late Carson McElheny; and daydream about color with Laura Deems, Estelle Colored Glass, Jana Young Siegel, FLEUR, Mary Ball and Lulie Wallace. These ladies and gentlemen know how to share their passions and talent in ways that kept us going when the going got tough. With more and more in person events filling up the calendar, the acceleration of projects, creativity and collaboration are running full speed ahead. The design community in the Southeast, like so many around the country, has shown a resilience for disruption, an openness for change and a penchant for a return to celebrating accomplishments and new goals together over cocktails, at a dinner party, at a design panel etc.

In short, the buzz across the region is promising! The community has certainly bounced back to its lively roster of events with opportunities to network, celebrate and savor the moment to be out. We raise a virtual glass to this year’s winners of the Philip Trammel Shutze Awards, which took place in person in Atlanta this past Saturday, September 18. We look forward to participating in a week of exciting programming at ADAC for Discover ADAC’s in-person return September 21-23 which coincides with the America’sMart in Atlanta’s fall design week, September 20-22. Looking ahead, the Serenbe Designer Showhouse opens October 15 and High Point Fall Market (the second in-person market) will run October 16-20. These are just a few highlights as are those creatives we’ve called out above. To offer a complete state of the industry across the Southeast would take pages. We invite you to see and experience it for yourself!

L I N K S

Lifestyle Voices

Interior Designers