Pre-Show Design Events & Education At The International Window Coverings Expo

Furniture World News Desk on 2/6/2017

The International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE ’17) recently announced that it will open to design professionals on March 8 in Charlotte, NC, but there’s a full day of events scheduled for March 7 that make it worth getting into town early!

Home Décor From the Ground Up
IWCE has partnered with Deb Barrett, a recognized leader in design education and co-founder of the High Point Market VIP Experience, for a unique pre-show day trip to High Point, the center of U.S. design. Barrett has organized behind-the-scenes access to a fabric mill and design studio, exclusive presentations from experts in the fields of upholstery, rugs, bench-made furniture, home accessories, and much more. With presentations on the bus to and from stops, a luncheon, and an afternoon filled with private showroom visits, it’s a perfect opportunity to discover what High Point has to offer any design professional.

Workroom Certification Fast Track
Award-winning workroom professional and designer, Staci Faulkner, will lead the Window Fashion Certified Professional FastTRACK Workroom program—six weeks of education compressed into an intensive day and a half! A combination of presentation and hands-on learning will cover basic business set-up, basic workroom set-up, and fabrication of panels, valances, Roman shades, cornices, and bedding with a test given during the last session. It’s an effective and efficient way to learn a lot, earn certified status, and make the most of a trip to Charlotte.

Construction Zone
The Studio of Drapery and Fabrication Arts, a custom window treatment and soft furnishings workroom, is heading the only hands-on, live demonstration at the IWCE! The Window Fashion Artisan Project will also be inspiring this year’s theater theme with embellishments around the Zone as top workroom experts share their techniques, passions, and talents! The Construction Zone is free and is sure to delight all attendees.

Duke Mansion Tour and High Tea
This elegant property, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is now an exclusive 20-room B&B and executive retreat, with more than four acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, including a Southern garden that was unveiled just last spring. A guided tour covers the many historical and design highlights the home and ground have to offer as well as high tea with freshly prepared delicacies from acclaimed chef Harrison Booth.

Following these pre-show events Barrett and others will be presenting a full slate of seminars and workshops as part of IWCE’s educational program. Highlights include Barrett’s first full design showcase in four years; a keynote presentation by Carl Dellatore on the insights he learned while working on his best-selling book Interior Design Master Class; the history of embellishment by Jana Platina Phipps, the Trim Queen; and more than a dozen more. For more information, visit http://www.ice-vision.com