ASFD Unveils New Tools and Special Events
Furniture World News Desk on
3/29/2018
The association is rolling out an entirely revamped website with an improved user experience and a clean new look.
At Market next month, the American Society of Furniture Designers (ASFD) recently announced that it is partnering with Women in the Home Industries Today (WithIt) for a first-of-its-kind special educational event. Focused on the future of home furnishings product design, Design Between the Lines (LIVE!) features an all-star panel moderated by John Conrad, executive director of ASFD and host of the popular design podcast of the same name. Among the design specialists and provocateurs set to speak are Katharine Lambeth, chief technology officer of Steelyard, Catina Roscoe, president of ASFD and founder of Catina Unlimited Design, Christian Dunbar, principal, Christian Dunbar Designs, Amy Archer, creative director of Lee Industries, Aimee Kurzner, director of furniture, Currey & Company, and educator and furniture designer, Fred Spector, Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD).
According to Conrad, the event reflects the growing recognition that innovative design plays in driving the industry’s engine, as well as ASFD’s role in elevating furniture designers. “While celebrity licenses receive a great deal of publicity, both in the trade and beyond, the true designers behind their collections are rarely acknowledged,” Conrad says. “The exception to this rule is the Pinnacle Awards, launched some 23 years ago by the ASFD board of directors to promote design quality and encourage the recognition of furniture designers. We think it’s time for a change and we are actively engaging in promoting the profession and the people in it via new tools and collaborative efforts with other industry associations.”
As such, the association is rolling out an entirely revamped website,
www.asfd.com, with an improved user experience and a clean new look that positions the Pinnacle Awards center stage, and finalists and winners in the limelight. Additionally, a greatly enhanced member directory spotlights each and every ASFD member with examples of their design work, headshot, bio and contact info.
“Created by Spin A Web Designs, a talented website development and design firm based in Jamestown, N.C., our new mobile responsive site underscores ASFD’s relevance both to the designers we serve and the industry at large,” Roscoe says. “Along with making it easy for manufacturers and retailers to explore new talent for design projects with a library of the industry’s best at their fingertips, the site’s members-only portal offers access to job opportunities and mentorships, and the extensive back-end functionality allows members to easily update their online directory profiles, as well as sign up and pay for special events.”
In other news, ASFD is set to launch a Designers Showcase and Gallery in High Point open both to Market-goers and the public through an exhibition at High Point’s Theater Art Galleries through January 1st of 2019. Debuting at Fall Market, the gallery—themed Innovation Via Design—will be a visual presentation of the design process, showcasing both cutting-edge home furnishings designs and superior craftsmanship.
“A formal call for submissions will be issued following Spring Market and we invite all ASFD and Furniture Society members to follow ASFD on Facebook and Instagram for updates on the submission process as we move forward,” says ASFD member Cole Reynolds, product development designer and engineer, Vanguard Furniture.
More about ASFD: Founded in 1981, the American Society of Furniture Designers (ASFD) is an international, non-profit, professional organization dedicated to advancing, improving and supporting the practice of furniture design and its positive impact in the marketplace. Membership includes both American and International professional designers, trade affiliates and associates, professors and furniture design students. It serves as the unified voice of the furniture design community, advocating originality, professional practice and integrity at all times. For more information, visit www.asfd.com.