Dallas Market Center, and the Accessories Resource Team (ART), the trade association representing the decorative accessory industry, announced the winners of the 21st annual ARTS Awards during a gala event held the evening of Saturday, January 16 in The Grand Pavilion at the Trade Mart. More than 500 guests attended the ceremony that recognized ARTS Award winners in 26 different categories. Don McEvoy, founder of Don McEvoy and Associates, was honored with the Academy of Achievement Award for his significant contributions to the decorative accessories industry. Attendees consisted of a wide range of retailers, manufacturers, sales representatives, media and designers from across the country.
The Grand Pavilion at the Trade Mart was transformed for the evening and welcomed guests with shades of rich gold, emerald green, and turquoise. Tufted leather banquettes and exotic floral arrangements created both a unique and sophisticated ambiance for all of those in attendance.
Distinguished presenters, Clodagh and Joe Ruggiero, joined market center executives and ART team leaders in recognizing the winners. Bill Winsor, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center, and Cindy Morris, COO of Dallas Market Center offered opening remarks. ART was represented by executive director, Sharon Davis, and 2010-2011 ART president and Hall of Fame retailer, Bill Fortson, who also presented awards. “It’s always an honor to celebrate the accomplishments of such outstanding members of the decorative accessories industry,” Winsor said. “Congratulations to this year’s winners of the 21st annual ARTS Awards.”
The ARTS Awards, presented each January during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, is the premier awards program for the decorative accessories industry and recognizes excellence from retailers, manufacturers, sales representatives and designers.
21st ARTS Awards Winners
Manufacturers
Accent Furniture
PALECEK – Richmond, Calif.
Area Rugs
Loloi Rugs – Dallas, Texas
Decorative Accessories
Global Views – Dallas, Texas
Home Textiles
Blissliving Home – Rockville, Md.
Lighting Fixtures
Visual Comfort & Co. – Houston, Texas
Outdoor Living
Seasonal Living – Austin, Texas
Permanent Floral
Distinctive Designs – Russellville, Ala.
Portable Lamps
Barbara Cosgrove Lamps – North Kansas City, Mo.
Tabletop
Beatriz Ball Collection – Harvey, La.
Wall Décor
Paragon – Albertville, Ala.
Sales Representative
East/Atlantic
Brittain Cherry, Ogburn-Cherry & Associates
Midwest/Southwest
Derrick Ricketts, CODARUS
West
Laura Fast, OneCoast/ Homestyle
Product Designer
Jason Phillips, The Phillips Collection
International Retail Store
Ma Maison – Mexico City, Mexico
Rising Star Retailer
Bravado Home & Design – Portland, Ore.
Retailer
Furniture Store
East/Atlantic
Albert’s Interiors – Newton Square, Pa.
Midwest/Southwest
HW Home – Boulder, Colo.
West
Homescapes Carmel – Carmel, Calif.
Home Accent Store
East/Atlantic
Ambiance Interiors & Gifts, Inc. – Suwanee, Ga.
Midwest/Southwest
Burlap Horse – Boerne, Texas
West
Grace Home Furnishings – Los Angeles, Calif.
Lighting Showroom
East/Atlantic
Southern Lighting Gallery – Augusta, Ga.
Midwest/Southwest
Light by Design – San Antonio, Texas
West
Western Montana Lighting – Missoula, Mont.
Make plans now to attend the next Dallas Total Home & Gift Markets: March 25-28 and June 23-29, 2010. Attendees may contact the Dallas Market Center’s in-house travel agency, Market Travel®, for substantial travel and hotel discounts by calling 1-800-DAL-MKTS.
About the ARTS Awards
The ARTS Awards is the premiere awards program dedicated to the home decorative accessories industry. Twenty-six categories exist under the headings Manufacturer, Retailer, Product Designer, Sales Representative, Rising Star and Academy of Achievement. Anyone in the industry can nominate including manufacturers, retailers, sales representatives, designers, suppliers, consultants and other industry officials. The Academy of Achievement honoree is selected by the ARTS Awards committee each year. Companies that have won the ARTS Awards five times are inducted into the Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame members are: BJ’s Home Accents, C.S. Wo & Sons, Distinctive Designs International Inc., Feizy Rugs, Fine Art Lamps, Montaage, Natural Decorations Inc., Palecek, Robb & Stucky and Schonbek Worldwide Lighting.
About the Accessories Resource Team
The Accessories Resource Team (ART) is the association representing accessory manufacturers, retailers, representatives and other industry individuals and companies interested in promoting the decorative home accessories industry. The association’s goal is to enhance the market position of decorative home accessories. Each year ART sponsors programs such as the ART conference, regional educational seminars and the ARTS Awards. The Accessories Resource Team Web site is available at www.accessoriesresourceteam.org.
About Dallas Market Center
Founded in 1957, Dallas Market Center is the world’s most complete wholesale marketplace. Within its marketplace of more than five million square feet, retailers from around the globe source products ranging from home furnishings, gifts, decorative accessories and lighting to textiles, fashion accessories and men's, western, women's and children's apparel. With more than 50 markets each year attended by more than 200,000 retail buyers from all 50 states and 84 countries, Dallas Market Center offers hundreds of events and seminars geared toward helping retailers expand business and increase profits. As a result, more than $8 billion in estimated wholesale transactions are conducted annually within the Dallas Market Center complex. The Dallas Market Center Web site is available at http://www.dallasmarketcenter.com/.