IFDA Announces Raymond Waites Design Competition Scholarship

Furniture World News

The International Furnishings and Design Association Educational Foundation announced that plans are underway for a new nationwide Raymond Waites Design Competition Scholarship. It will invite college and university students to design a living area based on modern interpretations of classic themes, in keeping with the noted designer’s ideas about blending time periods and cultural influences in today’s furnishings and environments. The intention is to continue with design competitions for dining room and bedroom in following years. Raymond Waites is known as an industry entrepreneur, creating unique eclectic designs in licensed lines of furniture, lamps, area rugs, accessories and accent items that reflect his vision of the “Remix Revolution.” He is also an icon, style pioneer and artist. IFDA/EF initiated the Raymond Waites Scholarship Fund during an IFDA Industry Forum & Conference held during the October High Point Market. To help build the fund, Raymond Waites is hosting a Wine Tasting and Silent Art Auction at his New Vintage Gallery, 1313 N. Main St., on Sunday, October 19th, from 6-8:30 p.m. Several pieces of his original works of art will be offered at auction, all proceeds going into the design competition scholarship fund. During the coming months, the IFDA Educational Foundation will work with Mr. Waites in developing detailed scholarship criteria and application requirements which will be distributed to colleges and universities across the country and also be available on the EF web site. The Raymond Waites Design Competition Scholarship will be launched in the fall of 2009. The winner will be announced during the April Market of 2010 and highlight the 40th anniversary of the IFDA Foundation which now offers more annual scholarships and grants than any other industry association. Mr. Waites commented “Our idea is to offer this design competition early in the school year so it can be used as a class project and become a valuable learning tool. Most design schools concentrate on contemporary styling but the marketplace continues to dictate a blend of past and present in furniture, accessories and interiors.” The criteria will include the requirement of illustrating in detail a feature item of the design so it is applicable to “real life” production processes and marketing programs. Raymond Waites intends to select an item from the winning room design to adapt for one of his collections, the royalties going into the scholarship fund. Current plans are to award a $5000 scholarship to the winning entry. Plus the student will have an opportunity to gain hands-on experience working as an intern with Raymond Waites, helping set up High Point Market showrooms. EF plans to involve a leading shelter magazine in the project. The IFDA Educational Foundation is a non profit 501(c)3 organization. Those wishing to make a tax deductible contribution to the Raymond Waites Scholarship fund will find a donation form on the EF web site, ifdaef.