HIGHLIGHTS FROM WEST COAST

Last week, 525 window-fashions professionals and 31 exhibiting companies gathered in San Diego for WEST COAST INTERIORS: Windows on the West, hosted by Grace McNamara Inc. This specialty event featured a regionally-based show floor and conference program, encouraging attendees and exhibitors to interact, drive sales and do business with industry vendors.

New exhibitors at this year's show included Studio E Decor (manufacturer of cornice board kits), Roma Decoration Fabric (fabric line) and Multitex Inc. (fabric). Products on the show floor included hard and soft window fashions, fabrics, decorative hardware, motorization options and workroom supplies.

Grace McNamara, president and CEO of GMI, presented at the new IFDA San Diego chapter's luncheon in which new members were signed up.

The pricing panel was a hit, as always, giving attendees inside information into what the competition is doing and if they are charging appropriately for their services. Panelists included Joan Willis, workroom manager, Judith Clark, IFDA past national president, member and independent designer, Rita Orland, IFDA San Diego chapter president and independent designer and Dian Garbarini, workroom owner and designer. All four panelists use different methods based on their experience and needs, but all agreed that designers should charge for their time, either as a consulting fee or administrative fee. Time is a valuable resource that should not be given away and simply adds value to the services designers provide. In addition, the general agreement was that a 50 percent up-front deposit is necessary as it covers the cost of ordering most of the materials.

Other seminar highlights included Jim Krengel's Kitchen and Bath seminars, Willis' seminar with unique and innovative designs and Deb Barrett's Design Rx seminar.

GMI's next window-fashions event, the International Window Coverings EXPO (IWCE), will be held May 13–16, 2009 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
For more information, visit www.windowcoveringexpo.com.