Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
New Jersey ASID Reinvents Trade Show as "Design Expo”
October 29,
2024 by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry 
The New Jersey Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has successfully reinvented its annual trade show, now titled a Design Expo. This year’s event on Oct 8 at Bell Works featured a DJ, a panel with LuAnn Nigara of A Well-Designed Business® and Designer and HGTV host Noel Gatts on how to attract the luxury client, a raffle and a CEU on global design trends by Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove. The lively, interactive event drew crowds of designers and dozens of exhibitors encompassing the breadth of the design trade.
A key part of the Design Expo was the “passing of the gavel” of the ASID NJ Board where Marina V. Umali, ASID, CID, and President from 2023 to 2024, officially transferred responsibilities to incoming ASID NJ President Marilyn LaVergne, Associate ASID, and the outgoing Board of Directors welcomed the new.
“The ASID NJ Design Expo was outstanding with a wonderful chance to experience the latest in today’s products and be inspired,” said LaVergne. “The panel on how to attract the luxury consumer offered valuable insights as well, and of course, there was an abundance of networking opportunities.”
Echoing the sentiment, Umali said, “Months of thought and planning culminated in this very successful Design Expo. I commend the many volunteers who devoted their time and efforts to make this happen and our terrific sponsors as well.”
Blinds to Go and Capitol Lighting were Gold Sponsors of the event and California Closets, Metropolitan Window Fashions and Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove were Silver Sponsors. Chapter sponsors are Design NJ and Room & Board. The setting, the ballroom at Bell Works, formerly Bell Labs, by acclaimed architect Eero Saarinen added to the appeal with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a small lake and verdant landscape.
For more information, email: administrator@nj.asid.org.