Design centers and showrooms are becoming more and more accessible to homeowners. Sometimes the homeowner can attend openly, such as Furnitureland South in High Point, North Carolina. Other times, the public is only welcome when escorted by a home design professional.
Traditionally only for people in the trade - architecture, interior design, etc. - design centers and showrooms may still feel a bit foreign to the average homeowner. Although it is still a place for professionals, it is also an experience worth having if you are looking to update your home’s interior design. With perfectly set up rooms containing the most beautiful, high-quality furnishings, design centers have so much to offer than one might expect.
First and foremost, design centers offer a look into the industry's newest trends and how to properly incorporate them into a style. For people who are considering updating their homes but don’t know where to start, showrooms work extremely well at pointing people in the right direction. For consumers who already know their style vision, visiting a showroom will give them ample insight into which furniture, art, and fabrics will help attain their desired look.
Other than helpful visuals, the quality of work is also another large contributor to showroom popularity, as the furniture, flooring, fabrics, and decor exhibited are going to be of the utmost quality. Those working in design centers are highly knowledgeable in their areas, allowing them to be a prized resource for shoppers.
As much as I recommend visiting showrooms to everybody, it is still quite handy to work with a design professional. Professionals know the ins-and-outs of the showroom processes, have established relationships within the design community, can assist in getting custom work done, and will know if a certain piece of furniture, artwork, fabric, and decor will work in your home.
So, without further ado, here are a few of my favorite showrooms in the shopping bastion, Los Angeles:
Jean de Merry
Inspired by French Deco, the founders Christian Darnaud-Maroselli and Jean de Merry have masterfully created an interior design collection that complements both bold and classic designs. A rare level of craftsmanship shows through with each piece, ultimately creating works of art rather than just beautiful furniture and decor. Other than their skilled woodworking, gorgeous lighting, and intriguing artwork, I love how tastefully they integrate stone, bronze, and wood, along with other organic materials, into their collection. The Jean de Merry line isn’t afraid to mix old elements with new styles, providing customers with a fun collection to get creative with no matter the style.
Holly Hunt
Holly Hunt, who I like to refer to as the “Ambassador of Style,” never fails to impress. Although recently purchased by Knoll, this collection will continue to prosper in the design industry as it is famous for their high-quality, timeless designs. The Holly Hunt collection doesn’t need to go over-the-top with ornamentation or vibrant colors since this elegant collection is full of luxurious fabrics, textures, and compositions, leaving no need for elaborate designs. However, simplicity doesn’t mean monotony, as Holly Hunt always has something gorgeous and new to admire, making this one of my favorite showrooms to attend no matter the location.
Thomas Lavin
The collection of manufacturers that Thomas Lavin puts together is truly exquisite, bringing together top interior design lines, including Dakota Jackson, Magni Home, Rose Tarlow Melrose House, and Jiun Ho. His skillful mixing and matching of designers prove to work, as his showrooms are some of the most impressive I’ve seen. When you visit Thomas Lavin, you’ll be stunned at how elegant each piece of furniture is, yet they are also extremely versatile and easy to work with. Looking at these collections always sparks my imagination, offering insight into new ways to pair different pieces together, such as uniquely ornate decor with clean-lined furnishings.
Visiting showrooms are, of course, necessary to my field of work, however, it’s not solely business when I go to such places. Showrooms are three-dimensional works of art, with all its elements perfectly placed and beautifully paired with one another. Showrooms are also a form of inspiration, not only to consumers but professionals as well, seeing how top manufacturers perceive their pieces and having new design ideas stem from those visions. So, although I've named only a few of my favorite Los Angeles showrooms, don’t be shy to experience others that you come across because there is always something to take away from each one.
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