Edgy design styles for our interiors are cued from the ever evolving design elements present on the global fashion runways.

The inspirational theme for the 2013 Colour Palette is "Unification" based on current market research by such groups as Color Marketing Group, Pantone, Lenzing Fashion Trends & Iona Design UK. Through this vast amount of research Jo Alcorn, Design Professional has created a 2013 Colour & Style Forecast pallette. Jo will provide you with a cross section of information to illustrate the inspiration and currently evolving colour & style palette for 2013, and their applications in both commercial & residential interiors enabling your designs to remain dynamic, creative and 'in the know'!

Register for this seminar

Every design professional should have a business goal of making money.  But when you're a residential designer, decorator or stager, some people seem to imply that since your business is so much “fun” you should work for free or that what you do is closer to a hobby than a profession, eroding your confidence to charge what you’re worth. Some designers feel that to be the best advocate for their client, it means getting them the cheapest price on product, even though the result may be a very low profit margin. Working on a kitchen design and renovation should be a profitable part of your business.  Robin will teach you the 4 critical process steps you need to know to thoroughly educate your client about the details they can expect, so they are truly prepared for the cost, are happy to pay what you’re worth and delighted with the result.

Register for this seminar

How to run a successful design business, in conversation with the creative, Igloo design and financial side, National Bank. Topics to include, how to develop your brand identity and how to be consistent with this identity across all forms of your business. The challenges and important steps of growing your business – from a financial angle to branding and the marketing side.

Register for this seminar

Recent energy codes and advances in lighting technologies require us to completely re‐think the way in which we integrate lighting into the spaces that we design. Increasingly low power allowances and mis‐steps with early LED technology have resulted in less than successful and uninteresting interior environments. This seminar will offer strategies on how to continue to create stylish, successful and functional spaces within the confines of building code requirements and sustainability. Demonstrations will clarify the LED specification process, enabling designers to confidently integrate tomorrow’s technologies into today’s designs.

Register for this seminar

The art of collecting can be exciting and rewarding, but also a little intimidating. As such, the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Art Rental + Sales Gallery offers a talk as a tool for novice and established collectors who wish to gain valuable tips for starting and enhancing a collection. Join us for a crash course in building corporate and private art collections. We will provide advice on choosing artwork for decor, share strategies for building collections, and discuss using artwork for investment. The AGO Art Rental + Sales Gallery is a valuable resource for both your home and office. Our free consulting services and eclectic collection of Canadian contemporary art from commercial galleries and independent artists is unique in Toronto. This is a one-stop-shop for anyone looking for art. Not only do we offer both rental and sales, we’re there to help you select art and make it easy to transport and install. AGO’s Art Rental and Sales consultants offer free consultations and site visits and will provide advice on choosing and hanging artwork in ways that will inspire you daily and keep the accountant in you happy for having made a wise investment. Slanted to designers that are working with clients and will offer them some tips as to how to approach building a collection and art values rather than just having art for the sake of décor.

Register for this seminar