Why 150 Design Professionals in one room is good for our Industry

What happens when you put 150 interior designers, retailers, and industry professionals in a room together? Well, first, there's probably a whole lot of talking. We're design people. We have opinions. About pretty much everything.

But what happens when you bring all those people together, not to compete, but to share ideas, learn from one another, and figure out how to make our industry better? Some pretty amazing things.

In September, I had the opportunity to travel to Dallas for Loloi Live, an event hosted by Loloi that brought together approximately 150 professionals from across the design and home furnishings industry. And while there were some incredible speakers, beautiful products, and plenty of inspiration, what I walked away with was something even more valuable.

You might be thinking, but wait, aren't you all competitors? Technically? Yes. Put a bunch of furniture retailers and independent interior designers in a room together and there's a pretty good chance some of us are competing for the same clients, selling similar products, or facing the exact same business challenges.

But I've always believed that we don't have to approach our industry that way. I truly believe there's room for good businesses to succeed, and that helping someone else become better doesn't somehow make your own business less successful. Actually, I think the opposite is true.

When we share ideas, talk about what's working, learn from each other's mistakes, and push each other to improve, the entire industry gets stronger. And at the end of the day, who benefits from that? Our clients. They get better products, better service, better experiences, and ultimately, better-designed homes. That's something worth working together for.

One of the highlights of Loloi Live was the opportunity to hear from some incredible people in our industry. We heard from Joanna Gaines of Magnolia Home, Irv Blumkin of Nebraska Furniture Mart, Dennis Scully with Business of Home, Jean Stoffer, Drew Michael Scott of Lone Fox, Anna Bond of Rifle and Paper Co, Steven and Cyrus Loloi and even Amir Loloi himself. Not exactly a bad lineup. But what I loved wasn't just getting to hear from recognizable names and successful brands. It was getting to listen to conversations about the things that really matter in our industry.

How do we build trust with our clients?

How do we create better experiences?

How do we support one another?

How do we continue growing and improving in an industry that's constantly changing?

Because here's something I think people sometimes forget about interior design. Yes, it's about beautiful spaces. Yes, it's about furniture, fabrics, colors, and all the fun things we love. But it's also very much about people and relationships. Our clients are trusting us with their homes, their money, their time, and sometimes a vision they can't quite explain but know they want to achieve. That's a big deal. And earning that trust, keeping it, and making the experience enjoyable is every bit as important as choosing the perfect sofa. Actually, it's even more important.

Don't get me wrong. The panels and speakers were wonderful. But some of my favorite moments were the conversations happening between them. Meeting other retailers. Talking with independent designers. Getting to know people from different parts of the country who are all working toward similar goals, even if our businesses look completely different.

It's funny how quickly you can connect with someone when you realize they understand exactly what you're talking about. The challenges of running a design business. The changing expectations of clients. The constant evolution of products, technology, and how people shop. And, of course, the occasional furniture-related headache that only someone in this industry would fully appreciate.

There's something really refreshing about being able to sit down with someone and say, "Okay, how are YOU handling this?" And instead of guarding every little secret, people actually share: Ideas, experiences, solutions. A different perspective that makes you think about something in a way you hadn't before.

I made some wonderful connections during the event, and I left with an even stronger appreciation for the community of people who make up this industry. Because as much as we all love beautiful furniture, it's the people behind it that make this business what it is.

You didn't think we were going to Dallas and NOT look at the showrooms, did you? As part of the experience, we headed to Dallas Market, where we visited Loloi's showroom and spent time exploring what other vendors had to offer. And this is always one of my favorite parts of traveling for our industry. Seeing what's new. What's coming. What manufacturers are experimenting with. What colors, patterns, textures, and styles are starting to emerge.

There's a big difference between seeing something on a computer screen and experiencing it in person. You can look at a rug online all day long, but until you see the colors, feel the texture, and understand how it's constructed, you're missing part of the story. The same goes for furniture, fabrics, and accessories. And as someone who spends a lot of time helping clients make decisions about those things, I think it's incredibly important to keep learning, exploring, and seeing products firsthand.

It's also an opportunity to bring fresh ideas back to Utah. Because while trends may start in different places, not every trend makes sense for every home or every market. What works beautifully in one part of the country may need a slightly different approach here. Our Utah homes, our lifestyles, and the way our clients use their spaces all play a role in what we bring into Hamilton Park Interiors.

So when I travel to market, I'm not just looking for what's new. I'm looking for what's worth bringing home.

After a full day of conversations, speakers, and exploring Dallas Market, we all got together for a wonderful dinner. And guess what? More talking. Shocking, I know.

But that's what made the event so special. The conversations didn't end when the panels were over. They continued over dinner, through new introductions, and in discussions about ideas we could take back to our own businesses. It wasn't just about listening to successful people tell us how they built their brands. It was about creating actual relationships with other people who care about this industry.

And I think there's tremendous value in that. Sometimes the best thing you bring home from a trip isn't a new product, a new trend, or even a new business idea. Sometimes it's a new relationship. Someone you can learn from. Someone you can collaborate with. Someone who understands your challenges and might have a completely different way of solving them. Those relationships can continue creating value long after the event is over.

Actually, quite a bit. I know most homeowners aren't particularly concerned with how furniture retailers and interior designers network with each other. You just want a beautiful home, furniture you love, and a good experience getting it all there. Fair enough.

But here's why I think events like Loloi Live matter. When designers and retailers share ideas about improving service, you benefit. When manufacturers listen to the people who are working directly with homeowners, they can make better products. When industry professionals talk about common challenges, we can find better solutions. When we learn about new materials, construction techniques, design ideas, and products, we can make better recommendations. And when we build stronger relationships with the people and companies behind the products we sell, we have more resources to help our clients.

And all of that eventually makes its way into your home. You may never know about the conversation I had with another designer in Dallas, or an idea that came out of a panel discussion, or a new relationship we built with someone in the industry. But if it helps us improve the way we do business at Hamilton Park Interiors, you'll experience the benefit. And that's really the point.

One of the things I've always loved about the design industry is that there's so much room for creativity. No two designers approach a project exactly the same way. No two showrooms are identical. And no two clients want exactly the same thing. That's a good thing!

We shouldn't all be trying to create the same rooms, sell the same ideas, or build the exact same businesses. There's room for different styles, different approaches, and different strengths. And I think there's a huge opportunity for more collaboration within our own Utah design community.

Independent designers, furniture showrooms, builders, architects, manufacturers, and other industry professionals all bring something different to the table. Imagine what happens when we focus a little less on protecting our own little corner of the industry and a little more on how we can work together to make the entire experience better.

Better communication.

Better resources.

Better products.

Better service.

Better design.

Not just for our businesses. For the people who trust us with their homes.

I came home from Dallas inspired. Inspired by the speakers. Inspired by the products. Inspired by the people I met and the conversations we had. But more than anything, I came home reminded of why I love this industry and why I think there's so much opportunity ahead of us.

We're all going to keep competing. That's business. But competition doesn't have to mean isolation. We can learn from one another. We can support one another. We can celebrate each other's successes. We can challenge each other to be better. And we can build a stronger design community in the process.

Because at the end of the day, a better industry creates a better experience for our clients.

And if getting 150 design professionals together in Dallas reminded me of anything, it's that we're capable of doing a whole lot more together than we are on our own. So here's to more conversations, more connections, more collaboration, and a whole lot of beautiful spaces along the way.

And to Loloi for bringing us all together and creating the opportunity for those conversations to happen.

I can't wait to see what comes next.