Atlanta: It’s warm(ish) there, right?
Wrong!
Last year it was so……cold. I stayed at the Westin: that round column of a hotel that is attached to the AmericasMart buildings. BUT the rooms all have one complete wall of glass. Scenic: yes. Romantic: yes. Could be lovely: yes. But when the temperature is 10 above, and you are in a city that does not have double glazed (forget triple glazed) windows, it is COLD COLD COLD. The air blew into the room all night.
So, this year I chose an elegant, independent, well-reviewed hotel a few blocks from the Mart: The Glenn Hotel.
Little did I know that there would be a snow storm a few days before I arrived! My flight was fine and it was sunny and clear when I landed (only 55 minutes from Raleigh/Durham, that was nice). But the sidewalks! Six inches of ice and snow topped with sand and/or dirt. Puddles. Mounds of yuck. What should have been an easy walk turned into a trek. There I was with white pants rolled up and dragging my rolling portfolio…. must have been quite a sight! And no, I did not wear boots: boots are for New York or Chicago, but Atlanta??
So what did I see at the Market? I only had one afternoon and one morning to see and do as much as I could. Unfortunately for you, but very fortunately for me and for my artists, I was busy almost every minute of that time with customer meetings! Most were scheduled but some were those wonderful serendipitous moments when it just clicked…
So….given the fact that I didn’t have any time to just walk and observe,much less to take any pictures for you, I’ve scanned a few images from the trade magazines I picked up.
This is always one of my favorite showrooms:
Theirs is a very interesting story. Read how they got started, almost on a whim, to their factory in Haiti and the help they have given and money raised since the earthquake.
Flowers. There were lots of pretty flowers. The “buzz” was all about butterflies. Seems to me we’ve been hearing about them, and seeing them, for quite a while but several customers made a point of saying they were the newest trend icon. We will see.
And these from artist Rebecca Harrell for Home Etc.
Rebecca is one of the artists I represent for licensing opportunities through my business, LW Associates. Click on the link above (“My Licensing Business”) in the nav bar to see more of her designs.
These plates are luscious. They are good enough to eat!
And very soon you will see them at a major retailer throughout the U.S. I will reveal the name when they are on the shelf!
And in a different product category, these rugs from HomeComfort were new at the market:
This “Rain Forest” from Mossy Brook Studio. Again, see the link above to view more of her work.
And, from yours truly, “Kitchen Pears“:
We will definitely be at the July Mart with lots of new things for show and tell!
