Branding and Innovation in Interior Design

In catching up on my blog posts on the last day to submit, and also before my Graduation, I'm reflecting on the past two years and everything I have learned and become curious about. The two words NRT always mentions: "Stay Curious."

What does that mean to me? Stay curious in any industry that you're a part of. I'm a rare breed in this program who works in the interior design field -- a field that is considered too decorative. But the field embodies many other things that I've come to learn by staying curious. Branding exists in every product, including the materials our homes are built with, the chairs we sit on, and the lighting that changes our moods.


In thinking about branding in interior design and architecture, I attended the first Innovation Conference for design, hosted by Interior Design Magazine at the Neue House in NYC. It aimed to explore cutting-edge technology, breakthrough ideas, and insights that will drive the interior design into the next decade -- shaping the way they do business.








"The Convergence of Digital and Physical"(Retail-Digital Convergence)

Byron Merrit, Global President Retail Innovation at Nike, discusses his unique role in retail design -- one that is new to the brand and specific to him only. Retail design requires an innovative and creative brand experience that considers architecture, marketing, creativity, design, technology, and innovation.

Before speaking during his keynote titled "The Convergence of Digital and Physical",  he introduced brand retail experiences at Nike locations in NYC, Miami, Paris, and Beijing that help test-drive many of their tech-driven brand experiences -- emphasizing that retail is not dead, and has the opportunity to thrive when approached creatively and introducing technology.

In using technology in retail spaces, he leverages data on customer's preferences and usage of phones for purchasing to introduce a new in-store buying feature at Nike: Customers are able to pay for their item anywhere in the store through the app. They are also able to scan a barcode of the clothing item they want to try on. Upon arrival at the Changing Room, the clothes will be available for trying on.

Things to consider:
- Serve consumers the way they want to be served.
- Stay updated with how consumers are experiencing.
- Using technology to bring them closer and engage with them.


"Sustainability Panel" (Products and Workplace Application)
Later on after Byron Merrit's talk, a panel of three took the stage to discuss sustainability in architecture and design:
- Cheryl Heller, MFA Program at SVA in Design for Social Innovation
- Jane Abernethy, Sustainable Officer at Humanscale
- Chip Degrace, VP at Interface

Out of all of the panels, this one intrigued me the most. Designers at large are culprits in creating a demand for an unsustainable product -- sacrificing better practices for a look and feel.

This panel discusses how the industry can be more conscious of their selections and how can vendors be more responsible in producing products that will have less impact on the environment and reduce waste.

Key highlights: "How to future-proof the world to combat climate change?"
-  Cut down carbon in spaces.
- Aim for Green certifications
- Focus on product lifecycle and positive impact
- Aim for collaboration between designers and vendors/manufacturers to create products that can replicate the same look and feel like the original product.








Popular posts from this blog

2020 Adobe MAX Conference | Shadiq Williams

Brand Film Awards and Workshop 2020 | Starley J Sandez

AdWeek 2018, 1 Year Later | William Howard