ARTS Awards Judges Announced

—Distinguished panel to adjudicate industry’s highest accolade for 32^nd event—

 

 

DALLAS/CHARLOTTE – October 7, 2021 – Dallas Market Center and ART, the creative home furnishings network, have announced the judges for the 32nd ARTS Awards, taking place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas on Friday, January 7, 2022.   The ARTS Awards, presented annually during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, acknowledges preeminent manufacturers, retailers, interior designers, product designers, and sales representatives.

 

The esteemed judging panel will select winners from digital submissions that vary based upon category and may consist of product development, marketing, merchandising, company differentiation examples, or professional information.

In November, the judges will convene in Dallas for two days to review each individual or company submission. Once all components of judging are complete, a designated accounting firm tabulates and secures the scores until the winners are announced for the first time at the ARTS Awards gala.

The 32nd ARTS Awards judges are:

Caroline Biggs, Market Editor at Business of Home. She was formerly the Chief Writer at Domino magazine, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Apartment Therapy, Refinery29, Martha Stewart Living, Wirecutter, and more. A maximalist at heart, she believes that every object should have some sort of function in a home—even if it’s just to be beautiful and interesting.

Sandy Hughes, partner and Chief Creative Officer at Steelyard, the trade-only online product resource that seamlessly connects interior designers in the residential, commercial, and contract realms with top design-centric brands. As CCO, she oversees site and editorial content, member engagement, brand messaging, and marketing. She researches and views thousands of Steelyard products every month, introducing new brands and products exclusively to design professionals. It is also Sandy’s priority to make Steelyard’s commitment to professional and product education continually relevant and important to the designers Steelyard serves and to help elevate the interior design trade at large.

Susan Inglis, executive director of Sustainable Furnishings Council and founder of From the Mountain, has over 25 years of experience working with artisans and promoting sustainable manufacturing in the home furnishings, fashion, and gift industries. Under Inglis’ direction, SFC has gained national attention and brought the organization widespread recognition as the primary source for verified sustainable home furnishings. Most recently, SFC opened an office in High Point, North Carolina. For the ARTS Awards, Inglis exclusively serves as the Green Award judge and reviews only the manufacturing finalists’ submissions.

David Landis, designer and principal of David Landis Design, Inc., which creates lighting fixtures for many of the top North American companies in the market today. He combines more than 35 years of experience with a taste for fashion, function, and marketability. His design work translates the integrated vision of both his client’s wants and needs and his own designer’s lens. He is able to interpret, share, and offer concepts and innovative solutions based on current trends.

Connie Post, chief executive officer of Connie Post Affordable Design Solutions. She is renowned as a retail design strategist, author, trend translator and developer of both product and brands. Connie has built a career on understanding where consumers are, what they want most, and where they are going next. As the standard bearer of visual marketing in the home furnishings industry for the past three decades, she is responsible for the look of more than 22 million square feet of retail and wholesale space around the globe.

Cheminne Taylor-Smith, principal, Cheminne.com. She is a creative thinker and idea generator who specializes in branding, strategy, licensing, relationship marketing, promotion, social media, and content creation. Known for her insight and straight talk, she’s helped home furnishings companies and solopreneurs take their brands to the next level and improve their businesses including  Elle Decor, High Point Market, Showtime cable network, Christie’s, Metropolitan Home, Conde Nast, Galerie Magazine, Bernhardt, Hudson Publishing, and more.

Reservations for the ARTS Awards opened October 1. Tickets are $145 for ART members and $170 for non-members. Tables are also available.   Reserve here.

Sponsors for the 32nd ARTS Awards include Aspire Design & Home; Business of Home; Designers Today; D Home; Furniture, Lighting & Décor; Furniture Today; Gifts & Decorative Accessories; Home Accents Today; Home Textiles Today; Interior Design Society, and Sustainable Furnishings Council.

For more information, visit the ARTS Awards website. Keep up-to-date with Dallas Market Center events and happenings on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and use #ARTSAwards to stay connected.

Caroline Hipple, Norwalk Furniture President to accept industry’s highest accolade at 32nd event

 

DALLAS/CHARLOTTE – Caroline Hipple, the president of Norwalk Furniture and industry leader for more than three decades, will receive the Academy of Achievement honor at the 32nd ARTS Awards, taking place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas on Friday, January 7, 2022.

The ARTS Awards, presented annually during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, acknowledges preeminent manufacturers, retailers, interior designers, product designers, and sales representatives. The Academy of Achievement, the industry’s highest accolade, recognizes extraordinary contributions to the industry.

 

The 2022 edition of the ARTS Awards is a return to its usual format after a one-year change. Last year’s ARTS Awards was replaced by a one-time special event, the HEARTS Awards, held in partnership and solidarity with twelve leading industry organizations to honor companies and individuals that have shown outstanding leadership, empathy, and service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Caroline is a worthy honoree not simply because of her decades of inspired leadership but because of her deeply positive impact on our industry and the lives of so many people,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “She has led with purpose, passion, and selflessness. We look forward to celebrating her achievements.”

“I don’t know anyone as driven, determined, caring, smart, and selfless as Caroline,” said Sharon Davis, executive director of ART. “She is such a rare combination of the best values of our industry and of humankind. It’s truly an honor to present the Academy of Achievement honor to someone so respected and beloved.”

Caroline Hipple has served as president of Norwalk Furniture since 2016. The privately held Norwalk, Ohio company manufactures upholstered furniture in its 440,000 square foot facility. In September 2021, the company announced a transition in ownership to an employee stock ownership plan funded entirely by the company.

Hipple, before joining Norwalk, worked closely with the company as a partner in HB2 Resources, a home furnishings consultancy based in Atlanta she co-founded with Dixon Bartlett. She also served as president of retailer Storehouse Furniture Co., a division of Rowe Furniture Co., which had 72 stores. She began her career and held multiple positions with retailer This End Up, beginning her career with the company as a sales associate and advancing to executive vice president of sales, marketing and merchandising. At its height, This End Up had 250 stores.

She has long been an active supporter of non-profits, professional organizations and educational causes. Hipple served in leadership positions with associations including WithIt (Women in the Home Furnishing Industry Today), AHFA (American Home Furnishings Association), the Home Furnishings Hall of Fame and the Bienenstock Home Furnishings library. In addition, she served for 7 years as a member of the board of governors at St. Catherine’s School and on the board for the Atlanta Girls School.

 

—Home industry’s highest honor to return to in-person event in January 2022—

 

DALLAS/CHARLOTTE  – Dallas Market Center and ART, the creative home furnishings network, have announced the finalists for the 32nd ARTS Awards. The finalists will submit materials for judging in the fall, and award recipients will be announced at a live event in Dallas on Friday, January 7, 2022.   “Congratulations to these finalists who represent resilience, creativity, and leadership,” said Cindy Morris president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. Added Sharon Davis, executive director of ART: “Even in challenging times these accomplished individuals and companies have led with purpose. We look forward to celebrating all of them in January.”

 

 

SALES REPRESENTATIVES

East/Atlantic
Amy Lynn Schwartzbard, Life Designs Group
Karen Landes Scherr, Loloi Rugs
Ken Grillo, Grillo Group

Midwest/Southwest
Amy Golightly, In-Detail
Courtney Komlosi, The Buhmann Group
Richard Alan, Richard Alan & Associates

West
Andrea Combet, Art & Function
Leslie Taglio, Taglio and Co.
Sally Simerson, Sally Simmerson Inc.

 

RETAILERS

Furniture Store – Multiple Locations
Clive Daniel Home – Naples, Florida
J. Allan’s Furniture | Interior Design – Brookhaven, Mississippi
HOM Furniture – Coon Rapids, Minnesota
Lee Douglas Interiors – Omaha, Nebraska

Furniture Store – Single Locations
Henry Home Interiors – Norman, Oklahoma
IBB Design Fine Furnishings – Frisco, Texas
Lulu’s Furniture & Decor – Denver, Colorado
Urban Cottage Inc. – Atlanta, Georgia

Home Accents Store – East/Atlantic Region
Bountiful Home – Easton, Maryland
Design Supply – Birmingham, Alabama
Dixon Rye – Atlanta, Georgia
La Maison – Raleigh, North Carolina

Home Accents Store – Midwest/Southwest Region
Coco & Dash – Dallas, Texas
Leon & Lulu – Clawson, Michigan
Nell Hill’s – Kansas City, Missouri

Home Accents Store – West Region
Absolutely Fabulous – Huntington Beach, California
Drees – Olympia, Washington
Jonathons Coastal Living – Fountain Valley,California

Lighting Showroom – East/Atlantic Region
Dominion Lighting – Arlington, Virginia
Hermitage Lighting – Nashville, Tennessee
Patdo Light Studio – Port Chester, New York

Lighting Showroom – Midwest/Southwest Region
Capital City Lighting – Baton Rouge, LA
Circa Lighting – Houston, Texas
Southern Lights – Burnsville, Minnesota

Lighting Showroom – West Region
Black Whale Lighting – Encinitas, California
North Coast Lighting – Seattle, Washington
Western Montana Lighting – Missoula, Montana

Design Studio
Alara The Label – Fort Worth, Texas
In Detail Interiors – Pensacola, Florida
The Design Bar – Burr Ridge, Illinois

The ARTS Awards process begins with the nomination of retailers, manufacturers, designers, and sales representatives. After nominations are received, a nomination committee of industry peers evaluates the entries and determines finalists.  A separate judging panel then convenes in the fall to review and score finalists’ materials including creative digital presentations that vary based upon category and may consist of product development, marketing, merchandising, company differentiation examples, and/or professional information. Once all components of judging are complete, a designated accounting firm tabulates and secures the scores until the winners are announced for the first time at the ARTS Awards gala on Friday, January 7, 2022. Neither membership in ART nor representation at Dallas Market Center is necessary to nominate or to be a nominee.

Sponsors for the ARTS Awards include Aspire Design & Home; Business of Home; Designers Today; D Home; Furniture, Lighting & Décor; Furniture Today; Gifts & Decorative Accessories; Home Accents Today; Home Textiles Today; Interior Design Society, and Sustainable Furnishings Council.