Sharon Davis

Hubbardton Forge Launches New Website

Feb 2, 2023 | Members News

Hubbardton Forge, a leader in high-end lighting and home décor, is excited to announce the recent launch of its new website highlighting the company’s innovative products and unique approach to lighting solutions. When faced with the overwhelming task of choosing a web design firm, Hubbardton Forge decided to partner with Jola for its strong knowledge of the lighting industry, extensive offerings, personal service, and attention to detail. Jola’s incredible expertise and immense dedication have resulted in Hubbardton Forge’s new B2B e-commerce portal which is now one of the most robust websites in the lighting and furnishings industry, presenting a user-friendly and customized experience. Be sure to check out the new site and all of its bells and whistles from custom dashboards, a checkout process tailored to each customer’s purchasing preferences to an extensive resource library!

Registration is Open for ART Conference 2023

Feb 1, 2023 | Press Releases

February 1, 2023 – Charlotte, NC – The Accessories Resource Team is excited to announce that registration for our upcoming conference is now open! The conference will take place at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, California on May 18-21, 2023.

This year’s conference schedule will host a different line-up of programming as a direct response to survey results from 2022. Attendees will learn from panels featuring industry experts, have roundtable discussions during the popular ART Talks series, and participate in the new interactive session called the People’s Court. The networking opportunities allow everyone to connect with fellow professionals in the accessories industry through activities, events and the annual community service project. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and skills that will help them grow their business and stay ahead of the competition.

ART Conference is accepting sponsorships, many of which include conference registration. Click here to see the open opportunities. The current list of sponsors include: Dallas Market Center, Juniper Commerce, Hubbardton Forge, High Point Market, Jola, Global Views, Currey & Company, Polywood, Progress Lighting, Crystorama, Feizy, My Samm and Varaluz.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Town and Country Resort for what promises to be an engaging and informative conference. Register now to secure your spot We can’t wait to see you in San Diego.

For conference details and registration, please visit the ART Conference website.

33rd ARTS Awards Winners Announced

Jan 9, 2023 | Press Releases

—Industry’s highest honor extended to more than twenty companies and leaders—

DALLAS – January 7, 2022 – Dallas Market Center and ART, the creative home furnishings network, have announced the recipients of the 33rd ARTS Awards. Following a judging process guided by a panel of industry experts, category winners were announced at a gala event on Friday, January 6 at the Hilton Anatole hotel co-hosted by Thom Filicia and Carson Kressley. In addition to category winners, the Academy of Achievement honor was awarded to The White Family and a special HEARTS Award was presented to Culp.

“Congratulations to this year’s ARTS Awards recipients and to our special honorees,” said Cindy Morris president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. Added Sharon Davis, executive director of ART: “It was an heartfelt evening of celebration for the industry and for the creative leaders who were honored.”

33rd ARTS Awards Recipients

Lighting Showroom
East/Atlantic: Dominion Lighting – Arlington, VA
Midwest/Southwest: Alcott & Bentley – Louisville, KY
West: Black Whale Lighting – Encinitas, CA

Home Accents Store
East/Atlantic: Foundry 42 – Port Jervis, NY
Midwest/Southwest: Kenneth Ludwig – Chicago, IL
West: Lulu’s Furniture & Décor – Greenwood, CO

Furniture Store—Single Location: IBB Design Fine Furnishings – Frisco, TX
Furniture Store—Multiple Location: Lee Douglas Interiors – Lincoln, NE
Design Studio: Dixon Rye – Atlanta, GA

Special Awards

Academy of Achievement Award: The White Family, Gabby, Summer Classics, Wendy Jane
HEARTS Award: Culp
Product Designer: Ian Thornton – Currey & Company
Interior Designer: Corey Damen Jenkins

Sales Representatives
East/Atlantic: Dana Carvey – The Carvey Group
Midwest/Southwest: Cherry Bernish – In-Detail
West: Stephanie Murphy – Global Views

Manufacturer Categories

Green Award: Casafina Living

Area Rugs: Loloi
Home Accents: The Howard Elliott Collection
Accent Furniture: Currey & Company
Home Textiles: Aviva Stanoff Design
Tabletop: Beatriz Ball
Outdoor Living: POLYWOOD
Wall Décor: Phillips Collection
Lamps: Visual Comfort & Co.
Lighting Fixtures: Hubbardton Forge

Sponsors for the 33rd ARTS Awards include Aspire Design & Home; Business of Home; Décor News Now; Designers Today; Furniture, Lighting & Décor; Furniture Today; Gifts & Decorative Accessories; Home Accents Today; Home Textiles Today; Interior Design Society, and Sustainable Furnishings Council.

Presenters Announced for 33rd ARTS Awards

Dec 14, 2022 | Press Releases

—Distinguished group joins co-hosts Thom Filicia and Carson Kressley—

December 15, 2022 – Dallas Market Center and ART, the creative home furnishings network, announce the guest presenters for the 33rd annual ARTS Awards taking place on Friday, January 6, 2023. The ARTS Awards, hosted annually in January during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, acknowledges preeminent manufacturers, retailers, interior designers, products designers and sales representatives.

Following the judging process by a panel of independent industry experts, category winners will be announced for the first time at the gala event. In addition to category winners, the Academy of Achievement honor will be awarded to The White Family and the HEARTS Award will be presented to CULP, Inc.

The distinguished group of presenters joins design experts and lifestyle tastemakers Carson Kressley and Thom Filicia who are co-hosting the event and presenting multiple categories.

• Amber Lewis, Interior Designer, Principal of Amber Interior Design, and founder of Shoppe Amber Interiors
• Adam Glassman, Creative Director, Oprah Daily
• Barry Goralnick, Interior Designer and Principal of Barry Goralnick
• Carrie Dillon, Managing Director, International Textile Alliance
• Cindy Morris, president and CEO, Dallas Market Center
• Colleen Visage, Vice President of Product Management, Progress Lighting, and President of ART
• Courtney Garrigan, Co-Owner of Coco & Dash Home, Dallas, TX
• Scarlette Tapp, Executive Director, Sustainable Furnishings Council
• Sharon Davis, Executive Director, ART
• Tamara Day, Interior Designer & Host of Magnolia Network’s Bargain Mansions
• Teddie Garrigan, Co-Owner of Coco & Dash Home, Dallas, TX

Reservations for the ARTS Awards gala are still available which includes the networking cocktail hour with access to industry leaders, luminaries, and influencers. Tickets are $170 for ART members and $200 for non-members. Tables are also available.

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

33rd ARTS Awards Academy of Achievement Announced

Nov 17, 2022 | Press Releases

White Family to Receive ARTS Awards Academy of Achievement Honor
—Multi-generation business and creative team behind Summer Classics, Gabby, and Wendy Jane to accept industry’s highest accolade at 33rd event—

November 2022 – One of the leading families in the business of home furnishings, The White family, will receive the Academy of Achievement honor at the 33rd ARTS Awards taking place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas on Friday, January 6, 2023.

The White family, including Bew White, William White, and Wynne White Martin own multiple furnishings brands and manage a total home assortment of compelling product categories under parent company Gabriella White including Summer Classics, Gabby, and Wendy Jane that serve the residential and commercial marketplace.

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 story of the White family is one of entrepreneurship, innovation, creativity, and generosity,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “They built a business that’s extremely well respected not only for their products and people but for their purpose. We look forward to celebrating their achievements.”

“The growth of the Gabriella White brands over the years would be reason enough to honor this family,” said Sharon Davis, executive director of ART. “However, it’s their deep values and strong leadership that are being recognized with this accolade. It’s truly an honor to present the Academy of Achievement to a beloved family who continue to lead with heart.”

For more than four decades, the White Family has designed and manufactured luxury outdoor furniture adding luxury indoor furniture, custom upholstery, lighting, pillows, rugs and accessories more recently. Today, Gabriella White delivers compelling and differentiated design in residential and commercial furnishings across their wholesale, contract and direct to consumer divisions via their Summer Classics and Gabby brands. They have become a trusted house of brands across the channels, customers and communities they serve.

Company founder Bew White graduated from Auburn University with a degree in textile engineering. In 1978, he began his own sales representative company, the Vista Corporation. Along the way, he started multiple smaller companies in an effort to build a national brand. In 1987 one of these, Summer Classics, began to gain traction and solid sales. Created around Bew’s idea to design and manufacture the outdoor furniture he would want for his own backyard, Summer Classics quickly began to be featured by notable retailers including Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel, Williams Sonoma, and Restoration Hardware. In 2008, Bew’s son William joined the company and now serves as CEO. In 2009, daughter Wynne also joined the company and now serves as National Account Manager and creative lead for Wendy Jane. In 2010, the company launched indoor luxury furniture brand Gabby and added Wendy Jane, a collection of handcrafted indoor and outdoor pillows, in 2018.

The White’s philanthropic endeavors are as passionate as their devotion to the company. They have been key donors to Lifeline adoption, cancer research, children’s hospice, church rebuilding, Big Brothers Big Sisters, United Way and various Christian ministries. The Summer Classics Halo collection donates a portion of all sales to cancer research in honor of long-time sales rep Susan Lambeth, who lost a battle to ovarian cancer. In 2013, company founder Bew White was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Society of International Business Fellows and in 2021 Bew White received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Casual Furnishings Association.

The Academy of Achievement honoree is selected each year by the ARTS Awards Committee in order to recognize significant contributions to the industry. The committee serves one year and their duties include a review of the process and selecting the Academy of Achievement honoree. The 33rd ARTS Awards committee members are: Colleen Visage, Progress Lighting; James Merida, Bountiful Home; and Leslie Taglio, Taglio & Associates.

Reservations for the ARTS Awards are now open. Tickets are $170 for ART members and $200 for non-members. Tables are also available. Click here for reservations.