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.

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.

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.

October 10, 2022 – Dallas Market Center and ART, the creative home furnishings network, are thrilled to announce CULP, Inc. as the recipient of the HEARTS Award for the upcoming 33rd ARTS Awards. The gala event honoring home industry excellence will take place Friday, January 6, 2023 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel (2201 N. Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207).

“We are inspired by CULP’s strong company practices and values that not only affect the direct communities they operate in, but the world as a whole,” said Sharon Davis, executive director of ART. “They 100% represent the kind of heart-based leadership this award stands for.”

The HEARTS Award is a special honor that began as an entire event during the pandemic. In June of 2021, the annual ARTS Awards was replaced by a one-time special event called 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. Last year the HEARTS Award was a made a permanent fixture at the ARTS Awards and will continue to honor an industry leader each year for their heart-based leadership. This year CULP, Inc. was nominated by Carrie Dillon of the International Textile Alliance.

“We are pleased to honor CULP this year,” says Cindy Morris, CEO of Dallas Market Center. “Good environmental and sustainable practices are close to my heart and something I strongly believe in. We’re excited to showcase CULP’s efforts with the home industry so that it may inspire others to follow suit and change our world for the better.”

CULP, Inc. is being honored for its commitment to their employees and the communities they work within as well as for its environmental, sustainable, and social practices. CULP is continually working to advance its sustainability initiatives, encompassing not only environmental aspects, but also social and corporate governance components. Their holistic approach to sustainability invests in its people, positively impacts local communities, and ensures ethical operations throughout the supply chain.

“We are honored and humbled to be a recipient of this year’s HEARTS Award,” shares Iv Culp, president and CEO of CULP, Inc. “We’d like to thank the International Textile Alliance for nominating us, and the ART Awards committee, not only for recognizing our efforts, but also for having the vision to create the HEARTS Award. Business can be a force for good in the world, and we consider it our duty and privilege to make a constructive impact wherever we can.”

Founded by Robert G. Culp, Jr. in 1972, CULP, Inc. supplies a wide range of mattress and upholstery fabrics across the globe. Headquartered in High Point, North Carolina, CULP carefully manages a fully integrated platform of manufacturing and distribution facilities to deliver fashion-forward, stylish fabrics with broad appeal to the largest home furnishing retailers and manufacturers.

“We accept this award on behalf of our 1500 associates around the world,” continues Iv Culp. “People make the difference for CULP, Inc., and we are grateful for their commitment to doing business the right way and with a focus on a positive future.”

The ARTS Awards, presented annually during the January Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, recognizes prominent manufacturers, retailers, interior designers, product designers, and sales representatives. The yet to be announced emcees, together with a slate of industry leaders, will reveal category winners, the special Academy of Achievement Award, and the HEARTS Award being presented to CULP, Inc.

Tickets are $170 for ART members and $200 for non-members. Tables are also available. For more information visit www.dallasmarketcenter.com/artsawards.

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

October 3, 2022 – Dallas Market Center and ART, the creative home furnishings network, have announced that reservations are now open for the 33rd ARTS Awards, the premier event honoring home industry excellence. The event will take place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas on Friday, January 6, 2023.

The ARTS Awards, presented annually during the January Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, recognizes preeminent manufacturers, retailers, interior designers, product designers, and sales representatives. View this year’s finalists on the ARTS Awards website: www.dallasmarketcenter.com/ARTSAwards/finalists. After a judging process guided by an esteemed judging panel of independent industry experts, the category winners will be announced. In addition, the special Academy of Achievement Award and HEARTS Award will be presented to two forthcoming honorees.

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

Keep up-to-date with Dallas Market Center events and happenings on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and use #ARTSAwards to stay connected.

September 6, 2022 – Dallas Market Center and ART, the creative home furnishings network, have announced the judges for the 33rd ARTS Awards, taking place in Dallas on Friday, January 6, 2023 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. The ARTS Awards, presented annually during the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, celebrates 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 33rd ARTS Awards judges are:

Beth Bender, Principal & Co-Founder, The Dove Agency. She specializes in new client and strategic partner acquisitions for The Dove Agency and has developed a team that back-office operations for interior design professionals, from strategic financial and project management services to targeted marketing solutions. She brings more than 20 years of design experience to her work, enabling her to advise and assist clients with uniquely informed perspectives as she helps them maximize their time, resources, and profitability.

Caroline Biggs, Market Editor, 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.

Jane Dagmi, Managing Director, High Point x Design. She leads the organization and movement to bolster High Point’s global credit as a year-round destination for creativity, design and innovation. For four years prior, she was the Editor in Chief of Designers Today magazine.

Russ Jones, Retail Sales Representative, Ivystone. From Broadway to Retail to Sale Representative, Russ’s career is all about entertainment and excitement. He started in New York City as a thriving actor performing around the globe. After this great run, Russ opened the store, Flights of Fancy. After a successful 10 year run with the shop, Russ became a Sales Rep with Ivystone. As a 3-time winner of the ARTS Award for best Sales Rep on the East Coast, Russ has continued to build his Home & Design business in New York City. Russ is a proud member of ART and honored to sit on the Board for Gift for Life, the Gift and Home industry’s charitable organization raising money for AIDS awareness and supporting World Central Kitchen to feed the hungry. Never one to be a shrinking violet, Russ is known for his wardrobe at shows and can be followed on Instagram with the #whatsrusswearing.

Warren Shoulberg, Business Journalist and Contributing Editor. Warren Shoulberg knows home furnishings. He has been a regular contributor to The Robin Report, Forbes.com, The Business of Home and Home Textiles Today as well as his own blog Warrensreport.com. As the former editor-in-chief for several leading business-to-business publications specializing in home furnishings retailing he has chronicled the good, the bad and the ugly of the business in an award-winning career spanning four decades. He has guest lectured at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business and been honored by the International Furnishings and Design Association, Gift for Life and the Fashion Institute of Technology. He has been cited by the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, ABC News and other media as an expert in the field.

Scarlette Tapp, executive director, Sustainable Furnishings Council and Sustainable Furnishings Educational Fund. Scarlette exclusively serves as the Green Award judge and reviews only the manufacturing finalists’ submissions. She is a nonprofit professional with extensive experience in fundraising, communications, and strategic planning. Throughout her nonprofit career, she has worked with organizations in the sectors of nature conservancy, the arts, and education. Scarlette’s track record for building capacity has served nonprofits in Western NC and Upstate SC for over 13 years.

All 33rd ARTS Awards finalists can be viewed here. Reservations for the ARTS Awards open October 3rd. Tickets will be $170 for ART members and $200 for non-members. Discounted rates for full tables of (8) and (10) guests are also available.

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

The judges page is listed here.  For more information, visit the ARTS Awards website.

August 15, 2022 – Dallas Market Center and ART, the creative home furnishings network, have announced the finalists for the 33^rd ARTS Awards. The ARTS Awards is the premier international awards program dedicated to the home décor industry.

A panel of industry experts evaluated hundreds of submitted nominations to determine the list of finalists. The announced finalists will submit materials for judging in the fall, and award recipients will be announced at a gala event in Dallas on Friday, January 6, 2023. Special category awards including Academy of Achievement and the HEARTS Award will be announced at a later date.

Congratulations to this year’s finalists, who are the top achieving companies in the industry,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. Added Sharon Davis, executive director of ART: “We have many new finalists as well as iconic names. It’s a strong slate of finalists, and we look forward to celebrating all of them in January.”

The 33^rd ARTS Awards finalists are:

RETAILER
Design Studio
Barbara Stewart Interiors – Bowling Green, KY
Christopher Todd Design – Henderson, NV
Dixon Rye – Atlanta, GA
In Detail Interiors – Pensacola, FL
Paloma & Co – Houston, TX

Furniture Store – Multiple Locations
Cokas Diko Home – Santa Rosa, CA
Kellogg Collection – Washington D.C.
Lee Douglas Interiors – Lincoln, NE

Furniture Store – Single Location
AF Home Interiors – Dallas, TX
IBB Design Fine Furnishings – Frisco, TX
Kathy Adams Furniture & Design – Plano, TX
Sunrise Home – San Rafael, CA

Home Accents Store – East/Atlantic
Foundry 42 – Port Jervis, NY
La Maison – Raleigh, NC
Mallory-Fields – Johnson City, TN
Republic of Décor – Naples, FL

Home Accents Store – Midwest/Southwest
Homeology – McKinney, TX
Kenneth Ludwig – Chicago, IL
Mister Robert Furniture – Norman, OK

Home Accents Store – West
Drees – Olympia, WA
Garde – Los Angeles, CA
Lulu’s Furniture & Décor – Greenwood, CO

Lighting Showroom – East/Atlantic
Capital City Lighting – Baton Rouge, LA
Dominion Lighting – Arlington, VA
Hermitage – Nashville, TN

Lighting Showroom – Midwest/Southwest
Alcott & Bentley – Louisville, KY
Amber’s Lighting & Home Accessories – Stillwater, OK
Lightology – Chicago, IL

Lighting Showroom – West
Black Whale Lighting – Encinitas, CA
City Lights – San Francisco, CA
Lightform Lighting – Scottsdale, AZ
Western Montana Lighting – Missoula, MT

The ARTS Awards process begins with the nomination of retailers, manufacturers, designers, and sales representatives. After nominations are received, a nomination panel of industry peers evaluates the entries and determines finalists. A separate judging panel then convenes in the fall to review and score finalists’ materials.  Winners will be announced during a gala event on Friday, January 6, 2023. Neither membership in ART nor representation at Dallas Market Center is necessary for participation.

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