The buzz began all the way back in July, when we attended the IDS West Preview Party. In the industrial-chic workshop setting of Union Wood Co, the show director shared his vision for this year’s Interior Design Show, which draws over 300 of the world’s most stylish exhibitors.
The vision sprang to life on Thursday night at the Vancouver Convention Centre, where hundreds of people gathered to kick off the show’s 9th year.
With the wave of a press pass we were able to sneak in just before the crowds to check out the media lounge, organized by Heth PR. A beautifully landscaped model backyard provided a somewhat unusual setting for an indoor event, but set the tone of a casual BBQ gathering among friends. After a fireside cocktail, the group moved on to the main event.
Unlike so many events crammed into tiny cocktail lounges, the entire expanse of the Convention Centre’s exhibit hall offered a roomy setting for guests to mingle. Some seriously impressive exhibits and installations created a series of unique gathering spots.
At the centre of it all, a bar sponsored by Rollout Custom Wallpaper created a congregation for the design savvy crowd to rub shoulders among some familiar faces from HGTV, like Tommy Smythe, Suzanne Dimma and the handsome trio from The Design Agency.
Photos by Andrew Chin