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Role Of Interior Design Centers To Be Analyzed

October 30, 2009


What's the role of Design Centers today?  That's the question that David Shepherd has been asked to answer by
Design Centers International (DCI).

Design Centers International (DCI) is the only trade association of premiere design centers.  DCI members are located in major regional areas of the United States and meet twice yearly in different cities.  DCI is a think tank and networking group of properties.  DCI design centers provide luxury resources to interior designers and their clients.

David Shepherd id founder of Designing Profits, Inc., the nation's leading source for interior design business advice and strategies.

"Over the past five years," Shepherd said, "the impact of the Internet and onset of cost transparency has hammered the margins of both design centers and interior designers. As both have done whatever was necessary to survive, some confusion--and even a little skepticism--about the relationship has arisen."

Shepherd is author of "Your Business or Your Life: 8 Steps For Getting All You Want Out of BOTH".  ASID asked him to gear his "8 Steps" to the interior design business.

David discovered that interior design was among the most complex businesses he had ever seen, and the industry was in the midst of rapid change or what he termed "creative destruction."

Your input can help shape the discussion by filling out the 13 question survey about the Role of Design Centers. This 13-question survey should take you no more than TWO MINUTES!

Our store is primarily modeled after a design center, which Portland does not have.  Designers in Portland were going to Seattle or San Francisco,  so we geared our business to the interior designer, although we are open to the public.  Recently, we competed for a high end fabric line.  The vendor liked everything about us, but awarded the franchise to a "trade only" store.  Open to the retail public was the killer.

One comment to the story in Dexigner Newsletter said, "It is time for the to the trade only business model to die."  What do you think? You can comment directly, email me at landfair3554@comcast.net or follow me @landfairfurnitu

Posted by Mike Landfair on October 30, 2009 | Comments (0)