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Preview: AN’s 2021 Design District Crawl

New York’s Design District Returns

After a long period of closures and limited-capacity measures, many of the city’s design firms prepare to fully reopen showrooms this fall. By Adrian Madlener

It would be fruitless to try to condense New York’s design community into a handful of city blocks. Even so, few neighborhoods have as strong a claim to the title of “design district” as NoMad and Flatiron. With plentiful real estate of the expansive postindustrial variety, the area has become a magnet for high-end design brands looking to establish a foothold in New York. The ambience and environmental design vary dramatically from one showroom to the next, so that one can peruse smart kitchen fixtures, stylish furnishings, and innovative composites in the span of a few blocks. For AEC specialists outfitting various commercial projects or for consumers seeking to upgrade their homes, the NoMad and Flatiron neighborhoods are a one-stop source.

Market editor Adrian Madlener spoke to several of the area’s showroom managers ahead of AN Interior’s Design District Crawl on October 20. The evening event will bring together industry professionals in various locales for the first time in over a year to pour libations, converse, and test the latest products.

AN: What does it mean for you and perhaps the entire New York design industry to be reopening showrooms this fall?

Eda Ecemiş, marketing representative,

Lineadecor: The idea of socializing again is very exciting, and it’s more meaningful than ever for the design community.

There’s a serious demand for kitchen and other home products because of all the time we’ve spent indoors lately. With most projects back on track, we’re happy to yet again provide a place where our clients can interact with our designs. This industry relies on both visual and physical parameters. There needs to be a social component and physical interaction.

Jan-Willem Poels, country manager, Moooi

USA: Clients need to see products in real life, especially when it comes to presenting new releases. We create unforgettable brand experiences online, but in our brand stores we can shape a complete

Moooi world that is experienced in all its tactility. It allows our clients to make better choices about materials and finishes. In times like these, we need to bring more beauty into the world. If we can bring a spark of happiness to people who see our collections, be it in real life or pictures, we’ve accomplished our mission.

AN: In the age of e-commerce, why is it still essential to have a physical space to promote your brands? Emilie Miller, content editor, PID Floors:

There is nothing like visiting a showroom in person. You can look, see, touch, and have a tactile, visceral experience with our vast inventory of hardwood flooring in person, and that is a priceless experience for our clients.

Amy Lee, partner, DeMuro Das: It’s well known that design is a relationship-driven business—one face-to-face meeting can take the place of countless emails and phone calls when it comes to building trust and familiarity. No matter how many CAD drawings, photographs, and renderings get used in the design process, the end result is a physical space filled with physical objects that will be interacted with daily. I like to think of our showroom as a way of facilitating mini experiences for each client who enters—the mood, the light, the space, the conversations with employees all convey a great deal about who you are as a brand that can’t be communicated any other way.

AN: In what ways are NoMad and Flatiron the design district of New York?

Roy Marcus, brand ambassador, Artistic

Tile: We were pioneers in moving from

Fifth Avenue to 21st Street between 5th and 6th Avenues. Now heading to 21st

Street has become shorthand for stone and tile shopping. We’re proud of our status as the first among equals. The

Flatiron/NoMad area offers the extraordinary resource of the finest in decorative showrooms across all categories, one that absorbs the intense energy of

New York’s creative epicenter.

Poels: The concentration of high-quality design stores in the NoMad area makes it easier to plan shopping trips both for

New York clients and designers as well as visitors from out of town.

Miller: There was a reason we wanted our flagship showroom to be in the heart of the Flatiron District—it’s simply the best.

It’s a design hub and endlessly inspiring to be surrounded by so many incredible design brands within a neighborhood steeped in such history. As we emerge from the significant challenges of this past year, we have no doubt this period will be a renaissance for New York’s design districts.

DAVID MITCHELL

Facing page, above: DeMuro Das's new sprawling flagship is located at 900 Broadway in the centrally-situated Flatiron District.

Facing page, below: Moooi's 36 East 31st street brand store has become a mainstay of the ever-popular Nomad neighborhood.

Above: Lineadecor's 900 Broadway Suite showroom offers the perfect in-person experience for a range of clients and specifiers.

Below: PID Floors's 5 West 20th street flagship remains a vital resource for the most discerning customers.

COURTESY LINEADECOR

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