Anyone who has tried to navigate the Merchandise Mart during the NeoCon World’s Trade Fair in Chicago knows just how daunting a task it can be. With more than 700 showrooms and exhibitors anticipated this year, and roughly 40,000 other attendees wandering the halls (and elevators!), it’s nearly impossible to see it all.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was one area where you could find a wide variety of the newest materials and finishes available for furniture and interiors without having to fight your way through the crowds? Or a place to grab a much-needed break while being able to touch and feel decorative products you may have never seen before, all at your own pace?
Look no further than the Interiors & Sources Materials Pavilion, which will be returning to NeoCon for the second year, thanks to a successful launch in 2011. Located on the 8th floor of the Merchandise Mart (#8-3130), and organized with the help of Material Intelligence and designer and materials historian Grace Jeffers, the I&S Materials Pavilion presents a curated selection of innovative materials from a wide variety of suppliers.
The Pavilion’s emphasis is on experience and education. Each sample is accompanied by details on the material’s makeup, environmental properties and recommended applications. We’ll also show you how to specify exact design matches across several different types of materials, allowing you to select the performance and durability required for every application in a project without having to compromise on the aesthetic you want.
Our goal with the Pavilion is to bring professional designers into synchronicity with materials suppliers and vice versa, improving the flow of knowledge and ideas in both directions. While you’re there, don’t forget to scan your favorite products’ QR codes with your smartphone to cast your vote for our People’s Choice Award, and register for a chance to win an Apple iPad 2!
Also be sure to stop by on Tuesday afternoon to meet the Interiors & Sources 2012 I Like Design student internship contest winner, Cassie Welch.
The following is just a sampling of the products that you’ll find at this year’s Pavilion. We hope to see you there!