Las Vegas Market to offer virtual showcase

This summer’s Las Vegas Market, scheduled for Aug. 30 through Sept. 3, will be a showroom-only event with no trade show due to coronavirus concerns. To display products and add more visual elements to the experience, event organizers initiated a “Build the Room” virtual showcase.

In the showcase, 12 designers from around the country pushed creative limits in kitchens, living rooms, home offices and other areas of the home. Two hour-long webinars on Thursday and Aug. 27 on lasvegasmarket.com will have designers talking about the inspiration behind the rooms they created.

“Our ‘Build the Room’ designers were given no budget or style restrictions, resulting in carte blanche creativity for their concepts,” said Dorothy Belshaw, an executive vice president for International Market Centers. “The virtual showcase is an imaginative — and fun — way to showcase the breadth and depth of cross-category products available at the Las Vegas Market.”

The designers certainly took in to account the current times. Many people are still working from home, and there’s a need to build spaces that allow for work and academic productivity. But the designs also share a theme of making spaces comfortable and fun for relaxing, mingling and needed down time after a long day of work.

Rethinking offices

The work and play theme was alive and well in home office creations. Sacramento-based Kerrie Kelly, founder of Kerrie Kelly Design Lab, created a modern office and library, rich with natural light.

For wall color, she opted for the deep blue of Sherwin-Williams’ Azure Tide. Blue is considered a calming color, but darker hues like this one catch your attention, too. Kelly’s office design balances a functional homework bar and library with two plush chairs near a fireplace. In another area of the office, a modern buffet with tapered legs is flanked by an art gallery wall.

The space merges living room comfort and utility and can work in a variety of environments in Las Vegas and elsewhere, the designer says.

“Natural fibers and finishes paired with hues of blue allow for one to feel a sense of sanctuary, even in a home office space,” she said. “While some think Las Vegas interiors equate to glitz and glamour, I think ‘thoughtfully layered looks,’ whether it is the comfort of a European home in a grand setting infused with a playful spirit embodied by the nomad Las Vegas or the shimmering beaded curtains with bars encircled with Swarovski crystals to create the swankiest lounge in town at the Cosmopolitan.”

Wendy Glaister, a Northern California designer, created a home office inspired by a design she executed for a client who is a scientist. The office is inside a home currently being built on a lot that overlooks a private lake in the Sierra Nevada. The office enjoys a 320-degree view of mountain landscapes through 10-foot windows.

“My client loves soothing tones and visually quiet spaces, preferring to let the astounding views take center stage,” the designer added.

The space has plenty of contemporary touches. The designer went with two contemporary, functional burnished Kilpatrick cabinets by Arteriors so the client could keep computer equipment and office supplies out of sight and maintain a clutter-free workspace.

But to give the space a cozier look, she took advantage of the space’s minimal wall space and used a black wallpaper with astrology signs and stars woven into its pattern. She also chose a white, curvy contemporary Alexander couch from Norwalk Furniture for a space to lounge or chat with guests.

An eclectic family room vision

Nicole Yee, owner of NY Interiors, a San Francisco and New England-based interior design firm, created a family room for the virtual showcase. The designer says she loves to embrace classic, modern and whatever works for a space, regardless of genre. Yee is not afraid to spice things up.

“My … room is classic 1930s glam meets laid-back California eclectic,” she said. “Natural elements are enlivened with color and contrast to create a room that’s luxe and livable. … My … family room … isn’t defined by ‘hot’ trends, but rather enduring pieces that will stand the test of time in Las Vegas or anywhere.”

Favoring clean lines in the space, she opted for a light-colored curved contemporary Parker sofa with dark tapered legs, which could be customized in fabric or leather, she said, but enlivened the room with a black coffee table she describes as “modern Moroccan.” She also incorporates lounging rattan chairs, she describes as “cool and comfortable pieces of art.”

“I love the bold, graphic statement (the coffee table) makes. It grounds the room and adds contrast,” she added. “If I had designed the room with only soft neutrals it would have been too quiet. The black elements punch it up and energize the space. I envision music, laughter and wine flowing in this lively room.”

Kitchen luxe

If the kitchen is your favorite room in the house, Lauren O’Connor, CEO and principal of Sanctuary Design Inc. in Newport Beach, Calif., offers a culinary sanctuary that embraces relaxing conversation with friends and dishing up great meals.

Taking center stage in this room is the eye-catching light green La Cornue CornuFe 90 freestanding range that embodies classic luxury and comes complete with polished brass accents.

O’Connor also chose Jamie Young Co. Nusa Bar Stools, with their thin, dark steel frame and rattan seating. Eclectic in and of themselves, the seats are then matched with concrete counters and flat white oak cabinets. The design was inspired by a summer getaway to Avalon Cove on Santa Catalina Island, the designer said.

“Its Catalina Casino, an art deco landmark built in 1929, welcomes visitors approaching the island from the mainland,” she explained. “Each time we visit, I marvel at its history and the incredible natural stone mosaics out front. … I’ve always gravitated toward a natural, honed mix of materials that create a peaceful, timeless feel.”

To learn more about the virtual showcase, visit lasvegasmarket.com.