Seasons Change: ADAC Opens Its Doors to The Public This Fall

ADAC Atlanta Decorative Arts Center

I was at ADAC last week as they rolled out the first phase of what will be a "new day" at the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center.  After 50 years of being "To The Trade Only", the center will open its doors to the public.  Starting October 1st consumers will have access to the showrooms and brands that have long been guarded secrets of design professionals.  ADAC is actually one of the last design centers in the country to make this transition as city after city, center after center, have realized that they can no longer deny the public access to this level of design.

ADAC Campus

Seasons change.  You could hear a pin drop as the assembled panel consisting of Katie Belveal of ADAC management, ASID leadership and showroom staff, discussed the benefits of making this type of transition now.  As one panelist remarked, "Consumers have more access to decorating products than ever before.  We can't lock products behind closed doors any more." 

Signs like this will soon be obsolete at design centers around the country.

Indeed things are changing.  Earlier this year, I wrote the post "Interior Design Take it or Leave It".  At the time, I wanted to explore the challenges that my 22 year old intern would face in the ever changing design filed saddled with the $140,000 debt incurred receiving her interior design degree.  We (Kimberly and Cameron Interiors) were also turning 10 years old around that time, so naturally there was a lot of chatter around the office about what's next.  Three days into our "what's next" discussions and several white boards later, I did the unthinkable and announced that I would be closing Kimberly and Cameron to change directions.
In hindsight, I should have had my staff read "Who Moved My Cheese?" before springing that type of information on them.  I wished again for copies of "Who Moved My Cheese" last week as I took in the shock and horror on the faces of the designers learning that they too will have to adapt to a new way of doing things at ADAC.

Wind Chimes at the Atlanta Decorative Arts Campus.

So, what's next?  Beginning October 1st ADAC will host a series of events designed to educate the public on the showrooms, products, and processes that have made it such a valuable resource for designers for the last five decades.  "Discover ADAC" will educate guests on all these things, as well as the benefit of working with a qualified design professional.  Look for me and my newly trained staff at the grand opening cocktail event on October 4th.  Hosted by ADAC and Atlanta Magazine, it will be a great opportunity to find out not only what's next with us, but with ADAC and the design industry at large. 

Inside Design Center Showroom

Consumers will now be able to source fabrics from well know designers like Thom Filicia and ALexa Hampton.