What We Learn From Designer Show Houses

We are kicking off the New Year discussing Designer Show Houses and how they have benefited us as designers over the years. Living in Atlanta, we are fortunate to have numerous show houses available to visit, which means we get to see all kinds of new and unique design ideas and upcoming trends applied to extravagant homes. During this episode, we will share our top ten takeaways from the last two show homes we visited - from interesting space plans and luxury amenities to WOW tile and fireplace designs. Many regions of the country do not benefit from these beautiful Show Houses so we are here to fill you in on all that you are missing. IN THIS EPISODE:  [01:35] What is a designer show house? [04:12] Seeing the scale of furniture and what it shows designers.  [06:10] Learning furniture placement and space plans. [10:06] How oversized lighting can be used. [14:37] Creating a unique look in specialized spaces.  [19:00] How to create a fireplace design.  [20:20] Benefits of a scullery kitchen and oversized pantries. [22:49] Wallpaper: should it be used everywhere? [25:44] How tile design is used in homes.  [28:19] Creating a spectacular outdoor living space.  [29:34] The best way to use finishes.  [33:34] Why do designers use show houses? KEY TAKEAWAYS: Designer Show Houses are extravagant homes designed to the nines by up to a dozen different professional interior designers and then opened to the public to tour for up to one month. They are often sponsored by national and regional design magazines. Go big or go home! Learning how to scale furniture, lighting and art appropriately is a skill more easily learned when you see it done beautifully in a Designer Show House.  Luxury amenities abound - We spotted coffee bars in master bedrooms and guest suites, oversized pantries to hide small appliances and bulk purchases along with his and hers master closets. RESOURCE LINKS: Kandrac & Kole Website Kandrac & Kole on Instagram Kandrac & Kole on YouTube BIO:  Kandrac & Kole was voted one of Atlanta’s Top 20 Residential Interior Designs by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and has been featured on HGTV as well as in The New York Times, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Home Magazine, and many others as well as participants of the One Room Challenge Spring 2020. Kandrac & Kole has established a well-known reputation for their approachable, dynamic personalities, signature use of color and pattern, and one-of-a-kind, custom designs. As industry experts for residential and commercial design, Joann Kandrac & Kelly Kole share upbeat and entertaining narratives regarding their design projects, travels, and personal stories on their popular blog, their podcast, and via national speaking engagements. Joann and Kelly’s love and commitment to the power of interior design also extends towards their charity work throughout the U.S. and Guatemala. SPONSOR: We have had a tremendous response to our 2023 sponsorship invites and we are excited to welcome back Prosource Marietta for the third year. Prosource Marietta is our stomping ground for a variety of selections for our clients from the latest and greatest tile to hardwoods and custom rugs to cabinetry and plumbing.  Their team, especially their showroom manager, Stacy Wray, makes our lives very easy especially being a one stop shop kind of showroom in a big city like Atlanta. If you are a designer, you know that inventories and pricing of material are constantly changing. At Prosource, each Account Manager does the footwork to keep us up to date. Check them out at prosourcemarietta.com or prosourcewholesale.com for a showroom near you.