Are Designer Show Houses Worth It?

Original article posted at Architectural Digest by David Nash.

After a year of show house cancellations, delays, and a few well-orchestrated virtual experiences, there’s a renewed sense of optimism and excitement in the design community as the fourth annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach is set to open this April.

With anticipation for IRL events like this one building and COVID-19 restrictions starting to relax somewhat, the time is ripe to revisit the costs and benefits for designers who pony up the time, money, and resources it takes to pull a show house space together.

AD PRO spoke to several interior designers—all past participants of various show houses across the country—about the value these nationally publicized design events have brought to their businesses, the cost involved in outfitting a space, and why it’s important to keep expectations in check.

“I owe my whole career to show houses,” explains New York–based designer Neal Beckstedt. “In 2012, the second year I was in business, I did Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York and that’s how I [essentially] introduced myself to everyone—all the design editors and bloggers came through my little room.” Beckstedt’s vision for a small corner lounge was enough to earn an incredible amount of recognition and push his business forward. “The next year I was named one of AD’s ‘Ones to Watch’—that show house really put me on the map.”

The same can be said for Dina Bandman of her eponymous San Francisco design firm. “My business became a business because I did the 2017 San Francisco Decorator Showcase,” she says. “I had a utility room that I transformed into a combination laundry room and dog wash…the founder of Chairish, Anna Brockway, came through and posted it on her Instagram. By the next day, my own following had increased by thousands.” Bandman has since participated in five more show houses, including last year’s Kips Bay in Dallas. “I’d say 75 percent of my clients met me through a show house—I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”

“You can’t go into it thinking it’s only going to be good if you can get a job out of it within a few weeks,” agrees AD100 designer Alexa Hampton. “Show houses are laboratories where you can do things that are much more editorial than you might do for a client…it’s a chance to show people what you’re capable of.”

With two Kips Bay projects under her belt, New York designer Young Huh has a similar perspective. “I’d say if you were trying to get 10 new clients during the span of a show house opening, it’s probably not going to happen,” she says. “This is really about building your portfolio and displaying your skill set. We’ve had people call us several years later saying they really loved the room we did, and now they have a house and want to hire us—you need to think long-term.”

“The smallest rooms start at around $20,000, so you should think about how much you want to—or can—spend in relation to the size of your space,” says Sanders. “While vendors are generally willing to help designers, you can’t always rely on it.”

“They’re prestigious opportunities and you’re establishing yourself as a design authority,” says Leah Alexander. “And, more than anything, there’s no client—and that gives you the chance to do things you’ve been dreaming about.”