“Design has no limits”—it’s the theme of the 2016 IBS Design Studio, and there is also no limit to the excitement of the many attendees the first day of the show.
After a delicious networking breakfast sponsored by Best in American Living™ Magazine, a full house enjoyed the Architecture, Interiors & Site Design Plan Review Workshop session, in which more than a dozen top architects worked one-on-one with attendees who brought house and site plans for review. The experts offered ideas to expand on the plans and maximize their structural and aesthetic qualities.
Next was the fun and raucous Crowdsourcing Education Brainstorm, followed later by the results. In this new take on tackling topics, attendees generated ideas in real time for what they wanted to learn. As certain topics garnered more popularity on the giant “ideas board,” other attendees with expertise in those areas later became volunteer speakers and led presentations.
Lunch was spent with Marla Esser, CGP, aka The Green Home Coach. Her session, How to Get Women Asking for More Green, explored how to speak the language of green to female home buyers and making them more knowledgeable of—and therefore wanting more of—green in their home buying choices. Marla taught “her” lingo and key phrases to sell more houses and green elements by emphasizing the emotional value of energy-efficient and green features.
A great day wrapped up with the Best in American Living™ Magazine Reception. Staff, readers, and subscribers-to-be of this free quarterly digital magazine mingled with delicious food and drink and fun door prizes to celebrate another successful year for NAHB’s home and community design publication. Upcoming features and advancements were showcased, including the updated blog.
