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Industry Events for Interior Design, Residential Planning and Kitchen & Bath Students at Ai Pittsburgh—Online Division

One good way for design students to gain more exposure to their field is by attending local, regional and national conferences to learn about career opportunities, networking and the latest design trends in their field. Many industry events are specific to each students specialization in each program such as Interior Design, Residential Planning and Kitchen & Bath.

High Point Market is a great event for both Interior Design and Residential Planning students as it focuses primarily on residential design. It is the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world with attendance of more than 75,000 people. It is the premiere home furnishings industry event in the USA with more than 2000 exhibitors. 

Date: 4/14/2018 – 4/18/2018 
Time: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
http://www.highpointmarket.org/

Another event primarily for Interior Designers is Neocon, which is celebrating its 50th year and is scheduled for June 11-13, 2018. Neocon has been held every June since 1969 at The Design Mart in Chicago. It is the Interior Design industry’s premiere design event showcasing the latest in design trends and ideas that shape the built environment today and into the future. http://www.neocon.com/

The AD "Architectural Digest" Design Show was held on March 22-25, 2018, at Pier 92 & 94, NYC and featured high-end design retailers from around the world. Lighting, furniture, wall decor, and fabric are many items that were shown over the four days with over 400 brands. This event is a must for any design student interested in high-end residential design, which attracts rock star decorators, and for students who want to discover new trends for luxury design. http://addesignshow.com/

Design students who are interested in sustainable design should check out Greenbuild, which is the largest conference and event nationally on sustainable design trends. This year it will take place at McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois on November 14-16. https://www.greenbuildexpo.com/en/home.html

A great event for Kitchen & Bath design students is the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) which is held once a year in conjunction with the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). The next event will be February 19-21, 2019 (Tuesday through Thursday) in Las Vegas, Nevada. KBIS showcases the latest industry products, trends and technologies and is the voice of the kitchen and bath industry. KBIS will host 600+ leading brands in the kitchen and bath industry, provides many ways for students to engage with your peers and immerse yourself and network with other professionals exchanging ideas and knowledge. KBIS has a variety of special events, parties, and receptions that take place on and off the show floor to connect students with kitchen and bath industry professionals and forge new business and work opportunities. https://www.kbis.com/

The Healthcare Facilities Symposium & Expo on October 8-10, 2018 at Austin Convention Center, Austin, TX focuses on the connection between design and wellness. This event brings architects, interior designers and engineers in the healthcare industry, showcases new healthcare products and shows off new trends in healthcare environments. http://www.hcarefacilities.com/

Students who plan to specialize in lighting design will want to check out LIGHTFAIR International, which is taking place on May 8-10, 2018, in McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois. The event has over 500 exhibitors, 200 accredited courses and six pavilions to see the latest in new lighting trends for the design industry. LIGHTFAIR has many lighting seminars to attend and is a great way for students to connect with fellow designers, future employers and client’s ideas on the latest lighting designs. https://www.lightfair.com/

If you’re interested in hotel design then the“Boutique Design summit in New York on November 11-12, 2018 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City is for you. It has over 500 exhibitors that show off products and services for hospitality design and is for hospitality design professionals, students and enthusiasts. The event provides seminars focusing on a range of topics including the latest in hospitality design trends. https://www.bdny.com/

Remember, attending industry events in your design field is a get way to broaden your horizons so it might be a good time for a road trip.