Wednesday, March 26, 2008
8:00am–9:00am
1WFCP Pricing Panel Discussion
Are you frustrated about how, or how much to charge your clients? Are you making what you want to, or just squeaking by? How do you raise your prices without losing your client base? Get the answers to these questions and more at this panel discussion. We’ve asked industry experts to be part of this panel and to share their knowledge and experiences with you in all areas of pricing.
1 WFCP Business Credit and .125 CEU. Free to WFCP Members/Non-Member $35

9:15am–10:30am
1A New Product Showcase
Susan Kostelecky, WFCP Master, SK Designs
Susan Kostelecky will showcase many new products that help differentiate your window-fashions projects and set your ideas and treatments apart from the rest. Decorative hardware, new products, and creative ideas will be presented for you to take home and implement into future projects.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–10:30am
1B The Blurring of Boundaries: Contract and Consumer Color Forecasts 2009–2010
Bruce Knott, WFCP Expert, CMG chair holder
In years past, color forecasts for contract and residential were miles apart. Now we work where we live, and we live where we work, and the differences between contract and residential colors have blurred. This seminar will provide you with information on how forecasts are developed, and what’s ahead for contract and consumer colors in 2008, 2009, and beyond.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–10:30am
1C Fundamentals of Installation
David Hoskins, WFCP Specialist, Drapery King
This session will detail the necessary requirements to complete an expert installation. Correct measuring, anchoring, and installation details will be explained along with the tools and supplies needed to complete the project. Keep the job organized and increase your business by presenting a professional appearance with designers, workrooms, and clients.
1 WFCP Installation Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:30am–12:15pm
1DD SUPER SESSION: Let’s Talk Romans
Scot Robbins, WFCP Master, Scot Robbins & Company
Roman shades have long been a staple window covering for their unique style and function. Veteran instructor, Scot Robbins will delve into the world of roman blinds and shades. Watch while Robbins creates a roman shade in the classroom and demonstrates quick measuring and construction tips. Over 20 different samples will show case fabrication techniques, mounting styles, and lift systems. Traditional and “no-sew” methods will be discussed, and stationary roman shades in a variety of styles will be previewed. If you are a beginner or advanced fabricator, this class will boost your confidence when working with roman shades.
3 WFCP Workroom Credits and .245 CEU.  WFCP Member $120/Non-Member $165

9:30am–12:15pm
1EE SUPER SESSION: Learning to Use QuickBooks
Debbie Green, Minutes Matter
Experienced instructor Debbie Green will explain the basics of accounting and using QuickBooks. Learn how to create proposals, make invoices, record bills from vendors, issue checks, record credit-card charges, reconcile your checkbook and credit-card accounts, create an accurate profit-and-loss report, and a job-profitability report.
3 WFCP Technology Credits and .245 CEU. WFCP Member $120/Non-Member $165

9:30am–12:15pm
1FF SUPER SESSION: Effective Communication from Design to Delivery
Jackie Von Tobel, Plush Home, author of The Design Directory of Window Treatments
Proven methods for designers to improve communication and productivity throughout the design process will be presented in this seminar. Better communicate with clients, workrooms, and installers, and develop a successful worksheet system to increase productivity. You’ll learn how to ensure successful projects and create lifelong customers.
3 WFCP Business Credits and .245 CEU. WFCP Member $120/Non-Member $165

11:00am–12:15pm
1G Picture This!
Barbara Sullivan, WFCP Master, Interior Plus
It’s often said “A picture is worth a thousand words.” In our business, a picture could be worth thousands of dollars in sales! You won’t want to miss this seminar on how to build a great portfolio. You’ll learn to use everything from magazine pictures, books, and industry catalogs. You’ll review how to take great photos and view a fabulous PowerPoint presentation of over 75 different window treatments. You’ll walk away with great ideas on portfolio presentation; see new and creative window treatments while learning the art of selling them without ever having to draw.
1 WFCP Technology Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
1H Headings and More!
Joan Willis, WFCP Expert, Patterns Plus/Robb & Stucky
You may be surprised at the number of heading styles Joan Willis will show you. Not just pinch pleats but many other styles, along with ideas from the heading down to the hems. You will leave this class with inspiration and knowledge to create many “one of a kind” treatments. Fabrication techniques will be included. Don’t forget your camera; you will want to capture these wonderful styles.
1 WFCP Window Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
1J Slipcover Fabrication for the Workroom
Karen Erickson, Slipcover Network
Add Slipcovers to workroom fabrication. Explore how to cut and sew a slipcover using the Slipcover “draping method” without measuring or pattern-making. Discover how to cut continuous bias, estimate fabric with tips and tricks from the Slipcover Network workroom. Difficult areas such as tuck-ins and crotch areas will be discussed in detail.
1 WFCP Workroom Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
1K Interior Re-Design for the Drapery Designer and Decorator
Mary Larsen, Mary Larsen Designs Inc.
Whether you’re an interior decorator or drapery designer, Mary Larsen will share the process of interior re-design and how it can benefit your business. Using before-and-after photos as reference points, and by utilizing proven design techniques, you will learn to re-create a room, breathing new life into tired spaces.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

12:30pm–2:00pm
1LP WFCP Keynote Luncheon: Trading Spaces and Beyond
Edward Walker, Edward Walker Designs, Trading Spaces
Across eight breakneck seasons, Edward Walker has firmly established himself as a dapper gentleman of the highly rated Trading Spaces program on TLC. Whether decorating a house on TV, or the home next door, people of all ages love Walker’s flair for style that honors family living and daily needs. Join us as Walker takes us on a journey of some of his most memorable experiences on Trading Spaces.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .1 CEU. WFCP Member $55/Non-Member $60

2:15pm–3:30pm
1M Installation Tips, Tricks and Secrets
David Hoskins, WFCP Specialist, Drapery King
This session will demonstrate many installation tricks to quickly and accurately install the most difficult treatments. Learn how to manipulate hardware to correct measuring errors and how to adjust hard treatments to fit inside mount installations. Hoskins’ objective: to reduce product cost and installation time. Refitting verses replacing will be discussed, as in many cases if a blind, shade or shutters are up to an inch too wide, it can be re-fitted and installed on site.
1 WFCP Installation Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

2:15pm–3:30pm
1N Cornices
Joan Willis, WFCP Expert, Patterns Plus/Robb & Stucky
Cornice boards can be very simple, fitting into a contemporary theme, or they can be elaborately ornate—mixing with most formal styles. This class will feature cornice boards at various stages of completion and you will be able to examine how the banding, beads, nails heads, and trimmings are attached. Learn which tools and supplies will save you time, effort and money, don’t forget your camera.
1 WFCP Window Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

2:15pm–3:30pm
1P Space Matters: Vastu Living
Kathleen Cox, author of Space Matters
Some rooms are so welcoming they reward everyone who enters with a sense of comfort and calm.  Other interiors—no matter how lavishly appointed—simply don’t work. Why is this? To answer this question, design consultant Kathleen Cox studied vastu, the ancient Indian philosophy of architecture that uses the human form as the guiding force in interior design, a sister science to yoga, vastu is for the home what yoga is for the body. Learn how every design decision triggers a predictable response—from the choice of color and lighting to the selection of materials and actual shape and placement of objects. Did you know, for example, squares and circles affect us and impact our mood differently?
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

2:15pm–5:00pm
1QQ SUPER SESSION: Measure Twice, Cut Once
Barbara Sullivan, WFCP Master, Interiors Plus
The most important element to a beautiful window treatment is not just the design, but the execution—proper and accurate measurements. From beginner to pro this class will review the fundamentals of measuring, and includes reading a tape measure, determining face widths, finished lengths, short points, long points, throats, swag drops, jabots, cascades, and much more. Review the difference between inside mounts and outside mounts, depths, returns, and projections. An actual window will be displayed along with valances, blinds, and panels to further increase your knowledge of accurate measuring.
3 WFCP Window Credits and .245 CEU. WFCP Member $120/Non-Member $165

2:15pm–5:00pm
1RR SUPER SESSION: Trunk Shows for the Drapery Designer, Re-stagers, and Retail Workrooms
Susan Kostelecky, WFCP Master, SK Designs
This proven Show-and-Tell session will build your referral base and add-on sales. Attendees will be treated to an actual trunk show that Kostelecky uses at her in-home client parties to educate and entice potential clients by showing a wide variety of valances and drapery panels. Also learn how linings, embellishments, and pleats increase the “wow” factor along with your bottom line. The trunk-show experience will be detailed from start to finish, including tips to determine potential venues for your own show, invitations, how-to demonstrations, door prize ideas, and party follow-up techniques. More marketing tips will be discussed. Bring your camera.
3 WFCP Window Credits and .245 CEU. WFCP Member $120/Non-Member $165

Thursday, March 27, 2008
8:00am–9:00am
Vendor Presentation – DreamDraper
2VP1 Bringing History to Life with DreamDraper
Jamie Gibbs
Jamie Gibbs, top NY designer and Parsons instructor, demonstrates the latest DreamDraper features to quickly portray stunning options for an early 20th century showhouse under renovation. Through extensive use of photos, renderings, and examples, learn how his techniques for the development of floor plans, room elevations, soft treatments, furnishings, lighting schemes, color, and textures can be applied to your proposals. The focus on built-out designs and various price points is especially relevant in today’s housing market. FREE.

8:00am–9:00am
Vendor Presentation – Helser Brothers
2VP2 Discover the Helser Brothers Difference
Anita Boetsma
Wouldn’t you like to have a personal friend and partner in the decorative hardware business? Someone to answer your questions and give your projects the care and thought that you do? Join us for a presentation on how you can benefit from Helser Brothers’ extreme customer service philosophies found so rarely in today’s business climate. Learn all about Helser Brothers’ great products too! FREE.

9:15am–10:30am
2A New Product Showcase
Susan Kostelecky, WFCP Master, SK Designs
Susan Kostelecky will showcase many new products to help differentiate your window-fashions projects and ideas your clients have not seen before, therefore setting your ideas and treatments apart from the rest. Decorative hardware, new products, and creative ideas will be presented for you to take home and implement on your future projects.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–10:30am
2B Profit and Peril in the Design Economy
Susan Schultz, GMI Trend Specialist, Space Downtown
In a world where everyone thinks they’re a designer, what is the role of the design professional? Seismic changes in resourcing, technology, and communication have permanently altered the design industry; future success hinges on your ability to understand these changes and adjust your business accordingly. The good news? These changes reward the skills and abilities that drew you to design in the first place. Discover how to increase your profit margins, generate new projects, and build repeat business by focusing on what you do best.
1 WFCP Business Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–10:30am
2C You’re Worth More Than You Think
Mary Larsen, Mary Larsen Designs Inc.
Have you hit a plateau in your business earnings? Have you found that working harder isn’t making you more money? Mary Larsen will share seven steps (and more) that you can take now to help you break out of your personal income box. Now you can stop worrying about what others are charging and take charge of your own earnings!
1 WFCP Business Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–10:30am
2D Aiming at Affluence: Marketing Interior Design to Luxury Clients
Steve Nobel, Co-Founder of Luxury Home Alliance, Founder and Principal of NOBELINKS
Aiming at affluence provides a guide for interior designers to tell their own value story and take their business to the next level. Designers will learn how to market their business accordingly, while earning the rewards from their share of the robust market for luxury in interior design.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:30am–12:15pm
2EE SUPER SESSION: Window Magic
Joan Willis, WFCP Expert, Patterns Plus/Robb & Stucky
Joan Willis has magically transformed fabric into fabulous valances, panels, shades, cornices, and pillows. Each sample has been sprinkled with magic dust, including fringe, tassels, beads, and cording that will change the treatment from simple to splendor. Willis will reveal her magic so that other workrooms can reproduce these majestic window fashions. Don’t forget your camera; you will want proof that all the samples were as great as you expected.
3 WFCP Window Credits and .245 CEU. WFCP Member $120/Non-Member $165

9:30am–12:15pm
2FF SUPER SESSION: Vastu Design—Perfect for Yoga and Green Advocates
Kathleen Cox, author of Space Matters
The housing market is shrinking, but one design science, hitched to two growth markets—the spiritual and eco-concious revolutions—remains strong in these rocky times. Learn about vastu, the Indian design philosophy related to yoga and an ancient proponent of all things green. See why vastu is the perfect value-add-on: it’s easy to promote—what yoga is to the body, vastu is to the home. It’s also easy to understand—vastu adds the soul to the green movement.
3 WFCP Design Credits and .245 CEU. WFCP Member $120/Non-Member $165

9:30am–12:15pm
2GG SUPER SESSION: Beyond the Basics: Creating Cutting Edge Treatments with Classic Components
Jackie Von Tobel, Plush Home, author of The Design Directory of Window Treatments
Explore the many possible combinations of over 350 individual window-treatment components illustrated in the new book by Jackie Von Tobel, The Design Directory of Window Treatments. Von Tobel will show you how to re-visit the basic elements of soft treatment design to find the inspiration to construct new, cutting-edge treatments. Learn how to use updated components and couture finishing touches to kick start your creative process and set your designs apart from the competition. Leave this jam-packed seminar with a complimentary CD-ROM sketchbook of all the treatments and techniques shown to help you implement these new designs on your own.
3 WFCP Design Credits and .245 CEU. WFCP Member $120/Non-Member $165

11:00am–12:15pm
2H Green Design: Simplified
Jessica Alexander, TODL.com
This seminar, created by Jessica Alexander and Kim Gordon of TODL.com, presents a refreshingly simple introduction to the concepts of green design. During the seminar, a green home tour will take you through eco-friendly solutions, services, and products for residential design, as well as cost comparisons and long-term financial and environmental benefits for your client. New construction, remodels, and model-home projects can be perfect opportunities to make a difference by integrating environmentally friendly product choices that maintain the design vision. Come find out how simple it is to be green, and leave with resources and information you can immediately use for your design projects.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
2J It’s a Material World
Deb Barrett, GMI Trend Specialists, WFCP Expert
Designers are always on the lookout for what’s new—we have a soft spot for innovation—but it can be hard to navigate through the material maze. We’ve taken a critical eye to the myriad of new developments coming to the marketplace that will shape the way we design in the coming years. Our curated survey supplies a wide-angle view of the fascinating future, and then zooms into focus on distinctive materials and products that work for windows through samples and imagery. Plus, you’ll get all the info to track down every item featured.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
2K Marketing Plan Makeovers
Mary Larsen, Mary Larsen Designs Inc.
Has your business stalled? Are you not sure how to get your next client, or where they are coming from? It’s time to makeover your marketing. We’ll start with a current analysis of your marketing to identify gaps, and then set up an action plan to follow to get your marketing moving. This class is interactive and will leave you with a take-away to get you started on your own 12-week marketing program, which includes tried-and-true methods for the designer and retail workroom.
1 WFCP Business Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
2L Panels, Trims, and Hardware
Barbara Sullivan, WFCP Master, Interiors Plus
With so many choices facing the consumer and designer alike, how does one know what to use when designing panels? This question, along with many others, will be answered by examining the fundamentals of accessing a room to determine panel styles such as pinch, euro, cartridge, goblet pleats, color blocking, fabric choices, overlays, leading edge banding, trims and when to use lining, interlining or blackout lining. You’ll review the type of hardware to use (or not to use) depending upon the style of the home. All this will be accompanied by a good old fashioned show-and-tell. Bring your camera—you won’t want to miss any of these creative panels and decorative hardware ideas.
1 WFCP Window Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
2M Increase Your Bottom Line with Add-On Sales (Workroom)
Sharon Jax, WFCP Specialist, Sharon’s Designer Workroom
This seminar will cover the ability we all have as workrooms to expand our business and add to the bottom line by producing custom accessories for our clients. Sharon Jax will demonstrate new ideas and samples from her workroom and from other industry shows that she has attended. Jax will also discuss how to find the hidden talents in your own workroom employees.
1 WFCP Workroom Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

2:00pm–4:30pm
2N Design Business Rx: Adapt or Disappear
Susan Schultz and Deb Barrett, GMI Trend Specialists
The design industry is in the midst of (a series of) rapid, business-altering changes, and savvy business professionals recognize the challenge: either adapt or disappear. The pressure is intense—you need to develop solutions to big-picture issues while still running a profitable business—which is why Susan and Deb developed this small-group consultative workshop. Explore some of the most problematic and the most promising aspects of today’s design businesses including: Pricing options: front-end loaded vs. back-end based; defining a profitable scope of service; developing non-endemic partnerships; and building authenticity vs. creating a portfolio. Are you your own worst enemy? It will be exciting, exhausting, and emotional—guaranteed—Susan and Deb will ask you to do some pre-planning and bring materials in order to tailor your experience. They will follow-up with you afterward to make sure your efforts are paying off. It sounds like a lot, right? Well it is, but it will be one of the best investments you’ve ever made in yourself and your business. Unique opportunity—strictly limited to 20 people. WFCP Member $200/Non-Member $200

4:30pm–5:30pm
2W 2008 WOW! World of Windows Awards Ceremony
Grace McNamara Inc. is exceedingly proud to present the first annual WOW! World of Windows Awards Ceremony at the IWCE in Atlanta.  The WOW! Awards honor the professionals, individuals and companies that TOUCH the window coverings industry in a big way, including the 2008 Window Fashions Envision Design and Ingenuity Workroom Competition winners. Georgia World Congress Center. Event sponsored by Hunter Douglas. FREE.

Friday, March 28, 2008
8:00am–9:00am
FREE Vendor Presentation – TODL.com
3VP1 Paperless Design Research—Instantly.
Jerry Dyas, president of TODL.com
Join Jerry Dyas, president of TODL.com (Trade Only Design Library), in discussing how technology has changed the design research process. Find out what works and what doesn’t when it comes to researching products for your projects. Covering topics such as printed catalogs, Internet search engines, websites, and TODL.com—the industry’s largest and busiest online specification library—10 years running. FREE.

8:00am–9:00am
FREE Vendor Presentation – Somfy Systems Inc.
3VP2 Let’s Get Motoring    
John Fryc, Somfy Systems Inc.
Discover the latest window-covering motor innovations by Somfy and learn how to become part of the exclusive Somfy Expert network. Also gain a better understanding of the importance of offering motorized window fashions and how to sell automated solutions to your clients. Take advantage of new Somfy marketing tools and simplify your motorization sales approach. Includes coffee, tea, and pastries. FREE.

8:00am–9:00am
FREE Vendor Presentation – Lutron Electronics
3VP3 Cultivate Your Business in 2008
David M. Weinstein, sales vice president of Global Window Systems
With the growth of controllable shade systems exploding, learn how Lutron’s innovative new products and market development tools will better position you to grow and cultivate your business by focusing on the growing base of high-value clients. Includes coffee, tea, and pastries. FREE.

8:00am–9:00am
FREE Vendor Presentation – Hanes Fabrics Company
3VP4 Putting Elegance into Custom Window Treatments with PREMIUM Drapery Linings
Tim Allen and Susan Schurz
Discover the latest in high-end drapery lining products from Hanes Fabrics. The presentation will focus on new product innovations, the application of the fabrics in window treatments, and the benefits of working with premium products. FREE.

9:15am–10:30am
3A Professional Home Staging
Diana Ezerins, professional home staging trainer, CMG chair holder
Interested in hearing about what it takes to get started in this growing profession? This exciting field is the perfect partner to layer with window-treatment services. Diana Ezerins will cover the various levels of professional home staging and give practical tips on becoming a certified home stager.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–10:30am
3B Making the Leap from Residential to Commercial Projects: What Can Window-Coverings Professionals Expect?
Jill Pable, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Interior Design at Florida State University
Evolving your window-fashions projects into the commercial project arena can be a positive move both financially and professionally. Yet differences exist between residential clients and the commercial client often represented by an interior designer or architect. Learn about commercial interior-design experiences including a wish list for working with window-treatment professionals. How to succeed in business procedure, verbal and written communication, and project follow-through in commercial projects is discussed during this interactive session.
1 WFCP Business Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–10:30am
3C Inspiration to Installation
Deb Barrett and Susan Schultz, GMI Trend Specialists
A collection of 19th-century window-treatment illustrations—featuring several new and elegant styles we'd never seen before—presented several challenges. First, of course, how to re-create them, but also how to tweak, revise, and update them for today’s windows. What happens when we substitute different fabrics or fabric combinations? What about different trims? And how did they get it to hang like that? Join Deb and Susan as they walk through the intricate design process, from the original source material, to some experiments, to actual full-sized treatments. You’ll gain a wealth of couture detailing knowledge from the hands-on samples as they detail the steps necessary to create some of these elaborately layered and swagged looks. Use in-progress notes to jumpstart your own creative exercises and receive a final work order as an example.
1 WFCP Window Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–10:30am
3D Eco Windows: Design and Decoration
Bernadette Upton, ASID, LEED, US Green Building Council member, Eco Decor
Appealing to the interior designer and decorator, this course provides the affirmation of green design as gorgeous. Too many photos and media presentations have given green design a less than lustre image. Green interior design is merely an avenue of incorporating earth-friendly and user-friendly products and practices into the interior design process. The talent of the designer remains constant and uncompromised. The challenges only add to the creativity and the talent of the designer. Exploring the foundations and fabrications of window dressings to the very detailed decorations will be expressed through visual presentations as well as information green sheets to help the attendee transcend to green. The designer can be assured that they will come away with a comprehensive knowledge of green in relation to their role as and interior expert pertaining to window designs and decoration.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–10:30am
3E The Breakthrough Formula to Exploding your Sales at Design Appointments
Rochelle Togo-Figa, trainer and creator of The Sales Breakthrough System
A fast-paced workshop for every design professional interested in learning new sales techniques to increase sales and attract more clients quickly. This workshop will demonstrate how to: overcome your blocks to sales success, authentically sell from the heart, be totally prepared for the design consultation, and the exact steps to take so that you no longer give your time away for free.
1 WFCP Business Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
3F Green Design 101
Diana Ezerins, Professional Home Staging Trainer, CMG Chair Holder
Green design is the current buzzword receiving endless media coverage. Discover the basics of this exploding field and how this area is evolving in the design world. Learn important terminology and receive practical information pertaining to the green movement.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
3G Traits Needed to Develop Networking Skills: The Importance of Networking in a Slow Economy
Rose Webb, WFCP Expert, Window Fashions Inc.
Grasp the meaning of what it takes to become a networking superstar. Translate that knowledge into developing traits needed to excel. Networking is more than a stack of business cards. It involves identifying contacts and relationships with others who have similar interests, ideas, and goals. The purpose is to draw benefit from these relationships. Define the importance of networking in a slow economy and how it can increase sales through networking opportunities.
1 WFCP Business Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
3H Your Drawing Media Matters: Guidelines for Choosing Hand, Hybrid, and Computer-Rendered Images for Client Presentations
Jill Pable, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Interior Design at Florida State University
Are digital client graphics the wave of the future, or do clients still prefer the hand-generated sketch? What are the consequences of these two different approaches to client presentations? Do corporate clients have different graphic expectations than residential clients? Learn the results of a nationwide practitioner survey that explores these questions, and how these decisions may impact your clients’ perceptions.
1 WFCP Technology Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
3J The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful
Joan Willis, WFCP Expert, Patterns Plus/Robb & Stucky
Through samples, Joan Willis will help you gain a better understanding of working with prints, stripes, plaids, and textured fabrics. You will see how the selection of fabric can make a treatment just good, bad, or very beautiful. Build a new portfolio as all of Willis’ samples are new and fresh. Along with great ideas, you will discover fabrication techniques that make beautiful treatments and save you time and money.
1 WFCP Window Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

11:00am–12:15pm
3K World Tour: The Hottest Designs From the World’s Top Markets
Susan Schultz, GMI Trend Specialist, Space Downtown
See the latest new product introductions, color, and material trends from some of the world’s leading design shows through photos and sampling. This whirlwind tour brings the latest design themes to you, outlining how certain products and style references develop from one show to the next. Get your hit of international inspiration with reviews of Cologne, Paris, Milan, Frankfurt, and London, as well as some of the top US markets, all without having to walk endless miles of aisles.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

4:30pm-5:30pm
3M Women and Money: Own the Power to Control Your Destiny
Suze Orman, Renowned Motivational Speaker and Personal Finance Expert
You will never be powerful in life until you have power over your own money—how you think about it feel about it and invest it. In one hour Suze Orman will take you on the journey of your financial life, and give you step-by-step directions for you to own the power to control your financial destiny. A two-time Emmy award winning television host, Orman is the author of six consecutive New York Times best sellers, and hosts the award-winning The Suze Orman Show, on CNBC. Book signing to follow.
1 WFCP Business Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $45/Non-Member $60

Saturday, March 29, 2008
9:15am–10:30am
4A ID Your IDeal Client
Susan Schultz, GMI Trend Specialist, Space Downtown
You’ve got the ability, the portfolio, and the marketing materials—everything’s in place and you’re ready to develop new clients. But in order for your business to grow, you need to know who to talk to and where to find them. What if you knew the fastest-growing neighborhood in your region? How many homes sold in a certain zip code over the past few months? Or the zip code with the highest average income in your city? Discover how many easy-to-use resources are available that allow you to truly target your marketing efforts, without having to run down to the local registrar. Learn tips and innovative marketing ideas from designers across the country that you can apply to your own business.
1 WFCP Business Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–10:30am
4B Presenting Yourself with Impact
Rochelle Togo-Figa, trainer, and creator of The Sales Breakthrough System
This highly interactive workshop is for every design professional interested in growing their business through speaking to groups. Explore the essential skills of dynamic speaking, how to connect with the audience, how to think on your feet, deliver a compelling message that will leave the audience wanting to hear more, and create and deliver a powerful introduction that quickly holds the audience’s attention.
1 WFCP Personal Development Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–10:30am
4C Green Interior Design: The Road from Residential to Commercial
Bernadette Upton, ASID, LEED, US Green Building Council member, Eco Decor
This course takes the interior designer and decorator through a process which enables them to shift gears from the residential market to the commercial market. Expanding a designer’s clientele base by opening avenues to commercial interiors, from the green perspective, enables the designer to become multi-faceted... this is most welcomed in a changing and competitive market. Green residential design as well as the overlap between and including green commercial and hospitality will be the focus. Explore numerous products, practices, and applications will be the dialogue along with visuals. Information green sheets will be an excellent tool for encouraging the transition process. The designer can become more confident to express their talents in venues where they previously treaded lightly or ignored altogether. An empowering seminar for those who want to face the new wave of green design.
1 WFCP Design Credit and .125 CEU. WFCP Member $35/Non-Member $50

9:15am–11:15am
4DD Window-Fashion Inspiration with a Closer Look
Deb Barrett, WFCP Expert, GMI Trend Specialist
What inspires you? This edition of Window-Fashion Inspiration features sources of inspiration that define Deb Barrett’s signature style through a unique and sometimes unexpected mix of new window treatments. With over 75 new designs and products showcased, Barrett will briefly discuss the fabrication and finer points of each treatment and share trade secrets. The extended format offers a closer look, the time to review the details and snap more pictures. Bring your camera to build your portfolio and to capture every idea. No matter which direction your style veers, regardless of your specialty niche, you’ll walk away with fresh inspiration and strategies. It’s always a sellout so register early.
2 WFCP Window Credits and .2 CEU. WFCP Member $45/Non-Member $55

9:30am–12:15pm
4EE SUPER SESSION: Workroom Secrets
Joan Willis, WFCP Expert, Patterns Plus/Robb & Stucky
Explore how to reduce workroom stress, and how to establish a price list with policies and procedures, proper equipment, efficient workroom layout, and tracking goods. Step-by-step techniques for various treatments will be shown and discussed. Learn secrets about interlining and other procedures. This seminar is a must for drapery workroom owners, managers, and staff.
3 WFCP Workroom Credits and .245 CEU. WFCP Member $120/Non-Member $165