The Designer’s Shadow

What an amazing experience!

This is the second year that ASID does the Real World Design Week (RWDW) and hopefully will continue to do it for years to come. During this week students can register on the ASID website with a designer or showroom for a one day internship. I shadowed Ms. Diane Mallory, who just so happens to be the ASID Texas Chapter President.

We walked various showrooms with a client of hers, selecting furniture in the morning. Then in the afternoon, another student designer from El Centro College in Dallas joined us and we then went to a tile showroom to make selections for flooring and wall tiles for the bathrooms in another client’s home.

Ms. Mallory was able to give me a tour of a home she was designer for her client, and it was amazing! From a student point of view, where you make selections for a space and put it on a presentation board with drawings and images, and having to imagine what the finished space would look like, it is absolutely amazing to see selections installed and in action! WOW! WOW! WOW!

This experience has truly renewed my passion and has motivated me to strive for more creative options, and too look at my current school projects, and jump into them even deeper. I am absolutely glad I decided to take advantage of this chance to shadow a designer, and I will remind my fellow students to do so next year. This is truly an experience that helps us as students realize what the Real World in our design industry is like, and to help us know what to expect.

Change of Plans

OMG! Today is a day to remember!

I started the day expecting to have a one day internship with The Gathering Antique shop, and due to unforeseen circumstances, I wasn't able to. Instead I went to the ASID office here in Dallas, and was connected with a designer, Ms. Diane Mallory.

Now I will complete my Shadow Day for ASID's Real World Design Week with her, tomorrow. So, though my plans were changed for me, I am excited how everything is turning out.

I also attended the Pittsburgh Paints lecture on this years color trends, and I had a great time! I was really nervous because I went alone, (none of my friends could go, they had class) but I met some really great people there, and learned a lot about how the color forecast is predicted, and received great tools that I can use on my projects for school and for when I graduate.

I feel very proud of myself for staying, and while I was there I learned of an event that I otherwise would not have known about.


Thursday November 5-
Design on Dragon
from 6p-9p

This event will highlight a variety of art galleries, antiques stores and design showrooms. There will be food, drinks, and music. This event will become a part of the new First Thursdays on Dragon. There will be shuttles available for transportation.

For more information call (214) 647-5681 or visit www.DragonStreetDallas.com. Proceeds from the event will benefit Big Thought.

Big Thought is a nonprofit organization that is focused on improving public education through creative learning.

Sadly, I won't be able to attend but I invite and encourage y'all to.



Please follow the links below if you need more information:

The Big Thought
Design on Dragon in Dallas

Week of November 1-7:

I have a lot going on this week! I am both excited and nervous! Through being a student member of ASID and attending many of their events like MetroCon and NeoCon, I have submitted my name into so many things, and I think this has given me the opportunity to be aware of a few events in my area.
Dallas is one of the major design hubs in our industry and this week is busy with events and seminars:


NOVEMBER 3: FOLLOW THE TRENDS, with PPG Pittsburgh Paints “The Voice of Color”.

This is a special CEU presentation on the 2009-2010 color and design trends, and this presentation counts for 1 CEU towards NCIDQ, ASID, and IIDA. Ruthanne Hanlon, National Color and Design Manager, will discuss the new color and design trends in residential retail and commercial.


NOVEMBER 6 &7: ASID TEXAS: Student Career Days.

During these two days there will be seminars, panel discussions, vendor table-top displays, a review of portfolios, and competitions and prizes. There will also be tours of Decorative Center Dallas.

The tickets are $15 each for ASID Student Members and $20 each for Students who are not members of ASID. Ticket sales will end at 10pm on Wednesday, November 4. And because there is limited seating, tickets will not be sold at the door. Please follow the link below for more information.


NOVEMBER 2-7: ASID: Real World Design Week

This is an event that is all week long, where a student member of ASID has the opportunity to have a “shadow day” with a design professional. It is a great time to get real world experience and to learn hands on, as well as a way to begin a mentoring relationship and perhaps an internship or entry level job opportunity.

I have the great chance to work with Mr. Jack D. Caffey from Whole Sales of Fine Antiques on November 3, and I am extremely excited!

I will keep you posted on the experiences and hopefully have more events to share.

For more information follow these links:
ASID Student Career Days
ASID Real World Design Week