Atlanta Market to Include Day Dedicated to Outdoor Living

AmericasMart Atlanta will debut a new day-long program designed to orient and educate designers on business opportunities in casual and outdoor furnishings.

“Consumer interest in outdoor living spaces is growing,” says Andmore president Dorothy Belshaw. “This focused day of programming offers designers the chance to connect with key suppliers, explore emerging trends and develop or expand services in the outdoor category.”

Presented against the backdrop of AmericasMart Atlanta’s five floors and more than 70 showrooms dedicated to casual and outdoor resources, the multi-part program will take place Jan. 16, during the winter edition of Atlanta Market, which runs Jan. 14-20.

The event will kick off in the Woodard Furniture showroom, where attendees can enjoy a mimosa and explore the Woodard trade program, which is exclusive to industry professionals looking to elevate their design vision and create outdoor spaces for their clients.

A continuing education unit-accredited ‘lunch and learn’ will be held in the Polywood showroom. Presented by Richard Mann of Sunbrella, this session will cover the essentials of performance fabric, from manufacturing to quality testing, and explore its sustainable applications in luxury and lifestyle design.

The International Casual Furnishings Association will host an hour-long talk mid-afternoon about marketing and promotion for designers. Kelly Peterson, principal of High Point Marketing and former group advertising director with Hearst Corp., will share ways to approach editors, influencers and content providers to have greater success in getting projects published.

A casual cocktails happy ‘hour’ rounds out the afternoon. It will take place over a two-hour period in Building 1, Floors 2-6, encouraging networking throughout AmericasMart Atlanta’s casual/outdoor collection.

There will be prize drawings and special offerings for the trade throughout the day, with additional perks for early arrivals at select sessions.

Atlanta Market is a premier wholesale sourcing destination offering a large mix of gift products alongside extensive selections in home decor, furnishings, apparel and outdoor living items. Spanning three buildings with 51 floors of showrooms and temporary exhibits, the twice yearly event features thousands of brands that attract retailers and designers from across the United States and more than 60 countries.