We’re just getting back to the swing of things here after enjoying a solid three days full of everything Design Bloggers Conference (DBC). Although we’re so fortunate the conference takes place right in our own backyard (Buckhead, to be exact), it feels as if we were a world away, totally swept up in the digital world of design and a fantastic conference filled with even more fantastic people!
Our time at DBC started off with Digital Day at ADAC – a day full of inspiration for developing your brand in the world of online media. We’re big fans and supporters of ADAC and were thrilled to experience this day, with presentations by Madcap Cottage (John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon) and Liza Graves, co-founder of StyleBlueprint. Due to winter weather here in Atlanta, our day sadly ended short, but after a fun luncheon at the Duralee showroom – one of our favorites (thanks guys!).
After letting the worst of the weather pass us by, we ventured back out to attend the Sunbrella and Traditional Home after party at the new Bjork Studio. We’re so glad we braved the cold, because this was a fantastic party! The signature cocktail, the vignettes from Perspective New York, and their focal wall were all absolutely amazing!
Day one of DBC, officially, started off with a keynote by Nate Berkus – yes, THE Nate you’re thinking of… Oprah’s designer, designer for Target, etc., etc. – we could go on and on. Nate’s keynote was absolutely inspirational, and chock full of motivational tidbits and humor.
What other kid spends their childhood sleepovers moving furniture and redecorating any room they could get their hands on?!? Nate is a natural. Obviously.
Another speaker that first day we really enjoyed was Beth Le Manach, the maven behind YouTube’s #1 lifestyle community, “Entertaining with Beth.” She’s an absolute inspiration when it comes to creating video content for your brand. And we enjoyed many takeaways from her presentation.
Next up was the traditional wine tasting of DBC, thanks to Adam Jackimo, and his wine industry contacts. This has become a highlight of each DBC – I mean it’s a wine tasting, before lunch! What could be better?!? This year, we enjoyed two reds, a cabernet and a lighter pinot noir, both delicious.
Next on the agenda was an item we’d been anxiously awaiting… The Design Bloggers Hall of Fame awards, presented by Traditional Home and Ethan Allen. As you may know, we were up for the award of Best New Blog. And boy oh boy, were we in some fantastic company with the other contenders! Although we didn’t take home the award this year, there are other awards we can strive to earn, and we were thrilled to be included in such a notable group.
We were lucky enough to enjoy a second keynote on the first day of the conference, this one by the incomparable Bunny Williams. She is such a lovely example of elegance and sophistication. The spaces she’s designed are simply stunning and every image she shared throughout her presentation was flawless.
One of the last presentations of the day was by our friends at Dwell with Dignity, an amazing organization that helps people escape poverty and homelessness one design at a time. What they’re able to accomplish through their mission is truly astounding and something that really hits home for us. They showed the video above during their presentation and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house… We’re so happy to have had an opportunity to work with this group and look forward to supporting them further through future projects.
Day one came to a close for us with a Design Blogger Hall of Fame awards dinner that was just wonderful – the company, the food, it was an excellent night – a big thanks to Traditional Home and Ethan Allen for pulling this all together.
Day two started off with a keynote unlike any other, thanks to Brian Patrick Flynn. Somehow he managed to be fun (cat memes, anyone?), inspirational, educational, and more all at the same time – that guy has some talent. From his TV producer days, to his time at HGTV and Flynnside Out productions, he had some gems to share!
Another DBC day two highlight was a photography presentation on Stacy Kunstel of Dunes and Dutchess. Her before and after photo styling images were absolutely jaw-dropping, and we’re thrilled to be able to call Stacy a friend. It was such a joy to experience her presentation and get to know her better throughout the conference.
DBC closed on a real high for us with a “Community Building in Beta Brooklyn” presentation by two industry outsiders, Kika Gilbert and Bekka Palmer. It was fresh, unexpected and totally awe inspiring. Every woman should have an opportunity to experience a presentation like this. These two successful (and young!) digital professionals really opened our minds to what’s possible with a new perspective and the limitless opportunities available to us, thanks to the internet.
Phew! Well, that’s a wrap and quite a successful few days, if we do say so ourselves. Thanks to all the folks at Design Bloggers Conference for making this all possible and giving us an opportunity to experience the industry on a whole new level, right here in Atlanta!