June 3, 2019

SANDOW to Debut Innovation Lab at NeoCon

NeoCon 2019 is right around the corner. In just under two weeks, the annual trade show opens its doors for another three days of talks by inspiring keynote speakers, previews of the most innovative new products, and endless opportunities to network with colleagues and industry friends. The gargantuan event finds a welcome home in Chicago’s theMART (f.k.a. the Merchandise Mart), the world’s largest commercial building and design center.

This year, SANDOW, Interior Design’s parent company, will unveil an entirely new space for attendees to explore. Dubbed the SANDOW Innovation Lab, this almost 4,000-square-foot area sits on the sixth floor of theMART (Suite 624) and houses unique opportunities for several of the brands in the company’s portfolio to connect with the design community. The SANDOW Innovation Lab will open on June 10.

“This space is raw and colorful,” said Abby Leopold, the SANDOW Innovation Lab’s project manager and lead creator at Curate. “Bringing the Innovation Lab to life expertly married Curate’s mission and SANDOW’s vision.”

The SANDOW Innovation Lab is primed to host several compelling programming events. The yearly Interior Design NeoCon roundtables, hosted by Editor in Chief Cindy Allen, will take place in the Lab’s Innovation room. This year’s roundtable topics will include conversations on current workplace and health and wellness sector trends.

There will also be three ThinkLab-hosted workshops that prepare designer and manufacturer attendees to face many of the dynamic changes happening in today’s contract sector. Over the course of three days, attendees will have an opportunity to learn how to improve the contract furniture buying process, recognize and respond to major sector trends, and how to improve the client experience.

Finally, Material ConneXion invites designers to learn more about the brave new world of emerging architectural materials with Dr. Andrew Dent, the company’s executive vice president of research. This lecture will take place on Monday, June 10 in Material ConneXion’s Lab space. Attendees are welcome to explore on-trend materials and colors using an X-Rite Virtual Light Booth machine.

“This is the first time SANDOW has had the opportunity to activate several of our brands in the same space during NeoCon,” said Kathryn Kerns, executive director of strategic initiatives at SANDOW. “From Material ConneXion’s first-ever pop-up library, to Interior Design’s notable roundtables and ThinkLab’s unique workshops, we’re excited to provide the programming SANDOW brands are known for to theMART’s highly engaged audience.”

To sign up for any of the ThinkLab Workshops or the Material ConneXion lecture, click here.

Thank you to the following sponsors for making the SANDOW Innovation Lab possible:

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