Learn from the Stars of Design

Thom Filicia, a reality TV personality and interior design icon whose clients include celebrities Jennifer Lopez and Tina Fey as well as W Hotels and Delta Air Lines, headlines a star-studded lineup for this year’s Design NC event benefiting the Cameron Art Museum.

Modernism to Maximalism: Form and Function Re-imagined will be a two-day virtual workshop, scheduled for April 29-30.

“We wanted to bring in an aesthetic maybe a little outside of the normal comfort zone and we thought modernism would be really interesting,” says Lindsey Gregg, LSG Interiors owner and principal designer and co-chair of Design NC. “To soften that we also brought in the element of maximalism. We hope either style will spark a thought or opinion of any participant.” 

The first day kicks off with Filicia revealing his approach to blending modern design with comfortable living, followed by nationally renowned architect Robert Gurney discussing the manipulation of space, light, geometry and texture.

“To have Robert explain his process of designing homes with modernist principles will be an amazing contrast to Thom’s presentation, talking about that from an interior standpoint,” says Jennifer Kraner, president and principal designer at Big Sky Design, who is co-chairing Design NC. 

Day two switches to the maximalist view.

“It’s about infusing your personality into your space, with more layering of color, pattern, art and found objects – the pieces that are meaningful and that make you happy,” Kraner says.

Foster Reeve, founder of Foster Reeve Architecture and Ornamental Plaster of Brooklyn, New York, will present how plasterwork can transform interiors and construction. Designer and author Celerie Kemble will close with insights from her new book, Island Whimsy, a recount of her journey designing Playa Grande, a resort at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. Each guest receives a signed copy.

Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available at www.designnc.org. All proceeds go to the museum for community programs and exhibits.