As 2024 gets underway, I am looking forward to another exciting year in the world of wide-format printing. Since I launched Design Pool in 2019, I have seen opportunities for growth in the commercial interior market. Last year, I did a lot of traveling to events and talking with printers. I know printers are excited to bring their technology to new markets. Will this be the year we see significant growth in this market? It could be!
I say this because I see three developments taking shape this year.
Interior Designers Are Already Buying These Products From Their Traditional Suppliers
Traditional suppliers are already introducing this technology. Companies such as Momentum and LebaTex have launched features allowing customers to customize materials and colorways without high minimums. I wonder if this will be the gateway for designers, using new technology from suppliers they already have relationships with. Yet, as they get a taste of this technology, why should they be limited to the materials these suppliers offer when they can go straight to printers?
Print Manufacturers Are Actively Pushing This Market On Their Customers
While it may take more time for printers to break into a new market, the companies selling them printers are anxiously waiting for it to happen. Several companies have contacted me over the past year to ask how they can educate their customers on the interiors market. For some, this means appealing directly to interior designers. For others, this means putting together educational materials on topics such as the capabilities of different machines and how they can service different markets.
Printers Are Hiring and/or Training Their Salespeople For New Markets
I think up until now, printers have hoped that designers would find them. For example, as designers learn about this technology, they’ll seek out printers with images to be printed. Yet, designers have been working in a different business model for decades. They’re used to salespeople they have relationships with calling on them to show them new lines. If printers are going to get some of this business, they need to hire salespeople with contacts in this industry or train their sales force in this market. They will also need to consider having a presence at some of the top trade shows where interior designers hang out, such as NeoCon, Hospitality Design Expo, and BDNY.
I think this will be a big year for digital printing in the interior market. I can’t wait to see how the year unfolds!
2024 Predictions For Wide-format and Commercial Interior Design
As 2024 gets underway, I am looking forward to another exciting year in the world of wide-format printing. Since I launched Design Pool in 2019, I have seen opportunities for growth in the commercial interior market. Last year, I did a lot of traveling to events and talking with printers. I know printers are excited to bring their technology to new markets. Will this be the year we see significant growth in this market? It could be!
I say this because I see three developments taking shape this year.
Interior Designers Are Already Buying These Products From Their Traditional Suppliers
Traditional suppliers are already introducing this technology. Companies such as Momentum and LebaTex have launched features allowing customers to customize materials and colorways without high minimums. I wonder if this will be the gateway for designers, using new technology from suppliers they already have relationships with. Yet, as they get a taste of this technology, why should they be limited to the materials these suppliers offer when they can go straight to printers?
Print Manufacturers Are Actively Pushing This Market On Their Customers
While it may take more time for printers to break into a new market, the companies selling them printers are anxiously waiting for it to happen. Several companies have contacted me over the past year to ask how they can educate their customers on the interiors market. For some, this means appealing directly to interior designers. For others, this means putting together educational materials on topics such as the capabilities of different machines and how they can service different markets.
Printers Are Hiring and/or Training Their Salespeople For New Markets
I think up until now, printers have hoped that designers would find them. For example, as designers learn about this technology, they’ll seek out printers with images to be printed. Yet, designers have been working in a different business model for decades. They’re used to salespeople they have relationships with calling on them to show them new lines. If printers are going to get some of this business, they need to hire salespeople with contacts in this industry or train their sales force in this market. They will also need to consider having a presence at some of the top trade shows where interior designers hang out, such as NeoCon, Hospitality Design Expo, and BDNY.
I think this will be a big year for digital printing in the interior market. I can’t wait to see how the year unfolds!
Kristen Dettoni is the founder and CEO of Design Pool LLC, the only pattern library created exclusively for interior designers. Since 1996, Kristen has worked for mills throughout North America, designing fabrics for automobiles, furniture, and home furnishings. She developed the first sustainable upholstery fabric for office interiors, the first sustainable upholstery fabric for automotive interiors, and was awarded a patent for automotive suspension seating. Kristen believes strongly in the power of good design to transform our environments and experiences.