MERCHANDISE MART DESIGN CENTER ANNOUNCES ITS ONES TO WATCH
Meet Chicago’s Up and Coming Interior Design Professionals
CHICAGO (October 12, 2007) – The Merchandise Mart Design Center recognized some of the design world’s most exciting designers on the rise at the Ones to Watch reception during its two day market, Design Chicago. Nominated and selected by Merchandise Mart showrooms, the 2007 Ones to Watch includes Darl Grooters of Darl Grooters Ltd., Matt Lorenz of ML Design Studio and Marshall Erb of Marshall Morgan Erb Design, Inc.
“Join us to toast the Ones to Watch, three design firms selected for their stellar service, cutting-edge designs and flawless reputations, as we celebrate the next stars in the Chicago design community”, said John Brennen III, Executive Vice President for The Merchandise Mart.
The 2007 Ones to Watch recipients include:
Darl Grooters
Graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts and a double major in Interior Design and Furniture Design from Kendall College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Darl Grooters offers years of experience to the Chicagoland area.
Darl Grooters Ltd. is recognized for its unique ability to relate to and understand the luxury high-end residential market. Grooters boasts a “team approach” is the key to a successful project. By integrating the client’s wishes, architect’s philosophy, and designer’s sophisticated taste level, Grooters strives to meet and surpass the client’s total expectations.
The design world has found another rising talent in Chicagoan Matt Lorenz. Winner of Bravo TV’s TOP DESIGN, Lorenz competed against eleven aspiring interior designers to win the final episode where he designed a 1,700 square foot loft in downtown Los Angeles.
This fall, Lorenz will be showcased at The Merchandise Mart’s “Dream Home” exhibit where he designed the ultra plush Bedroom.
Originally from Minnesota, Lorenz knew he wanted to be a designer since kindergarten. A graduate from the Illinois Institute of Art, Lorenz worked at several prominent Chicago residential Interior Design and architecture firms for the past ten years before starting ML Design Studio, a high end interior design, interior architecture and landscape consulting firm.
Marshall Erb
Marshall Erb is an Illinois Licensed Interior Designer with a degree in Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
His firm specializes in Residential Interior Design including New Construction Interior Architectural Design, Whole House Renovation and Remodeling, Millwork and Cabinetry among others.
The Marshall Morgan Erb Design team prides themselves on their ability to create unique, personalized, environments for their clientele. From historically accurate renovations to contemporary new spaces and buildings, every project is a reflection of the client’s taste and lifestyle brought together with attention to every detail.
PRESS CONTACT:
Sophia Weiss
Public Relations Manager
Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.
Phone: 312.527.7841
E-mail: sweiss@mmart.com
About Design Chicago
Design Chicago: Future Fashions for Furniture, Fabric & More is a two-day trade market October 9 and 10, which features the industry’s hottest keynote speakers, including Jamie Drake, Celerie Kemble, Lloyd Princeton and Ed Mattingly/ICI Paints and showcases the Design Center showrooms latest collections.
ABOUT THE DESIGN CENTER™
Located in the heart of Chicago, Illinois, The Merchandise Mart is home to four floors constituting the world’s first and largest design center. As a leader in the $65-billion residential furnishings market, The Merchandise Mart Design Center™ offers the largest presentation of home furnishings worldwide, all under one roof. Encompassing 700,000 square feet, boasting 130 showrooms and featuring over 2000 product lines, the Design Center is the design professional’s ultimate resource for luxury furniture, fabrics, floor coverings, wall coverings, lighting, antiques, accessories and much more.
The Merchandise Mart Design Center’s Designer Portfolios are a unique online resource for homeowners to learn about working with a design professional and help them find the perfect designer to match their tastes, expectations and budget. More than 50 area design professionals are featured in the online Designer Portfolios, with his or her own web page featuring their design philosophy, area(s) of specialty, project photos, fee structure and more. Designer Portfolios can be easily accessed by visiting www.merchandisemartdesigncenter.com and clicking on the Designer Portfolio logo.
For more details, please visit www.merchandisemart.com or call 800.677.MART (6278).
Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) is a trade show and property management firm, specializing in managing buildings devoted to wholesale showrooms and commercial office space. MMPI produces more than 300 trade shows, market events and conferences each year.
MMPI manages The Merchandise Mart and 350 W. Mart Center in Chicago; Market Square, the Suites at Market Square, Hamilton Market, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza and the National Furniture Mart in High Point, N.C.; the Architects & Designers Building and 7 W New York in New York; the Boston Design Center in Boston; the L.A. Mart in Los Angeles; and the Washington Design Center and Federal Center Southwest in Washington D.C.
Vornado Realty Trust, owner of MMPI, based in New York City, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust. Vornado’s common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and are traded under the symbol VNO.
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