We would like to give a heartfelt thank you to all of the sponsors who have graciously supported our students. We especially would like to thank our Platinum and Gold
sponsors for their generous contributions.

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsor

See the Summit sponsors here.

Wednesday – Friday, September 20-22, 2023

An educational experience for the next generation of designers

Participants will meet, discuss ideas, and make connections with leaders in the furniture, textile, interior design, architecture, and product design professions. Through special seminars and design events, students will be empowered to reach the full height of their creative potential and learn from other creative genres in the industry. This is an opportunity to be equipped and prepared to enter the industry’s workforce and gain insight not obtainable in the classroom. Our Platinum sponsor, Verellen Furniture, along with J Black Design and the Broyhill Family Foundation will each award a $5,000 Scholarship to three attending students based on parameters set forth by the Bienenstock Furniture Library Student Summit Committee.

A maximum of 40 students will be invited. Students must complete the ~~application form~~ to be considered. Students will be selected by the Bienenstock Furniture Library Student Summit Committee. More than one student per school CAN be chosen to attend. The Summit is free but students will need to provide their own transportation to and from the event.

Our Mission

The Future Designers Summit introduces the brightest young creative minds in college and university design programs to the people, brands, and processes that are creating tomorrow’s homes. It is a set of educational and networking opportunities designed to create an experience that inspires innovation in interior, furniture, and product design that draws from the rich legacy of these disciplines to shape a more beautiful, functional, and fulfilling future.

“My time (at the Summit) opened up my eyes to the possibilities into the world of design. Things I could have never seen in the classroom have now been exposed to me.”

– Hope Purcell, 2022 Summit Participant

Our Keynote Speakers

Corey Damen Jenkins

Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates

Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates is based in New York City whose founder and principal, Corey Damen Jenkins, is celebrated for his mixing of vivid colors with layered patterns to create inspired, iconic, and uplifting spaces, as well as designing furniture that brings the best of the classics into the present with panache and refined elegance. Corey is an inducted member of the esteemed Architectural Digest’s AD100, ELLE Decor’s prestigious A-List, the elite 1st Dibs 50, and his bold interiors have graced the front covers of House Beautiful and Traditional Home and received spotlight features in House & Garden, Vanity Fair, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Detroit News. Corey authored Design Remix: A New Spin on Traditional Rooms (Rizzoli), for worldwide release in March 2021 and made his debut as a MasterClass Instructor, with a highly acclaimed 12-part course on interior design in August 2021.

Today, Corey has licensed collections across several categories with Kravet Couture, Hancock & Moore, Maitland-Smith, AKDO, Stearns & Foster, and Aria Stone. In 2019 and 2021, Corey designed the formal “Ladies Library” and the Dining Room for the renowned Kips Bay Decorator Show Houses in New York and Dallas, respectively. Corey has also been the recipient of numerous industry honors including the New York School of Interior Design’s Larry Kravet Design Industry Leadership Award, Traditional Home’s New Trad Rising Star of Design Award, Fashion Group International’s Night of Stars Award for Interior Design and the D&D Building’s Stars on The Rise Award.

Corey Damen Jenkins is a tireless advocate for many charities, most notably the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club. Through his firm, he has funded a scholarship and participates in the mentorship program with the New York School of Interior Design. Corey resides with his husband in Manhattan, New York.

Patti Carpenter

Global Trend Ambassador

Trend Forecasting

Patti is Principal of carpenter + company/Trendscope and an award winning Creative Director in globally sourced home décor, personal accessories, fragrance and gifts. In her extensive experience in product design and development, she has designed, sourced and created strong Private Label collections for brands including Bloomingdales, Sferra, Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel. The Phillips Collection, ABC Carpet and Home, Yankee Candle, Donna Karan Urban Zen and Ralph Lauren. As a Micro-Enterprise specialist with U.S. presidential recognition for domestic and international expertise in artisan development, small producer and entrepreneurial training and economic development, Patti achieved success in international sourcing and wholesale, creating innovative products for her eponymous international home textile brand, carpenter + company. As a merchandising and color + trend forecasting expert, she has traveled and worked in fifty-seven countries and has spoken and written on Color + Trend and Design around the globe. In addition, Patti works as a trend consultant with Pantone and is the Global Trend Ambassador for Maison & Objet in America and Paris. She is an active board member of SERRV International.

Patty

Tammy Nagem

President and CEO, High Point Market Authority

‘My best ideas come after a long exhausting day at market when our team gathers to wrap up the day. When we are knee-deep in the event and we are already excited about planning the next one, ideas flow like a faucet.’

Having worked for the High Point Market Authority for more than 20 years, current Chief Operating Officer Tammy Nagem is preparing to assume the role of president and CEO of the organization effective on Jan. 1, 2023, when current President Tom Conley retires.

Hired as only the second employee at the Market Authority, Nagem has acted as the organization’s COO since 2011. She said she believes furniture is in her blood since she grew up in nearby Martinsville, Va., a long-time furniture manufacturing town.

During the past 10 years, Nagem has worked closely with Conley and the rest of the team to continue to innovate, keeping up with the changing demands placed on the High Point Market. Here, she talks about her new role and how she plans to continue to move the Market Authority forward.

Tammy Nagem

Caroline Hipple
Norwalk Furniture

Christie Spangle
Barbour Spangle Design

Nancy Fire
Nancy Fire Designs

Jane Dagmi
HPXD

Tammy Nagem
High Point Market Authority

Jill Seale
Jill Seale Design Studio

Brownlee Currey
Currey & Company

The Magic of Market

Panel Discussion with Industry Professionals

In this panel discussion with industry professionals, Summit participants will get an exclusive inside look at the High Point Market. Tammy Nagem, the President and CEO of High Point Market Authority takes us on a journey through the furniture industry’s coveted High Point Market, which comes alive with design, educational opportunities, networking, and resources to move the design world forward. Panelists will discuss their roles at High Point Market and how the MAGIC OF MARKET enhances their jobs and careers.

Participant Opportunities

Manufacturing Tours
Mentoring Sessions with Industry Professionals
Finishing Plant Tours
Textile Presentations
Opportunities for Networking
Architecture & Interior Design Seminars
Industry Trends Keynote
Manufacturing Keynote
Design Charrette/Team Building

Highlights From Previous Summits

In The Press

Furniture World Magazine, Nov/Dec 2022 – Article Link

How You Can Be Selected to Attend

Attendees will be chosen by student summit committee based on your:

Completed ~~application form~~
Provided portfolio examples
Essay of What makes you an excellent candidate for the Summit

Sponsorship Request

We Need Your Help

The Bienenstock Furniture Library Student Summit Committee will select 40 students to attend the Summit. A $500.00 donation will allow one student to attend the Summit free of charge. We encourage you to invest in the future of the home furnishings industry by allowing these top design students to gain knowledge of our industry that can not be obtained in the classroom. Sponsors will be invited to attend our opening night dinner, featuring Corey Damen Jenkins.

We prefer to be contacted directly for sponsorships and payed by check so we can provide an invoice. Please contact: Karla Jones at 336-883-4011 or executive-director@furniturelibrary.com We find this method preferable for tracking charitable donations.

If you prefer, you can also use our PayPal account to sponsor at any level. For levels above $1,000 you will have to choose “Other” in the PayPal selection. When using PayPal please add your information during checkout so we can acknowledge your continued support.

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