Now that 2019 has come to an end and we begin a new decade, we wanted to take a moment look back on all the great things our organization and our members did this past year. 2019 was a great year for the River North Design District (RNDD). Thank you to our amazing members for your support and dedication.

Here is a look back on some of the highlights of 2019…

We Gained New Members

In 2019 we welcomed a total of 14 new members, bringing our organization to over 60 members in total! Eight of those were River North Showrooms: Theodore Alexander, bulthaup, Samuel Lynne Galleries, Molteni&C, Inspired Closets, Kohler Signature Store by Studio41, Poliform, and Komandor.

And we gained four new Affiliate Members: The Anti-Cruelty Society, Barrett’s Technology Solutions, Montauk Sofa and Oceanside Glass & Tile.

Our Events Were a Big Success

We kicked off the year panel discussion with Dering Hall at Lightology on “Being a Design Risk Taker.” Panelists Bruce Fox of Bruce Fox Design, Steve Kadlec of KADLEC Architecture + Design, Michael Del Piero of Michael Del Piero Good Design, and Melissa Benham of Studio Gild led a lively conversation about the best ways to break rules and surprise and delight clients with boundary-pushing work.

We continued our social media marketing workshop series led by Jason Myers of Zen Owl Media who taught our Instagram Insights course and our own Jill Maremont and Jenny Maraccini taught Pinterest for Business. Attendees left each workshop with valuable information and new tactics and strategies to implement in their own businesses.

On May 2nd, 2019, the River North Design District (RNDD), Chicago Luxury Beds, Luxe Interiors + Design, and Dering Hall partnered once again for “Dreaming of Design” featuring bedroom vignettes by talented Chicago interior designers, including RNDD Members The Golden Triangle, Wike LaFrey and Sarah Dippold Design.

The Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design (SOFA) Fair in Chicago is the premier gallery-presented art fair dedicated to three-dimensional art and design. SOFA is held annually in the fall at Chicago’s Navy Pier, and this year RNDD and for the second year in a row, we collaborated on the official SOFA Afterparty on the show’s opening night. The party was held at Montauk Sofa and featured artist Francine Turk who painted LIVE with Benjamin Moore’s color of the year. It was a night filled with art, music and design.

And our biggest event of the year was the 5th Annual RNDD Fall Gallery Walk which took place on Friday, September 6th. For the second year in a row, the River North Design District (RNDD) partnered with The River North Arts District Galleries featuring artists paired with designers.  This year we also partnered with buildOn and a portion of the proceeds helped to provide the experience of equal and safe education for the children of a community in a developing country; as well as provide the opportunity for service and leadership for the youth within our own community.

Participants Included:

• PROjECT.interiors featuring Amanda Morrison at Transceramica
• Amy Kartheiser Design featuring Sarah Raskey at Chicago Luxury Beds
• Hailey Lauren Designs featuring Jamie Tubbs with Daniel Kinkade Fine Art at TOTO
• Nora Schneider Interior Design featuring Cleveland Dean at bulthaup
• JOLIE ID featuring Meg Cowell with Daniel Kinkade Fine Art at Christopher Guy
• Yamini Designs featuring David Gamble and Julian Wasser of Hilton | Asmus Contemporary Gallery at Casa Spazio
• Victoria Hardy Interiors featuring Bruno Surdo and Michael Van Zeyl of Victor Armendariz Gallery at eggersmann usa
• Robin Thomas Design featuring Randy O’Brien of Vale Craft Gallery at Lightology
• Wike LaFrey featuring Linc Thelen at Orizzonti
• Kadlec Architecture + Design featuring Glenn Wexler of Zolla Lieberman Gallery at Oscar Isberian Rugs
• JamesThomas Interiors featuring Ramona Russu with Daniel Kinkade Fine Art at Oscar Isberian Rugs
• Jessica Lagrange Interiors featuring Janet McGreal of Gruen Galleries at Oscar Isberian Rugs
• Brianne Bishop Design featuring Philippe Vignal with Daniel Kinkade Fine Art at Ligne Roset
• Vincere featuring Vladimir Bachorik of Echt Gallery at O’Brien Harris
• Bruce Fox Interior Architecture + Design featuring James Iska of Shashi Caudill Fine Art at Theodore Alexander
• Kelly Hurliman Design featuring John Bannon of Ken Saunders Gallery at Renaissance Tile & Bath
• Room & Board featuring Steven Ciezki and Kazuki Takizawa of Echt Gallery at Materials Marketing
• Sarah Jacquelyn Interiors featuring Cat Tesla of Chicago Art Source at Artists Frame Service
• Sarah Dippold Design featuring Robin Denevan of Addington Gallery at Organic Looms
• Steve + Filip Design featuring Christophe Gausparro at Studio41
• Alan Design Studio featuring Jennifer Webster with Daniel Kinkade Fine Art at 210 Design House
• Alida Coury Interiors featuring Colt Seager at Calia Stone Boutique
• dSPACE Studio featuring TJ O’Keefe at Molteni&C
• Centaur Interiors featuring Tyler Shields at Samuel Lynne Galleries
• Victor Armendariz Gallery is exhibiting Jan Pieter Fokkens
• Gruen Galleries is exhibiting Meredith Pardue
• Vale Craft Gallery is exhibiting Randy O’Brien
• Zolla Lieberman Gallery is exhibiting Dennis Lee Mitchell, Phyllis Bramson and Lorraine Peltz
• Echt Gallery is exhibiting Jay Strommen
• Addington Gallery is exhibiting Rebecca Crowell and Robin Denevan
• Ken Saunders Gallery is exhibiting Thomas Scoon
• Hilton | Asmus Contemporary is exhibiting David Gamble and Julian Wasser
• The Anti-Cruelty Society featuring “Art from the Heart”, special POP UP with Dresner Design

Partners: Theodore Alexander, The Godfrey Hotel Chicago, SOFA, EXPO Chicago, The Other Art Fair, Art Encounter, The Anti-Cruelty Society, Chicago Gallery News, Luxe Interiors + Design, Dering Hall, Freeze & Float and a curated beer selection by Oct.co.

Thank you to everyone who made this such an amazing year for The River North Design District. It’s because of you that we continue to grow year after year. Be sure to check out our events page to see what we have in store for the new year or follow us on Facebook and Instagram to make sure you don’t miss out. Cheers to an even better 2020!