No Surprise: Design Packs 'em in at the Builders’ Show
From kitchen faucets, to million dollar homes, to designs for first time buyers — educational sessions that focused on design were the most popular programs at the International Builders' Show (IBS) in January.  Similar to years past, almost half of the top 20 programs spotlighted design and design-related issues. Among the more popular educational sessions were “Building Better Not Bigger, The Not so Big House,” “Kitchen & Bath Design Trends” and “Home Designs for the First Time Buyer.”
In the past, creating unique designs was more the concern of architects, interior designers and custom builders working on multi-million dollar properties. Now, interest has spread among those with an interest in making small- to medium-priced properties ($100,000–$300,000) stand out in the market, as well. Newcomers to the show were especially interested in focusing on leading edge design. Said one attendee at the “Design 2005: Residential Design Trends from the American Institute of Architects,” “I’m trying to learn as much as possible about design and new trends, so this was great.” Conference attendees were also given the opportunity to learn from the best in the business. “Design Stars: Winning Home Designs From the Best in American Living Awards” featured homes from the 2004 BALA Award competition and highlighted the design elements that came into play for the award winners. “The content is very pertinent to my work,” said an attendee. “It started the creative juices flowing.” The high interest in design spurred the creation of a new conference in late 2003 — The NAHB/BALA Design Institute for Builders Conference ― to bring builders and other industry professionals the latest information, tips, trends and advice on residential home design.The conference enables builders to learn from the industry's top professionals, tour award-winning homes and communities that display the best in cutting-edge architectural design and learn how to profitably apply design ideas to the homes they build. The second NAHB/BALA Design Institute for Builders Conference is set for June 13-15 in Denver. | 
