A Furry Good Time at “Dogs & Design”
We love it when NKBA members let their creativity shine by dreaming up amazing events, and this was certainly the case with “Dogs & Design” hosted by our Texas North Plains Chapter.
“I’m a huge dog lover,” said Programs Chair Nicole Raynes, “And there are so many people in our chapter who love dogs, have dogs, or have done designs for dogs. It’s a fun niche in our community–designing for dogs.”
The elements for the event quickly crystallized in Nicole’s mind. Choosing Daltile Dallas as the venue was easy, as tile is a #1 material sourced when designing for dogs, and their showroom is also close to the Dallas Animal Services Shelter–which shared insights about the shelter and ways to help in addition to contributing to the event’s DAS Shelter donation drive.
For the featured experts, Jenifer Wiley, owner of J Wiley Designs, was a natural–she has designed several projects for dogs, including showers, built-in dog bowls and crates, and a sofa with a scooped out back so a client’s pooch could comfortably peer out the window without damaging the piece.
Adding to the guest panel were dog-friendly designers Dana Bass, owner of Dana Bass Designs, and Heidi Arwine, owner of Heidi Arwine Interiors, and dog trainer Taylor Massey, owner of Six Packs & Dog Packs Training, who shared practical dog psychology designers can use when they visit clients’ homes.
The event brought in 50 attendees (all human) and included complimentary custom pet doodles by Dallas-based sketch artist Groovy Zuky. To make the logistics easier, everyone who RSVP’d for the event could email a photo of their pet ahead of time and pick up their artwork the day of the event. It worked out beautifully, as Groovy Zuky received 15 additional requests during the event itself.
This being Texas, guests nibbled on Mexican food and also had the opportunity to build mini animal figurines with Lego-style bricks.
