Top Designers Dish on the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the Biz

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The crowd at the San Francisco Galleria.

During Design San Francisco at the San Francisco Design Center last week, the keynote program featured real talk from some of the state’s top interior designers. When Disaster Strikes!! was a panel discussion led by Madeline Stuart, and it was billed as an insiders’ guide to “navigating the business of high-end interior design.” The event was sponsored by HewnCalifornia Home+Design and the San Francisco Design Center.

Jeffrey Alan Marks answers a question while Jay Jeffers (left) and Gary Hutton (right) look on.

Panelists Gary HuttonJay JeffersJeffrey Alan Marks and Paul Wiseman shared their stories of projects that hit rough spots, demanding clients and challenging situations. Stuart, a noted designer herself, asked probing questions whose answers illicited laughter as well as good advice. It was a rare and authentic look behind the scenes of the occupation and a study in grace and professionalism under pressure.

From left: Jay Jeffers, Jeffrey Alan Marks, Madeline Stuart, Garry Hutton and Paul Wiseman.

After the event, the panelists and many in the audience headed up to the Hewn showroom for a jazzy brunch, where guests enjoyed food, wine from Long Meadow Ranch and music performed by the Candace Geiger Trio.

Peter West and Jeff Holt of Hewn.

California Home+Design’s latest cover featuring four of the five panelists at Hewn.

Candace Geiger entertains guests after the presentation.

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