Design on a Dime Miami 2018

Late last year, we were invited to participate in Design on a Dime Miami 2018, an event spearheaded by Housing Works to help end AIDS by 2025 and provide housing assistants to those living with this deadly disease. 
Thirty designers would each design their own space with items donated by vendors. Those items would then be heavily discounted and sold to the public. The fundraising goal seemed staggering, and with my full-time assistant headed out on maternity leave, I️ was hesitant. 
Fundraising is no easy feat, plus I️ needed to focus on our clients and spend quality time with the little man, Xavier Q. Doubtful, I️ considered saying no. In the end, and with a reliable squad of cheerleaders pledging their support, I️ gave it to God and agreed to be among the featured designers, I would also be the only black designer featured, a formidable achievement in black history month no less. 
The event is a tricky one because you need to design your space around donated items and you kinda don't know what you'll be getting. In fact, the first list of vendors we asked for donated items, all said no. This was a shocker since they were vendors we sourced extensively for our clients. Mildly shaken, we re-focused and kept at it and eventually the donations started pouring in. It also helped that we sent a concept of what we wanted to design as it helped sponsors gift items that would align with the overall design plan. 

This is how we started on Installation day at the amazing Moore Building in Miami's Design District. 

As you can see, we didn't get an orange sofa but introduced orange - my signature color - in other ways including via this custom made vanity by Signature Piecez. 

The albums were on loan from two of our amazing clients and bwoy did we have to guard those with our lives! They were for display only, but everyone wanted to buy them! Yikes. 

I tried to snag these brass and black leather chairs for myself but sigh, they were the first to be purchased. 

Me and my stylish date for the night, Xavier Q. He was in rare form dancing the night away and schooling the older heads on the art of break dancing. 

Hitting the red carpet at the start of the event. FYI those shoes lasted 10 minutes! Always pack your comfy flats ladies.

So happy all the ladies of the NWD squad came out to show their love and support!

In the end, not only did we exceed our fundraising goal for this worthwhile cause, we’ve made some amazing new friends/supporters and had a blast dancing the night away in the music lounge we designed. The lesson learned? Trust yourself. He’ll never give you more than you can handle.
A special thanks to all our sponsors who generously donated items for our space:
Morada Furniture
Worlds-Away
Signature Piecez
Currey and Company
Elegant Concept Interiors
Malene B
Dressing Room Interiors
City Furniture
Frame Art Miami
Craig Tinsky
Bungalow Drift
Island City Traders
You can see more behind the scenes shenanigans on our Instragram and FaceBook.