Jennifer Sergent

Freelance design writer + blogger | Marketing copywriter

Working at The Washington Design Center

Who wouldn’t love to work in a place that is surrounded by beauty? This week, I became lucky enough to do just that. I started work as the marketing director at The Washington Design Center — a place I have always loved to go to see the quality and craftsmanship in more than 50 showrooms on seven floors.

We're at 300 D St. SW, at the Federal Center SW Metro. Photograph by Gordon Beall via Architectural Digest

In my first four days, I’ve only just started going to each showroom individually, but I’ve already learned some incredible stories, which we’ll share in more detail on THE NEW BLOG we’re setting up for the WDC Web site, in an effort to give designers, architects, builders — even consumers — a better glimpse into what’s going on.

But I’ll share a few nuggets here to whet your appetite:

First, Lee Jofa has a new partnership with fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, who has created fabric designs that I wanted to wrap myself up in the other day! (My blog buddie Susie Isaac of Maddie G Designs wrote a whole post about the parnership earlier this year, right here.)

From Elle Decor via Maddie G Designs

Oscar created dresses and skirts out of the fabric, and there’s a video showing the fashion show in the Kravat/Lee Jofa showroom. Some of the actual skirts will be arriving here soon, which will ultimately be auctioned off.

And upstairs in the Century showroom, where Oscar also designs furniture, showroom manager Debbie Pegher showed me a stunning photograph of a bed frame upholstered with one of his new Lee Jofa designs.

From Elle Decor via Maddie G Designs

I also spent time this week in the J. Lambeth showroom, where Ann and Jim Lambeth have been friends since I was at Washington Spaces. I adore all their lines, which include Barry Dixon’s fabric for Vervain,

and his furniture for Tomlinson/Erwin-Lambeth;

luscious pieces from the French furniture maker Grange,

and funky fabrics by Lucy Rose.

The latest news at J. Lambeth is that one of its brands, Fabricut, just acquired the venerable fabric house of Stroheim & Romann, which had its own showroom in the WDC. Now, there is major construction going on to combine the showrooms, so it will all be on the first floor, prominently located off the right side of the lobby. J. Lambeth, which has always been on two floors, will now be on one.

I also went to visit the J. Asher Carpet Couture showroom this week, where I learned that its carpets cover the grand auditorium of the Department of Interior (where I used to go to see the winning artists of the annual Duck Stamp contest!), the main house and 13 guest cabins of Camp David, and the Opera House and Concert Hall of the Kennedy Center, to name a few notable destinations. And the red and blue carpet going up the Capitol steps at each inauguration? Yup — J. Asher.

The showroom carries lines by Tufenkian, Alexa Hampton, Barbara Barry, and other lines known for their exquisitely woven designs. Here are some examples from its Web site:

I have obviously given short shrift to the many showrooms I didn’t mention in this post, which is why I’m so excited that our team is putting together a new blog for the WDC so we can celebrate them all on a regular basis.

I hope that any of you interested in stopping by to see what they have to offer will come visit me!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gloria simpson says

    I’m a Interior decorator starting out and need to work at the Design Center in DC where do I start it’s my passion I Love, Love ,love it

    • Jennifer Sergent says

      Hi Gloria, I wrote this post six years ago, and a lot has changed since then. The building was sold and the showrooms moved to another location: https://designcenterdc.com/ I no longer work there, but the best thing you could do is go there and walk the showrooms. Each showroom is a separate company — there is no umbrella organization that would employ someone like Merchandise Mart Properties used to do when I worked there. Get registered in each showroom as a designer, and get to know the showroom managers and staff. Ask them questions. See if the center still has a “designer on call” program, where designers volunteer there in case consumers walk in and need purchasing help in the showrooms. There’s no better way to get a job at a place you love than showing your face. Good luck.

  3. Elli D. says

    Congratulation on your new job Jennifer … it must be a real dream job. I can’t wait to hear the stories you mentioned. I love the Barry Dixon’s sofa, it looks amazing. Thanks for sharing.

  6. Mark Gatterdam says

    See Jennifer. I told you good things happen to good people. I do think you might need a bit more of that Gin soon though. Good luck, and remember the little people you once knew…….