NDW 2024
Calendar of Events

Day Three:
Happy Hour Session

Fast Furniture:

Friend or foe

Explore how the “fast furniture” trend is reshaping local furniture consumption and learn their strategies for creating intentional, sustainable spaces in a fast-paced market.

PANEL DISCUSSION: INTERIOR DESIGN, PRODUCT DESIGN

Day Three

Wednesday, Oct 30

Happy Hour Session, 5:00 pm-6:30 pm
The Athenaeum @ HASTINGS Architecture
225 Polk Ave, Nashville, TN 37203

hosted by: 

HASTINGS Architecture + Alfred Williams & Co.

contributers:
  • Market President, Alfred Williams & Company

    Ted brings over 21 years of expertise in consulting, design, manufacturing, hospitality, and services. His passion for design is evident in his professional endeavors, personal interests, and volunteer work. Ted’s approach to design is rooted in a commitment to both creativity and business acumen. He excels at navigating complex challenges, aligning design strategies with clients organizational goals, and fostering a culture of excellence, innovation and collaboration within his team.

  • Curator, Eb&Iv

    Growing up with limited means, Alisa learned to present herself and her home in a way that belied her financial constraints, naturally embracing secondhand sourcing long before she understood it as “sustainability.” After losing both her grandmother and mother, she became passionate about creating legacies through quality preloved items, offering pieces that carry stories and memories to be passed down through generations.

  • Founder, Good Wood Nashville

    Dave Puncochar founded Good Wood Nashville in 2012 after a particularly frustrating experience trying to match 100-year-old wood floors in his East Nashville home. Starting in his garage, he began selling reclaimed wood and soon expanded to crafting custom furniture, with the mission of creating beautiful works of art from wood.

  • Interior Designer, HASTINGS 

    Morgan moved to Nashville to pursue a career in the Music Industry, working in music publishing, artist management, and finally landing at Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound label. After realizing she was a creative at heart, she pursued a second degree in Interior Design at Belmont University and has been an Interior Designer at HASTINGS ever since. As a designer, Morgan stands at the crossroads of traditional and modern styles, with a deep passion for the transformative impact of furniture on a space.

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that Americans discard over 12 million tons of furniture and furnishings annually, largely driven by the surge of "fast furniture"—a term describing companies that produce a wide array of styles quickly and inexpensively.

While we recognize that this consumption rate is detrimental to our planet, we must also consider its potential impact on the creative community. Do craftsmen, mid-level furniture dealers, and vintage furniture curators face pressures or challenges in a world dominated by fast furniture?

Addressing these concerns, a panel of Nashville-based experts—including a crafted furniture maker, a mid-level furniture dealer, and a vintage curator—will discuss trends in furniture consumption both locally and nationally. They will explore whether these trends are benefiting or harming their sectors and will propose ways to create commercial and residential spaces that honor intention alongside trend.