There is a particular moment each winter in Palm Beach when the worlds of design, culture, and society seem to quietly converge. This year we felt it most clearly while sitting inside the Norton Museum of Art, attending a Business of Home panel as part of the Palm Beach Design Social pop-up.
The atmosphere was both relaxed and thoughtful—designers greeting one another, editors reconnecting with longtime collaborators, and brand founders sharing the stories behind the objects that ultimately shape the rooms we admire. It felt less like a formal conference and more like a salon de design, a gathering where conversation, ideas, and craftsmanship flowed naturally together.
Walking through the displays after the panel, we found ourselves lingering in conversations with many of the founders behind these companies. There is something refreshing about hearing directly from the makers themselves: how a textile pattern evolved, how a lighting piece was engineered, or why a particular finish was developed.
What stood out most was the sense of authorship. Many of these brands are small, thoughtful companies producing work with real intention. In a design world that can sometimes feel driven by scale and speed, it was reassuring to see such a strong presence of craftsmanship.
The setting only amplified the experience. The Norton Museum has become something of a cultural anchor for the design community during the Palm Beach season. On that afternoon, it felt like a crossroads—where designers, editors, collectors, and makers all briefly intersected.
Then Kips Bay
Later in the week, we visited the Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach, which has quickly become one of the highlights of the season. The 2026 show house is particularly ambitious, expanding into two homes transformed by more than twenty designers.
Walking through the rooms felt like moving through a sequence of creative perspectives. One space leaned into classic Palm Beach glamour—bold color, botanical motifs, wicker, and sunshine—while another explored deeper layers of texture and sculptural lighting. Some rooms were playful and theatrical, others quieter and more architectural.
One room we especially loved was by Emily Eerdmans @eerdmansnewyork. Her space captured the playful sophistication that Palm Beach interiors do so well. At its center was a spectacular shell-encrusted Koi table topped with custom scagliola pigmented plaster. The craftsmanship was remarkable—the shell work forming delicate patterns around the base while the scagliola surface added a painterly richness to the top. It was the kind of piece that immediately draws people in and sparks conversation, embodying the artistry and individuality that make the show house so engaging.
A Slim Aarons Dream: The Tiki Tent
Another space that completely charmed us was the outdoor installation by River Brook Design & Construction, titled Tiki Tent. Inspired by the glamorous photography of Slim Aarons, the design set out to capture the effortless elegance of mid-century poolside life—tasseled umbrellas, striped cabanas, and that unmistakable Palm Beach spirit.
A Week That Reveals the Design Ecosystem
Experiencing the Norton panel and Kips Bay in the same week revealed something important about the design world today. At the Norton, we experienced the dialogue around design. At Kips Bay, we saw the results of that dialogue realized in space.
Palm Beach as a Gathering Place
Leaving Kips Bay that afternoon, we found ourselves thinking less about individual rooms and more about the community behind them. Because in the end, design is never only about interiors. It is about the conversations, collaborations, and shared ideas that make those interiors possible.
