Welcome home

The welcome mat is out at the Las Vegas Design Center.

The unique collection of buildings located near the heart of the Spaghetti Bowl is inviting area residents to come visit and shop at its designer showrooms.

"We have this big, beautiful World Market Center in the center of Las Vegas. It should be a hub for the people of Las Vegas. You don't build something this big and this beautiful and not open it to the public," said Randy Wells, vice president of the design center.

Part of the World Market Center, the facility is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday 50 weeks a year. It is closed only during the biannual furniture markets, which are exclusive to industry trade.

Although the facility was accessible just to professional interior designers (who could bring their clients) when it first opened, Wells said the change came about along with the change in how people are decorating their homes. The Internet, increased number of home-decorating magazines and advent of HGTV and its many shows have prompted people to become more involved in the design and decorating process, he said.

"Anything that gets people more excited about doing things to their homes is good."

To make access to the design center easier for consumers, the hours were changed to include Saturday, a world-class dining establishment (Mundo) replaced the cafe, and a Design Salon staffed by members of the American Society of Interior Designers was opened.

"It's pretty simple," Wells said of the changes. "If you are going to service the marketplace, you have to be here when they want to be here."

Since the changes went into effect several months ago, Saturday has easily been the facility's busiest day, he added.

Wells said he hopes that by introducing people to good design, it will inspire them to have more well-designed pieces in their homes, regardless of whether they are large pieces of furniture or lighting or accessories.

"The most important thing is to make connoisseurs and lovers of great design."

This, in turn, will spark a greater awareness of the important role interior designers can play in helping create a cohesive look for a home. Wells said interior designers do more than just tell their clients what colors go together. They deal with appropriate scale and style, as well as introduce a greater variety of materials and sources to their clients.

"Just think of your interior designer as a personal shopper. They can help you pick the right style and colors and makes the whole experience more pleasant," Wells said.

He said the Las Vegas Design Center is unique among design centers nationwide in that it doesn't just feature the "super, super high-end" home furnishings. "We have a great mix of meaningful things for the home, not just the jewelry. The design center has a wide enough offering to find something for everybody."

This mix includes the recent addition of Ethan Allen, which closed its retail outlets in the valley to set up a showroom in the design center.

"By including retail stores like Ethan Allen they have broadened their appeal to people who may not be familiar with the more designer-oriented brand names," said Alice Roussos of Interior Motives in Las Vegas.

Unlike a traditional furniture store that offers only what its staff deems is appropriate for its clientele, the design center opens up the entire industry through its multiple showrooms that cover 325,000 square feet. "There's a tremendous amount of choices," Wells said.

That's where the Design Salon comes into play.

According to Wells, using the services of a professional interior designer can help make selecting home furnishings and accessories at the design center less daunting. And the best part is the first hour of consultation is free.

"The Design Salon is able to pair each client with a professional designer who can assist with selecting pieces that will fit both the individual and the space. The designer approaches the room as a whole and considers every circumstance," said Shawn L. McNeace, director of the design salon, a member of ASID and owner of the Henderson-based SRI Design Group.

"We find that our designer actually helps save us time and money by choosing pieces that will work in our home for many years to come. Whenever we are looking for new furniture, our designer has everything picked out and ready for us to look at," said Andrea Behrens of Las Vegas, who has shopped at the facility with her Las Vegas-based interior designer.

Roussos believes offering an orientation tour with a designer would be helpful, giving consumers a better understanding between the "confusing mixture of wholesale and retail situations that exist in the different showrooms so that they are better able to enjoy all the different options that are available."

Wells admits that shopping at the center can be confusing for some, especially for those who equate purchasing directly from the manufacturer (with the assistance of an interior designer) with deeply discounted prices. While the prices are typically less than what you would pay for the same piece at a traditional retailer, consumers must be aware that the products featured within the facility are designer pieces.

"You have to look at the value, the integrity of the piece, the exceptional quality and craftsmanship and the durability. These are pieces that will last for centuries," he said.