February Dispatches in Design

Hot happenings and big announcements hitting the Southeastern design industry

Harry Norman Announces New President

Harry Norman, REALTORS has announced a series of leadership changes as it prepares for its next phase of growth. In a big move for the company, President and CEO Jenni Bonura and Chief Operating Officer Luke Trigwell will step away from their roles after helping strengthen the firm’s luxury positioning and align it with Forbes Global Properties. Company veteran Todd Emerson has been appointed President, bringing two decades of experience and a long track record within the organization. The firm also promoted Cyndi Young, Jessie Dixon, and Rita Ukattah into key marketing, brand, and operations roles to support continued stability and expansion. harrynorman.com

Buckhead Village Welcomes an Exciting Roster of New Tenants

Atlanta food and fashion destination Buckhead Villages gains an all-star lineup of new additions. Topping the list of new arrivals, Anthropologie’s beloved in-house label opened its first-ever standalone store. Launched in 2005, Maeve is known for its bold prints and elevated basics. anthropologie.com/maeve

Also gaining a Buckhead Village address, New York-based lifestyle brand Hill House Home is now open. The 2,200-square-foot Buckhead location is Hill House Home’s first storefront in Georgia, joining locations in Nantucket, New York City, Charleston and Dallas. hillhousehome.com

Paris-headquartered world leader in luxury furniture design and distribution, Roche Bobois, this month opened its 4,700-square-foot showroom. The new location features a full collection of products ranging from premium-quality furniture to accessories including lighting, cushions, and rugs. roche-bobois.com

Coming soon to Buckhead Village, New York City-based style authority LoveShack Fancy and premier home design resource TileBar are set to open later in 2026. loveshackfancy.com; tilebar.com

 

Waldorf Astoria Appoints Acclaimed Atlanta Chef Todd Richards as Executive Chef

Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead recently announced the appointment of Chef Todd Richards as Executive Chef. In his new role, Richards will orchestrate all culinary operations, including the property’s on-site Brassica, signature tea service, in-room dining, and banquets. The four-times James Beard Award semifinalist and award-winning author has led an impressive career with many city hotspots to dot his resume including One Flew South at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Soul: Food & Culture at Krog Street Market. A published author, Richard’s debut cookbook Soul: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes, won the 2019 IACP Award for Best American Cookbook, and Roots, Heart, Soul: The Story, Celebration, and Recipes of Afro Cuisine in America, released in 2024. hilton.com/en/hotels/atlwawa-waldorf-astoria-atlanta-buckhead

 

SCAD President Awarded France’s Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Founder and President Paula Wallace has been named a Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, one of France’s highest cultural honors, in a ceremony held at New York’s Villa Albertine in New York.Recognized for her decades of work advancing arts education, Wallace’s impact is especially evident at SCAD’s Lacoste campus in Provence, where the university has restored dozens of historic buildings and cultivated a vibrant creative hub. The honor further underscores SCAD’s global influence and Wallace’s longstanding commitment to international artistic exchange. scad.edu

 

Toll Brothers Announces New Luxury Home Collection in Milton

Toll Brothers, Inc. is preparing to debut Bridlefield – Reserve Collection, a new upscale neighborhood in Milton with sales expected to begin this spring. The enclave will feature three spacious floor plans of up to 4,675 square feet on homesites exceeding one acre. Prices will start at $1.4M and buyers will be able to tailor their homes through the company’s Design Studio. Located near popular shopping and dining destinations in Milton, Cumming, and Crabapple, the community will also offer amenities such as a clubhouse, pool, park and fire-pit. tollbrothers.com

 

Kitchen & Bath Industry Show Best of Winners Announced

North America’s largest trade show dedicated to kitchen and bath design announced the winners of the annual Best of KBIS Awards. The awards program celebrates the visionaries driving the latest trends and cutting-edge products, recognizing innovation, elegance, sustainability, and all-around excellence. An esteemed panel of judges surveyed 50 finalists during the 2026 show to determine this year’s winners which include products from True Caliber, Kholer, Richelieu Hardware, Cosentino, Induction Hardware, FreePower, MORE® Surface Care, FOTILE America, and a collaboration between Atlanta-based designer Evan Millárd and Pfister Faucets. kbis.com

 

Atlanta Art Fair Announces Guest Curator

A leading voice in contemporary art and a longtime champion of Atlanta’s cultural landscape, Sarah Higgins has been announced as the 2026 Atlanta Art Fair Guest Curator. Returning to Pullman Yards October 1–4, this year’s fair will feature an inclusive roster of compelling programs and a diverse collection of innovative events, talks, performances, and installations. As Guest Curator, Higgins will present a dedicated exhibition within the fair spotlighting three multimedia artists working with humor, irreverence, and expansive visual languages. Higgins is a nationally recognized, Atlanta-based curator, writer, arts administrator, and cultural producer. She is executive + artistic director of Art Papers, a nonprofit providing forums for exploring contemporary art through publishing and programs, where she has served as editor since 2018.  theatlantaartfair.com

 

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