Every year, September stirs a renewed sense of excitement in the design community. The calendar fills quickly: from DISCOVER ADAC to What’s New What’s Next to Dallas Design Week, the list goes on. A whirlwind of openings, collaborations, and celebrations marks the shift in season, stirring a creative current that carries the industry forward.

This year was no exception. As the industry gathered in showrooms and studios across the country, the conversations and unveilings reminded us why September sets the tone for the year ahead. Below, we look back at a few highlights from last month and ahead to the happenings that will shape the season to come.

Introducing Billy Cotton for Soane

Image courtesy of Soane Britain, soane.co.uk

British craftsmanship meets the vision of American designer Billy Cotton in his extensive new collaboration with Soane Britain. Consisting of more than 40 pieces, from furnishings and lighting to wallcoverings and textiles, the collection is a testament to material integrity and timeless style.

Alongside Soane’s founder Lulu Lytle, their inhouse experts, and independent British workshops, Cotton was able to combine his refined approach with Soane’s commitment to craft. Each piece demonstrates Cotton and Lytle’s aligned values, introducing a fresh perspective while honoring the brand’s spirit. The Collins Dining Table and the Edgar Five Arm Hanging Uplight illustrate that balance of tradition and innovation.

Rooted yet forward-thinking, the collection is designed not only to elevate interiors today, but also to endure for generations.

Now available through Soane’s New York and London showrooms and online: soane.co.uk/pcat/new-designs/

McKinnon & Harris Opens in Atlanta

Photograph: Emily Followill

Expanding into the Southeast, McKinnon & Harris has opened its newest showroom at ADAC West, unveiled on September 24 with MILIEU during Discover ADAC. The Richmond-based maker of bespoke aluminum furniture has cultivated a devoted following in the region over the years, making Atlanta a natural and thoughtful next step in the brand’s growth.

The space reflects the company’s notable aesthetic, from garden folly walls showcasing new introductions like the Peristyle and Thirza collections to a selection of fine antiquities. Greek olive trees, custom lighting by Urban Electric, and lime-washed walls by Domingue Architectural Finishes anchor the atmosphere. Created in collaboration with Two Street, La Vista Construction, and Michael Jackson Landscape Company, the showroom displays their distinguished collection, including the recently introduced Bon Air High Tea Table, shown in photograph with a natural stone tabletop by Marmi Stone.

The new showroom deepens the brand’s dialogue with the Southeast, offering a thoughtful expression of McKinnon & Harris’s vision for outdoor living.

Visit McKinnon & Harris at 349 Peachtree Hills Avenue NE, ADAC West, Suite 2B.

Introducing Galerie Green

Photography: Billal Taright  |  Stylist: Colin King

For Jacqueline and Damien Harrison, founders of acclaimed landscape design firm Harrison Green, antiques have always been essential to the layered character of their work. Now, they’re sharing decades of collecting through Galerie Green, a curated selection of antique and vintage outdoor furnishings and decorative accents.

The collection—including sculptures, planters, vessels, seating, tables, and accents—reflects a reverence for patina and authenticity. Each piece is chosen for its lasting character, with many preserved in their original state while others are subtly restored.

After more than a decade designing landscapes across New York City and beyond, Harrison Green brings that same expertise and intentionality to a collection that exudes character and history.

Now available to shop at galeriegreennyc.com.

Féau Boiseries Arrives in New York

Photography: Jacques Pepion

A storied Parisian name has arrived stateside. Féau Boiseries, renowned for its decorative wood paneling, has opened its first U.S. showroom in New York City’s D&D Building.

The immersive 1,000-square-foot space brings the brand’s 150-year legacy to America, showcasing bespoke boiserie, intricate moldings, and handcrafted fireplaces. Clients can explore paneling styles ranging from the 17th century to the Art Deco era, as well as the brand’s remarkable archive of historical designs.

Led today by third-generation managing director Guillaume Féau and his sister Angélique Féau-Leborgne, with Léopold Féau representing the fourth generation, the house remains deeply rooted in its heritage as it looks to the future. Overseen in the U.S. by Anthony Fournier, the new showroom offers American designers and architects direct access to Féau’s storied archive and bespoke capabilities. Conceived as a space where centuries of artistry meet contemporary design, the showroom marks a new era in Féau Boiseries’s enduring legacy of refinement.

Learn more at feauboiseries.com or visit the showroom in Suite 508 of the D&D Building in New York City.

British Lighting Brand Expands U.S. Presence

Photography: Zack Pontz

Pooky Lighting has officially arrived in New York with the opening of its first permanent showroom at the New York Design Center, a significant moment in the British brand’s growth. Known for its playful yet polished approach to lighting, Pooky spent the past year introducing itself to the U.S. design community with a pop-up at ABC Carpet & Home.

The transition from temporary space to permanent home marks a new chapter characterized by connection and craft. Inside the showroom, designers and architects will discover the full breadth of Pooky’s handcrafted lighting, from charming table lamps to bespoke fixtures, all gathered in a space that embodies the brand’s signature charm.

Pooky’s new showroom is now open at the New York Design Center, 200 Lexington Avenue, Suite 420.

Next Up: Antiques at the Garden in Birmingham, Alabama

Photography: C.W. Newell

The fall calendar continues with Antiques at the Gardens in Birmingham, Alabama, one of the region’s most celebrated design events, returning October 2–5. Presented by the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the four-day show gathers 24 dealers presenting exceptional antiques, fine art, textiles, jewelry, and garden pieces.

The festivities begin with the Gala in the Gardens, followed by a weekend of lectures, panels, and workshops exploring design and garden-making. Highlights include talks with Martyn Lawrence Bullard and Ben Pentreath, garden conversations with Thomas O’Brien and Katie Ridder, and a panel on hospitality with Rebecca Gardner and Jane Scott Hodges. The event concludes Sunday with a discussion on creating livable, layered homes, featuring Ray Booth and other leading voices.

Antiques at the Gardens remains a highlight of the Southern design calendar, blending tradition, craft, and conversation in a weekend that celebrates the beauty of living well.

For tickets and programming details, visit bbgardens.org/antiques.

The San Francisco Fall Show Opens with a Preview Party on October 15

Image courtesy of San Francisco Fall Show

The 2025 San Francisco Fall Show Opening Night Gala is one of the most anticipated events for designers, featuring exceptional art and antiques in a breathtaking setting on the San Francisco Bay.  Join honorary co-chairs Dee and Tommy Hilfiger to celebrate this year’s theme, Paradise Found!.

Paradise Found! is an invitation to luxuriate in the splendor of art, antiques, and design—from the exotic to the tropical, from the vibrantly colorful to the verdant jungles of wild beauty. Like an oasis in the heart of autumn, the Fall Show will transform into a kaleidoscopic vision of glittering treasures and fabulous finds from faraway lands.

The show runs October 16-19, 2025.  To purchase tickets for the show and lectures, visit sffallshow.org/tickets