One of the issues of 
that I most look forward to is the January issue that names the vaunted AD100. For those handful worldwide for whom this does not register, the 100 are the most professionally accomplished interior designers and architects and, although not privileged to know what empirical measures the magazine uses in their determination, I can say personally that rarely could I find any exceptions to their judgment. In the world of English antiques, it is gratifying to find that AD 100 firms in San Francisco, The Wiseman Group, Suzanne Tucker, and Douglas Durkin Design are good clients.
With all that, for all of us in the trade, last year’s economic malaise resulted in a dearth of interior design activity. Not surprising, as so much design work takes place in new homes, and, with so little home sale activity, new projects were rather thin on the ground.
Our sense is that, starting this month, interior design activity, gauged by the numbers of contacts we have already had, is up significantly from this time last year. Fingers and toes crossed, we hope that the new year contrasts markedly with the last, with new and existing projects proceeding apace for 2010.