Experience

9:30 AM Session | The White Elephant Ballroom

Beyond the Buzz: How Design Businesses are Actually Using Technology 

Featuring: Julie Murphy, Michael Luft Weissberg, & Tiffany Leblanc, moderated by Dustin Hayes

 

Leading experts and forward-thinking designers will explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the design process. From early concept development to project execution, this panel brings together industry voices to discuss practical tools, creative possibilities, and the balance between emerging technology and timeless design

​

11:30 AM Session | The White Elephant Ballroom 

Designing a Sense of Place: Inspired by History

Featuring: Sarah Wetenhall & David Netto

 

Join Sarah Wetenhall, owner and CEO of the iconic Colony Hotel in Palm Beach and The Hedges Inn in East Hampton, and AD-100 designer David Netto for a conversation on the transformation of The Hedges Inn. Discover how this historic East Hampton property is being thoughtfully updated, blending heritage with a fresh, elevated design perspective

 

1:30 - 3:30 PM Designer Home Tours  | Locations TBA

NEW! 

 

This tour features three rarely seen and uniquely historic homes scattered throughout the charming downtown streets of Nantucket. 

 

5:30 - 7:30 PM Opening Night Party | Location TBA

 

Kick off an amazing week with light bites and cocktails and the opportunity to connect with attendees and luminaries, all while enjoying a beautiful Nantucket setting.

9:30 AM Session | The White Elephant Ballroom

Transforming a Historic Nantucket Garden

Featuring: Fernando Wong, moderated by Jenna Talbott

 

​Fernando Wong shares a sneak peek into his plans to restore Hadwen House’s historic gardens.

​

11:30 AM Session | The White Elephant Ballroom

Design Duet

Featuring: Corey Damen Jenkins & Alexa Hampton, moderated by Marla Mullen Sanford

 

Marla Mullen Sanford will moderate a conversation between Corey Damen
Jenkins and Alexa Hampton on the inspirations, challenges, and triumphs behind their celebrated designs. From historically informed, bold spaces to elegant, modern interiors, these acclaimed designers will share insights, anecdotes, and design wisdom from their storied careers.
 

1:30 PM Session | The White Elephant Ballroom 

Defining Elegance through Classic Worlds of Interior Design, Architecture, and Gardening

Featuring: Marshall Watson

 

Acclaimed for his understated elegance and European-inspired style, Marshall
Watson creates interiors that blend quiet luxury with true comfort. In this session, he shares how his approach extends to architecture and gardens, crafting coastal spaces that feel effortlessly refined and welcoming.

​

3:30 PM Session | Greater Light

"Street Theater"

Featuring: Robert Rufino & Gay Gassmann

 

Join us for a screening of “Street Theater,” a behind-the-scenes documentary,
chronicling the career of legendary design editor and stylist Robert Rufino. In his early days, he dressed windows at Henri Bendel and Tiffany & Co. Today, it’s commonplace to see his name in top design magazines. Last fall, he transformed storefronts in NYC’s Greenwich Village for The Urban Electric Co.’s annual magazine, The Current. Design writer Gay Gassmann will interview Rufino following the movie.

 

7 PM Legacy Circle Dinner | The Whaling Museum

 

To celebrate 10 years of Nantucket by Design, this evening will bring together past chairs, speakers, and moderators to honor their contributions to the program over the years.

9:30 AM Session | The White Elephant Ballroom 

From Concept to Collection: Designing Press-Worthy Product

Featuring: Wayne Maness, Nell Diamond, Josh Young, & Aerin Lauder, moderated by Carolyn Dailey​

​

Aerin Lauder, founder and CEO of AERIN and author; Nell Diamond, founder and CEO of Hill House Home; and Josh Young, artist and designer behind Josh Young Design House and author of Artful Home, join Wayne Maness, Williams-Sonoma’s Vice President of Product Development and Design, and author Carolyn Dailey. The group will discuss the art of entertaining and how creative collaborations bring fresh ideas to the table, turning everyday spaces into stylish, inviting settings.

​

11:30 AM Session | The White Elephant Ballroom 

Flowering Outdoors: Gardens & Parties

Featuring: Margot Shaw, with an introduction from Bunny Williams

 

Margot Shaw, editor-in-chief of Flower Magazine and author of “Flowering
Outdoors,” will share inspiration for floral touches for entertaining, with a special introduction by design icon Bunny Williams.

 

1:30 PM Session | Greater Light

 The Evolving World of Luxury: Exploring Intention, Point of View, and Craftsmanship

Featuring: Austin Handler, Jennifer Mabley, Nancy Soriano, & Tori Mellott, moderated by Jo Saltz

 

What defines luxury today? Tuckernuck Home’s Creative Director Tori Mellot, Perigold’s Head of Editorial & Partnerships, and Jennifer Mabley and Austin Handler of Mabley Handler Interior Design and Mabley Handler Home will explore how craftsmanship, authenticity, and a distinct point of view are shaping the future of design. In a conversation moderated by Jo Saltz, editorial director of House Beautiful, they will examine the evolving expectations of today's consumer and the enduring value of thoughtfully made, beautifully considered interiors and products.

​

3:30 PM Session | Greater Light

Brushes & Blueprints: Interpreting Historic Nantucket

Featuring: Tom Kligerman, Doug Wright, & Tim Adams, moderated by Stacey Bewkes

 

Architects Tom Kligerman, Doug Wright, and Tim Adams will come together for a conversation on the enduring relationship between travel, observation, preservation, and design. United by a passion for watercolor painting, they use sketching to study buildings, landscapes, and the character of a place, finding inspiration through the act of observation. Drawing on their travels and Nantucket's architectural heritage, they will discuss how these experiences continue to shape their work.
 

​

7 PM Private Dinners

Beautifully curated evening dinner hosted at a private home.

11 AM Design Luncheon | The White Elephant Ballroom

Featuring: Tom Scheerer & Cordelia de Castellane, moderated by Steele Marcoux.

 

Join Cordelia de Castellane, Artistic Director of Dior Maison and Baby Dior, and celebrated interior designer Tom Scheerer for an intimate conversation exploring the people, places, and influences that have shaped their distinctive creative worlds. Guided by Veranda Editor-in-Chief Steele Marcoux, the discussion will offer a rare look at the ideas, aesthetics, and experiences behind two of today's most influential design voices

​

4:30 PM The Nantucket Show Preview Tours | Bartletts Farm​

Intimate sneak peek tours of The Nantucket Show guided by a designer.

​

5:30 PM The Nantucket Show Preview Party | Bartletts Farm

Enjoy an evening preview of The Nantucket Show with light bites and cocktails.