THE CASE COLLECTIVE

THE CASE CONFERENCE 2026

THE RIGHT ROOM CHANGES THE TRAJECTORY .

The leading business education conference for interior designers. A weekend of strategy, connection, and community built on The CASE Method™. Real pricing frameworks. Real operational clarity. Real conversations about what it looks like to build something that lasts. Sessions, mentorship, evening experiences, and a room of designers who make your ambition feel normal.

Year 3. The room keeps getting better.

october 1-3, 2026 in ATLANTA, GA 

The Case Conference is three days of immersive business education and community built on the CASE Method, the proprietary framework that has changed how interior designers think about pricing, operations, leadership, and growth.

— Cassandra McGrath, Hopeful Homestaging and Design

"It was so inspiring to be around like-minded DESIGNERS who are on the same path. I was grateful to be there and loved every moment of learning and networking with everybody."

WHAT TO EXPECT

THE RIGHT ROOM

You know what it feels like to be the most ambitious person in a room. Here, that energy is the baseline. Designers building serious firms, having serious conversations, forming serious relationships.

STRATEGIC EDUCATION

Pricing. Operations. Boundaries. Leadership. Sessions designed to give you tools you can put to work before the month is over.

ELEVATED EXPERIENCES

Curated meals. Brand activations. Evening events and mentorship woven throughout the weekend. An experience designed with the same intention we teach.

THE VENUE

Hotel Phoenix Atlanta sits in the heart of downtown, steps from Centennial Olympic Park. A design-forward hotel with the kind of atmosphere that matches the intention behind this weekend. This is where the education, the connection, and the celebration all live under one roof.

THE WELCOME

Thursday evening opens the weekend with a cocktail party at an Atlanta showroom partner. Open to conference attendees and the public. Beautiful surroundings, easy conversation, and the kind of energy that sets the tone for everything that follows.

Shuttle provided from Hotel Phoenix Atlanta.

thursday, OCTOBER 1

Day

01

standards, pricing, boundaries

Friday is direct. Morning sessions examine the contracts and pricing structures that determine whether your firm is protected and profitable, or just moving forward on momentum. The afternoon brings a candid conversation with one of our industry's finest talents on perseverance: what it actually costs to keep building when life has other plans.

The evening: Principals in Pajamas. A moderated panel with seasoned designers who have built thriving firms, sharing real numbers, real decisions, and the trade-offs behind it all. 

friday, october 2

Day

02

VISUALIZATION. VISIBILITY. LEGACY.

Saturday turns toward what is next. How AI visualization is changing the way designers present and sell work. How licensing and product development create revenue that does not require your presence on every project. And the closing keynote: an honest conversation about visibility, authority, and what it means to build a legacy with intention.

Saturday evening: The CASE Awards Gala. Black tie. Cocktail reception, plated dinner, an awards ceremony honoring excellence in the design community, and dancing. 

Saturday, October 3

Day

03

FROM THE CASE CREW

"The Case Conference was a turning point"

"I was surrounded by confident designers who were serious about elevating their businesses, and every session delivered insights I didn't even realize I needed. I left with clarity, strategies, and actionable steps, especially around pricing."

— Denine Jackson, Denine Jackson Interiors

"It paid for itself within a few months."

"I took a chance on the idea that "you have to spend money to make money," and it paid off. I made investments in my business that changed the course of everything, and they all came directly or indirectly through The Case Collective."

— Dawntoya Thomason, Thomason Interiors

"Finally, I could say with confidence: I am an interior designer."

"Although I had already been working in design, working with Jameelah gave me language, alignment, and confidence in a way nothing else had before. It affirmed my gifts, identified my strengths, and offered honest insight into areas where I still needed development."

— Elizabeth Akers, New ERA Designs

"I felt comfortable asking any question, no matter how simple."

"Working with Jameelah gave me a support system that allowed me to move with confidence, not only in my abilities but also in knowing that I have systems in place and knowing my numbers."

— Gabrielle Williams, VIBE by Gabrielle

Behind the Vision

JAMEELAH

Jameelah Watkins-Mallett is the founder of The Case Collective and co-founder of Lauren Wesley Designs, an active interior design practice. She built the CASE Method™ after watching talented designers struggle with the same problem: not a lack of skill, but a lack of structure.

The Case Conference is the annual expression of that belief. Every speaker, every session, and every experience is curated to help designers stop carrying the full weight of the businesses they built and start leading firms with clarity, profitability, and intention.Structure precedes aesthetics. That is the philosophy. This is where you see it in action.

WATKINS-MALLETT

SESSION
TOPICS

BOUNDARIES AND STANDARDS

The contracts, scope definitions, and communication protocols that protect your firm when projects become complex and clients become comfortable.

01

PRICING & PROFITABILITY

Pricing models examined side by side. Margins made visible. The direct conversation about whether your firm is genuinely profitable or simply active.

02

PERSEVERANCE IN DESIGN

What it requires to stay in the work when life interrupts the plan. Candid, emotional, and grounded in real experience.

03

AI-POWERED VISUALIZATION

How emerging technology is reshaping client presentations, reducing costly revisions, and creating new revenue opportunities for design firms today.

04

LICENSING, PRODUCT, AND BRAND

When your creative perspective becomes larger than your service model. Licensing, product development, and the diversification strategy most firms are not exploring yet.

05

VISIBILITY, AUTHORITY, AND LEGACY

The closing keynote. What it actually takes to become known for the work you want to be known for.

06

corey
damen jenkins

A keynote conversation on visibility, authority, and the legacy that follows when the work speaks first.

Corey Damen Jenkins is the principal and CEO of Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates, the New York-based firm inducted into Architectural Digest's AD100 and ELLE Décor's A-List.

His residential and hospitality work spans the United States and beyond, with licensed collections for Kravet, Hancock & Moore, Maitland-Smith, and his newest collaboration with Eichholtz. His voice reaches millions through MasterClass and his ongoing teaching at the New York School of Interior Design and Parsons.

His second book, Design Reimagined: A Fresh & Colorful Take On Timeless Rooms, was released this fall through Rizzoli.

At The Case Conference, Corey joins Jameelah on the keynote stage for a candid conversation about what it truly takes to build a legacy firm.

2026 keynote conversation

SPEAKERS AND PANELISTS

The Case Conference stage brings together practicing designers, attorneys, technologists, and industry leaders who teach from what they have built. Each speaker is selected for direct experience and a willingness to share with candor.

The Sessions

Boundaries & Standards

wendy estela 

ATTORNEY, ESTELA LAW

PRICING AND PROFITABILITY

Jameelah Watkins-Mallett

founder, the case collective

LICENSING, PRODUCT & BUILDING A BRAND

Norman Wyatt Jr.

founder of Norman Wyatt Home

DESIGN & BUILD XR - AI-POWERED VISUALIZATION FOR DESIGN FIRMS

Amanda Oaks

co-founder of Design & Build XR

DESIGN & BUILD XR - AI-POWERED VISUALIZATION FOR DESIGN FIRMS

Mary Atchley

co-founder of Design & Build XR

The Collective Conversation

Perseverance in Design

carmeon hamilton

Designer, Author & HGTV Host

A heart-to-heart meets a master class on grief, tenacity, and staying in the work when life rearranges everything.

Principals in Pajamas

A pajama party meets an unfiltered Q&A where three of design's most respected principal designers answer everything you've wanted to ask.

Jessica Davis

PRINCIPAL, Atelier Davis

Kelly Finley

PRINCIPAL, Joy Street Design

ASHley Ross

PRINCIPAL, Muse Noire 

Duval
Reynolds

PRINCIPAL, DuVäl Design

. .

Moderated by:

TYKA PRYDE

PRINCIPAL, TYKA PRYDE INTERIORS

PRINCIPAL LEVEL EXCLUSIVE

FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS

Q: Where is the conference held?

A: Hotel Phoenix Atlanta, 70 Centennial Olympic Park Drive NW, Atlanta, Georgia.

Q: Do I need to be a member of The Case Collective to attend?

A: No. The conference is open to all interior designers, creatives, hobbyists and enthusiasts.

Q: Is there a dress code?

A: The CASE Awards Gala on Saturday evening is formal. Attire for all other events is polished and comfortable. Details on the Principals in Pajamas dress code will be shared after registration.

Q: What is the refund policy?

A: Registration is non-refundable. Transfers may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Contact events@thecasecollective.co.

Q: Is early access pricing available?

A: Yes. For a limited window, Designer Level is $1,690 and Principal Level is $2,690, $300 off each tier.

Q: Will there be recordings or a virtual option?

A: No. The Case Conference is a live, in-person experience. The value is the room.

Q: What is the CASE Method™?

A: Consultation. Anchors. Shell. Enhancements. The proprietary framework behind all of The Case Collective's education. Every conference session maps to a phase.

Q: Who is The Case Conference for?

A: Interior designers who are serious about building well-run, profitable firms. Whether you are just getting started or decades into your practice, if you want real strategy and a room of peers who take this work as seriously as you do, this was built for you.

Q: What does my registration include?

A: The Case Conference offers two access levels. Designer Level includes the Welcome Cocktail Party, all sessions and keynote, breakfast and lunch both days, a conference gift, and a discounted hotel rate. Principal Level includes everything in Designer Level plus The CASE Lounge, Case Connect 1:1 mentorship, Principals in Pajamas (Friday evening), The CASE Awards Gala (Saturday evening, formal), preferred seating, and a premium gift.

Q: What are Case Connect sessions?

A: 15-minute one-on-one mentorship conversations with CASE Ambassadors. Booked through your attendee portal. Available mornings and lunch blocks on both Friday and Saturday.

Q: Is there a discounted hotel rate?

A: Yes. Details and booking information provided after registration.

FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS

FROM the
HIGHLIGHT REEL

the welcome cocktail

year 2 energy

the room

between sessions

awards night

BUILD DIFFERENT. LEAD DIFFERENT.

October 1 to 3, 2026 / Hotel Phoenix Atlanta

The industry does not need more talented designers. It needs more structured firms led by talented designers.