There are just two more days until the ICFF explodes into New York's Javits Center. We caught up with Katie Deedy of Brooklyn-based wallpaper design company Grow House Grow!, to get her advice about how to make the most of the design world's long power weekend. Below, she talks about why ICFF is important even for designers who are just starting out, how to avoid sensory overload, and where to find further guidance to the mind-boggling roster of goings-on this weekend. And stay tuned: This series is going to continue shortly with the gentlemen behind the curated design emporium Supermarket, followed by Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge. So, what's your name? Katie Deedy What do you do? I make hand printed, narrative-inspired wallpaper in home-sweet-Brooklyn, NY. Been going to the ICFF for a while? For business or pleasure? This is only my second year. I can't remember why I waited so long to start going, especially as an aspiring designer. Those first years in NYC I was struggling a lot with starting my business, and that period would probably have been even more beneficial for me to attend. When I go now it's a nice mix of business and pleasure---ICFF is an excellent place to connect with new people working within your trade, and an inspirational resource for design lovers. What's your biggest piece of advice for a newcomer? Don't feel overwhelmed, and don't assume you need to see everything. Trade shows can cause mental overload, so I try to go at my own pace, take breaks, eat a pretzel.  If you don't get to all the booths you want to see, relaaaax. A lot of the presenters have showrooms, storefronts and---of course---websites. Which exhibitors or events are you most looking forward to seeing? Since starting Grow House Grow several years ago, I've kept a pretty decent list of all the cool wallpaper companies I like. I'm excited to add two new ones---Aimee Wilder (also from Brooklyn) and Madison and Grow (simple, pretty eco-friendly papers) to my list. Both will be at ICFF, and I'm looking forward to seeing their stuff in person. I love that all the wallpaper designers today have such unique styles. Of course there's some healthy competition, but in my experience, the designers tend to stick together and get along.  Wallpaper isn't totally mainstream yet, and we're all working towards a similar goal. I also want to go and give a huge high five to all the amazing companies who will be there from this year's BKLYN Designs. I made a lot of friends at the show, and can't wait to see our borough shine! How about parties? I'm not a fan of the hoity-toity exclusive stuff, but I'll definitely be spending some time visiting parties at different Brooklyn galleries, plus a few fun spots in Manhattan.  I'm also planning on swinging by Kiosk's ICFF bash in Soho. They're an incredible, eclectic duo. What's your favorite thing about design week? I know how much sweat, stress and patience goes into designing a roll of wallpaper, but I can't even imagine the amount of work that goes into other sorts of design presented during design week. My favorite thing is seeing the satisfaction of a killer end product, and listening to an artist describe his/her work with enthusiasm. Any aspects you could do without? As I mentioned before, I tend to get sensory overload. The crowds can be difficult, and as a presenter in a show, it can be SO stressful. For out-of-towners visiting the ICFF, are there any design-related excursions you'd recommend? I highly recommend checking out different resources for interesting stuff going on---Artcards or Flavorpill/Artkrush are a few examples. And most importantly, don't be afraid to explore the outer boroughs!

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