Recap: Ottawa Fall Home Show 2025

The Eastern ARIDO Community proudly partnered once again with the Ottawa Fall Home Show to spotlight the expertise and value of Registered Interior Designers.

A huge thank you to our ARIDO members Ellen Lee, ARIDO of Ellen Lee Design, and Candice Wei, ARIDO and Mark Sanchez, ARIDO of Wei Sanchez Design Studio Inc., for taking the stage, and to the wonderful moderators Samantha Derosier, ARIDO (EAC Lead) and Katarina Yannoulopoulos (Fall Home Show Event Lead) for keeping the conversations flowing.

The first session, “Why AI Can’t Replace Registered Interior Designers,” led by Ellen Lee, explored how AI is starting to shop up in interior design, but why it can’t replace real designers. While AI can create pretty pictures, it doesn’t understand how people actually live or know things like safety codes, accessibility, and materials. The big takeaway is that AI is a cool tool, but good design still needs human experience, empathy, and problem-solving.

In the next panel, “An Investment, Not an Expense: The Value of a Registered Interior Designer,” Candice Wei, ARIDO and Mark Sanchez, ARIDO emphasized that professional design goes beyond aesthetics, ensuring safety, functionality, and long-term value. They highlighted the rigorous training and ethics that set registered interior designers apart, helping clients prevent costly mistakes, balance budgets, and enhance wellbeing and sustainability, reinforcing that working with a Registered Interior Designer is a smart investment.

A big thank-you as well to the Algonquin College BID students who assisted with stage setup and tear down, and to the Furniture Sponsor, A Modern Space, for helping bring the stage to life.
Together, these sessions showcased the depth, creativity, and integrity that define Ontario’s design community.