While the residential industry continues to plow through a mixed business climate, one needed to look no further than the world famous Merchandise Mart and the 47^th NeoCon to feel the strong pulse of the commercial industry, as more than 50,000 people from around the world fought off heavy storms and tornado warnings to see the newest products for projects they were working on and learn about the latest trends for upcoming jobs.

The good news, is that it just wasn’t a large number of people attending the show, exhibitors across the board reported larger contingents of senior and junior designers from companies, whereas up until last year, the trend had been fewer people and mostly just the senior folks.