First…

Jamaica Observer Design Week JA, powered by Tile City & Home Centre and Kohler, officially rolled out its 2026 week-long programme on Sunday, October 4, under the theme Restoration & Resilience.

An apt follow-up to last year’s Creative Resilience staging — which unfolded just weeks before Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica — the opening programme picked up the conversation with NHT Assistant General Manager, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs Dwayne Berbick returning with a sequel of sorts to his 2025 From Foundation to Future presentation. This time, he delved into A Resilient Rebuild.

The line-up also featured attorney-at-law Annaliesa Lindsay, who tackled the hotbutton topic The Fight For Land; If Walls Could Talk designer Joelle Smith, who took the audience down memory lane while making the case for Defining The Jamaican Language of Interiors; and ONLY Villas owner Marsha Parchment, who shared first-hand insight into designing with future storms in mind.

Meanwhile, innovators Nastassia Morrison, principal of HomeMaid, and Michelle Arroyave, co-founder of Indigo House, opened eyes to how they have each carved out their own lanes in their respective industries.

And then came a little breaking news from Montego Bay. The Pinnacle chief architect Isiaa Madden took to the stage to reveal that the elegant towers had made history as the first Jamaican project recognised by the Americas Property Awards, taking home four plaques for 2026–2027 in Hotel Architecture, Mixed Use Architecture, Mixed Use Development and Residential High Rise Architecture. Developed by LCH Developments in partnership with Accor Ennismore, the landmark project was submitted by DesignHQ.

With the first conversations officially underway, Kingston’s design set was ready to lace up and hit the road. From one venue to the next, the city was set to become the ultimate classroom as industry tastemakers, creatives and design devotees readied to follow where #ConversationsInDesign would lead them next.

Then…

Day one of Design Week Ja kicked off on Monday, October 5, on the third floor of the Heart Institute of the Caribbean, with an exclusive preview of the new executive suite for The DB Glow, a medical practice dedicated to elevating natural beauty through advanced clinical aesthetics. An intimate crowd converged to hear co-collaborators Angelie Martin-Spencer, principal of Angelie Spencer Home, and Dr Dainia Baugh, principal of The DB Glow, share their inspiration for the space. The conversation, centred on the theme ‘Blueprint for Beauty’,was fitting for their vision of blending clinical health care with a comfortable, beautifully designed treatment environment — one that guests experienced first-hand post-discussion when they toured the facility to view one of the newly completed suites.

And on Tuesday…

Berger Paints brought colour to the conversation, hosting a panel discussion themed ‘When Colour Meets Design’ at the Rogers Commercial Centre on Lady Musgrave Road in Kingston. Moderated by Dr Terri-Karelle Johnson, the panel explored the impact of colour, design, and architecture. Featured speakers included Garfield Wood, managing director of GW Architects Limited; Novia McDonald-Whyte, conceptualiser of Design Week JA and senior associate editor for lifestyle and social content at the Jamaica Observer; Michelle Blake-McKenzie, quality control manager at Berger Paints; and architect Lisa Stiebel.

Furnitureland CEO Carmen Brown (left) and Devon House Development Board Chair Jean Anderson Wright

A little design week delight: Tile City & Home Centre Marketing Manager Donnielle Robe (left) handed over a Kohler gift card to Sagicor Group Jamaica Vice-President – Real Estate Peta-Gaye Simpson.

Jamaica Observer Media Group Advertising Manager Kayan Williams (left) and Caledonia Outdoor Advertising Limited General Manager Carl Little

Budget Depot General Manager Andrew Matalon and his wife, Casa Tropikana principal Karina Matalon, were out for the Design Week Ja 2026 launch.

Sagicor Life Executive Agent Marcia Richards (left) and NHT Manager, Special Projects Zaneta Scott both looked stylish in pieces from Dashing Boutique.

Tile City & Home Centre Marketing Manager Donnielle Robe (right) and team, marketing associates Noelle Robinson and Jaeden Patterson were papped ahead of the formalities.

Nurse practitioner Kisha Wallace-Grant shared the frame with Heart Institute of the Caribbean Chairman Dr Ernest Madu.

Berger Paints Chief Financial Officer Chamika Cuffy added a fresh coat of paint to the mural.