Home Designs for 2009

Before the recession dulled our materialistic impulses, shopping used to be regarded as nearly on a par with a hobby. It was perfectly acceptable to spend a weekend doing things like stepping into the SoHo outpost of the furniture designer Ligne Roset and splurging on guilty pleasures like its deliciously bright Pumpkin chairs, right. Or to nose around antiques sites like 1stdibs.com without really worrying about whether the value of your purchases would appreciate.

For reformed shoppers, this year’s Architectural Digest Home Design show, partly sponsored by The New York Times, will supply a blast from the past: its 110,000 feet of display space functions as both a high-end shopping mall and an expansive gallery full of endless amounts of eye candy created by some of the design world’s most gifted visionaries.

For this affair, though, it is possible to be entertained without approaching your credit card limit. In addition to offering irresistible furniture and antiques, the organizers have lined up events that will suit the newly budget-conscious. On Friday afternoon the designers Barclay Butera, John Buscarello and William Green headline a seminar called “Decorating in the New Economy,” which promises advice on which bare essentials are required to transform any room. Mr. Buscarello is joined by Christopher Beggs and Benjamin Huntington for a second panel, on Saturday, tailored to design for small spaces. For all those who have a renewed interest in eating in, chefs will be preparing treats — and offering samples — in an eco-friendly kitchen. Attendees can also take advantage of free 20-minute consultations offered by several firms as well.

Click here for exhibit schedule listings for different museums and sites.