CHICAGO, June 10, 2026 — For Chicago Design Week 2026, Blu Dot reprised its Floating Showboat activation to debut Blu Dot Graded-In, a new contract-focused upholstery program designed to simplify and expand specification options for the commercial design community through pre-approved textiles from industry-leading partners Maharam and Kvadrat.
The program expands the brand’s commercial offering with a curated selection of specification-ready upholstery options across key lounge, dining, workplace, and hospitality collections.
Developed specifically for the contract market, Blu Dot Graded-In introduces simplified pricing tiers, predictable lead times, and recognizable commercial-grade textiles that align with the needs and expectations of architects, designers, dealers, and procurement teams.
“Over the last decade, as we’ve dramatically grown our commercially viable and BIFMA-rated assortment, we’ve seen an increasing emphasis on comfort, warmth, flexibility, and a more human-centered experience in those types of spaces,” said John Christakos, Co-founder and CEO of Blu Dot. “That evolution is really in tune with the spirit of our brand, and we believe this new program will help make Blu Dot even more relevant and appropriate to this very important segment of customers.”
The launch includes a range of ten weaves from Maharam and Kvadrat, including Maharam’s Mode, Gemma, Terra, Firma, and Range, alongside Kvadrat’s Re-Wool 2, ReMix 3, Vidar 4, Steelcut Trio 3, and Hallingdal 65.
The offer enables a total of 457 new colorways to be specified across 27 Blu Dot collections, including lounge seating, dining and side chairs, sofas, and hospitality-focused ancillary pieces. These include popular favorites such as Bumper, Field, Puff Puff, Racer, Sunday, and New Standard, among others.
With 12,339 possible combinations, three straightforward pricing tiers streamline quoting and specification workflows for dealers and design teams. The program also outlines clear minimum order quantities and production lead times to support larger-scale project planning.
The initiative reflects the company’s broader investment in the contract and trade category, responding to increased demand for flexible solutions that meet commercial performance requirements, timelines, and design standards.
To support the new program, Blu Dot will provide dedicated trade resources, including digital tip cards, specification guides, pricing tools, and a new landing page created specifically for contract audiences.