Bold Vision, Grounded Leadership, and the Relentless Pursuit of Purpose. In this deeply personal and strategic conversation, Corey Damen Jenkins shares the discipline, resilience, and intentional leadership behind his rise—from knocking on 779 doors to building a global design brand rooted in humility, creativity, and purpose.
Corey Damen Jenkins is widely recognized for his exuberant interiors—fearless color, rich materiality, and a joyful sense of aspiration. But behind the visual confidence is a disciplined leader, strategic thinker, and resilient entrepreneur who built his career through persistence, focus, and unwavering belief in his purpose.
In this conversation, Jenkins reveals the principles that guide both his creative and business decisions. His “toy box philosophy” of time management emphasizes prioritization and clarity, while his belief in editing—removing distractions in both design and business—ensures that his work remains intentional and impactful.
Jenkins also shares the realities behind his success, including rejection, intellectual property challenges, and the pressures of leading a growing global brand. From licensing partnerships and product design to publishing and team building, every decision reflects his long-term commitment to protecting creative integrity and building something meaningful.
More than a story of success, this is a conversation about purpose. Jenkins explains how staying grounded, hiring with intention, and embracing humility have allowed him to build not just a celebrated design firm, but a life aligned with creativity, impact, and service.
Key Themes and Insights
Purpose-Driven Career Transformation
Transitioned from automotive corporate buyer to interior designer after a layoff.
Launched his firm during the 2008 recession—one of the most challenging economic periods.
Persistence defined his early career, including knocking on 779 doors to secure his first major client.
The Toy Box Philosophy: Strategic Time and Energy Management
Prioritize the most important commitments first.
Apply discipline to protect creative energy and focus.
Editing is essential in both design execution and business leadership.
Editing as a Creative and Business Discipline
Great design is as much about restraint as expression.
Strategic clarity requires removing distractions and excess.
Focus strengthens creative voice and brand identity.
Leadership Through Humility and Intentional Hiring
Values humility, integrity, and character over pure talent.
Builds teams based on trust, collaboration, and shared values.
Leadership grounded in humility creates resilience and longevity.
Protecting Creative Vision Through Licensing and IP Strategy
Strategic licensing partnerships expand reach while protecting creative authorship.
Collaboration with global brands strengthens business stability.
Intellectual property protection is essential in today’s copy-driven market.
Designers as Emotional and Strategic Partners
Designers serve as advisors, therapists, and trusted confidants.
Design has emotional, psychological, and lifestyle impact.
Interiors shape not only how spaces look—but how people live and feel.
Corey Damen Jenkins:
“Success requires focus. You have to put the big priorities in first.”
“Rejection isn’t failure—it’s part of the journey.”
“Humility keeps you grounded and makes you a better leader.”
“Design isn’t just about beauty. It’s about transformation.”
“I didn’t just want a career. I wanted a purpose.”
Purpose Before Prestige: Corey Damen Jenkins on Building a Life—and Career—by Design
Corey Damen Jenkins has built a career defined by bold interiors, fearless creativity, and unmistakable confidence. But the true foundation of his success isn’t aesthetic—it’s discipline, humility, and purpose.
Long before his work appeared in books, product collections, and design publications, Jenkins faced the uncertainty of reinvention. After losing his corporate job, he committed fully to interior design, launching his firm during one of the most volatile economic periods in recent history. The early days tested his resolve. He knocked on 779 doors before securing his first major client—a defining experience that shaped his perspective on perseverance and belief.
Today, that same discipline informs every aspect of his work. Jenkins approaches both design and leadership with intentional focus. His “toy box philosophy”—prioritizing the most important commitments first—guides how he manages his time, his studio, and his creative energy. Editing, he believes, is essential not only to great interiors but to building a meaningful business.
As his influence has grown, Jenkins has expanded into licensing, publishing, and product design, carefully selecting partnerships that align with his values and protect his creative voice. Yet despite his success, he remains grounded in humility—a principle he considers essential to leadership, growth, and longevity.
For Jenkins, interior design is more than aesthetics. It is emotional, personal, and transformative. Designers shape how people experience their homes and their lives.
His journey serves as a reminder that meaningful success isn’t defined by visibility or recognition. It’s defined by purpose, resilience, and the courage to pursue a creative life with intention.
Beyond Technology: The New Design Frontier of Integration and Experience. Recorded live at CEDIA Expo 2025, Dan Ferrisi of EmeraldX and Caitlin Stewart of Leon Speakers explore how integration is evolving from technical infrastructure into a design-driven discipline—where storytelling, collaboration, and intentional product design define the future of connected environments.
Integration X Design: Why the Future of Connected Living Depends on Collaboration
At CEDIA Expo 2025, two parallel conversations revealed a shared reality: the future of technology in the built environment will be defined not by innovation alone, but by integration—and integration, increasingly, is a design discipline.
Dan Ferrisi, Group Editor for EmeraldX, has a front-row seat to the evolution of the integration industry. Through his editorial leadership and involvement in industry events, he sees a clear shift underway. Integrators are no longer viewed simply as technical specialists installing equipment at the end of a project. Instead, they are becoming essential collaborators—professionals who shape how people experience their environments through sound, light, security, and automation.
This evolution mirrors what Caitlin Stewart sees from her position at Leon Speakers. The Ann Arbor-based manufacturer has built its identity around a simple but powerful premise: technology must serve design. Rather than forcing architecture to accommodate equipment, Leon develops audio and concealment solutions that complement materials, finishes, and spatial intent.
For Stewart, the challenge isn’t technical—it’s cultural. Designers have historically minimized or hidden technology in order to preserve aesthetic integrity. The opportunity now is to create products that belong within the design language of the space itself.
Trade shows like CEDIA play a vital role in accelerating this transformation. They provide a platform where manufacturers, integrators, media, and designers can align around shared goals. They foster dialogue, education, and partnership—critical ingredients in a rapidly evolving ecosystem.
The message from both conversations is clear: integration is no longer about devices. It is about experience. And the professionals who understand how to merge technology with design intention will define the future of connected living.
Luxury appliances are no longer defined by visibility—they’re defined by intentional invisibility, precision performance, and seamless integration. At KBIS 2026, SKS reveals how thoughtful innovation, AI integration, and designer collaboration are reshaping the kitchen into a quieter, smarter, more intuitive environment. This is the emergence of a new user: the Technicurean.
John Russo explains how Signature Kitchen Suite is redefining luxury through purposeful technology, invisible induction, behavioral AI, and collaborative product development. The future kitchen doesn’t demand attention—it anticipates needs, enhances experiences, and disappears into the architecture.
At the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, innovation isn’t simply introduced—it’s tested, challenged, and refined in real time. For Signature Kitchen Suite, KBIS functions as a live laboratory where designers, builders, and specifiers provide critical feedback that directly shapes future product development.
John Russo shares how SKS approaches innovation deliberately, prioritizing purposeful performance over novelty. From invisible induction cooktops integrated beneath countertops to AI-powered refrigeration that anticipates user behavior, the goal is not to showcase technology—but to integrate it so seamlessly that it enhances daily life without disrupting it.
This conversation explores the rise of the Technicurean—a new luxury consumer who values precision, connectivity, and design harmony equally. Through quiet luxury, behavioral intelligence, and deep collaboration with the design community, SKS is building an ecosystem where appliances become architectural infrastructure rather than standalone objects.
KBIS as a Live Product Development Environment
KBIS functions as a real-world testing ground for future innovation.
Designers provide immediate feedback that shapes product refinement.
Concept products are introduced early to validate design direction.
Direct interaction between engineers and specifiers accelerates innovation.
Quiet Luxury: The New Definition of Premium
Quiet luxury shifts focus from visual dominance to experiential excellence.
Core principles:
Appliances integrate seamlessly into architecture.
Performance becomes more important than appearance.
Acoustic comfort is essential—refrigeration operating around 38–39 dB.
Luxury is defined by how appliances make life easier, not how they look.
Invisible Induction and Architectural Integration
SKS is exploring cooktop technology that disappears completely into the countertop.
Implications:
Cooking surfaces no longer interrupt architectural surfaces.
Light-guided induction zones provide precision without visual clutter.
Appliances transition from objects into embedded infrastructure.
Product development includes multi-year concept validation cycles.
The Rise of the “Technicurean” Consumer
The Technicurean represents a growing demographic combining technological fluency with culinary passion.
Characteristics:
Values precision cooking and performance.
Expects seamless integration with digital ecosystems.
Prioritizes experiential quality over feature quantity.
Younger luxury consumers are accelerating this shift.
Purposeful AI: Technology That Anticipates Behavior
AI is being applied to solve practical problems rather than simply introduce novelty.
Examples:
AI-powered refrigeration anticipates usage patterns and adjusts cooling.
Oven cameras identify food and automatically adjust cooking parameters.
Remote monitoring allows users to supervise cooking from anywhere.
Automation reduces cognitive load and improves consistency.
Applicable Link:
LG ThinQ
Precision and Performance as the Foundation of Luxury
SKS emphasizes engineering performance alongside design integration.
Examples:
Induction ranges with 7,000-watt burners capable of boiling water in under a minute.
Column refrigeration producing clear craft ice.
Precision temperature management improves food preservation.
Technology enhances outcomes, not just convenience.
Collaborative Design as a Product Development Strategy
Designers directly influence final product form and function.
Process includes:
Design collective consultations.
Specifier surveys and feedback loops.
Prototype testing and iteration cycles.
Cabinet alignment, integration, and architectural consistency driven by designer input.
Full Home Automation and the Appliance Ecosystem
Appliances are becoming integrated nodes within larger home ecosystems.
Capabilities include:
Voice-controlled appliances.
Integrated lighting, HVAC, and appliance automation.
Recipe-driven automated cooking processes.
Unified control across multiple home systems.
The Invisible Kitchen: How Quiet Luxury and Behavioral Technology Are Redefining Appliance Design
For decades, luxury appliances were designed to be seen. Professional-grade stainless steel, oversized handles, and bold visual presence signaled performance and status. But today, the most important innovation in the luxury kitchen may be its disappearance.
Signature Kitchen Suite is helping lead a shift toward what it calls quiet luxury—a design philosophy where performance is paramount, but visibility is optional. The goal is no longer to showcase the appliance itself, but to integrate it so seamlessly into the architectural environment that it becomes invisible.
This shift reflects a deeper evolution in how luxury is defined. True luxury is no longer about visual dominance. It’s about effortlessness.
Concepts like invisible induction cooktops illustrate this transformation. By placing induction elements beneath the countertop surface, cooking becomes fully integrated into the architecture. When inactive, the kitchen appears uninterrupted. When active, subtle lighting indicates where heat is applied. The appliance becomes infrastructure.
This philosophy extends beyond aesthetics into performance and intelligence.
Artificial intelligence is now being used to anticipate user behavior and improve outcomes. Refrigeration systems can monitor usage patterns and adjust cooling cycles to maintain temperature stability. Oven cameras can identify food and automatically adjust cooking settings. These technologies operate quietly, improving consistency without requiring intervention.
Importantly, this innovation is not happening in isolation.
Events like KBIS provide critical real-world validation. Designers, builders, and specifiers offer immediate feedback, allowing manufacturers to refine products before full release. This collaborative approach ensures that innovation aligns with how kitchens are actually designed and used.
It also reflects the emergence of a new consumer profile: the Technicurean.
This user values precision, connectivity, and design equally. They are comfortable with technology but expect it to serve a clear purpose. They prioritize performance and integration over novelty. For them, the kitchen is not simply a functional workspace—it is part of a larger lifestyle ecosystem.
This shift is also generational. Younger homeowners have grown up with connected technology and expect seamless integration across devices. Appliances must function as part of a unified system rather than standalone tools.
The ultimate goal is not to add complexity, but to remove friction.
Automation, behavioral learning, and architectural integration all contribute to this objective. Appliances anticipate needs, simplify processes, and reduce cognitive load. They enhance experience without demanding attention.
In this future, the most advanced appliances will not announce themselves.
They will disappear.
And in doing so, they will redefine luxury—not as something you see, but as something you feel.
Innovation Under Pressure: Prefab, Modular, and the Future of Resilient Design Under Pressure. Architecture is evolving faster than ever, driven by natural disasters, technology, and client expectations—but how do designers balance innovation with risk, regulation, and lifestyle priorities? Josh Cooperman hosts an unfiltered conversation with Drew Davis, Brian Pinkett, Aaron Neubert, and Joseph Dangaran about prefabrication, modular construction, client programming, and the challenges of rebuilding communities in fire- and flood-prone regions. From the Palisades to Paris, they explore how architecture must adapt—or risk falling behind.
1. Introduction and Context
Host introduction: Josh Cooperman, Convo By Design.
Acknowledgements: Kim Gordon Designs (venue), Pacific Sales Kitchen & Home (sponsor and industry supporter).
Why the discussion matters: natural disasters as a case study in architecture’s evolving role.
Personal anecdote: Josh’s wildfire experience in 1983 highlighting the urgency of resilient design.
Calgary-based designer Stephanie Martin shares the story of launching her firm during the 2008 financial crisis, the gap between design education and reality, and why hand-crafted authenticity remains vital in the age of AI. She also takes us inside the Rideau Residence, a project blending modern aesthetics with sentimental family history.
Launching in a Recession: Stephanie discusses starting her firm in 2008 during the financial crisis, which heavily impacted Calgary’s oil and gas-driven economy. She attributes her early success to “door-to-door” marketing and building a reputation through exceptional service rather than just aesthetics.
The “Cowboy Town” Reality: A look at Calgary’s diverse culture, strong job market, and affordable housing, countering its reputation as just a “cowboy town.”
Service Over Style: Stephanie emphasizes that the core of her business is caring about the clients’ lives, a lesson she learned early on that differentiates her firm today.
The Evolution of Design Practice
Education vs. Reality: A candid discussion on how design schools often focus on exaggerated creativity while overlooking practical skills like budgeting, timelines, and coordination.
Post-Pandemic Expectations: Clients now prioritize emotional connections and functional spaces over mere aesthetics, seeking designs that actively enhance their well-being.
Sustainability: The conversation touches on the necessity of sustainable building practices, including Stephanie’s experience with passive homes.
Technology & Authenticity
The AI Debate: Stephanie and Josh discuss the rise of AI in design. While Stephanie is optimistic about AI for efficiency, she argues for maintaining “hand-crafted” creativity to ensure designs remain meaningful.
Authentic Marketing: In an era of AI-generated content, Stephanie commits to keeping her social media presence true to her values by showcasing only authentic, human-created work.
Project Spotlight: The Rideau Residence
Modern-Traditional Mix: A deep dive into the kitchen design which juxtaposes modern elements with sentimental details, specifically a brick backsplash sourced from the owner’s grandmother’s house.
Space Transformation: How a formal dining room was reimagined into a dark, masculine office space that contrasts sharply with the rest of the light-filled home.
How Behavior-Driven Design Is Defining the Future of the Home
KBIS Series 2026, findings and experiences from the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, recorded live from the KBIS Podcast Studio presented by AJ Madison. This was the second year of this program and we built on last year’s show with even more experts in the industry sharing experience, findings and industry-leading insights.
What happens when home innovation prioritizes real-world habits over flashy, unnecessary features? This conversation explores how a deep understanding of how people use their appliances every day leads to intentional solutions that fit every lifestyle.
Join Justin Reinke, Head of Product Marketing at Midea, and Ryan Shaffer, Sr. Technical Product Planning Engineer at Midea, to discuss how hundreds of hours of in-home observation drive breakthroughs in everything from acoustic comfort to specialized hygiene. By analyzing universal pain points—like the rise of sustainable drinkware and open-concept living—we examine the R&D required to make daily chores easier through practical, performance-driven design that works harder for the household.
For decades, appliance innovation followed a predictable formula: more features, more technology, more complexity. Digital displays replaced analog controls. Connectivity introduced remote operation. Artificial intelligence promised optimization. But somewhere along the way, innovation lost sight of its most important objective—serving the human being.
Today, that philosophy is changing.
At KBIS 2026, one of the most important conversations wasn’t about technology itself, but about behavior. Appliance manufacturers are increasingly recognizing that true innovation does not begin in engineering labs. It begins in homes—watching how people live.
This shift represents a fundamental evolution in product development. Instead of asking what technology can do, manufacturers are asking what people actually need.
Consider the refrigerator. It is opened dozens of times each day, often absentmindedly, during moments of distraction, urgency, or fatigue. Every movement—the height of a shelf, the accessibility of a drawer, the ease of filling a glass—shapes the user’s experience. These micro-interactions define whether an appliance feels intuitive or frustrating.
Similarly, dishwashers must now accommodate modern behavioral realities. Reusable bottles, travel tumblers, and complex accessories require flexibility that traditional rack designs never anticipated. Washing machines must operate quietly enough to coexist within open-plan homes, where appliance noise becomes part of the lived environment.
These are not technological problems. They are human problems.
The most forward-thinking manufacturers have embraced observation as their primary design tool. By studying real households, engineers and designers can identify friction points invisible in traditional research. The goal is not to add features, but to remove obstacles.
This approach also challenges the industry’s historical obsession with specifications. Feature lists do not guarantee usability. Connectivity does not guarantee convenience. Technology that requires explanation has already failed its most important test.
The future appliance must be intuitive.
It must integrate seamlessly into daily routines, supporting behavior rather than disrupting it. It must operate quietly, reliably, and predictably. It must reduce mental load, not increase it.
Perhaps most importantly, it must respect the reality that appliances are not aspirational objects. They are functional infrastructure. They exist to support life, not define it.
This shift toward behavior-driven design reflects a broader maturation of the appliance industry. Innovation is no longer measured by novelty, but by invisibility. The best appliances do their job so well that users never think about them at all.
In the end, the future of appliances will not be defined by how advanced they are.
It will be defined by how effortlessly they serve the people who depend on them every day.
Behavior as the Foundation of Innovation
Product development begins with observing real-world habits.
When interiors meet intention: a dynamic panel on how color theory, holistic living, sustainable materials, and design thinking come together to redefine residential spaces for 2025 and beyond.
Sherwin Williams set out to cover Earth with beautiful colors over 150 years ago. 1866, Henry Sherwin and Edward Williams founded the company in Cleveland, Ohio, on a mission really. And the result is a company dedicated to delivery of thebest in paints, coatings and related products to discerning clients all over the world. That dedication was evident from the start with the hiring of Percy Neyman, the very first chemist employed by an American paint manufacturer. Sherwin Williams continues to set the bar high and provide the design community with the essential tools to create superior projects. Sherwin Williams is commitment to supporting the design community, which is why they sponsor programs, like this one. They are also dedicated to a betterment philosophical approach which is why they selected ‘wellness” as the topic for this talk.Thank you Sherwin Williams for your tireless support.
In this timely conversation, experts from across interior design and sustainable living explore what it means to design for wellness in 2025. Moderated by Sue Wadden and Ashlynn Bourque of Sherwin-Williams, the panel features voices from:
Jeanne Chung (Cozy, Stylish, Chic) — known for crafting spaces that blend comfort, style, and emotional balance.
Julee Ireland (Julee Ireland Design Studio) — bringing a refined, intentional aesthetic rooted in longevity and livable elegance.
Greg Roth (CarbonShack) — spotlighting eco-conscious material sourcing, sustainable practices, and climate-aligned living environments.
Together they examine how interior design can be a catalyst for holistic living — from color palettes that promote calm and emotional balance, to spatial planning that supports aging in place, to circadian lighting and neurodiversity-friendly layouts. The discussion underscores a rising trend: residential interiors inspired by hospitality, wellness, and sustainability principles.
Listeners will come away with fresh ideas on turning their homes into future-proof sanctuaries — design-forward, earth-conscious, and emotionally attuned.
Health span-focused design: Designing spaces that help residents live longer, healthier lives at home.
Aging in place: Home layouts that accommodate long-term functionality and wellness.
Home gyms, saunas, cold plunges: Integrating spa-level wellness amenities in private residences.
Dual kitchens: Inspired by Italian family homes for multigenerational living.
Collaboration with architects: Designers as integral contributors to maximize natural light and spatial flow.
VR visualization: Helping clients experience proportion, scale, and sightlines before construction.
Problem-solving as designers: Addressing unforeseen construction issues creatively while maintaining aesthetics.
Circadian lighting: Lighting systems (e.g., Lutron Ketra) that mimic natural light patterns to support sleep and productivity.
I have a confession to make. I’m exhausted. In the best possible way after a week in Orlando, Florida for the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show. I have so much to share with you today!
My journey started on the Monday before the show began for a travel day, sound check and confirming the final details form the show. In addition to hosting the KBIS Podcast Studio again this year, moderating a panel on the NEXT Stage and recording conversations for the show, I wanted to help you prepare for the show next February in Las Vegas.
But Josh, next February is like 11 months away. That’s true, but here’s a secret. Come a little closer, it’s just us. KBIS is the essential American kitchen and bath show, full stop. It’s about learning, seeing, connecting and putting all of the pieces together to understand how the American market is setting up for the next year and the trending ideas that have staying power for the next 5-10 years.
You can listen to Convo By Design for the conversations with industry insiders. If I were a designer, I would. I believe that this show tells the stories that you should really know to get a feel for directionality of the industry. Specifiers are the plus of the industry and the ideas emanating from the show this year covered the technology revolution taking place from an AI perspective, but there’s more. The kitchen is in the midst of a wholesale change. And it’s exciting to see it happen in real time.
Learning was a key theme this year. If you were not at the show this year, you are behind the curve. I don’t say this to scare you, I tell you this so you make the time to get to the show next year. All three days and plan to see as much as you can. But, I wanted to share some of the key ideas from the show this year. For additional details, check the show notes.
Luxury is the measurable outcome of thoughtful design—where performance, longevity, and relevance align to support the way people actually live.
Luxury is the removal of friction from daily life.
Luxury is durability aligned with intent.
Luxury is design that continues to perform long after the purchase is forgotten.
Luxury is confidence—in function, longevity, and fit.
Luxury is not what you spend. It’s what you never have to rethink.
The Kitchen as the Primary Investment
The kitchen remains the #1 homeowner investment nationwide.
Homeowners are willing to exceed budget in the kitchen more than any other space.
The kitchen is the most public and social room in the home.
It represents identity: “I’m a cook,” “I entertain,” “I host.”
Food equals memory; appliances enable those memories.
The Expanding Kitchen Ecosystem
Kitchens are no longer singular spaces—they expand throughout the home.
Secondary kitchens (sculleries, prep kitchens, butler’s pantries) are rising.
Beverage centers, bars, and wine storage are increasingly common.
Coffee stations and en-suite kitchenettes are viewed as lifestyle enhancements.
Outdoor kitchens are now expected in many markets.
Refrigeration appears in bathrooms (skincare), offices, and guest suites.
Multigenerational living drives multi-kitchen design.
Post-COVID entertaining shifted bar culture into the home.
Value Has Replaced Price as the Primary Decision Driver
Consumers rarely regret investing more in appliances.
Longevity, performance, and service support define value.
Sustainability increasingly aligns with durability.
Human-Centric Design Is the New Standard
Appliances must be intuitive without relying on manuals.
UX consistency across appliances improves adoption.
Technology must solve real problems—not create new friction.
Appliances Are Expanding Beyond the Kitchen
Refrigeration, coffee systems, and specialty appliances now appear throughout the home.
Multi-kitchen and multi-generational design is driving specification complexity.
Flexibility and modular integration are essential.
Practical Innovation vs Feature Saturation
Most consumers use only a small percentage of available features.
Simplification improves usability, adoption, and satisfaction.
Innovation must solve real problems—not marketing problems.
Appliances as Infrastructure for Daily Life
Refrigerators open dozens of times daily, making ergonomic design critical.
Dishwashers, washers, and refrigeration now integrate into behavioral routines.
Appliances increasingly support lifestyle efficiency, not just task completion.
Quiet Luxury: The New Definition of Premium
Quiet luxury shifts focus from visual dominance to experiential excellence.
Appliances integrate seamlessly into architecture.
Performance becomes more important than appearance.
Identity & Evolution in Design
Designers must periodically redefine themselves and their work to remain relevant.
Personal growth and evolving priorities shape professional identity and approach.
Burnout vs Ambition
Burnout is not a badge of honor; it results from overextension and emotional labor.
Ambition aligns energy with superpowers and opportunities, creating sustainable growth.
Setting boundaries is essential to differentiate productive ambition from harmful overwork.
Emotional Labor & Client Management
Design work involves managing client emotions, expectations, and second-guessing.
Designers act as liaisons between clients, contractors, and teams, absorbing invisible pressures.
Managing scope creep and change orders is a practical strategy to protect both energy and profitability.
Social Media & Comparison Culture
Social media can amplify unrealistic expectations and unhealthy competition.
Designers often feel compelled to accommodate clients’ desires, sometimes overextending themselves to maintain a positive perception.
These core themes coming out of the show this year tell a story that cannot be ignored. The thought process is changing. More human-centric at a time when technology seems to be taking over. Interesting times.
Shifting away from that, I want to share two conversations from the show.
Brandon Kirschner | Azzuro Living – Control the Process, Control the Outcome: Inside Azzurro Living’s Design Advantage
Brandon Kirshner of Azzurro Living explains how factory ownership, material innovation, and hands-on experimentation are redefining luxury outdoor furniture—and why relationships and resilience matter more than ever.
Recorded live at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Orlando, this conversation with Brandon Kirshner, Partner and VP of Design at Azzurro Living, explores what it means to design, manufacture, and deliver luxury outdoor furniture with complete control over the process.
Kirshner shares how owning and operating their own production facility provides a rare advantage in a crowded marketplace. This vertical integration allows Azzurro Living to oversee every step—from raw material sourcing to fabrication—ensuring performance, durability, and design integrity in extreme climates.
The conversation also explores the realities of modern product manufacturing: navigating global instability, breaking through to specifiers in an oversaturated marketplace, and the renewed importance of in-person relationships. At its core, this is a story about design leadership, material obsession, and maintaining optimism in a rapidly shifting industry.
Vertical Integration Changes Everything
Full ownership of production facility ensures quality control
Ability to experiment directly with materials and fabrication
Eliminates reliance on third-party manufacturing limitations
Material Innovation Drives Luxury Performance
Products engineered for extreme heat and harsh winters
Hands-on experimentation with rope, wicker, and aluminum
Performance and longevity are core to brand value
Design as the Core Differentiator
Industrial design roots shape product philosophy
Focus on original forms rather than “me-too” furniture
Design enhances lifestyle, not just aesthetics
Relationships Still Drive Specification
Trade shows like High Point Market remain essential
Face-to-face interaction builds trust and long-term partnerships
Education through sales teams and specifier outreach is critical
Resilience and Optimism in a Volatile Industry
Navigating tariffs, supply chains, and global uncertainty
Maintaining a solution-oriented mindset
Viewing disruption as part of long-term growth
In luxury outdoor furniture, control isn’t just an operational advantage—it’s a creative one.
For Brandon Kirshner, Partner and VP of Design at Azzurro Living, ownership of the manufacturing process is the foundation of everything the company does. Unlike many competitors who rely on outsourced production, Azzurro Living operates its own factory, giving Kirshner and his team direct oversight of every detail, from raw materials to finished form.
This control allows for something rare in today’s manufacturing environment: true experimentation. Working directly with fabricators, Kirshner explores new weaving techniques, tests material durability, and refines structural details. The result is furniture engineered not just to look refined, but to perform in punishing environments—from desert heat exceeding 115 degrees to unpredictable seasonal extremes.
Kirshner’s path into furniture design began with industrial design studies, where exposure to iconic modernist designers revealed furniture as both functional object and artistic expression. That perspective continues to shape his work today, where innovation isn’t driven by trend cycles, but by material curiosity and structural integrity.
Launching Azzurro Living in 2020 presented immediate challenges, from supply chain disruption to economic uncertainty. Yet Kirshner views volatility as inevitable rather than exceptional. Experience has taught him that adaptability—not stability—is the constant in product manufacturing.
Equally important is maintaining strong relationships within the design community. Trade shows, in-person meetings, and direct engagement remain essential tools for connecting with specifiers and building trust.
In an increasingly crowded marketplace, Azzurro Living’s approach is clear: control the process, push material boundaries, and let design lead. The result is furniture that reflects not just luxury, but intention.
“Owning our factory gives us complete control—from raw material to finished product—and that changes everything.”
“Design is the reason people invest in luxury furniture. Performance just makes it last.”
“You can’t innovate from a distance. Being hands-on with materials is where real progress happens.”
“Trade shows and face-to-face interaction still matter because this industry runs on relationships.”
“No matter what challenges come—tariffs, supply chain, geopolitics—we’ll figure it out. That mindset is essential.”
This is Cathy Purple Cherry – Founding Principal | Purple Cherry, freshly installed in the Convo By Design Icon Registry, we caught up at KBIS for a fresh take.
Human-Centered Architecture, Resilience, and the Responsibility of Design
Cathy Purple Cherry reflects on architecture as a lifelong act of care—supporting people through turbulence, embracing multigenerational living, rejecting trend culture, and using design as a tool for healing, connection, and growth.
Recorded live at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, this conversation with Cathy Purple Cherry of Purple Cherry Architects explores architecture not as a moment of visual impact, but as a lifelong framework for human support.
Purple Cherry shares her philosophy that architecture must evolve alongside the people it serves, especially during times of societal turbulence and personal change. Her work is grounded in human-centered thinking, emotional durability, and the belief that design can create stability amid chaos.
The discussion moves beyond aesthetics into deeper territory—resilience shaped by hardship, the responsibility of creatives to provide clarity and options, and the importance of giving back. Purple Cherry also addresses the rise of multigenerational living, generational shifts in work culture, and the dangers of trend-driven design thinking.
At its core, this conversation reveals architecture as both a professional discipline and a personal calling—one rooted in empathy, long-term thinking, and service.
Architecture as Long-Term Support, Not Momentary Expression
Design must serve people across decades, not just visual moments
Architecture provides emotional stability during uncertain times
Human-centered design is becoming essential, not optional
Growth Through Challenge and Adversity
Personal and professional hardship builds resilience
Lessons learned shape better architects and stronger leaders
Teaching and mentoring are essential responsibilities
Multigenerational Living as a Cultural Shift
Economic and social changes are reshaping American housing
Families are staying connected longer
Architecture must adapt to evolving family dynamics
The Responsibility of Creatives in Times of Tension
Architects provide clarity and solutions amid chaos
Design can serve as a “relief valve” for societal stress
Creatives help people reimagine how they live
Rejecting Trend Culture in Favor of Lasting Design
Enduring design comes from purpose, not prediction
Giving Back as a Core Professional and Personal Value
Sharing knowledge strengthens the profession
Service to others creates deeper meaning in creative work
Design is both a gift and a responsibility
For Cathy Purple Cherry, architecture has never been about creating a moment. It’s about supporting a lifetime.
As founder of Purple Cherry Architects, with offices in Annapolis, Charlottesville, and New York City, Purple Cherry has built a practice grounded in the belief that design must evolve alongside the people it serves. Architecture, she explains, is not about solving for a single moment, but about creating environments that support human life over time.
That perspective feels especially relevant today. As social, economic, and cultural turbulence reshapes how people live and work, architecture has taken on a new role—not just as shelter, but as emotional infrastructure. Spaces must provide calm, clarity, and flexibility, particularly as multigenerational living becomes more common and families remain connected longer under one roof.
Purple Cherry rejects the idea that architecture should chase trends. While the industry often focuses on forecasting aesthetic movements, she believes true design transcends these cycles. Lasting architecture emerges from purpose, empathy, and a deep understanding of human behavior.
Her perspective is shaped not only by decades of professional experience, but by personal adversity. Hardship, she explains, builds resilience and strengthens one’s ability to serve others. That philosophy extends into her commitment to mentorship, service, and giving back—values she sees as inseparable from meaningful creative work.
For Purple Cherry, architecture is both discipline and calling. It is a lifelong process of learning, teaching, and refining. And in a world defined by rapid change, her message is clear: the most important role of design is not to impress, but to support the people who live within it.
“Architecture isn’t about solving for a moment. It’s about supporting people over time.”
“Through suffering, we become stronger—and that’s what allows us to better serve others.”
“Anything in the built environment that can calm us and organize our lives becomes essential.”
“Design should never be driven by trends. It should be driven by purpose and people.”
“The meaning of life is discovering your gifts. The purpose of life is sharing them.”
The New Appliance Ecosystem: Translating Value, Technology, and Human-Centric Design
The modern appliance conversation has shifted beyond features and price into something far more consequential: value, usability, and human-centered design.
Designers, manufacturers, showrooms, and independent testing labs now operate as an interconnected ecosystem guiding consumers through increasingly complex decisions. The future of appliance specification belongs to those who can translate technology into meaningful, intuitive, lifestyle-driven solutions.
Featuring insights from Nicole Papantoniou of the Good Housekeeping Institute, Jeff Sweet of Sub-Zero Group Inc., and Christa Mallinger of AJ Madison, this conversation explores how appliances have evolved from commodities into lifestyle infrastructure—and why education, not persuasion, defines the next era.
The appliance industry has entered a human-centric phase, where performance, intuitive use, and real lifestyle benefit outweigh raw features or price alone. Designers act as translators of lifestyle, manufacturers as problem-solvers, and showrooms as educators—collectively helping consumers navigate increasingly sophisticated choices.
Panelists discussed the shift from feature-driven sales toward performance-driven value, emphasizing longevity, ease of use, and frictionless integration into daily life. They also explored the growing role of education, testing standards, showroom partnerships, and post-installation support in helping consumers fully realize the value of their investment.
Technology remains central, but its success depends entirely on reducing friction—not adding novelty. The conversation revealed that the future of appliances lies not in more technology, but in better technology—technology that disappears into the experience.
The Appliance Ecosystem Is Interdependent
Designers interpret lifestyle and aesthetic needs.
Independent testing organizations validate performance and usability.
Value Has Replaced Price as the Primary Decision Driver
Consumers rarely regret investing more in appliances.
Longevity, performance, and service support define value.
Sustainability increasingly aligns with durability.
Human-Centric Design Is the New Standard
Appliances must be intuitive without relying on manuals.
UX consistency across appliances improves adoption.
Technology must solve real problems—not create new friction.
Education Is More Important Than Selling
Many consumers buy appliances only once every 10–15 years.
Showrooms and testing labs bridge the knowledge gap.
Post-installation education helps unlock full product potential.
Appliances Are Expanding Beyond the Kitchen
Refrigeration, coffee systems, and specialty appliances now appear throughout the home.
Multi-kitchen and multi-generational design is driving specification complexity.
Flexibility and modular integration are essential.
Technology Adoption Depends on Familiarity and Trust
Induction adoption accelerates when paired with familiar controls.
Consumers embrace technology that feels intuitive and beneficial.
Novelty alone does not guarantee long-term value.
The modern appliance is no longer just a tool. It’s infrastructure.
At KBIS, where the industry gathers annually to define its future, a clear shift has emerged. Appliances are no longer judged solely by features or price, but by how effectively they integrate into human behavior. The question is no longer, “What does it do?” but rather, “What does it enable?”
This shift has elevated the importance of collaboration across the appliance ecosystem. Designers serve as translators, interpreting the client’s lifestyle into functional requirements. Manufacturers act as problem-solvers, engineering solutions grounded in real user needs. Showrooms and retailers bridge the gap between technology and understanding, while independent testing organizations validate claims and ensure products deliver on their promises.
This ecosystem exists because appliance decisions have become more consequential—and more complex.
Unlike consumer electronics, appliances are purchased infrequently. A homeowner may go fifteen years between purchases. During that time, the category evolves dramatically. Induction replaces gas. Steam ovens expand culinary capability. Refrigeration becomes modular, flexible, and architectural. Appliances no longer exist solely in kitchens, but in offices, bedrooms, outdoor spaces, and wellness areas.
With that expansion comes responsibility. Technology must reduce friction, not create it.
Christa, Nicole and Jeff all emphasized that human-centric design now drives product development. Appliances must be intuitive enough to operate without instruction, consistent enough to feel familiar, and purposeful enough to justify their presence. Technology for its own sake has limited value. Technology that removes mental load, improves performance, or enhances daily living defines the future.
This is where education becomes critical.
Showrooms no longer simply display products; they contextualize them. Independent testing organizations evaluate not only performance, but usability, cleanability, and intuitive function. Manufacturers increasingly provide post-installation support, recognizing that the real product experience begins after installation, not at purchase.
Value, therefore, is no longer measured in features alone.
It is measured in longevity. In reliability. In the confidence that a product will perform consistently over time. In the reduction of friction between intention and outcome.
Perhaps most importantly, appliances have become emotional infrastructure. They support gathering, creativity, ritual, and identity. They enable the modern kitchen to function not just as a place of preparation, but as a center of living.
The future of appliances will not be defined by how advanced they are.
It will be defined by how invisible they become—seamlessly enabling life without demanding attention.
And those who understand that distinction—designers, manufacturers, and educators alike—will define the next generation of the built environment.
