She’s Got the Magic and That is What Makes it All Work | 446 | Glenna Stone

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design exploring the work of Philadelphia interior designer Glenna Stone. A very talented creative who said this, “I think of design as a magical process where something that didn’t exist suddenly does…and that’s what I love about what I do. I love developing a complete design, a 360 vision that considers the intentions of the client, the architecture of the space, and all the while artfully combining scale, balance, proportion, texture, and hue in a way that marries beauty and lifestyle. Great design is about walking into a space, and every single time feeling one thing: this is as it should be.”

Designer Resources

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman

Moya Living  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

Glenna’s bio reads like this; Inspired by her mother, an artist and teacher, Glenna developed her sense of color and composition at a young age. She has always had a passion for combining color, materials and textures in an artful manner. Paralleling her creative side, Glenna embraced her strong technical skills and received a degree in engineering from Lehigh University. Upon graduation she worked for Fortune 500 companies as a consultant and project manager in the consumer products industry.

While achieving much success in this previous career, she felt the need to embrace her more creative side and began taking interior design courses at the Boston Architectural College and the Rhode Island School of Design. After much consideration, Glenna decided to combine her technical and creative skills and pursue a graduate degree in interior design. Glenna graduated from Drexel University with a Masters degree in Interior Architecture and Design. This specialized background and balance of left and right brain not only contributes to the success of Glenna Stone Interior Design, but also sets the firm apart within the industry.

Glenna prides herself on being an original thinker, a good listener with impeccable attention to detail, and someone who sees each project phase through to completion. As a cofounder of The Sustainability Nexus, sustainable design and giving back to the local community is of high importance. She finds her work as an interior designer exceptionally rewarding because it allows her to enhance the quality of others’ lives through design. (end of bio)

Thank you Glenna, loved our chat and truly appreciate the time. Thank you to Convo By Design partners and sponsors, ThermaSol, Moya Living and Design Hardware. You make this show possible and I truly appreciate you. Speaking of appreciation, thank you for listening, subscribing and downloading the show. Without you, what’s the point. Please keep sharing this little podcast, entering our 11th year with some truly fun things in store over the coming weeks and months. Did you catch our first episode of Drinking About Design? We’re drinking and telling design stories! More on the way. Thanks for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

Which Comes First Design of Architecture | 445 | Charlotte Designer (and Architect) Ashley DeLapp

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design and on todays episode, you are going to hear from an incredibly talented Charlotte based creative who started as an architect and transitioned to designer. Ashley DeLapp is not the first creative I have spoken with that went the design route from other endeavors and there have been a few you have heard from in the past that started as architects as well. Ashley holds a BA in Architecture from the University of North Carolina and after spending 10 years as an architect, opened her own design firm in 2009.

Ashleys work is theatrical, bold and one of the things that you will hear as we explore her work is both a scientific approach to space and space management combined with a fearless use of color and materials. Now, keep in mind that with application of the bold comes the more often than not sales approach to the client. Selling these bold ideas must be easier when there is a heavy attention to detail in space management and using a space to let the work breathe. These are just a few observations, you will hear more, I promise.  As a matter of fact, if you have been listening to the show for a while, you know about the deep design dives we take together and in this episode of the show, we go deep so make sure you check the show notes for a link to Ashley’s projects and follow along provided you are not driving! So, let’s get to it. You are going to hear from Ashley DeLapp, right after this.

Designer Resources

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman

Moya Living  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

Thank you Ashley. Loved our time together. Love the work.  Thank you to my partners, sponsors and friends of the show, ThermaSol, Moya Living, Design Hardware, ICAA SoCal Chapter and the Oasis Alliance. And thank you for taking time to subscribe and listen to the show. I appreciate you, more than you know. Thank you for the emails with show and guest suggestions as well as those just to say “hi”. Please, keep them coming. Thanks again for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

 

Fitting In Is the Art of Being Yourself, and Others Loving You for It and This Company Nailed it | 444 | Roberta Mantenuto, CEO of Fittes

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. Today on the show, you are going to hear from Roberta Mantenuto, CEO of Fittes, formerly Aria Vent and sometimes the biggest changes from changing the smallest details. This is one of those occasions, to me at least. Fittes Co. is the Canadian company revolutionizing the vent and register business. They created a modular air vent and you know what I love most about this? For the longest time, we just used what we had available, contractor grade from the big box or perhaps a boutique brand that made the same thing, but with nicer finishes. Fittes now has a full line of framed and flush mount covers, vents, outlets and drains.  It’s just such a simple idea and that is what I love most about this story. I sit down with Roberta, CEO and co-founder of Fittes and daughter of company co-founder and inventor, Paolo. One part of this story is in the simplicity of the idea, another is the elegant execution of the concept. The third idea is the scaling up and recent name change to stay current. The final piece for me, is the story of a father-daughter duo making something happen and executing on this simple idea in a very big way.  You are going to hear my conversation with Roberta Mantenuto, right after this.

Thank you Roberta for the time. Love the idea, love the company and as a girl dad, love the family partnership dynamic. Thank you to my partners and sponsors ThermaSol, Moya Living, Design Hardware. I truly appreciate the partnership. And thank you for listening, downloading and subscribing to the podcast. Please make sure you are subscribed so you get every episode of the show the moment its published. Please email me with suggestions and show ideas, love the input. Email is convobydesign@outlook dot com and on Instagram @convoxdesign with and “x”. Thanks for listening. Until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

Drinking About Design: An Architect, Designer and Journalist Walk Into A Bar | 443 | Al Beadle & William Haines

I’m Josh Cooperman, host and publisher of Convo By Design with something new for you. Dropping this on Friday, for a very good reason. You’re going to want to get a drink.

 In the summer of 2020, the pandemic was in full effect. We were all locked in and trying to figure out what was going to happen next. You remember, you were doing the exact same thing. So, besides the day drinking and looking up old friends on Facebook, I was trying to learn new ways to be socially engaged. On at least one occasion, John McClain, Erik Peterson and I, met via Zoom to share a few pops and tell stories. One of things I did during that time was binge watch Drunk History, Dinner for Five and Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown and No Reservations. Ground breaking shows that I never could find the time to watch before.

I became enamored with the skill by which Anthony Bourdain found a complete language revolving around found and association to society, how Jon Favreau could take 4 celebrities and craft a vibrant tableau out of each of the stories shared around a table. How Derek Waters told stories through the honest interpretations of historical events through the drunken lens of comics woven together as a tapestry featuring some of the funniest people working in Hollywood.

Then all of a sudden, it was over. Things opened up all at once and we all got busy. Really busy. I’ve been missing some of those evenings at the virtual bar, My virtual bar is called, Big D Energy. Big Design Energy for my Hip Hop loving friends. I wouldnt want you to get the wrong idea.

So I got an idea that I have been toying with for about 2 years and I finally got a chance to do it. And what better way to launch this than to reunite with John and Erik.

John McClain tells the story of William Haines I’m also sharing an interesting story you might find illuminating.

Erik Petersen is talking about Al Beadle. You have probably never heard of Al Beadle? Well, you will now. 

This is just 3 friends getting together at the local virtual watering hole, talking a little shit and telling stories. And, yes, this is very different than the episodes of the show you have heard in the past. We’re drinking and this episode carries the Explicit label. If you are sensitive to some salty language, you might want to delete this episode and move on to the next one. With that, I give you the first installment of Drinking About Design. 

This was the first installment of Drinking About Design featuring John McClain and Erik Peterson sharing stories about William Haines and Al Beadle. Two incredible talents, and good friends. Thank you both for doing this. For notes, drink recipe’s and further links to the stories and work you heard about here, check the show notes. Thanks for listening. Cheers. 

Illuminated Ideas: Architecture and Lighting for A Modern Client | 442 | Charles Pavarini III

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with Charles Pavarini III.  Pavarini has reinterpreted the legacy of the Pavarini Construction Company, known for creating historic landmarks including the Seagram Tower, the United Nations, the State Theater at Lincoln Center, and numerous other landmark buildings in New York City and throughout the world. All of his projects hinge around a powerful central design theme and maintain a certain ‘vision’ which is always dramatically executed given Charles’ keen sense of color, style, and use of lighting as a ‘design tool’. Having sat on the board of directors of the Designer’s Lighting Forum of New York for twenty-five years, he has a refined approach to interior design always staged with strong focal points and exacting lighting technique to harness the artistic and architectural vernacular of the spaces he designs. His extensive experience in the Performing Arts as performer, costume designer and set designer qualify him to conceive projects of any scale and proportion with great dignity and an unmatched passion for mood. While that is the bio, it should also be noted that Pavarini co-authored a book that was featured on BookLook. His offering, Lighting Beyond Edison: Brilliant Residential Lighting Techniques in the Age of LED’s is truly a transformative look at what is possible in modern lighting and how it works to elevate the design and increase functionality.  We are going to cover this and a great deal more.

Designer Resources

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman

Moya Living  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

The Oasis Alliance – Providing design to those in need.

ICAA Southern California – SoCal is Southern California’s preeminent resource on classical architecture and the allied arts.

Thank you Charles for the time. Thank you to my partners and sponsors ThermaSol, Moya Living, Design Hardware. I truly appreciate the partnership. And thank you for listening, downloading and subscribing to the podcast. Please make sure you are subscribed so you get every episode of the show the moment its published. Please email me with suggestions and show ideas, love the input. Email is convobydesign@outlook dot com and on Instagram @convoxdesign with and “x”. Thanks for listening. Until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

Top SoCal Talent Spill the Tea on Elevated Design | 441 | What You Need to Know Right Now

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with another installment of the Design Leadership Series and this week, I am going to share with you. This group was recorded live from the Design Hardware showroom on Third Street in LA. This was an amazing group and with 12 creatives there, it was the biggest event we recorded to date.  Keep listening, you’re going to enjoy this.

Designer Resources

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman

Moya Living  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

The Oasis Alliance – Providing design to those in need.

ICAA Southern California – SoCal is Southern California’s preeminent resource on classical architecture and the allied arts.

I started hosting these events in 2017. I realized after a design festival, that the panel conversations, while interesting, did not contain the same power as the conversations that followed. Groups of creatives getting down to the brass tacks, sharing what they really think without the audience. These gatherings are more “happening” than anything else. It places the creatives in a safe space with colleagues free to discuss what is really happening, get a little commiserating in and then getting to the challenge of addressing these issues. These events are powerful and I’m really proud to share them with you. This conversation has also aired on Doctoring Up Design, the Design Hardware podcast. You are about to listen in on a real workgroup discussing the issues designers, architects and builders face today. The following conversation is between 12 creatives and at times, it gets complicated, just like conversations in the real world. 

This conversation was not intended for you to blow through while multi-tasking. There is a great deal of material here and it is intended to be listened to over time and re-listened as well. It is worthy of saving and added to your resource library.

This is kicked off by Michele Solomons with Design Hardware asking about the experience designers have with their showroom partners. It’s an important question and one on just about every designers mind. From there, this chat takes on a life of its own and if you follow closely, there are nuggets of design business gold to be found.

Before we listen in, I thought you would like to meet the participants: 

Andres Gonzalez – Cali Renderings

Christine Jahan – Christine Jahan Designs @christineJahanDesigns

Crickett KenserKitchen Places @KitchenPlacesVentura

Huma Sulaiman – Huma Sulaiman @HumaSulaimanDesign

James Hernandez – James Hernandez Interior Design @jameshernandezinteriordesign

Joan Barton – Dirty Girl Construction @dirtygirlconstruction

Kara Piepmeyer – Studio Kosma @studiokosma

Leslie Delli-Venneri – Aquabella @aquabellatile @leslie.dee.vee

Marbe Briceno – Marbe Designs @marbe.designs

Mark Hermogeno – Hermogeno Designs @hermogenodesigns

Nicole Michael – Nicole Michael Designs @nicole.michael.designs

Rydhima Brar – R/Terior Studio @rteriorstudio

So those are the participants. This is the full conversation. Enjoy listening in.

That was a fun and incredibly talented group. Great job, designers! Thank you for your time. Thank you to my partners and sponsors, ThermaSol, Moya Living, Design Hardware, The Oasis Alliance and the ICAA SoCal chapter. And a special thanks to you. Thank you for downloading, streaming and supporting the show. If you have anything to suggest for a future episode of the show or a guest from whom you would like to hear, email me Convo By Design at Outlook dot com or on Instagram @ConvoX Design with an “x”.  Thanks again for listening. Until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

LIVE From Frank Lloyd Wright’s ONLY Skyscraper | 440 | The Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. A Very Special Place

When I first moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, I mentioned in the show that something I was most excited about was seeing new things that many if not most have never seen. There was something on my list from day one and I finally had the chance to go and do this. Visit Price Tower. For those not familiar; The Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma is an absolutely exquisite creation of Frank Lloyd Wright. It is constructed of concrete in a very unique shape. Four quadrants based on the geometry of  a 30-60-90 double parallelogram.  It was based on the idea for a Manhattan cluster of buildings designed and then scraped in 1929 due to the great depression. The Price Tower was designed and built for Harold C. Price to serve as the headquarters for his oil and gas pipeline company. The building was designed to be mixed-use and was opened to the public in February, 1956. 

Designer Resources

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman

Moya Living  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

The Oasis Alliance – Providing design to those in need.

ICAA Southern California – SoCal is Southern California’s preeminent resource on classical architecture and the allied arts.

Materials Used: The building is primarily made of concrete with heavy use of wood, copper and other materials regularly found in Wright’s work. heavy use of copper, stamped concrete in Cherokee Red can be found alongside the natural wood and use of greens and golds. The wallpaper used as well as fabrics designed for Schumacher as part of his Taliesin line can be found as well as his unique style of lighting and a significant amount of art are all present. There are unique pieces present that were designed and then sent to local companies to create. They include cast aluminum chairs by the Blue Stem Foundry

Mixed Use. What makes this building unlike any other example of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture is that this is a “skyscraper”, to be considered by him and others as the only one he ever built. FLW was interested with how people lived. His definition for a skyscraper was not dissimilar to how streets showcase horizontal society, this was made to be vertical an accomplish similar purpose. As such, this was his example of a live/ work environment and incorporated many floors to serve as separate zones for separate purposes. Because the building is supported by the four elevator towers and not the floors themselves, FLW was able to imagine the space almost like a tree with the elevator columns as trunk, floors as branches and copper installation as leaves.

My Experience: This visit was amazing for me. I received an incredible tour by a gentleman named Price Connors and later sat down  with Price for an interview which you are about to hear. If you check out the show notes, you will find links to some IG reels showcasing video from this visit. Of note, check out how FLW wanted you to live in the spaces he creates. Check out the amazing views and try to imagine as I did that you were in a tree house, because that is how it felt to me.

The day I visited, I learned that the building has been sold to Copper Tree, Inc. for the debt and a $10M promise to refurbish the building. I had never heard of Copper Tree and thought, what a unique name for a company interested in refurbishing this particular building. I did a little digging and learned that Copper Tree is a relatively new company, an investment company created for the purpose of acquiring and preserving iconic buildings.

I sat down with Price Connors who is an absolute wealth of knowledge and who both gave e a guided tour of The Price Tower, and sat down for an extensive interview about this truly unique project. I hope you enjoy hearing from Connors as much as I enjoyed speaking with him. For images and video shorts from my time at The Price Tower, visit us on Instagram, @convoxdesign with an “x”. You are going to hear from Price Connors, right after this.

What an absolutely amazing experience. Thank you everyone at The Price Tower for making the visit possible. Thank you Price for speaking with me and the amazing tour. My hope here was to share this extraordinary piece of American architecture with you. I know that many if not most in the US have no plans to visit Bartlesville, Oklahoma and I imagine it even more challenging for our international listeners.  I do encourage you to check out the videos, images and extra content on Instagram, @convoxdesign with an “x”. Thank you for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

The Showroom feat. Brigette Romanek | 435 | Music, Passion & Interior Design Magic

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with another installment of The Showroom featuring another exceptionally talented member of the design community. One of my all-time favorites for the little things she does. Her attention to detail and the manner in which she tells her stories through the work are exceptional. We talk abut music too, one of my favorite topics and hers as well. Love this chat and I know you will too, this is Brigette Romanek, live in the showroom.

Designer Resources

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman

Moya Living  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

The Oasis Alliance – Providing design to those in need.

ICAA Southern California – SoCal is Southern California’s preeminent resource on classical architecture and the allied arts.

The Showroom was a feature segment created during the pandemic as a way to showcase designers in front of an audience when no gatherings were possible. The Showroom has evolved and I had the opportunity to sit down with Brigette in the newly opened Soho Home Studio in the West Hollywood Design District. Soho Home was also gracious to sponsor the Convo By Design 10th anniversary party and served as the location for what was an extraordinary afternoon seeing friends, many of which I had not seen in person in years.

This conversation with Brigette covers her creative journey and how she has worked to become one of the most exceptional creatives working today. I don’t say this lightly. I think her work is, truly exceptional. Her work, through Romanek Design Studio is layered, contextual and subtly situational. You will hear more about that in addition to ways music has shaped her life and therefor inextricably tethered to her work. We talk about her collections and other facets to the business that allow her to create her art. I could go on, I really could, but I won’t. Instead, I’ll let Brigette tell her story.

Thank you Brigette for your time, I loved this. Thank you Soho Home Studio for hosting this conversation and our tenth anniversary party. Thank you for listening, downloading and subscribing to the show. If not already, please make sure you are subscribing to the show. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. 

Thank you to my wonderful partners and sponsors, ThermaSol, Moya Living and Design Hardware. Without you, I would not be able to do this and for that, thank you. Thanks again for listening. Be well and until next week, take today first. -CXD

A Deep Exploration into the Nature of Collaboration and Manifestation | 429 | Nadia Watts

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. Today, we are visiting with Denver based designer, Nadia Watts. A creative with a very strong collaborative spirit. What does that mean?

Designer Resources

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman

Moya Living  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

The Oasis Alliance – Providing design to those in need.

ICAA Southern California – SoCal is Southern California’s preeminent resource on classical architecture and the allied arts.

Well, it’s an idea that is uniquely different based on the individuals perspective. In Nadia’s case, collaboration is an idea inextricably tied to her work, you are going to hear about that as well as an exploration into her work and how she uses elements of her design to bounce of other parts to add depth and detail to the work. I hope you enjoy this conversation by design with Nadia Watts, we’ll be right back.

Thank you, Nadia. I appreciate the time and love what you do. Thank you to my partners and sponsors, ThermaSol, Moya Living and Design Hardware. Your partnership is what makes this possible and your support for the design industry is amazing, I appreciate you. Thank you for taking the time to subscribe, download and listen to the show. If not already, please make sure you subscribe so you get fresh episodes the moment they’re published. 

Remember why you do what you do and for whom you do it. Be well, and until next week, take today first. CXD

About Nadia: Nadia has been in the interior design industry for over 15 years. Since 2009 Nadia has delivered exceptional interior design to clients across the country from her studio in Denver, Colorado.  Her collaborative approach to design and project management has led to lasting relationships with clientele looking to personalize and refine their spaces.  Nadia’s portfolio includes custom residential homes, historic renovations, bespoke professional offices, and spaces showcasing internationally recognized art and furniture collections. Nadia’s forte is attention to detail and expressing the personalities of her clients in the feel of their homes.

Nadia began her professional design career with Elaine Stephenson Interiors in Roanoke, Virginia, she worked in the American Decorative Arts Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and with Douglas Associates, Interior Designers in Denver.  Nadia founded her eponymous firm in 2009.  Nadia Watts Interior Design has provided Nadia the creative venue to demonstrate and explore her design skills.  Nadia specializes in assembling teams of architects, contractors, artisans, and experts unique to each project.  Services include: full service interior design, project management, new construction, furnishing selection, historical restoration, and remote design consultation.

Built to Last. This is What Happens When You Blend Unbridled Talent, Uncompromising Quality and Passion for Design | 428 | Moya O’Neill

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design and today on the show, you are going to hear from someone with whom you are already familiar. You know her product because you hear about it during the show and I thought it was time for you to really hear from her, this is the create visionary behind the lifestyle brand, Moya Living. This is Moya O’Neill.

Designer Resources

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman

Moya Living  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

The Oasis Alliance – Providing design to those in need.

ICAA Southern California – SoCal is Southern California’s preeminent resource on classical architecture and the allied arts.

Moya is not just a guest, not just a partner sponsor of Convo By Design, she is a friend, a superior creative and she has built this company around a product, as you have heard me say, is built like a tank and looks like a Ferrari. That’s not a sales pitch, its true. Why is that so important? name a company, brand, manufacturer or other purveyor of a product that makes a product so stunningly gorgeous that it’s style is enduring while constructing it of a lasting material like steel using best building practices as to make sure the product lasts and is measured not by years but by generations? You will be hard pressed to find another like Moya Living. Their process is a model for modern manufacturing. But is all starts with the vision. And, you are going to hear all about that, in just a moment.

Thank you Moya, I do love our chats. Thank you CXD sponsor partners ThermaSol, Moya Living and Design Hardware for making this show possible. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to listen to the show. I hope you enjoy the show, that’s why I do this. I would also like to hear from you. I love the guest submissions and show ideas so keep them coming, email me convobydesign@outlook.com or massage me on Instagram @convoxdesign, with an x.

Remember why you do what you do and for whom you do it. Let that be the thing that drives you to push the boundaries and let’s keep moving our industry forward. Be well, and until next week… Take today first. CXD