KBIS Confidential | 588 | Manage Client Expectations and Thrive

This is the final installment of KBIS Confidential Creative Conversations LIVE from KBIS 2025 and for this one, we enter the Business & Trends track from the programming from the NextStge. In this session, we explore strategies for balancing client expectations with tight budgets and turn challenges into opportunities for growth in today’s ever-changing and challenging economy.

I moderated this program which was an honor and a joy for a number of reasons and the best part was the incredible group of creatives empaneled for this really important talk; Arianne Bellizaire, Owner & Creative Director, Arianne Bellizaire Interiors LLC, Kim Gordon, Lead Designer, Kim Gordon Designs and Lisa McDennon, Principal, Lisa McDennon Design. Because you are the amazing listeners and friends of the show, you have heard from Lisa and Kim on the show previously and while Arianne is new to the show, it will not be the last time you hear from her.

This conversation was extraordinary for so many reasons that you will hear for yourself. If you are a design professional trying to:

  • Navigate the daily changes in levels of consumer confidence
  • Upgrading your clientele
  • Matching the energy of your clients
  • Creating strategic partnerships
  • Putting your face, firm and story into the public to gain notoriety and promotion of your work
  • Prepare for wild price and changes in product availability 
  • Future proof your business

Well, the following conversation was created just for you. Enjoy

The Winds of Change Are Blowing In A New Era of Design Thought Leadership | 587 | Steph Schlegelmilch of Studio Seva

Things are changing. Can you feel it? I can. The mood in the design, architecture, built space is changing in response to external factors. Those external factors are being felt in numerous ways. I’ll give you an example and we don’t about this much, not nearly enough. Hardening of the enclosure in architecture is leading to new ways architects are approaching the exterior envelope of projects to address the threats brought on by climate change. Remember ‘global warming’? That was a misnomer, it’s climate change. Design has and in large part is still focused on aesthetic, but that too is changing. Are you changing with it?

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Change is hard. All change is hard. But without change, there is no evolution. Without evolving, we do the same things over and over regardless of the outcome. I have changed, Convo By Design has changed. Seemingly everyone has a podcast now, and it feels like every editorial headline is ‘something’ by design. 12 years ago, neither was that way. I see how my own editorial approach has changed, these conversations we share each week have changed and the industry is changing as well. Not by choice, but because, as the quote from Moneyball goes, “Adapt or die”. Today, you are going to listen in on my conversation with Steph Schlegelmilch, founder and chief creative director of Studio Seva. This Westport, Connecticut based creative blends a holistic approach with technical application. Steph shares her thoughts on a number of ideas affecting the business of design today, and these ideas are not going away any time soon. They include; 

  • An appreciation of and learning form failure
  • Experience and collaboration
  • Exploration of style, techniques and materials
  • Styling and photography
  • Trend translation , modification and the edit process
  • Home styling challenges
  • Lighting design
  • Partnerships

All of these ideas should be taught in a formal design education. Sadly, they are not. But you can find them explored here. So, enjoy this episode with Studio Seva’s Steph Schlegelmilch.

Thank you, Steph. Enjoyed this. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors, TimberTech, Pacific Sales, and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. Thank you for listening, subscribing to the show and sharing with your colleagues. If not already subscribing, please consider that so you receive every new episode automatically to your podcast feed. 

Please keep those emails coming convo by design at outlook dot com and follow the conversation on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign with an “X”.

Until next week, thank you for sharing this time together, until the next episode, be well, stay focused and now that it has arrived in earnest, try to rise above the chaos. – CXD

KBIS Confidential | 586 | Inside the Kitchen with Signature Kitchen Suite (SKS) featuring John Russo

This year, KBIS brought a whole new energy. This new energy and vibe was brought on by a number of issues on the minds of both design creatives, their clients and the brands that hope to be included in future projects. I think it was also fueled by a discomfort. One that many if not most of us are feeling by the political chaos created by this new administration. Now listen, before you get tribal on me, hear me out. Regardless for whom you voted, when a new administration comes in, they get to make the changes they see fit. And it doesn’t really matter if you agree or disagree, it is a fact of life and elections have consequences. That was the topic of discussion that elevated above all others and I believe that this discomfort being felt has motivated many creatives to reengage in their business and recommit to to their craft despite the head winds headed our way. And you are going to hear some of those conversations! KBIS, the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, in partnership with the National Kitchen and Bath Association is one of the few “must attend” shows. The event itself is 3 days of brands, talks, programming, events and happenings while combined with the International Builders Show in the same footprint of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Every first-time attendee to the show is gobsmacked by the sheer volume of people and product. Even those who are veterans of the event seem annually surprised by the amount of walking, talking and lack of physical preparedness required to fully navigate this show.

KBIS is on my list of annual must-attend events for specifiers, designers, architects and design-build firms. Why? There are a few reasons for this and following is a comprehensive, possibly incomplete, but significant nonetheless.

  • Networking – If there is someone in the industry that you are hoping to meet, there is a very good chance that they are at KBIS. Even if they aren’t, you will certainly meet others with whom you can find strategic opportunities. The event itself is optimally conducive to unplanned “run ins”, scheduled meetings and introductions.
  • Surprise and Delight – Finding new products, materials and services are what makes the idea of a trade show so enticing. You don’t know what you don’t know and an event of this size makes the process of discovery fun and effective. The amount of product interaction over 3 days in over 1 million square feet of convention space is certainly an opportunity to find new products to incorporate into your designs.
  • Learning and Education – The amount of programming that takes place over these three days is significant. There are opportunities to learn a great deal about a vast number of topics in a short period of time making this one of those rare opportunities that matches your preparedness and willingness to learn equal to the number of opportunities available. In other words, there are more available to you than you could possibly attend.

We  explore what’s cooking at this year’s KBIS. John shares what SKS is most excited about, the can’t-miss products from the brand, and even reveals which SKS products he has in his own home. Plus, we dive into the future of SKS, discuss creative design installations, and get John’s take on the latest trends in kitchen innovation. Topics discussed include;

  • The SKS advantage
  • What is a Technicurean
  • Advantages to cooking with modern appliances
  • Product design
  • How SKS supports the design community through opportunity and education
  • Benefits of a national service team
  • Technological approach to cooking

Technical Application of Design Principles and Addressing the Curve in Design Thought | 585 | Maggie Griffin of Maggie Griffin Design

Application and practical application of tools and techniques. These are just a few of the topics discussed in today’s conversation with designer Maggie Griffin, founder of eponymous firm in Gainesville, Georgia. We are discussing more than design today. A lot more, actually. The changing landscape of the industry and staying ahead of the curve. Oh, that pesky curve.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

The trouble with the curve, and staying ahead of it is that if you don’t actively stay ahead of it, it passes you by before you know it. Like AI for example. Many designers fear it, most don’t really understand it. Those choosing to ignore it, or simply dabble won’t lose their clients because of AI. They will lose their clients to designers who adapt and understand how to best use AI in unimaginable ways that will take costs down, increase specification of better products and materials, shrink the timeline and make the absolute most of every designable opportunity. It’s true. Maggie and I are chopping this up along with a number of other ideas like;

  • Exploring AI tools in practice
  • AI and interior design application
  • Industry trends and challenges
  • Achieving balance of technology and residential design
  • Kitchen design
  • Product specification and client trust
  • Bathroom design concepts
  • Achieving functionality without sacrificing aesthetic 

Thank you, Maggie. Enjoyed this. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors, TimberTech, Pacific Sales, and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. Thank you for listening, subscribing to the show and sharing with your colleagues. If not already subscribing, please consider that so you receive every new episode automatically to your podcast feed.

Please keep those emails coming convo by design at outlook dot com and follow the conversation on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign with an “X”.

Until next week, thank you for sharing this time together, until the next episode, be well, stay focused and now that it has arrived in earnest, try to rise above the chaos. – CXD

KBIS Confidential | 583 | Everything You Need to Know About Extraordinary Outdoor Entertaining

Outdoor living, the new frontier for everything from maximizing enjoyment of external spaces, outdoor entertainment and outdoor kitchens. New modalities generating a renewed interest in cultivated design of said spaces by some of the most talented creatives working today. From entertainment spaces to full blown ultra-luxe outdoor kitchens and everything in between with opportunities available for just about any (realistic) budget. Outdoor design is changing rapidly due to a number of factors. Those factors include modified use due to changing circumstances, client desire, increased cost of goods all in an outdoor spaces that are not as predictable as they used to be. So, we are going to chop it up a little bit and provide some practical solutions for designers, architects, landscape architects and design-build firms looking to up their outdoor entertainment game.

This conversation features; Jessica Petrino Ball, Director of Trade and Education | AJ Madison, Robert Bell, Landscape Architect | Bell Design

  • Outdoor living
  • UL Rated appliances for outdoor use
  • 4-season living
  • Appliance finish combinations
  • Multi-functional outdoor covered spaces
  • Project approach and design application
  • Partnerships and industry partnerships
  • Managing expectations
  • Understanding winterizing and appliance upkeep
  • Zones for outdoor living applications

KBIS Confidential: Kitchen ReVOLUTION or Evolution, You Decide | 581 | Christine Vroom, Arianne Bellizaire, Jonah Kilday

The kitchen rEvolution is here…But is it more evolution or revolution.  Are designers developing contemporary kitchens based solely on new ideas or looking to the past for inspiration? Is it a wholesale revolution or a patchwork of ideas creating a whole new set of ideas and opportunities?. How is the evolving nature of kitchen design changing the way we think about the heart of the home? How are changing technologies and desired functionality reshaping the modality of kitchen use and design. We explore how new opportunities in appliances and technology have evolved the programming of a kitchen suite. How sous vide, various mode appliances, Wi-Fi enabled appliances, water saving faucets and features combined with revised floor planning have forever altered these spaces making the kitchen, once again the place where everything happens and from which life takes shape.

This conversation features; Christine Vroom | Christine Vroom Interiors, Arianne Belazaire | Arianne Bellizaire Interiors, Jonah Kilday | MK Workshop. Topics of conversation include;

  • Multi-Kitchen homes
  • Resurgence of butler’s pantry, scullery, wine bar, coffee bar
  • Increased appliance packages and programming
  • Programming changes in kitchen spaces
  • What defines luxury and how does that manifest itself
  • For show or hidden?
  • Definition of “luxury”
  • Triangle Vs. Zones
  • Inside out and the rise of luxury outdoor kitchens
  • Modern definition of function
  • En suite kitchenette

What a remarkable experience. I believe that KBIS is one of the annual must-attend events. Not just for all the reasons listed above, but so many others as well. KBIS is the pulse of the industry in America. It represents a true cross section of disciplines. You will see architects, landscape architects, designers, contractors, design-build firms, hospital, education, prison design specialists all looking for new products to specify and unique ways to use them. 

Thank you to the NKBA, KBIS, Emerald, Flying Camel, AJMadison and all of the amazing creatives who came on the show. The KBIS Podcast Studio was  just extraordinary. 

Thank you for listening to Convo By Design Presents KBIS Confidential. As always, please join in the conversation on Instagram @convoXdesign with an “X” and, if you would like to reach me with a note, show or guest suggestion, please do. Email me, convo by design @ outlook.com.

Until next time, stay focused and rise above the chaos. – CXD

Technical & Bold, the Transformative Nature of Design | 580 | Lauren Reyes Lim , LVR Studios

Topics that keeps bubbling up in conversations industry wide is burnout. Exhaustion. Dealing with the daily and unrelenting chaos. These feelings are coming from the stresses caused by the constant price increases, subscription increases, the lost art of customer service and yes, the overall chaos caused by a litany of factors and you know what I’m talking about.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

I say, “you know what I’m talking about” instead of saying it, because, yeah, I’m sick of talking about it. Sick of thinking about it. I want to feel like I did back in 2022. That was a good year. The pandemic was behind us and blue skies ahead. So, your tired. Yeah, me too. The thing that recharges my batteries? The interpersonal conversations that you hear on the show. I started Convo By Design to tell the stories behind design. To showcase the very design that makes me happy. It’s that feeling I used to get when a new issue of Metropolitan Home arrived in the mail. It would be sitting there in the mailbox. I would spend a minute just looking at the cover, through the poly bag. I would spend a minute trying to imagine what will be in there. Then I would save it. Force the anticipation to build. Then put it down for a while and come back when I had a full hour or more to really dig in, read the Editors Letter, Pub Note, the Masthead, scour the ads. Did you know the advertising is really the best way to determine the forthcoming trends? The marketing, not the editorial is where you learn about future-thought.  But the editorial is what has been happening for the past 3 months to 2-years while the projects were in process.

I don’t think I have ever spoken with you about how I hope you use Convo By Design. This show is offered as both product and service. My hope is that you will take me with you on your walks, runs, trips to discover at local design centers or at the airport as you are on your way to the next big event. 

I tell you this in support of the conversation you are about to hear with Lauren Reyes Lim, principal and founder of LVR Studios. Lauren’s work, and that of her firm is both throwback and futuristic in thought and delivery. Pattern, color, texture, styling and presentation. That is very much how this chat goes as well. I hope you enjoy it. It’s coming up, right after this.

Loved this. Thank you Lauren. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors; TimberTech, Pacific Sales, and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. And, thank you for listening, subscribing the show and sharing with your colleagues. If not already subscribing, please consider that so you receive every new episode automatically to your podcast feed. Until next week, thank you for sharing this time together, until the next episode, be well, stay focused and now that it has arrived in earnest, try to rise above the chaos. – CXD 

KBIS Confidential: Luxe for Less | 579 | Achieving Perfect Results on Budget in a More Expensive Environment with a Cost Conscious Clientele

Many if not most clients will confess that the reason they employ the services of a designer, architect and landscape architect is because the way they live is not congruent with the way they wish to live. What many clients don’t realize is that a superpower great designers bring to every project is the ability to reduce costs through product knowledge and application of skill. Explore the rapidly changing design space and learn how to craft that perfect environment on a budget through strategic choices, waste reduction, strategic customization and an understanding for how the industry is changing. Stay ahead of the curve and thrive. We will explore how tariffs, supply chain snags and inflation continue to drive costs as well as specification strategies to value engineer every project and achieve that desired look for less.

This conversation features Alena Capra, Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designer | Alena Capra Design, Jessica Petrino Ball, Director of Trade and Education | AJ Madison and Tony Disilvestro Topics of conversation include;

  • Providing a Bespoke Experience
  • Value Engineering & Building Value Through Strategic Specification
  • Does Luxury REALLY mean Expensive? Breakdown strategic approach
  • Activating the Designer/ Showroom/ Manufacturer Partnerships
  • Brand Loyalty Vs. Mixing to Achieve Expectations
  • Psychological Approach to Design
  • Appliances Beyond the Kitchen
  • How Appliances Spark Joy
  • Using these and other strategies to raise design to meet expectations for less

What a remarkable experience. I believe that KBIS is one of the annual must-attend events. Not just for all the reasons listed above, but so many others as well. KBIS is the pulse of the industry in America. It represents a true cross section of disciplines. You will see architects, landscape architects, designers, contractors, design-build firms, hospital, education, prison design specialists all looking for new products to specify and unique ways to use them. 

Thank you to the NKBA, KBIS, Emerald, Flying Camel, AJMadison and all of the amazing creatives who came on the show. The KBIS Podcast Studio was  just extraordinary. 

Thank you for listening to Convo By Design Presents KBIS Confidential. As always, please join in the conversation on Instagram @convoXdesign with an “X” and, if you would like to reach me with a note, show or guest suggestion, please do. Email me, convo by design @ outlook.com.

Until next time, stay focused and rise above the chaos. – Convo By Design

KBIS Confidential: Beyond the Blueprint | 577 | A Personal Approach to Design with Moen

The series is called KBIS Confidential – Creative Conversations LIVE from KBIS 2025. This 7-week series will be published every Wednesday.

Many of the worlds most innovative brands began with an “aha” moment. Moen’s “aha” moment came in 1937, Seattle when Al Moen’s old fashioned handle broke off in his hand. That moment led to the inspiration for the single-handed faucet, a revolutionary moment in plumbing and the beginning of a story that continues to evolve. It’s been said that industrial designers are a combination of engineer, therapist, artisan and sales professional.

Where does the next big idea come from, how is it ideated, modeled, rendered and selected for production? How are aesthetic, functionality and materiality selected. And how do these ideas relate to trends and market data?

This is the story of brand evolution through product development. Where science and engineering collide with the playful mindset. The anatomy of brand attraction and the importance of design while respecting the products that deliver our most valuable resource, water. featuring; Sam Cahill, Lead Industrial Designer, Moen and House of Rohl Alisha Snyder, Sr. Industrial Designer, Moen. Concepts discussed include:

  • Anatomy of the Moen brand
  • The value of Trends and market data
  • Selling an idea
  • How designs are ideated, modeled, rendered and selected
  • Market data sets
  • Geographic influence
  • From draft to showroom. The process.
  • Working with the design community
  • Generating a reaction
  • Brand evolution. What’s next?

Thank you KBIS for allowing me the opportunity to host the KBIS Podcast Studio presented by AJ Madison! Loved this experience. -CXD

Favorite Places, Unique Spaces in the Coachella Valley | 576 | Elyssa Contardo

One of my favorite places in the world is the Coachella Valley. Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells. The valley is thriving as new residents move in, the are is mountainous and arid desert blended in an oasis of mixed architectural styles blended with cultural influence from music to fashion and everything in between. I love the Coachella Valley because as a teenager, I would go to Palm Springs for spring break. Something then mayor, Sonny Bono did not care fore and eventually drove us out. Then it was the architecture, followed by Coachella Music Festival combined with Stagecoach. La Quinta Resort remains my personal favorite place to recharge and reflect.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

I am really pleased to share my conversation with Elyssa Contardo, SoCal native and Coachella Valley based designer. She actually has two offices, one in Palm Desert and the other in Park City, Utah. And we discuss both locations and their emerging status as design forward locales. Check the show notes for links to Contardo’s work. Especially as we walk through some of her projects. You are going to hear all about it, right now after this.

Thank you, Elyssa.Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors; TimberTech, Pacific Sales, and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. And, thank you for listening, subscribing the show and sharing with your colleagues. If not already subscribing, please consider that so you receive every new episode automatically to your podcast feed. Until next week, thank you for sharing this time together, until the next episode, be well, stay focused and now that it has arrived in earnest, try to rise above the chaos. – CXD