Category Archives: Kitchen Design

Moments of Joy. Design Makes That Happen | 534 | Laura Tribbett, Outline Interiors

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. Today, we’re speaking with Laura Tribbett of Outline Interiors. I have long held the belief that design is a right, not a privilege. You might disagree, but let me explain why and after you hear my conversation with Laura, you might be on board. 

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Good design is a right, not a privilege. Good design affects all of us, makes communities stronger and it makes for a well lived life. I think many if not most people have no idea what good design is because most people are so heavily influenced by social media and because social media, actually media in general is so heavily influenced by likes, loves and emojis of those who don’t possess an educational background nor expertise on the subject. Anyone can look at an image on Instagram and love it enough to post a fire emoji. Nothing wrong with that but let’s not confuse that with an understanding of how that design might function or how it works with other spaces in the dwelling or how those who live there will use the space. It’s just a picture, they like it. Fine. But it’s really interesting how when enough people like something, it influence others to believe that it is exceptional. It might be, but there is nothing in the posting of an image to support that. Sometimes, this leads to fame for wildly popular designers regardless of whether or not their designs are good. And the measurement for that is how the client is affected by that work. There is a quote from Arthur Conan Doyle’s, The Hound of the Baskervilles in which Sherlock Holmes says, “I know what is good when I see it.”

In this particular case, Holmes is reacting to a portrait. Purely subjective. At the same time, what separates good design form bad? I would say that when you have a trained professional, doing what they have been trained to do on your behalf and influenced by your desires, the results have a good chance of hitting the mark. Why am I telling you this? Because smart, well trained and talented designers understand their roles and can see beyond first level obstacles.

Laura talks about infusing “moments of joy” into every project and that is one of the reasons I enjoy her work ad enjoyed our chat as much as I did. It’s also why I think you are going to love it. 

Thank you, Laura for taking the time to share your story. Thank you to my partner sponsors, ThermaSol, Pacific Sales, TimberTech, Monogram and Design Hardware. These partners are amazing companies all who have made a concerted effort to support the design community through education, incentives, events, media and exposure, not to mention a collection of extraordinary products and service to match. Check the show notes for links to each of them so you can see first hand how they can make your design business thrive and your projects exceed expectations. Thank you for listening, downloading, subscribing and sharing the show with your friends and colleagues. Thank you for your emails, show and guest suggestions. Please keep them coming, convobydesign at Outlook dot com and on Instagram @ConvoXdesign, with an “x”.  Until the next episode, be well and take today first. – CXD

He Said, She Said | 533 | Exceptional Hospitality Design feat. Brewco’s Michael Zislis and Designer Noelle Isbell

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a conversation about going home. You’ve heard the old adage, you can’t go home again. Derived from the Thomas Wolfe novel published in 1940, posthumously. It’s true, you can’t go home again because so much changes in your absence. I went home recently to Manhattan Beach. It’s true things change, but not everything and sometimes, change is good.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

I love Manhattan Beach. One of the things I missed most after we moved to Oklahoma was walking down the greenbelt with kids and  getting dinner in downtown MB followed by a trip to the Creamery for an ice cream sandwich the likes of which you just can’t find anywhere else. While there, I stopped into Brewco to speak with Michael Zislis, restaurateur, developer, hotelier and MB devotee. So much so, that through his restaurant and hotel development, has almost singlehandedly reshaped the city for the better over the past 30 years. We talked about the redevelopment of Brewco, an eatery on Manhattan Beach Boulevard and an iconic spot for those who’ve lived there or those who’ve come to visit. you’re going to hear that and then, you are going to hear from Noelle Isbell, Manhattan Beach designer who took on the Brewco project in amazing fashion, called her shot and delivered a spot that is representative of Manhattan Beach’s past, present and future. Turns out, you can go home again. Even if it’s not exactly the same. If you love design, you are going to love this story. If you are a designer, this is how you go and get that project you have always wanted. And you are going to hear all about it, right after this.

Thank you, Noelle and Michael, thank you for creating something that makes me feel at home!. Thank you to my partner sponsors, ThermaSol, Pacific Sales, TimberTech, Monogram and Design Hardware. These partners are amazing companies all who have made a concerted effort to support the design community through education, incentives, events, media and exposure, not to mention a collection of extraordinary products and service to match. Check the show notes for links to each of them so you can see first hand how they can make your design business thrive and your projects exceed expectations. Thank you for listening, downloading, subscribing and sharing the show with your friends and colleagues. Thank you for your emails, show and guest suggestions. Please keep them coming, convobydesign at Outlook dot com and on Instagram @ConvoXdesign, with an “x”.  Until the next episode, be well and take today first. – CXD

Leading Designers Explain The Ultimate Kitchen | 526 | Live from the Monogram Kitchen in Pacific Sales

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. But you know that and I am thankful that you are listening to the show and joining me on this little journey of ours. And, it is a journey. I was thinking about you this week. If you are listening to the show, you are a designer, architect, manufacturer, in the industry or a design enthusiast and you take time out of your day to listen to the show. I take that as a challenge to provide you with the opportunity to hear from amazing creatives, incredible brand partners and others in this industry all the while in pursuit of sublime design wherever we can find it.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

We are in a fairly weird time right now, I know you feel it the same way I do. We’re all feeling the strange vibes from the economy, politics, social media. But home is refuge. Designers and architects make that happen. In an effort to further drill down on this idea, I host small format events presented and hosted by Pacific Sales and Monogram, the official appliance partners of Convo By Design. I have been working with Pacific Sales in one way or another since the podcast started in 2013. And by Pacific Sales standards, that would make me the rookie amongst their staff. I met up with my friend Shaun Ayala at KBIS this year and he introduced me to the Pacific Sales team that made the journey to Las Vegas. Everyone I met had been with Pacific Sales between 15 and 25 years. These days, when companies open and close or decide to reimagine themselves every year or so, Pacific Sales has been there for their clients and design partners for over 60 years and backed by Best Buy. This is not a commercial, they sponsor the show, absolutely and I am really proud of that. And they do great work, like hosting the event from which the following conversation was recorded. 

The Complete Kitchen. What does that mean? The kitchen has changed in dramatic ways and continues to evolve in previously unimaginable ways. The primary kitchen, dirty or working kitchen, outdoor kitchen, butler’s pantry, wine bar, wet bar, coffee bar… ensuite kitchenette, bathroom beverage center, sport court kitchenette. The idea of kitchen has changed and is limited only by imagination… And budget. We’re going to talk about all of this. Here is who joined me at the Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home showroom in Irvine, California:

Lisa McDennon

Terri Brein

Susan Thiel

Joseph DeCasparis

Jess Jones

Paul Fernandez

Thank you,Michelle, Terri, Jess, Susan, Paul and Joe. Thank you Verzine, Cesar and Shaun with Pacific Sales for hosting the amazing experience. I enjoyed our conversation and cannot wait to see what you do next. Thank you to my partner sponsors, ThermaSol, Pacific Sales, TimberTech, Monogram and Design Hardware. These partners are amazing companies all who have made a concerted effort to support the design community through education, incentives, events, media and exposure, not to mention a collection of extraordinary products and service to match. Check the show notes for links to each of them so you can see first hand how they can make your design business thrive and your projects exceed expectations. Thank you for listening, downloading, subscribing and sharing the show with your friends and colleagues. Thank you for your emails, show and guest suggestions. Please keep them coming, convobydesign at Outlook dot com and on Instagram @ConvoXdesign, with an “x”.  Until the next episode, be well and take today first. -Convo By Design