Category Archives: Thought Leadership Series

All About Color | 331 | The Emotion and Feel Proper Color Selection Can Bring, Everything You need to Know with Bailey Li Interiors, Layered Dimensions and Rocky Rochon

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This is Convo By Design with a conversation about color. Not the color for any particular period of time but how and why color selection is so important.

There is nothing wrong with stating color trends or designating colors of the year, but I have always felt that kind of promotion is a bit gimmicky. Color selection is as personal as the design itself. I believe that. And if that is true, then designating a specific color is antithetical to that entire premise. So, I wanted to have a conversation about color, color selections, choices and ideas by empaneling 3 amazing creatives who know this subject intimately. More to the point, this conversation about color is more that shade, depth, value, hue or intensity. More that just position on a color wheel or what “season” the client thinks they are or matching the heirloom china set that grandma gave them. This distinguished group is breaking down color by all of the above plus emotional impact, historical and social values. By texture, depth and other factors that illicit more than beauty, but feel. An emotional response to the space. We’re going deep in this one, another installment of the Wellness & Design Thought Leadership Series presented by ThermaSol.

Color can have a tremendous impact on mood, style, feel and look in any space. With so many ‘color of the year’ promotions, it’s hard to separate trending from trendy. New ideas emerge from the fashion industry every season that impact color and pattern preferences in the design industry. This is a look not at what the popular colors will be in 6 months, but influences and strategies for finding the right colors for the preferences of the client and historical ideas with respect to color palette and pattern selection.

Alecia Bailey – Bailey Li Interiors

“Color, I do push the limits. I do have clients that say they don’t like a lot of color and that they like neutrals. So what I do for them is introduce them to metallics, that are neutral. The light hits it in a certain way and it looks very beautiful. So it may look neutral during the day, and then at night when the moon hits it. So I do push it. So when you use a silver, gold leaf, satin or a pearl, it just looks amazing.”

Christina Garcia – Layered Dimensions

“I think for a long time, people were nervous about adding color to their houses because for so long people felt like they had to be in this niche. They had to be in golds and reds or they had to be cremes and browns and that is what everybody everybody was doing so they felt like that is what they needed to do as well and then we went away from all color completely and started doing whites and grays with a hint of blue, maybe. I think people are starting to realize that it’s okay to have a personality with my home. It’s okay for the home to reflect me or my style. They are designing more for themselves than for resale.” 

Rocky Rochon – Rocky Rochon

 “Color has a huge range. In our paint collection, we have a lot of colors that are relatively neutral but they go across the whole spectrum. But, when you are doing an interior and you are going to do a whole room in one color, you have to be a lot more subtle. So, we’ve developed a whole series of textures… A soy ink finish or a lacquer finish. The most beautiful room can be the most subtle. The reflection of a pale turquoise light that you don’t know is discernible as a color until you envelope the room in it. The textures make a huge difference. I think when we talk about color, we’re talking about what the whole range of color is, and those ranges are what create the emotional responses.” 

Thank you Christina, Bailey and Rocky. You are all amazing and I greatly appreciate the time. Thank you ThermaSol for being a part of the Wellness & Design Thought Leadership Series. Thank you Walker Zanger for your partnership. And, thank you for listening. Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out and make sure you are subscribing to the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode of Convo By Design. Be well, and remind yourself to take today first.

Maryline Damour | 330 | Reinventing Yourself and Career Through Design – Much Needed Guidance and Strategies for Success

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This is CXD with a conversation about design houses, collaborative partnerships and second careers. All things you have heard me talk about on the show before…but not like this…

Maryline Damour started her career doing business development with some of the biggest names in accounting and finance. Her desire for something greater led her back to school to study interior design at Parsons The New School for Design. Our conversation covers that journey as well as her experience growing up in Haiti where they are no strangers to living with disasters of all types unfortunately, and that experience has provided Maryline with a unique perspective on life and design. In this episode of the podcast, you will hear about that experience, meeting her business partner, Fred Drake and crafting their boutique design firm. 

Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out.

Thank you, Maryline. Thank you Walker Zanger and ThermaSol for your partnership. And thank you for listening. Without you, there is no joy in doing this, you are appreciated. My hope is to bring you inspiration and sublime design through these conversations. To give you that extra push to be the most creative designer you can be. I think we did that here. Please make sure you are subscribing to the show so you don’t miss a single episode. You can also follow us on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign, with an “x” and convo by design dot com. Be well and remember to take today first.

An Intimate Chat with Industry Icon and Reigning Queen of Home Staging | 328 | Meridith Baer

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Do you know the story behind the reigning queen of home staging? If not, you are going to absolutely love this, trust me when I tell you because you listen to the podcast, you know I am going to take you deep in the world of design, behind the pretty pictures and together, we explore the “how” behind design. Baer found her calling at 50. Then built an amazing brand. If that doesn’t give you the drive to do all the things you have been planning for the growth of your own career, I don’t know what will.

Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out.

Thank you, Meridith, I love your story. Thank you Walker Zanger and ThermaSol for your partnership. And thank you for listening. Without you, there is no joy in doing this, you are appreciated. My hope is to bring you inspiration and sublime design through these conversations. To give you that extra push to be the most creative designer you can be. I think we did that here. Please make sure you are subscribing to the show so you don’t miss a single episode. You can also follow us on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign, with an “x” and convo by design dot com. Be well and remember to take today first. Side note, I was asked why I switched the tag line from Keep Creating to Today First. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow isn’t promised. All we have is today so what are you going to do with that? Huh, control what you can and don’t worry about the rest.

Your Best Year in Design | 326 | Proven Strategies for Growing and Promoting Your Design Firm

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This is Convo By Design with a conversation about adapting to the ever-changing design environment. Since only everything has changed. When I say that, I mean it. Everything has changed in the business. I remember last March when everyone I was speaking with, myself included thought the events would come back last fall and that the supply chain would return to normal. As time went on, we all started to realize that things were not going back to normal quickly, if at all. this conversation is part of the Wellness & Design Thought Leadership Series presented by ThermaSol.

That being said, not all change is bad. The following conversation includes designers Shirry Dolgin of ASD Interiors, Michelle Salz-Smith of Studio Surface and Jason Lai of L2 Interiors. The panel explores the changes in the design and architecture industry, in real time with a focus on adapting to these changes and maximizing new business and revenue growth. Change is hard. The unknown is uncomfortable.

This exploration unearths some of the most challenging issues we are facing as it relates to the business and how these three firms are addressing these issues.Many of this issues revolve around specifying product right now as the supply chains are stretched and demand has grown as inventories drop. This has led to both shortages and increased costs. There challenges now include managing the disappointment of precuts not being available, reselects, increase costs, lack of manufacturer response times and products showing differently online from reality.

“Our business is so personal, whether we’re face to face, or not. We are people pleasers and that’s not always the greatest thing, especially now. But, I think the greatest challenge now, for me as a perfectionist and a people pleaser, is managing disappointment. Relaying the reality of the situation without making excuses.” – Michelle Salz-Smith

“I spend a lot of my time being upfront with my client saying, ‘listen, it is what it is.’ So, we can either wait, or pick something else.” – Shirry Dolgin

“I know what we want and what we are looking for in our head already, we just haven’t seen it and once we see it, we pull it. But this process has just been so slow. We have to go online and scroll through 75 pages of fabric on one color finish and it’s nothing like what you expect because online it shows differently.” -Jason Lai

In this episode, you will not only hear the challenges restated, you will also hear solutions to many of the issues every designer faces now and what the business might look like in the near future. The best way to overcome challenges is to envision and plan for them in the future. This is another episode in the Wellness & Design Thought Leadership Series presented by ThermaSol featuring Michelle Salz-Smith, Jason Lai and Shirry Dolgin.

Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out.

And when it comes to working with a partner who has your back, knows your challenges and is there for you every step of the way…

Thank you, Shirry, Jason and Michelle. Thank you Walker Zanger and ThermaSol for your partnership. And thank you for listening. Without you, there is no joy in doing this, you are appreciated. My hope is to bring you inspiration and sublime design through these conversations. To give you that extra push to be the most creative designer you can be. I think we did that here. Please make sure you are subscribing to the show so you don’t miss a single episode. You can also follow us on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign, with an “x” and convo by design dot com. Be well and remember to take today first.

Anthony Laney of Laney LA | 325 | Crafting Custom Work, the New Modern Art

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This is Convo By Design and today you are going to hear from Laney LA’s, Anthony Laney. This is a conversation about exquisite modern architecture and a little bit of space planning magic. Like how to make a pool disappear…. I am not kidding, really disappear.

Anthony Laney is the creative force behind Laney LA. His firm is doing some extremely interesting work in and around Los Angeles and the small coastal beach cities of Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach. These are small coastal communities with some very large homes on very small lots. Where the cost per foot is in the 4 digits and the cost of dirt alone is some of the highest in the country. This means an endless supply of cash, or some very strategic space planning and to be frank, there is both. Laney has earned a reputation for crafting really interesting and exquisite modern design with a focus on not just tailoring the work to the client but finding unique ways of adding to the design through subtraction of used material. As previously mentioned, like making a pool disappear to create a yard on demand. I will let Anthony explain how he did it.

Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out.

Thank you, Anthony. Thank you Walker Zanger and ThermaSol for your partnership. And thank you for listening. Without you, there is no joy in doing this, you are appreciated. My hope is to bring you inspiration and sublime design through these conversations. To give you that extra push to be the most creative designer you can be. I think we did that here. Please make sure you are subscribing to the show so you don’t miss a single episode. You can also follow us on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign, with an “x” and convo by design dot com. Be well and remember to take today first.

Earth Day 2021 | 322 | Steve Pallrand – What Every Designer Must Know About Sustainable Design

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with an Earth Day Special Episode. Yes, I think Earth Day is silly, but the message behind it is of critical importance to everyone in design, architecture and those who live…on Earth…

There is a day for everything, am I right? That being said, some points of interest, the first Earth Day was April 22nd, 1970. Many say it coincides with the beginning of the environmental movement. In January, 1969, there was a massive oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. The date for Earth Day, April 22nd was selected because it falls on a weekday following Spring Break allowing greater student participation. Which makes sense because young people have always cared more about their environment than those who have less time to spend there. Makes sense. Ere is what it sounded like in 1970. (Walter Cronkite, CBS News)

https://www.earthday.org/history/

This was a momentous occasion followed by decades of apathy and carrying on with business as usual. I think the message is really important and I believe that this is yet another problem that will be solved by the designers, architects and product manufacturers that make up our industry. According to the EPA, 27% of greenhouse gasses are caused by electricity production, 28% from transportation, 22% from industry. As the design machine continues to produce greater efficiencies and uses of renewable energy combined with fewer off-gassing materials, limited waste, etc., the numbers will subside, I believe that.

At the same time, there is a strong connection between sustainable, clean design and wellness. These two ideas should go hand in glove and as such, it makes perfect sense that this correlation exists.

With that, today you are going to hear from Steve Pallrand, founder and principal designer of Home Front Build, a design/ build firm with wellness and environmental design at the core of their work. In another life, I hosted a show called The Green Detective. I know this subject and I don’t agree with everything, and you will hear that in my conversation with Steve. But, it’s important to note that we don’t have to agree about everything to agree that the changes for greater environmental consideration in design is important, and necessary. Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out.

Thank you, Steve for your time. Thank you Walker Zanger, for your partnership. And thank you for listening. Without you, there is no joy in doing this, you are appreciated. My hope is to bring you inspiration and sublime design through these conversations. To give you that extra push to be the most creative designer you can be. I think we did that here. Please make sure you are subscribing to the show so you don’t miss a single episode. You can also follow us on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign, with an “x” and convo by design dot com. Be well and remember to take today first.

Let’s Take This Outside | 320 | Activating Every Square Foot of Available Outdoor Space

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You might think the dead of winter is not the time to talk about outdoor entertaining. Creatives coast to coast are experimenting with outdoor spaces in climate-challenged environments from sub-freezing to blazing desert-scapes. When the ultimate challenge is finding ways to activate space, year-round, that’s when design get’s interesting. This conversation was recorded in January of this year, with a focus on figuring out how new ideas in landscape architecture and activated outdoor spaces can exponentially increase the size of a home. The following chat was moderated by Urban Bonfire’s, Ryan Bloom and features designers, Ariel Johnson and David Dalton as well as architect, Douglas Burdge. You are going to hear strategies from some of the best in the business. So, let’s take this outside.

Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out.

Thank you, Ariel, Doug, David and Ryan. Great work. It bogles the mind to think about what is possible with outdoor spaces today and even more son, what will be available when the global supply chain catches up with our pent up demand. 

Thank you Walker Zanger, for your partnership. And thank you for listening. Without you, there is no joy in doing this, you are appreciated. My hope is to bring you inspiration and sublime design through these conversations. To give you that extra push to be the most creative designer you can be. I think we did that here. Please make sure you are subscribing to the show so you don’t miss a single episode. You can also follow us on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign, with an “x” and convo by design dot com. Be well and remember to take today first.

Wellness & Design Leadership Series | 319 | The Promotion of Design

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a solution for one of the biggest challenges you face as a busy design professional. This conversation is going to change the way you do business. Really, it’s all about the promotion of design.

Promotion and marketing are two issues, one issue really but often conflated, that confound most creatives, and simply frustrate the rest. The socials are not user friendly, people don’t tell you what they want to see and if you are focused on the work, as most of you are, the promotion side is just frustrating. Following is a conversation that is part of the Wellness and Design Thought Leadership Series presented by ThermaSol. This conversation features designers Jeanne Chung, Breegan Jane and John McClain. Between Jeanne’s CozyStylishChic blog, Breegan, managing the work and a role on ABC’s Extreme Home Make Over and John McClain with all of his hats, designer, firm owner, television and magazine contributions… This group is busy, but they have figured out some amazing hacks that will help you wrap your arms around the promotional challenges. This conversation is moderated by contributing editor and publicity professional, Alexandra Abramian. This is such fun for me because Alex asked me to stick around and chime in with tips I’ve learned nit just promoting Convo By Design but the work I did at Playboy and in broadcast radio over two decades. This is another edition of the Wellness and Design Thought Leadership Series presented by ThermaSol with The Promotion of Design. Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out.

Alex, Breegan, Jeanne and John…thank you. Thank you ThermaSol and Walker Zanger for your support. And, thank you for listening. Without you, there is no joy in doing this, you are appreciated. My hope is to bring you inspiration and sublime design through these conversations. To give you that extra push to be the most creative designer you can be. I think we did that here. Please make sure you are subscribing to the show so you don’t miss a single episode. You can also follow us on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign, with an “x” and convo by design dot com. Be well and remember to take today first.

Lone Star House of Design | Beth Bender of The Dove Agency

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This is Lone Star House of Design, a podcast about all things design and architecture from the Great State of Texas. This week, you are going to hear from Beth Bender, co-founder of the Dove Agency, a strategic planning firm based in Dallas. If the name sounds familiar, it is. Beth Moderated a recent panel for Lone Star House of Design and I invited her back because the work she and her firm does deserves some love. The Dove Agency provides back office support for design professionals. They are good at what they do and I thought you should hear more about them. This conversation covers all of the topics that keep design professionals up at night. Beth and I explore financial health of a design firm, social media and marketing… And the, Beth explains much of how she attacks these issues to help their clients achieve by not having to focus on these issues.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Lone Star House of Design. Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find  Lone Star House of Design and Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out.

Thank you, Beth, much appreciated. Thank you Walker Zanger and ThermaSol for your support and Thank you for subscribing and downloading the show and If you are not already, please subscribe so you catch every episode of Lone Star House of design and Convo By Design the moment they are published. You can also ask your smart speaker to play Convo By Design.

And if you REALLY want more, follow along, ConvoByDesign.Com and @ConvoXDesign with an “X” on Instagram. For show inquiries, sponsorship and guest inquiries, email me ConvoByDesign@outlook.com. Be well and until next week, keep creating.

The State of Design : Colorado | 313 | Wellness & Design Thought Leadership Series

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This is Convo By Design with a spotlight on the state of design in Colorado, part of the Wellness and Thought Leadership Series presented by ThermaSol. Colorado is America’s playground with four seasons, almost any recreational activity one can imagine and a fun-loving, adventurous spirit. This draws a wide variety of individuals and an abundance of opportunities for crafting unique and spectacular design. With opportunity come equal challenges from harsh weather conditions to extreme topography but Colorado’s pioneering spirit endures.

This conversation features architect, Kim Raymond of Kim Raymond Architecture and interiors and Michael Rath, President and Director of Design Services for Trilogy Partners. We are talking about the frontier with extreme conditions, just about any outdoor activity you can enjoy and extreme building and design conditions. If you live and design in Colorado, this is a must-listen, and if you are outside Colorado, you are going to be inspired, I promise.

By the way, are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out. Okay, Let’s get to it…

I am incredibly proud to partner with ThermaSol on this initiative called the Wellness and Design Thought Leadership Series. These panel conversations feature smart, innovative design thought leaders talking about issues affecting us all in the business today. I’m working with ThermaSol for the second year now and I have had the opportunity to get to know Mitch Altman, third generation of this family owned and operated business. This company was built on innovation. Their origin story is impressive and the products are innovative, they showcase not only the increased interest for wellness in todays ground breaking design but the need for smart showers, steam and spa-like luxury in the bathroom. If you are not incorporating smart steam showers into every bathroom you design, you are missing out on an opportunity to increase the per bathroom budget and provide clients with something they desperately want. Enjoy the episode of Convo By Design and the Wellness and Design Thought Leadership Series featuring Kim Raymond, Michael Rath and the wild frontier of design, Colorado.

Thank you Kim and Michael. Thank you Walker Zanger for your continued support of Convo By Design, thank you ThermaSol for presenting the Wellness and Design Leadership series, and thank you for listening, without you, what’s the point. If you are not already a subscriber to the show, what are you waiting for, it’s easy. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Ask your smart speaker to play Convo By Design, it’s really that easy. Follow along on the socials and check out our YouTube channel for videos from some of your favorite episodes, like this one from ThermaSol’s Wellness and Design Thought Leadership series. Thanks again for listening to the show, keep creating and remember to take today first.

https://www.walkerzanger.com

https://www.thermasol.com

https://www.kimraymondarchitects.com/

https://trilogybuilds.com/

https://www.convobydesign.com

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