This is Convo By Design. Joining me in the studio, virtually of course, is architect and president of Historical Concepts, Andrew Cogar. Andrew is an architect, author , graduate of the University of Miami and a veteran. He served as a Combat Engineer Officer with the United States Army. Cogar recently wrote a book covering some truly incredible architecture. We are talking about urbanism, design, crafting some truly exquisite architecture that stands the test of time. That concept is really interesting to me because we know that architects don’t create for tomorrow but for decades of tomorrows. The book, Visions of Home: Timeless Design, Modern Sensibility delves into the the design and decoration behind traditional architecture with a focus on keeping up with the modern ideals that continue to challenge designers.
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, Andrew for coming on and sharing your story. 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.
This is Convo By Design with another installment of The Showroom featuring Jonathan Marvel. We are talking about urban development, functional city planning and sustainable design to put it simply. We are diving deep into some extraordinary work that is influencing a new direction in architecture.
Jon Marvel is a highly decorated architect with offices in New York and his home, Puerto Rico. He is creating some elegant and exquisite modern work in some of the most highly congested spaces using sustainable materials and adding green spaces. When I use the word, ‘elegant’ as a descriptor, it’s not a throw-away line, it is heartfelt. We are going to focus on some of his projects here so you can hear the methods and strategy behind the work itself. Because that is what we do here. Thank you Walker Zanger for your partnership on this project. The Showroom is a collaborative effort between Walker Zanger and Convo By Design. We look to deconstruct the work through conversations with their creators. We do this to better understand how the work serves those who use these spaces as well as to understand and improve how the industry can better serve those who create. Enjoy this episode fo Convo By Design featuring architect, Jon Marvel.
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, Jon for joining us in The Showroom. 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.
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.
“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.”
“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.”
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
