Breegan Jane is an LA Mom and lifestyle blogger. An experienced and accomplished interior designer, Breegan’s resume boasts enterprises that span the gamut, from custom designing personal creative music studios to managing international real estate projects with full staff. Her design savvy is well sought after by clients in almost every industry, including a double platinum-selling recording artist, for whom she designed an elaborate home complete with a tailored wardrobe room.
Breegan honed her design skills working as creative director and marketing professional for a luxury yacht manufacturer. She staged yachts in-house and traveled internationally for consultations with her Dubai clientele. Those unique experiences set the stage for more exceptional design opportunities. And hopefully, this has set the stage for my chat with Breegan.
2019 brought my first visit back to KBIS. It was back in Las Vegas and between KBIS, the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show and IBS, International Builders Show presents an opportunity for designers and architects to see miles of aisles featuring some of the most unique, stunning and important products and services in the business. I have spoken with hundreds of creatives and what you tell me, with consistency, is that you don’t have the time you need to research new products. This is how you do it and I was reminded just how important this part of the business is. Major events like this also provides an opportunity to see old friends, make new ones and attend parties to recharge and reconnect. I attended the Subzero Wolf party which featured the full product line as well as cooking displays from some truly talented chefs putting Subzero and Wolf appliances to the test.
I walked on average, about 4 miles a day and saw hundreds of products. I spoke to a few people that I thought you might find of interest. First up was a boutique architectural hardware company from Southern California called Mockett.
MOCKETT
You are always looking to hide cables, make outlets disappear and if you do have to see them, find a way to incorporate it into your design. Next up is Bosch. Furnaces, heat ing and cooling. The last 7 years have brought some really wacky weather across the West and the country as a whole. Traditionally in Southern California these, while not an afterthought, has not been high on the list. I think it is safe to say heating and cooling is a critical part of the build, remodel or reimagined design. Some things to consider.
BOSCH
I thought this was an interesting take on temperature controls. Now, this next product was like a little treasure for me. Accoustiblock is the product and they specialize in noise abatement. It was important to me because noise pollution is probably one of the most ignored element in building and design. I record from a home studio. I can’t record in the morning on trash day and I know when all the gardeners come. I know most of the dogs and their barking habits but that really a crap shoot.
ACCOUSTIBLOCK
I think sound management is the new air quality concern. As our communities grown more dense and in cities like LA where infill projects absorb every available square foot and with that comes construction noise, more neighbors, more cars, just more noise. This interrupts sleep, work and relaxation. It affects work life and life at home. I once had to work in New York for a week and I thought I was going to lose my mind because the sheer amount of nose. And it rarely stopped. I realized the difference when I got back home. If you are thinking about noise abatement, check them out. By the way, none of these appearances were paid for. I interviewed them because I was genuinely interested and I thought you would be as well. So, three very different products that I thought were incredibly cool and useful.
Thank you for listening to this episode of Convo By Design. Have you subscribed to the podcast? Are you checking out the videos on YouTube? You can see videos from the episodes like all three of the products featured on this episode. I know I am asking for a lot here, please also join in the conversation on twitter, instagram and facebook. As always, if you have a question about the show, a submission or idea for an upcoming episode, you can reach me at convo by design at outlook dot com. If you need links to everything mentioned above, you can find it in the show notes. Thanks for listening.
I met Erinn Valencich in 2011. I was producing the Small Space, Big Style design house. Her work, her demeanor, everything about the way she worked was professional and made her such a joy to work with. Now, many years later, I had the opportunity to sit down with Erinn again and discuss design, the state of design here in Southern California and some ground breaking plans she has in store for you in the coming months ahead. Erinn is starting a new business venture, a digital business geared towards making the business of design more efficient. And, having produced this podcast for over 5 years and speaking with over 350 creatives, you have told me that this is something you desperately want and need right now. This is Erinn V. in her own words explaining to you how the business is changing and how it directly affects you.
Please make sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating, review and join in the conversation! @ConvoXDesign on Instagram and @ConvoByDesign on twitter.
Ryan Saghian has been called the “go-to designer” for those looking for luxurious interiors. He is an unapologetic millennial and that is one of the reasons I enjoy my conversations with him as much as I do. Ryan and I first me a few years ago when he’d designed a space in the Wattle’s Mansion showcase house. i was covering the project and if you want to see a segment of that original conversation, please visit the Convo By Design YouTube channel and scroll back a few years. Ryan gave me one of my favorite design quotes that I offer up now and then. To paraphrase, Ryan explains how he advises clients to be quiet and let him do his job. There is a reason they became a surgeon and he became a designer. Just let him do his job. And he’s right. Saghian is an aggressive designer who attacks the space with luxurious finishes and creative use of space.
He uses that same approach in communication which makes him an extremely fun interview. I hope you enjoy this conversation with designer, Ryan Saghian.
I took a ride to Palm Desert to meet some of the designers responsible for changing the face of the Coachella Valley into what has grown from an aging desert community into a dynamic canvas dappled with extraordinary design. I met these creatives at the Cambria Surfaces showroom on El Paseo in Palm Desert.
Before we get into this, I want to thank you for listening to Convo By Design. It has been six years and we are doing more than we ever have before. This year alone, Convo By Design will be at Modernism Week, KBIS, Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, WestWeek, LCDQ Legends, Fall Market and of course, WestEdge Design Fair. Make sure you catch every episode so you don’t miss any of the most significant design and architecture events in Southern California. Subscribe to the show wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
Special thanks to Dann Foley, Dorothy Willett, Fernando Diaz, Adel Cygelman, Michael Wrusch, Nicole Perrault, all the great folks at Cambria Surfaces, to my friends at Sub-Zero, Wolf, Cove, Snyder Diamond, Vondom and Article for your support and making this podcast possible. And thank you for listening, subscribing, rating the show on iTunes and coming out to the events to say ‘hello’. I love it, and I appreciate you. Until next week, keep creating.
George Smart is an archivist with a passion for Modernist design and architecture. He is also the Executive Director of US Modernist and North Carolina Modernist Houses. Both nonprofit organizations exist to identify, document and preserve Modernist design.
George and I have known each other for some time now and reconnected at Modernism Week in Palm Springs earlier this year. George and I met at the Cambria Surfaces showroom in Palm Dessert. It was great catching up with George and I am really pleased to share this conversation with you.
Before we get into this, I want to thank you for listening to Convo By Design. It has been six years and we are doing more than we ever have before. This year alone, Convo By Design will be at Modernism Week, KBIS, Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, WestWeek, LCDQ Legends, Los Angeles Design Festival, Fall Market and of course, WestEdge Design Fair. Make sure you catch every episode so you don’t miss any of the most significant design and architecture events in Southern California. Subscribe to the show wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design recorded in the Living Kitchen Studio with a trip back to Modernism Week in Palm Springs for a sit down with some of the all-star team of designers who worked on this years Christopher Kennedy Compound. Christopher has done a magnificent job on this project over the years and this offering is no exception. This golf course home is everything you could ask for if you are looking to channel the Mid-Century Modern architecture straight out of the swanky, atomic-era 1950’s. This project is the official shophouse of Modernism Week and it features some remarkable creatives. I sat with a few in the backyard to ask about the experience and inspiration for the project.
Before we get into this, I want to thank you for listening to Convo By Design. It has been six years and we are doing more than we ever have before. This year alone, Convo By Design will be at Modernism Week, KBIS, Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, WestWeek, LCDQ Legends, Los Angeles Design Festival, Fall Market and of course, WestEdge Design Fair. Make sure you catch every episode with upcoming activities. Subscribe to the show wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
This was so much fun. Special thanks to everyone from the Christopher Kennedy Compound including; Nancy Joseph, Keith Fortner, Lisa McDennon, Kelly Green, Gordon Kurtis and Christopher Kennedy. Thank you to my friends at Sub-Zero, Wolf, Cove, Snyder Diamond, Vondom and Article for your support and making this podcast possible. And thank you for listening, subscribing, rating the show on iTunes and coming out to the events to say ‘hello’. I love it, and I appreciate you. See you next week.
Some designers have a signature look while others practice a signature process. Designer John McClain is a blender and bender of styles to achieve unique and unforgettable looks. John is bi-coastal with offices in Florida and California. His signature style really is in his approach which makes him truly unique and worthy of watching. I believe in the art forms that are design and architecture. When speaking with a designer like John, I am in my element because I can ask questions that might get a sideways look from another designer. I ask questions like these to break the information down into small bites, then rebuild a concept so the non-designer can understand it. I really enjoyed my chat with John. He knows the look he is trying to achieve which enables him to experiment a bit more and to me, that is where design gets really exciting.
Before we get into this, I want to thank you for listening to Convo By Design. It has been six years and we are doing more than we ever have before. This year alone, Convo By Design will be at Modernism Week, KBIS, Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, WestWeek, LCDQ Legends, Los Angeles Design Festival, Fall Market and of course, WestEdge Design Fair. Make sure you catch every episode with upcoming activities. Subscribe to the show wherever you get your favorite podcasts. This is John McClain
Designer Chris Barrett creates bold and breathtaking design by blending color, light and materials. Her looks infuse global influence into California culture.
This conversation was recorded in the actual Living Kitchen Studio inside the Santa Monica Snyder Diamond showroom. Chris and I had a great conversation and I learned some things about the business side of design that I think you will really appreciate. As you listen to this episode, you are going to hear about some of the fundamental differences a creative must address as it relates to working for a big firm or going off and starting their own. Never before has this been so important. There is security working for someone else. But there are tax advantages now if you are a business owner. At the same time, when you are a business owner, you have total creative freedom, not so when you are working for someone else.
These are not new ideas, but Chris has some really strong concepts and she shares them with you. She also shares her creative process and ways she processes her looks and design aesthetic. This is designer Chris Barrett.
Tatiana Mandelli created Tidelli in Brazil and now lives here in Los Angeles. The Tidelli brand is growing rapidly because their rope outdoor furniture is fun, vibrant, comfortable and different. The company has a fearless approach to furnishings through the styles, colors or designers they embrace. I met Tatiana through Cesar Giraldo. Cesar is one of my absolute favorites. You have heard him on the show and if you came to visit me at WestEdge Design Fair where Convo By Design presented the programming lounge, the Tidelli lounge was just outside and there was this video of Cesar dancing in a gold suit, it was this crazy dream sequence video and after three days, it was permanently burned into memory. That presentation is the same approach Tatiana takes to the whole business. She is fearless. And that is great, there should be more people like Tatiana. I hope you enjoy this conversation. if you do. Please share the show with a friend who might enjoy it as well.
You are listening to my conversation with Tidelli founder, Tatiana Mandelli . Tatiana has an amazing company with unique designs, vibrant colors and a fearless approach to design. Fearless is not easy, no matter how some creatives seem to make it appear. You need a good team supporting you, you need resources. I hope you consider Convo By Design as one of those resources.
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