Category Archives: Uncategorized

2020 Pasadena Showcase House | 296 | Part Four of a Four Part Series

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This is Convo By Design with a four-part special from one of my favorite showcase projects, the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts presented in a whole new way. Of course, because it’s 2020..

I have put together a four-part special about the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts and this year’s presentation is vastly different from what you have become used to. This is a combination of live and phone recorded interviews with the designers from this year’s showcase. Live, yes, I did make the journey to the house, and while I saw it, I did not see every room, I spent the majority of my time by the pool, sadly working because like you, I could use a pool day. I didn’t get to really dig into every room as I usually do, but I did want you to hear from the designers of this year’s home and I am turning this into four episodes.

This is episode 4 featuring; Jhoiey Ramirez & Jeanne Chung

This was so much fun, I love design houses and I know you do too. This year, Pasadena Showcase is going virtual and if you want to see their presentation, please go to Pasadena showcase dot org for virtual tour tickets and information.

Thank you Walker Zanger for your continued support of the show and thank you for listening, were it not for you, there would be no Convo By Design. Please make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss a single episode. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you get your favorite podcasts. You can also ask your smart device to play Convo By Design, and it will. If you want to continue the conversation, you can find us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign, with and “X”. Be well, and until next week…Keep creating.

2020 Pasadena Showcase House | 295 | Part Three of a Four Part Series

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This is Convo By Design with a four-part special from one of my favorite showcase projects, the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts presented in a whole new way. Of course, because it’s 2020. I have put together a four-part special about the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts and this year’s presentation is vastly different from what you have become used to. This is a combination of live and phone recorded interviews with the designers from this year’s showcase. Live, yes, I did make the journey to the house, and while I saw it, I did not see every room, I spent the majority of my time by the pool, sadly working because like you, I could use a pool day. I didn’t get to really dig into every room as I usually do, but I did want you to hear from the designers of this year’s home and I am turning this into four episodes. 

This is episode 3 featuring:

Pamela Sandall, Shari Tipich, Jake Galang and Fiona Lau

There you go, check them out. This was so much fun, I love design houses and I know you do too. This year, Pasadena Showcase is going virtual and if you want to see their presentation, please go to Pasadena showcase dot org for virtual tour tickets and information. 

Thank you Walker Zanger for your continued support of the show and thank you for listening, were it not for you, there would be no Convo By Design. Please make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss a single episode. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you get your favorite podcasts. You can also ask your smart device to play Convo By Design, and it will. If you want to continue the conversation, you can find us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign, with and “X”. Be well, and until next week…Keep creating.

2020 Pasadena Showcase House | 294 | Part Two of a Four Part Series

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This is Convo By Design with a four-part special from one of my favorite showcase projects, the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts presented in a whole new way. Of course, because it’s 2020.

I have put together a four-part special about the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts and this year’s presentation is vastly different from what you have become used to. This is a combination of live and phone recorded interviews with the designers from this year’s showcase. Live, yes, I did make the journey to the house, and while I saw it, I did not see every room, I spent the majority of my time by the pool, sadly working because like you, I could use a pool day. I didn’t get to really dig into every room as I usually do, but I did want you to hear from the designers of this year’s home and I am turning this into four episodes. This episode features:

Christine Jahan, Barbie Palomino, Laura Muller, and Susan Sawasy.

There you go, check them out. Back to coverage from the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts. This was so much fun, I love design houses and I know you do too. This year, Pasadena Showcase is going virtual and if you want to see their presentation, please go to Pasadena showcase dot org for virtual tour tickets and information.

Thank you Walker Zanger for your continued support of the show and thank you for listening, were it not for you, there would be no Convo By Design. Please make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss a single episode. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you get your favorite podcasts. You can also ask your smart device to play Convo By Design, and it will. If you want to continue the conversation, you can find us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign, with and “X”. Be well, and until next week…Keep creating.

2020 Pasadena Showcase House | 293 | Part One of a Four Part Series

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This is Convo By Design with a four-part special from one of my favorite showcase projects, the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts presented in a whole new way. Of course, because it’s 2020.

I have put together a four-part special about the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts and this year’s presentation is vastly different from what you have become used to. This is a combination of live and phone recorded interviews with the designers from this year’s showcase. Live, yes, I did make the journey to the house, and while I saw it, I did not see every room, I spent the majority of my time by the pool, sadly working because like you, I could use a pool day. I didn’t get to really dig into every room as I usually do, but I did want you to hear from the designers of this year’s home and I am turning this into four episodes. This episode features:

Janinie Gregory, Stephanie Hatten, Chad Morrell from California Waterscapes and Greg Parker

There you go, check them out. Back to coverage from the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts. This was so much fun, I love design houses and I know you do too. This year, Pasadena Showcase is going virtual and if you want to see their presentation, please go to Pasadena showcase dot org for virtual tour tickets and information.

Thank you Walker Zanger for your continued support of the show and thank you for listening, were it not for you, there would be no Convo By Design. Please make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss a single episode. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you get your favorite podcasts. You can also ask your smart device to play Convo By Design, and it will. If you want to continue the conversation, you can find us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign, with and “X”. Be well, and until next week…Keep creating.

Lone Star House of Design | 11 | Lindley Arthur

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This is Lone Star | House of Design, produced and distributed by the team that brings you Convo By Design with another story about design and architecture from the Great State of Texas featuring Dallas based designer, Lindley Arthur and a chat about the pivot, second careers, and making every opportunity count…

If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that you have to keep your head on a swivel. Keep an eye out for the next opportunity, maximize the work you’re doing now, and stay busy, keep moving. Lindley Arthur is a design pro who was previously a PR pro. She knows that part of the game and has used that to build her own firm. Smart. This is Lindley Arthur.

Thank you, Lindley, I appreciate you, your work, and that approach to growth, now more than ever. Please subscribe to the show so you catch every episode of Lone Star House of Design and Convo By Design, ask Alexa or Siri, say, “Hey Siri, Play Convo By Design” and she will. You can follow the show on the socials as well, @ConvoXDesign with an “X” on Instagram, and check out the YouTube channel for videos from some of your favorite episodes. Thank you for listening and until next week, be well and keep creating.

Caitlin Murray of Black Lacquer Design | 292 | A Fresh Perspective

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Caitlin Murray is the founder and creative director of Black Lacquer Design. Murray cut her teeth in the industry working for high profile firms, House of Honey and MASHstudios. So, when the time came for her to hang her shingle, she did it with confidence knowing that she did the work and knows her craft. Every week we meet and you hear the story of another creative doing amazing work. In these conversations, we talk about the work, but most importantly, we talk about the journey. Every creative has their own story because we all walk our own path. If we’re lucky, we don’t walk it alone. We have people who influence us along the way, who guide us, who provide inspiration. Yes, we talk about the work on this podcast because it is important, but even more important is the journey. I love bringing you these stories. Here is another that I think you will appreciate with Black Lacquer founder, Caitlin Murray.

If you enjoy the podcast, and I hope you do, please subscribe to the show everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. You can also follow along online, Convo By Design dot com and on Instagram @ ConvoXDesign, with an “x”.

Thank you, Caitlin, loved this. Thank you Walker Zanger for your continued support and thank you for listening.

Please make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss a single episode. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you get your favorite podcasts. You can also ask your smart device to play Convo By Design, and it will. If you want to continue the conversation, you can find us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign, with and “X”. Be well, and until next week…Keep creating.

Imagine A World WITHOUT Frank Lloyd Wright | 291 | A Conversation That Would Thoroughly Annoy Him

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A conversation of his work and influence in the abstract would, no doubt perk up the prickly side of Frank Lloyd Wright who never seemed to pass on an opportunity to share his thoughts regardless of how they might be perceived. The cantankerous side of Frank Lloyd Wright was a gift second only to his work. It made things so much more interesting.

Around the time I was writing panel concepts for the Convo By Design Programming Lounge at WestEdge in 2019, I saw a movie that posed the question, what would the world be like if only one person remembered the Beatles… That made me think, what was Frank Lloyd Wright’s impact beyond the work itself? That is exactly what was pondered and explored by this incredible panel. Featuring Margaret Bach of Margaret Bach Design, Carlo Caccavale, Executive Director at American Institute of Architects, David Coffey, Director of The Design Thinking Academy, and Michael Lehrer of Lehrer Architects. This group of luminaries is led by moderator and educator, Carol Bishop who masterfully navigates this idea in a conversation called Modern World, Life Without Frank Lloyd Wright.

Wow, okay. This was a great chat, thank you, Margaret, Carlo, David, and Michael. Thank you Carol for navigating this strange idea and leading this excellent conversation. Thank you Walker Zanger  for your continued support and thank you for listening.

Please make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss a single episode. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you get your favorite podcasts. You can also ask your smart device to play Convo By Design, and it will. If you want to continue the conversation, you can find us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign, with and “X”. Be well, and until next week…Keep creating.

Lone Star House of Design | 10 | Shelly Rosenberg

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Lone Star | House of Design, produced and distributed by the team that brings you Convo By Design with another story about design and architecture from the Great State of Texas featuring Dallas based designer, Shelly Rosenberg and a chat about meaningful and universal design…

Shelly Rosenberg is a kind, purposeful and caring person and these also are core values in her work. Shelly is an advocate for those that need more specialized care and attention to their surroundings. She gives of her time freely to many organizations like Dwelll with Dignity and The Rise School in Dallas which serves children with disabilities and special needs. Shelly is also somewhat of a treasure hunter around Texas and the southwest. So, settle in, start your run, workout or journey through the virtual design center you’re visiting as you listen to this episode with designer, Shelly Rosenberg. A favor as you do, if not already, please subscribe to the show so you you don’t miss an episode of Lone Star House of Design or Convo By Design.

Thank you Shelly, I appreciate you, your work and what you do for your community. Please subscribe to the show so you catch every episode of Lone Star House of Design and Convo By Design, ask Alexa or Siri, say, “Hey Siri, Play Convo By Design” and she will. You can follow the show on the socials as well, @ConvoXDesign with an “X” on Instagram and check out the YouTube channel for videos from some of your favorite episodes. Thank you for listening and until next week, be well and Keep creating.

Saying Goodbye to a SoCal Design Luminary | 290 | Jeff Sampson

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Jeff Sampson was the Vice President of Marketing at the Pacific Design Center, a role he held since the later part of 2013. One of Jeff’s most notable contributions to our design community was to refocus PDC efforts of the annual West Week and Fall Market events. He did this through creative programming and a non-partisan approach to media partners. If you were a strong partner, it didn’t matter how long you were around. Jeff and I met in 2014, shortly after I started Convo By Design. I approached Jeff with an idea. I wanted to be a media partner that would record and feature Pacific Design Center programming to the trade. The podcast was brand new. The Pacific Design Center would recognize Convo By Design as a media partner which provided me a wonderful opportunity to introduce the idea of podcasting and on-demand audio to the SoCal design community. Jeff said ‘yes’, he didn’t have to do that. But he did, because that is the kind of person Jeff was. The type of person who would listen to you if you had an idea, because he was curious and because he cared. He was an excellent marketer, too. 7 years ago, not many in the trade knew what a podcast was, but Jeff recognized that he could get his remarkable programs out to more of the people, for whom he was working hard to serve, the trade partners and showrooms of the Pacific Design Center in particular and the design community as a whole would benefit.

Jeff Sampson had a 20 year career in marketing with the past 6 at the PDC. He had hundreds of friends and admirers in the design community. Jeff also had a life outside of design, where many more will miss him. They will miss him around the holidays, when Jeff would slow down and spend time with family and friends, at happy hour, which was kind of like an any-time holiday.

Jeff loved Doris Day and also had an affinity for Rhoda and Phyllis in TV and in real life, recognizing and appreciating all their imperfections. He loved traveling and sharing his experiences. He loved Paris “when it drizzles”, and “when it sizzles.” Jeff had style, he had grace and he took his exit too soon.

I wanted to honor Jeff the best way I know how, and that would be through sharing him in his own words. This is a conversation I had with Jeff in 2015. He was episode 15 of Convo By Design which means this episode was recorded and aired within months of starting the podcast. We met at his office in the PDC. This is Jeff Sampson.

That was my conversation with Jeff Sampson from 2015. Jeff was gracious with his time and his partnership. He was a good friend and amazing supporter of the Southern California design community. To those of you who knew Jeff well and called him a friend, I’m so sorry for your loss. I want to thank Jeff for his time and his incredible contribution to Convo By Design, I also want to thank you for listening. You make this podcast possible and it is comforting to know that we all share in the work and we can also share the grief at times like these. Please make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss an episode and if you want to continue this conversation, you can find us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign, with and “X”. Be well, and until next week…Keep creating.

The Modern Smart Home | 289 | Function vs. Fiction

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Our homes are getting smarter. Designers and architects are being given the tools to increase the IQ of the home by making it more functional, using smart devices to perform new functions, and with this comes confusion and challenges in making all of the individual parts work together. This conversation is the latest edition of A Moment of Zen, conversations presented by Thermasol that explore designing for wellness and tranquility.

This chat features designer John McClain, technology integration expert, Dave Raines, and Patrick Weidl from Thermasol. We are talking about tech, integration, and making it all work together within the design.

Thank you, John, Dave, and Patrick, this was great. Thank you Thermasol for presenting A Moment of Zen, thank you Walker Zanger for your continued support. And, thank you for listening to the show.

Please make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss a single episode. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you get your favorite podcasts. You can also ask your smart device to play Convo By Design, and it will. If you want to continue the conversation, you can find us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign, with and “X”. Be well, and until next week…Keep creating.