Tag Archives: AJ Madison

KBIS Confidential | 583 | Everything You Need to Know About Extraordinary Outdoor Entertaining

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:35 — 64.0MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

Outdoor living, the new frontier for everything from maximizing enjoyment of external spaces, outdoor entertainment and outdoor kitchens. New modalities generating a renewed interest in cultivated design of said spaces by some of the most talented creatives working today. From entertainment spaces to full blown ultra-luxe outdoor kitchens and everything in between with opportunities available for just about any (realistic) budget. Outdoor design is changing rapidly due to a number of factors. Those factors include modified use due to changing circumstances, client desire, increased cost of goods all in an outdoor spaces that are not as predictable as they used to be. So, we are going to chop it up a little bit and provide some practical solutions for designers, architects, landscape architects and design-build firms looking to up their outdoor entertainment game.

This conversation features; Jessica Petrino Ball, Director of Trade and Education | AJ Madison, Robert Bell, Landscape Architect | Bell Design

  • Outdoor living
  • UL Rated appliances for outdoor use
  • 4-season living
  • Appliance finish combinations
  • Multi-functional outdoor covered spaces
  • Project approach and design application
  • Partnerships and industry partnerships
  • Managing expectations
  • Understanding winterizing and appliance upkeep
  • Zones for outdoor living applications

KBIS Confidential: Luxe for Less | 579 | Achieving Perfect Results on Budget in a More Expensive Environment with a Cost Conscious Clientele

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:13 — 78.6MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

Many if not most clients will confess that the reason they employ the services of a designer, architect and landscape architect is because the way they live is not congruent with the way they wish to live. What many clients don’t realize is that a superpower great designers bring to every project is the ability to reduce costs through product knowledge and application of skill. Explore the rapidly changing design space and learn how to craft that perfect environment on a budget through strategic choices, waste reduction, strategic customization and an understanding for how the industry is changing. Stay ahead of the curve and thrive. We will explore how tariffs, supply chain snags and inflation continue to drive costs as well as specification strategies to value engineer every project and achieve that desired look for less.

This conversation features Alena Capra, Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designer | Alena Capra Design, Jessica Petrino Ball, Director of Trade and Education | AJ Madison and Tony Disilvestro Topics of conversation include;

  • Providing a Bespoke Experience
  • Value Engineering & Building Value Through Strategic Specification
  • Does Luxury REALLY mean Expensive? Breakdown strategic approach
  • Activating the Designer/ Showroom/ Manufacturer Partnerships
  • Brand Loyalty Vs. Mixing to Achieve Expectations
  • Psychological Approach to Design
  • Appliances Beyond the Kitchen
  • How Appliances Spark Joy
  • Using these and other strategies to raise design to meet expectations for less

What a remarkable experience. I believe that KBIS is one of the annual must-attend events. Not just for all the reasons listed above, but so many others as well. KBIS is the pulse of the industry in America. It represents a true cross section of disciplines. You will see architects, landscape architects, designers, contractors, design-build firms, hospital, education, prison design specialists all looking for new products to specify and unique ways to use them. 

Thank you to the NKBA, KBIS, Emerald, Flying Camel, AJMadison and all of the amazing creatives who came on the show. The KBIS Podcast Studio was  just extraordinary. 

Thank you for listening to Convo By Design Presents KBIS Confidential. As always, please join in the conversation on Instagram @convoXdesign with an “X” and, if you would like to reach me with a note, show or guest suggestion, please do. Email me, convo by design @ outlook.com.

Until next time, stay focused and rise above the chaos. – Convo By Design

KBIS Confidential: Beyond the Blueprint | 577 | A Personal Approach to Design with Moen

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:40 — 79.2MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

The series is called KBIS Confidential – Creative Conversations LIVE from KBIS 2025. This 7-week series will be published every Wednesday.

Many of the worlds most innovative brands began with an “aha” moment. Moen’s “aha” moment came in 1937, Seattle when Al Moen’s old fashioned handle broke off in his hand. That moment led to the inspiration for the single-handed faucet, a revolutionary moment in plumbing and the beginning of a story that continues to evolve. It’s been said that industrial designers are a combination of engineer, therapist, artisan and sales professional.

Where does the next big idea come from, how is it ideated, modeled, rendered and selected for production? How are aesthetic, functionality and materiality selected. And how do these ideas relate to trends and market data?

This is the story of brand evolution through product development. Where science and engineering collide with the playful mindset. The anatomy of brand attraction and the importance of design while respecting the products that deliver our most valuable resource, water. featuring; Sam Cahill, Lead Industrial Designer, Moen and House of Rohl Alisha Snyder, Sr. Industrial Designer, Moen. Concepts discussed include:

  • Anatomy of the Moen brand
  • The value of Trends and market data
  • Selling an idea
  • How designs are ideated, modeled, rendered and selected
  • Market data sets
  • Geographic influence
  • From draft to showroom. The process.
  • Working with the design community
  • Generating a reaction
  • Brand evolution. What’s next?

Thank you KBIS for allowing me the opportunity to host the KBIS Podcast Studio presented by AJ Madison! Loved this experience. -CXD