Tag Archives: architecture

Icon Registry Induction for February 2024 | 488 | Cara Woodhouse

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a very special episode. Part of a new series of the show and something that I have been considering for quite some time but I specifically wanted to complete year 10 of the show before I rolled this out. 

Do you know that in the 11+ years of Convo By Design, I have published over 450 episodes, spoken with over 600 creatives, produced over 5 dozen panel conversations for design events across the country. From all of these amazing conversations with the worlds greatest creative talent, I wanted. to start enshrining some of these individuals into the Convo By Design Icon Registry, a hall of fame if you will.

I don’t do contests and I most certainly don’t do lists. Lists are gimmicks designed to capture clicks. They are, click bait pure and simple. You cannot tell me that a list of 50, 75 or 100 designers and architects are the absolute best at what they do without providing context. Lists are created in the hopes that those who are being listed will promote the accolades and that attention will be driven back to the author of the list. And contests where creatives have to reach out to their base to get them to vote for them is just wrong in my opinion. Because, if someone is amazing at what they do… Celebrate that, no strings attached. And that is what we are going to do here. 

Now, the criteria… Each inductee has been a guest on Convo By Design. They have a body of work that is exceptional in their various disciplines and there is no justification required for their world class status. They give back to the industry, they are innovators, givers and make our industry better than they found it. This project is called the Convo By Design Icon Registry, because that is what this is, tantamount to a hall of fame, but more. What is an ICON? Described as an icon; A person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration. A registry is a well curated list. You can consider this a venerable who’s who in our industry with gifts to offer and a willingness to share. Pablo Picasso is credited with saying, “the meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away”. Now, I am not suggesting that those enshrined in the Icon Registry have all just been giving away their gifts. These are professionals of the highest order and part of being a professional is knowing your worth and understanding your value. Each of these individuals have appeared on Convo By Design, shared what they know for the betterment of others, and I am deeply appreciative for that. This is the most authentic way that I can express my gratitude for that. As deeply appreciative as I am for their sharing, I am equally grateful for your taking the time to share a few moments, an hour out of your busy schedule each week to listen to the show. Again, the most authentic way that I can express that gratitude is to give you an opportunity to hear them again. Every month, the last Thursday of the month, unless it’s a holiday week, in which case I will publish a week sooner, I will share a new inductee with you.

This creative is, to me an extraordinary example of what it means to be a modern designer. Not as in her aesthetic or style is purely modern but instead, her understanding of the design universe and being universally adroit at presenting traditional materials in new ways, expertly navigating space gracefully, seamlessly and yet sparking emotion in, again unique and different ways. Cara Woodhouse is crafty, creative and her work begins and ends with a full understanding of what she is working with in terms of space, desires, needs and materiality. Woodhouse isn’t a joanna come lately, she isn’t a reality TV star designer. She’s paid her dues. Ive not just covered her professionally for the podcast, but I have been the beneficiary of her work. When I was the general manager and program director for Playboy Radio, I spent time at the Beverly Hills Playboy offices, that she designed. Her work is imaginative. It’s exciting. It makes the brain pop and wiggle. Woodhouse is a curator of color, shape and space, mixing and blending all to please the senses and make you wonder, “what if”.

Thank you Cara, for your skill, talent, art willingness to share. It was my honor speaking with you and congratulations. Thank you to my partners and sponsors ThermaSol and Design Hardware for making the show possible. Thank you for taking the time to listen to the show and the feedback I receive. Thanks you for your guest and topic suggestions. If not already, please subscribe to the podcast so you receive every episode automatically to your feed. 

If you are so inclined, please consider following us on Instagram. Convo X Design with an “X” and we can further the conversation. Thank you for listening and until next week, be well, and take today first. -Convo By Design

WestEdge Wednesday No. Nine | 487 | The Importance of Design. A One on One with Cliff Fong

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is another installment of Convo By Design presents WestEdge Wednesday, a look back at all of the incredible programming from the 2023 edition of the WestEdge Design Fair held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. These conversations were held on the stage designed by Marbe Designs and presented by BR Home. This is part 9 in our series and features a conversation with Interior designer, adjudicator, showroom owner, lover of fashion and authentic objects Cliff Fong, whose firm, Matt Blacke, inc., have earned critical acclaim for their authentic and meaningful design. Fong’s new showroom, faire du vert, features indoor and outdoor garden space with an emphasis on architectural vessels and rare plant material. This one-on-one conversation explores form + function leading to spaces that inspire and improve the quality of life. I loved this conversation and I hope you do too. This chat with Cliff was the final talk of the show and it really was the perfect way to put a bow on the experience that was WestEdge this yer. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you to Convo By Design partners and sponsors ThermaSol, Moya Living and Design Hardware for making the podcast possible and thank you for listening and watching these episodes of the show. For links to all our partners, guests on this episode, WestEdge Design Fair, Maybe and BR Home.

For those not familiar …   The Banana Republic lifestyle brand portfolio is known for delivering timeless ready-to-wear styles, and BR Home signals the brand’s transformation into a leading destination for the modern explorer.  Expanding across living room, bedroom and dining room furniture as well as lighting, bedding, and home décor, BR Home showcases materials and craftsmanship from around the world, showcasing signature design details, warm, textural layers, natural materials and traditional production techniques.

Please check the podcast show notes for links and you can find that at Convo By Design dot com and click the podcast tab. Thanks for watching and listening.

Institute of Classical Architecture & Art SoCal Legacy Dinner | 486 | Celebrating Tim Barber

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I’m Josh Cooperman with a very special episode of Convo By Design. We’re recognizing and celebrating the life’s work and accomplishments of an amazing individual. Were welcoming a young new mind into the architecture community and remembering another friend that we lost way too soon. All in one night. Laughs, tears, joy…all from the ICAA Southern California chapter’s Legacy Dinner honoring architect, Tim Barber.

For a few years now, I have had the privilege and the honor of emceeing the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, Southern California Chapter’s annual Legacy Dinner recognizing the life’s work of a member of our community. This year, it was to recognize Tim Barber, a wonderful man, amazing architect, previous guest on the show and liver of life. He’s an absolute gem. This was a special night and I wanted to take you there with me so you could hear everything that transpired. You are going to hear from ICAA SoCal president, Daren Franks. UCLA architecture student, Delia Mizrahi, who went through one of ICAA’s fantastic programs. You are going to hear Marc Appleton’s sweet remembrance of Suzanne Rheinstein and much more. Everything that happened…almost, from this years Legacy dinner. We’ll get to that, right after this.

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Amazing. What a wonderful night! Amazing. Thank you ICAA for allowing me to be a part of this. Thank you to all who participated in this incredible night. If you would like to attend the event this year or join the ICAA SoCal chapter, which I highly recommend,  check the show notes for links.You can hear why I love doing this and this is why it is so rewarding for me to share these stories with you.Thank you to my partners and sponsors, ThermaSol and Design Hardware for your continued and unwavering support of the show and for the design community.

For more stories like these from the design community, please make sure you are subscribing to the podcast, so you receive new episodes automatically when they are published. That way, you never miss an episode. Convo By Design is available everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

WestEdge Wednesday No. Eight | 485 | Next Level Architecture and the Future of Residential Design

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This is another installment of Convo By Design presents WestEdge Wednesday, a look back at all of the incredible programming from the 2023 edition of the WestEdge Design Fair held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. These conversations were held on the stage designed by Marie Designs and presented by BR Home. This is installment number 8 in our series, entitled Next Level Design and the Future of Residential Architecture. The idea of home is evolving in response to social, environmental and cultural changes. How do these changes and innovations affect dwellings built to accommodate current and future needs? Hear from this seasoned panel how modern materials, practices and a change in thoughtful design is leading to another golden age of architecture. This program features an incredible group, Alice Kimm from JFAK Architects, David Pascu of Abramson Architects, Bryn Garrett of EYRC Architects and this conversation is moderated by Duan Tran of KAA Design Group. Thank you to Convo By Design partners and sponsors ThermaSol, Design Hardware for making the podcast possible and thank you for listening and watching these episodes of the show. For links to all our partners, guests on this episode, WestEdge Design Fair, Marbe and BR Home.

For those not familiar …   The Banana Republic lifestyle brand portfolio is known for delivering timeless ready-to-wear styles, and BR Home signals the brand’s transformation into a leading destination for the modern explorer.  Expanding across living room, bedroom and dining room furniture as well as lighting, bedding, and home décor, BR Home showcases materials and craftsmanship from around the world, showcasing signature design details, warm, textural layers, natural materials and traditional production techniques. 

Please check the podcast show notes for links and you can find that at Convo By Design dot com and click the podcast tab. Thanks for watching and listening. CXD

Big DFW Energy, A Look at What Happens to A City When the Population Explodes | 480 | Angeline Guido Hall

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Hello. I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with another virtual trip to Dallas Ft. Worth to talk about exceptional design in and amazing, vibrant metroplex…

If you have been listening to the show for any amount of time, you probably know just how fond I am of Fort Worth/ Dallas. A thriving market that has absolutely exploded in the past 20 years. With that population explosion, came an influx of new art, food, design, architecture, music. When this happens, it usually means gentrification, higher housing costs, infill projects, destruction of older dwellings to make room for new ones. 

Dallas and Fort Worth have seen all of the above. Which is why it is so important for good stewards, talented creatives, really smart designers to be present as well. That is where Angeline Guido Hall comes in. She’s a Dallas native. Studied interior design at TCU. Angeline knows what makes the Metroplex so special. Designs to the strengths… and because of this, she’s leaving her mark on the design landscape. And you’re going to hear her story. Right after this.

What a great chat. You can hear why I love doing this and this is why it is so rewarding for me to share these stories with you.Thank you to my partners and sponsors, ThermaSol and Design Hardware for your continued and unwavering support of the show and for the design community.

For more stories like these from the design community, please make sure you are subscribing to the podcast, so you receive new episodes automatically when they are published. That way, you never miss an episode. Convo By Design is available everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

Sweet Homes of Alabama. Major Cities Could Learn A Thing or Two | 482 | Jeffrey Dungan

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a trip to Alabama. Yes, that Alabama.

I do love sharing the stories of amazing creative types from locales where you would least expect to find them. Jeff Dungan is an extraordinary creative from and remaining in Alabama. Jeff has a gift for clean and modern designs within the framework of traditional architectural ideas. His story and path to architecture is special. His love for rural Alabama is strong and I have come to learn after many years traversing this country of ours that you can learn so much from journeys along the roads less traveled. Many in not most, pretty much all the design and architecture media does not recognize or even pay attention to the design fly-overs and that is to their detriment. Which is also why you should settle in and enjoy this conversation with Jeff Dungan of Jeffery Dungan Architects.

A few announcements before we get into it. Are you enjoying the new content we rolled out so far this year? #WestEdgeWednesdays the Convo By Design #IconRegistry #DrinkingAboutDesign and #TheDesignMessengers. I hope you are. The editorial team wanted to provide a more diverse conversation, to celebrate some of the icons who have appeared on the show, to lean in on the changing nature of the design and architecture industry and collective communities, not the business per se, but the rapidly changing nature of things and how that affects the industry overall. I hope these new brand extensions are providing some inspiration. Make sure that you are subscribing to the show so you receive every new episode automatically when they are published.

Thank you, Jeff. What a great chat. You can hear why I love doing this and this is why it is so rewarding for me to share these stories with you.Thank you to my partners and sponsors, ThermaSol and Design Hardware for your continued and unwavering support of the show and for the design community.

For more stories like these from the design community, please make sure you are subscribing to the podcast, so you receive new episodes automatically when they are published. That way, you never miss an episode. Convo By Design is available everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

The Design Messengers | 481 | Something New about Something Old Times TWO!

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I’m Josh Cooperman, host and publisher of Convo By Design and this is a new series of the show called The Design Messengers. A Monday episode of the show sharing design trade info you need to know. I have three items of interest for you. The loss of another design industry brand, a new Booklook. Call this something old and something new, about something old.

First up, the loss of another iconic brand. Kelly Moore Paints. The global design business doesn’t have enough brands. Think about it, let’s just look at paint… Sherwin Williams, Farrow and Ball, Benjamin Moore, Behr, Valspar, Backdrop, Rust-Oleum. It sounds like a lot but it’s really not when you think about how many residential, commercial and industrial projects need to be served. When one is lost, you have to wonder why and what the ramifications will be.

As of this writing, Kelly-Moore has not announced its closure on the website or socials, which I find disappointing. If you are going to bail, tell your customers first, as loudly as you can. Yes, you will lose sales, but it’s the right thing to do. Thank goodness for good journalism. On Friday, January 12th, Kelly-Moore Paints in Irving, Texas let hundreds of workers go and in a press release, announced what they call a “… Plan of r Orderly, Ou-of-Court Wind Down of Company Operations.” The company pointed to a decades long legal struggle stemming from asbestos litigation. Kelly-Moore estimated legal liabilities in excess of $170 million. A number, they apparently could not overcome.

The company was founded by William Kelly and William Moore in California, 1946 and acquired by Flacks Group in 2022. Tis is a company that was founded on fair value, fair pricing and offering a designer quality paint to the masses. They were one of the largest independents in the country with over $400 million in annual sales.  

From the press release in September 2022, their goals and aspirations were big. “The purchase of Kelly-Moore Paints is part of Flacks Group’s multi-stage investment thesis around industrial companies with strong manufacturing footprints and global distribution. The acquisition, when combined with its existing portfolio company Germany-based Pleuger Industries, puts Flacks Group’s industrial vertical on track to exceed $1 billion in revenues in the next two to three years.” That presser did not age well. 

I have a BookLook for you. A new book by Elizabeth and Ethan Finkelstein. They are the founders of @CheapOldHouses and hosts of HGTV’s show by the same name. I am not a huge fan of the made for TV shows about design these days for one main reason, the are not authentic. They aren’t real when it comes to taste, style and design-build. But i’m not a hater, I just want better. And this show is a favorite of mine. I believe Elizabeth and Ethan, I believe in them. I love old houses, renovations and road trips. All of this is incorporated in the show and when I received the book, I found something more to love. The book is a series of short tories about… cheap old houses. The places, people, kids, dogs and how much these homes cost to buy and restore.

This is a big deal and I will tell you as someone who left LA for a smaller town, lives in an old home and one that is in the process of being reimagined, as you can see through the Tulsa Remote Design House segments on the show and videos on our IG feed. I can tell you, leaving the big metropolitan city for a smaller town, in a bigger and older home has been an incredible experience that pre-pandemic would not have seemed like a real possibility. This book is inspirational, aspirational and it is, above all else, authentic. 

We live in a time of high housing costs, high mortgage rates, congested, hyper-competitive cities and it doesn’t have to be that way. I think the next 5-10 years is going to provide a fundamental shift in not just how we live, but where we live. The pandemic created the opportunity for us to work and live where we choose. There will be those who say, “I love nYC and I’m never leaving.” There are people like me who love LA… I mean, I LOVE LA. But I’ve moved before, I might go back. Might not… But the idea that now, technology has caught up with the wanderlust of those, like me who love roadtrips and discovery. This will shine a light on quality of life and crafting your environment to suit life instead of the other way around and this book provides story after story, real world examples of this happening. The joy of finding amazing, old, well-built homes in uncomplicated, simple cities and towns that you have never heard of. And, if you’ve never heard of it, how do you know if you will like it, or perhaps even love it.

There is residential gold in small cities and towns dappled across the country and this book is not just a showcase but a how-to through the eyes and experiences of those who have done it. I do love this book, I am a fan of the Finkelstein’s mission and I am going to try and book them for the show so you can hear from them. Until I do, get the book, because it’s a keeper. It’s published by Clarkson Potter. Check the show notes for a link.  

This is The Design Messengers, an audio essay crafted to get your week of to a great start by sharing ideas to launch you into being the best you can be in all your endeavors but specifically, as a creative in the design and architecture space. Thank you for listening. If you are not already a subscriber, please consider subscribing to the show so you receive every episode of The Design Messengers and Convo By Design automatically when they are published. If you are listening to us for the first time, you can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. If you are so inclined, please also consider following on IG @ConvoXDesign with an “X”. Thanks again for listening. Be well and take today first. -CXD

WestEdge Wednesday No. Six | 478 | Leveling Up: How the Minimizing Waste Leads to Better Designing Better Business

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is another installment of Convo By Design presents WestEdge Wednesday, a look back at all of the incredible programming from the 2023 edition of the WestEdge Design Fair held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. These conversations were held on the stage designed by Marie Designs and presented by BR Home. This is part six in our series, entitled Leveling Up: How the Minimizing Waste Leads to Better Designing Better Business. The design industry disposes of over 12 million tons of furniture and generates 500 million tons of construction waste in the U.S. every year.  Interior designers, architects, general contractors and manufacturers are spearheading design solutions for a low waste future.  Learn how this is better for our health, the planet and your business. This panel includes Claudia Afshar of Claudia Afshar Design, Rachael Grochowski or RHG A+D and Greg Roth of CarbonShack Design. Moderating this conversation is Women in Luxury Design’s Jennifer Convy. Thank you to Convo By Design partners and sponsors ThermaSol, Moya Living and Design Hardware for making the podcast possible and thank you for listening and watching these episodes of the show. For links to all our partners, guests on this episode, WestEdge Design Fair, Marbe and BR Home. 

For those not familiar …   The Banana Republic lifestyle brand portfolio is known for delivering timeless ready-to-wear styles, and BR Home signals the brand’s transformation into a leading destination for the modern explorer.  Expanding across living room, bedroom and dining room furniture as well as lighting, bedding, and home décor, BR Home showcases materials and craftsmanship from around the world, showcasing signature design details, warm, textural layers, natural materials and traditional production techniques. Please check the podcast show notes for links and you can find that at Convo By Design dot com and click the podcast tab. Thanks for watching and listening, Here’s Jennifer Convy.

True Meaning of Luxury with Australian Designer Katarina Barakovska | 479 | The Universality of Luxury in Interior Spaces

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I’m Josh Cooperman, this is Convo By Design and today, we are taking a little trip. Actually, it’s a really long trip. About as far away as you can get really. We’re going to Australia. Yep. Down Under.

Katarina is a really interesting creative. One who says, on her website that during 2023, when this was recorded, she will take on no more than 6 projects. She has a simple and singular focus on luxury and what that entails in her design work. She defines luxury as a “richness” as it applies to the experience of living.  You are going to hear us talk about luxury quite a bit and what it means to her, how its applied in her projects and what her clients in the Americas, Asia and Australia are asking of her.

It’s an interesting idea, what does luxury mean by geographical standards? How does the definition of luxury change. Why is it so important? 

A few announcements before we get into it. Are you enjoying the new content we rolled out so far this year? #WestEdgeWednesdays the Convo By Design #IconRegistry #DrinkingAboutDesign and #TheDesignMessengers. I hope you are. The editorial team wanted to provide a more diverse conversation, to celebrate some of the icons who have appeared on the show, to lean in on the changing nature of the design and architecture industry and collective communities, not the business per se, but the rapidly changing nature of things and how that affects the industry overall. I hope these new brand extensions are providing some inspiration. Make sure that you are subscribing to the show so you receive every new episode automatically when they are published.

Thank you Katarina for taking the time to speak with me. I love doing this and this is why it is so rewarding for me to share these stories with you.Thank you to my partners and sponsors, ThermaSol and Design Hardware for your continued and unwavering support of the show and for the design community.

For more stories like these from the design community, please make sure you are subscribing to the podcast, so you receive new episodes automatically when they are published. That way, you never miss an episode. Convo By Design is available everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

Drinking About Design with the Whisky Watercolor Club | 478 | Tom Kligerman, Ankie Barnes, Steve Rugo, Douglas C. Wright & Michael Imber

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It’s not fair, really. If you think about it…It’s one thing to be immensely talented at one creative endeavor, but nowadays, everyone’s an overachiever. This is another installment of Drinking About Design, a journey into the less explored aspects of design, art and architecture. This installment is a fun one, for a litany of reasons, and not just because we’re drinking, but that doesn’t hurt.

Just to reset the table for you. In the summer of 2020, the pandemic was in full effect. We were all locked in and trying to figure out what was going to happen next. You remember, you were doing the exact same thing. So, besides the day drinking and looking up old friends on Facebook, I was trying to learn new ways to be socially engaged. One of things I did during that time was binge watch Drunk History, Dinner for Five and Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown and No Reservations. Ground breaking shows that I never could find the time to watch before.

I became enamored with the skill by which Anthony Bourdain found a complete language revolving around found and association to society, how Jon Favreau could take 4 celebrities and craft a vibrant tableau out of each of the stories shared around a table. How Derek Waters told stories through the honest interpretations of historical events through the drunken lens of comics woven together as a tapestry featuring some of the funniest people working in Hollywood.

Then all of a sudden, it was over. Things opened up all at once and we all got busy. Really busy. I’ve been missing some of those evenings at the virtual bar, My virtual bar is called, Big D Energy. Big Design Energy for my Hip Hop loving friends. I wouldn’t want you to get the wrong idea.

Now, this installment is a fun one and features, Michael Imber, Ankie Barnes, Steve Rugo, Tom Kligerman and Douglas C. Wright. 5 architects, friends with a passion for whisky and a love for painting in watercolor.  Some are a bit better at it, I’m not going to say who…but they will. These five creatives are extremely accomplished in their chosen profession, they are extraordinarily talented artists, they are well traveled, and we talk about this and so much more. 

Old Fashioned Ingredients – AllRecipes.com

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this top-rated old fashioned recipe:

  • Simple syrup: Use store-bought simple syrup or make your own at home.
  • Water: A teaspoon of water helps bring out the flavor of the bourbon.
  • Bitters: Use store-bought bitters or make your own at home.
  • Ice: Traditional old fashioned cocktails are served over ice.
  • Bourbon: Of course, you’ll need bourbon! You can use rye whiskey instead, if you like.
  • Garnishes: Garnish your old fashioned with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.

Welcome to the Big D Energy, a virtual pub at the sketchy outskirts of the internet. We’re talking about art, architecture, travel, and having fun with a few pops among friends. Cozy up to the bar, grab a drink and enjoy this conversation with the Whiskey Watercolor Club.

Thanks for listening to this installment of Drinking About Design featuring the Whiskey Watercolor Club. Thank you, Tom, Ankie, Michael, Douglas and Steve for sharing your stories and incredible talents. Thank you for doing this. For notes, drink recipe’s and further links to the stories and work you heard about here, check the show notes. Thanks for listening. Cheers.