Architecture, Design and Critical Thought. A Formula For Crafting Amazing Spaces | 573 | Enda Donagher, AIA

In a bygone time, we had celebrated architecture critics, historians and thought leaders like; Ada Louise Huxtable, Lewis Mumford, Jane Jacobs and Vincent Scully. These were gifted thought leaders with a willingness to share their views, good or bad, but never indifferent. They and others influenced the manner in which we looked critically at the shape and purpose of the spaces where we live work and play. Arch Daily wrote a piece in 2012 called The Architect Critic is Dead (just not for the reason you think). Is it. Is it, really?

I don’t think the architect critic is dead, it has changed. It’s like Syndrome’s quote from The Incredibles. That when everyone has superpowers, no-one will be a superhero. It’s this dilution of meaning through social media where everyone has an opinion and no hesitation about sharing it. Very little self-awareness and a platform, then everyone is a critic but without the critical thinking or communication skills to articulate their ideas effectively. Enda Donagher and I chop this idea up a Biot and he shares his experience in the business over the past 30-years plus. Enda and I talk about the business and his work. 

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Donagher’s firm addresses the architecture and interior design and his work is nuanced through a personalized approach and sensibly modern in look and feel. The ideas regarding the architect critic is relevant for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the opportunity to deconstruct the ideas that go into creating amazing work. If the work can be deconstructed, it provided a forum for critical thought to better our architecture and design. If we can apply critical thought, share ways to improve, then Syndrome was wrong. Everyone truly can be a super because everyones work is better and the level of expectation is raised. I enjoyed this conversation and I hope you do too. You’ll hear all about it, right after this.

Thank you, Enda. Loved our chat. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors, ThermaSol, TimberTech, Pacific Sales, and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. And, thank you for listening, subscribing the show and sharing with your colleagues. If not already subscribing, please consider that so you receive every new episode automatically to your podcast feed. Until next week, thank you for sharing this time together, until the next episode, be well, stay focused and now that it has arrived in earnest, try to rise above the chaos. – CXD

Clear Communication for that Aha Moment | 571 | Paulina Hospod, Aha! Interiors

Words matter. They are important not just for the sake of clear communications but to showcase the specific skillset one has in an effort to attract a suitable client. Suitability. If you are a regular listener to Convo By Design you know what I am talking about. If not, first, hopefully you will be a regular listener, second, the idea of suitability in all endeavors is more important now than ever before.  Suitability means vibing and open to new ideas through a mutual trust. A mutual trust allows someone to communicate with another, without having to masque every idea under the veil of “correctness”, in whatever form that may take. 

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

No, we are not going to be talking about politics or anything that might make anyone uncomfortable. Today, you are going to hear my conversation with Paulina Hospod with Aha!Interiors about design vs. renovation and subtle details. Sometimes, subtle details make all the difference between the overused, overplayed looks you can find while doomscrolling on the socials. Design should make us happy, and were going to explore that idea with Paulina, right after this.

Thank you, Paulina. Loved our chat. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors, ThermaSol, TimberTech, Pacific Sales, and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. And, thank you for listening, subscribing the show and sharing with your colleagues. If not already subscribing, please consider that so you receive every new episode automatically to your podcast feed. Until next week, thank you for sharing this time together, until the next episode, be well, stay focused and now that it has arrived in earnest, try to rise above the chaos. – CXD

Midwest Sensibility and Hand-Crafted Design | 569 | Bailey Todd, White Cliff Studio

For the past 12 years, it has been a mission to bring you voices and stories of talent in design, architecture and the arts. There have been so many twists and turns over these past 12 years and many of you have been with me since the early days of the show. A few ideas that often come back to me when presenting these conversations. Two major themes are authenticity and suitability. Two words that you don’t hear often. The first being authenticity in design and the other, which you never hear, except here is suitability. Were going to drill down on both this week.

Today on the show, you are going to hear from Bailey Todd of White Cliff Studio. Bailey and her Midwest minded, Illinois based firm deals in authenticity in all her projects and we will dig in a bit. It’s the suitability idea that I have been focused on lately. For years, I have been non-plussed by the trades, magazines and social media prognosticators alike and this is the perfect way to draw the correlation between the influencer and the influential. The influencer will tell you just how great they are and because they know, here are the things with which you should surround yourself. Influentials on the other hand, this is experienced based knowledge shared with you by people who know because they have experience. I really enjoyed my conversation with Bailey and I think yo will too. She knows her industry, she understands her business and she is willing to chop it up and share. Love that. And, it’s coming up, right after this.

Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors, ThermaSol, TimberTech, Pacific Sales, Monogram and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. And, thank you for listening, subscribing the show and sharing with your colleagues. If not already subscribing, please consider that so you receive every new episode automatically to your podcast feed. Until next week, thank you for sharing this time together, until the next episode, be well, stay focused and now that it has arrived in earnest, try to rise above the chaos. – CXD

Exceptional Design And Knowledge From A Previous Career, Long Live the Pivot | 565 | Allison Handler of Allison Handler Design

The expectations many designers have don’t necessarily result once their careers begin. Often times, designers find their way into the business by starting in another field. And that makes for an interesting journey. I remember being in college and thinking about all of the things I wanted to do once I started my career. If you would have asked me during my time at Washington State University what I was going to be doing in 2025, this would not have been anywhere in the conversation. But I really cannot imagine myself doing anything else. And I’ve been doing this since 2013. Prior to that, I had a first career in radio and broadcast media. Funny how life works, isn’t it. 

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

I have a unique process of writing and prepping for the conversations you hear on the show. I have the types of conversations with creatives that I want to have with them. Meaning, I find your in discovering what makes designers, artists, makers, architects and creatives work. What drives them to do what they do and what inspires them to reach the high levels they have achieved. Many of the conversations you hear on the show start with, “so, what are we talking about today” or you simply hear my response to that question in a cold open. I don’t edit that out, nor do I edit the chats we have because I want you to hear the stream of consciousness. What you don’t know is the amount of prep I do for each conversation. As a matter of fact, the guests you hear don’t see that either. I decided to model this show on the conversations that I have at trade events. The individual interactions that take place that make the trade events so truly special. You cannot recreate the vibe, I know that. But, I want you to feel like you are in Vegas, LA or Paris at KBIS, WestEdge or Maison y Objet, with a cocktail in your hand and listening in on a conversation between two peers and know that what you are about to hear is going to enrich you in some special way. Perhaps its hearing how someone else built their practice. Maybe it’s what discovery led them to design the way they do or even how their previous career led them to where they are today. To inspire you to perhaps pivot, reorganize your firm or employ a new technique. Because that’s fun. It’s inspiring. It’s motivating. And who couldn’t use a little more of that. Well, I hope you can because that’s what your getting today as you listen in on my chat with New Jersey designer, Allison Handler of Allison Handler Design.

Thank you Allison, loved our chat and appreciate the time.

Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors, ThermaSol, TimberTech, Pacific Sales, Monogram and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. And, thank you for listening, subscribing the show and sharing with your colleagues. If not already subscribing, please consider that so you receive every new episode automatically to your podcast feed. Until next week, thank you for sharing this time together, until the next episode, be well, stay focused and now that it has arrived in earnest, try to rise above the chaos. – CXD

Planning for the Changes Coming in 2025 | 546 | How the Industry is Prepping for the New Reality

Design Hardware Fall 2024 Open House 

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with some of the highlights from the Fall open house at Design Hardware. Incredible design talent, interesting conversations and insights into how the business of design is changing.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

The design industry today is more robust and complex than ever before. And that is only going to continue to change over time. Accelerating with every new change in technology and business climate. Not to mention actual climate changes. Every quarter, I check in with design talent at the Design Hardware showroom in Los Angeles and we chop up issue like these and others. These are some of the highlights from our Fall 2024 event that took place in November. You are going to hear all about that, right after this.

Adam Hunter

Cecilia Rose

Candace Quinn

Bianca Bush

Ben Jones 

What a day. Thank you Cecile, Candace, Bianca, Adam and Ben. These were just a few of the conversations we had and you can find more in depth with these individuals as well as additional creatives by listening to Doctoring Up Design, the official podcast of Design Hardware. Check the show notes for links to that and all the designers you’ve heard here today.

Thank you to my partner sponsors including ThermaSol, TimberTech, Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home, Design Hardware and Monogram for your continued support to the design community. Thank you for taking the time to listen to the show and share it with with family, friends and colleagues. Your time is the most valuable asset and I appreciate the time we spend here together on the show. Please keep those show and guest suggestions coming. convo by design at outlook dot com and on Instagram @ConvoXDesign with and “X”. Until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

Spotlight on Design feat. Jaime Rummerfield and Marcos Santa Ana 539 | LIVE from Design Hardware in Los Angeles

I’m josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a sampling from the Summer edition of the Designer Showcase event at Design Hardware. Every Season, we invite some of the most talented creatives from across the Southland and the U.S. to participate in strategic conversations, interviews, product launches and panel conversations. This is part of Design Hardware’s commitment to the design community. And we’ve got a sampling from that event.

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

This episode of the show features two very talented and very different creatives. The first is Jaime Rummerfield who you have heard before on the podcast. Jaime is an old friend and a crazy-talented designer. You have heard her before, usually with Ron Woodson, but things change and Jaime has gone out on her own. What’s that like? You’re going to find out. Then, you will hear from Marcos Santa Ana of Alloi. Marcos is an architect and general contractor with a very unique perspective on the work and art that is architecture. And you are going to hear all about it.

Thank you Jaime and Marcos. By the way, if you are listening to this on the day we published, November 12th, you still have time to see both of these amazing designers as well as dozens more at the WestEdge Design Fair, November 14th through the 16th at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. Here is a link to get tickets to the show and see all of the incredible programming produced by Convo By Design. 

https://www.grsreg.com/westedge24/exhPass?exh=cxd

Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors; ThermaSol, Design Hardware, Pacific Sales, Monogram and TimberTech. These are all fantastic partners with exceptional products and service to match. I have vetted these companies and I believe in them, and I think you should too. Check the show notes for direct links. Thank you for checking them out and specifying them on your next project. I also want to thank you for listening to the show and sharing Convo By Design with your friends, coworkers and colleagues who you think might enjoy it as well.

Please also keep the guest and show suggestions coming; convo by design at outlook dot com and on Instagram @convoxdesign, with an “x”. Until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

Love and Location. Making the Move and Leveling Up | 537 | Emily Baker Studio

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. Do you like where you live? If you lived somewhere, anywhere else, how might that change you? How might that affect your work, your creativity?

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Emily Baker is a multi-disciplinary creative endeavors in photography, illustration and a wallpaper line. Emily moved with her family to Portugal. Hold on. Let this sink in for a moment. Moved with her family to Portugal. I focus on this because I think this is at the crux of life and creativity. It’s difficult to make a move across town, let alone to another state. But another country? I would argue that the fear of unknown issues, financial issues let alone the basic concerns around language and social issues would be paralyzing. But it’s also incredibly exciting. The constant rush of adrenaline from the most mundane of tasks can both wreak havoc on the central nervous system and release a flurry of new thoughts and ideas. I have always loved moving. But what is the direct correlation to creative breakthroughs moving to a new environment have on the work? On life? Your’e about to find out in this episode of Convo By Design featuring Emily Baker of Emily Baker Studio. We’ll be right back.

Thank you Emily. Loved this chat and appreciate the time. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors; ThermaSol, Design Hardware, Pacific Sales, Monogram and TimberTech. These are all fantastic partners with exceptional products and service to match. I have vetted these companies and I believe in them, and I think you should too. Check the show notes for direct links. Thank you for checking them out and specifying them on your next project. I also want to thank you for listening to the show and sharing Convo By Design with your friends, coworkers and colleagues who you think might enjoy it as well.

Please also keep the guest and show suggestions coming; convo by design at outlook dot com and on Instagram @convoxdesign, with an “x”. Until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

Kyle Bunting | 536 | Our October 2024 Design Icon Registry Inductee

This is the Convo By Design Icon Registry for October 2024 and it is an absolute joy for me to talk about this creative with reverence, respect and friendship. The October 2024 Convo By Design Icon Registry inductee is the incomparable, Kyle Bunting.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Kyle and I have known each other for a while and he has appeared on the podcast four times I think. And in all different ways, And he almost always brought friends. Not that he needed them, but Kyle is what you can call a consummate professional and chronic collaborator. He can’t help himself, and why should he?

Collaboration between manufacturer, designer, architect, GC, client, trades, showroom are all critically important for the success of the project. Collaboration takes many forms and unfortunately, sometimes, no form at all. In all my experience, not just in the built and designed space, but in every aspect of business, collaboration is mission critical. Without collaboration, there is no communication, nor partnership, nor exceeding goals, can’t be done for one very simple reason; Design projects, residential or commercial builds are all done using multiple partners and if those partners aren’t working collaboratively, mistakes are made, miscommunications happen and it generally leads to additional issues. Kyle Bunting os one of the most highly-skilled collaborators I know. He also has created an exceptional brand and a wonderful product.

It is my privilege to induct Kyle into the Convo By Design Icon Registry, JMC Studio has crafted an original piece to commemorate this and it will be sent to Kyle shortly, check out Instagram if you want  to see it. As we do here, this is Kyle Bunting from a previous appearance on Convo By Design.

KB

Thank you, Kyle for taking the time and the willingness to share your story.  Thank you for your constant willingness to bring others into the big tent and for creating such an exceptional product. Congratulations on your addition to the Convo By Design Icon Registry. Thank you for listening and subscribing to the show. Thank you to my partner sponsors Design Hardware, ThermaSol, TimberTech, Monogram and Pacific Sales. these are amazing partners all, they support the trade and I love sharing these amazing resources with you. Thanks again for listening, until next week, be well and take today first. – CXD

Stay in Your Lane! | 535 | SheSpoke Founder Joan Barton and Design Tonik’s Amy Theresa

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design featuring an old friend and a new one in a very familiar space, talking about what makes strong bonds and strategic partnerships work. All while staying in your lane.

Joan Barton, founder of Dirty Girl Construction and SheSpoke, a platform that explores the stories and successes woman-owned, operated and worked side of the construction and design industry shared the mic once again with an outstanding creative thinker, Amy Theresa | DesignTonik @DesignTonik.Amy is the founder of Design Tonik, art + design, specializing in residential and commercial interior design, furniture procurement, design consulting and event planning. 

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

This is a multi-hyphenate company because Amy is a multi-hyphenate creative. Making her perfect fro a conversation with Joan and another exploration into SheSpoke and open and honest conversation by and for women in the built space.

Joan and Amy explore these ideas and talk about the discoveries and changes in the industry since approximately 2017. This is how contacts are made, bonds are formed, partnerships solidified and wok gets done. And done in a selective purposeful way.

This conversation was recorded live from Design Hardware in Los Angeles as part of our Day of Design programming series. And you are going to hear all about it, right after this.

Thank you Joan and Amy. Loved this chat and appreciate the time. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors; ThermaSol, Design Hardware, Pacific Sales, Monogram and TimberTech. These are all fantastic partners with exceptional products and service to match. I have vetted these companies and I believe in them, and I think you should too. Check the show notes for direct links. Thank you for checking them out and specifying them on your next project. I also want to thank you for listening to the show and sharing Convo By Design with your friends, coworkers and colleagues who you think might enjoy it as well.

Please also keep the guest and show suggestions coming; convo by design at outlook dot com and on Instagram @convoxdesign, with an “x”. Until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD

Craftsmanship in A Digital Age | 532 | WestEdge Rewind from 2015

I’m Josh Cooperman, this is Convo By Design and today, as we inch closer to WestEdge Design Fair, the 2024 edition, with everything going on behind the scenes as we prepare a slate of programming to surprise and delight you, I wanted to share a program from the past. As we finalize the roster  and get everything solidified, I wanted to share the “why” behind the programming. These panels are crafted to feature game changing, disrupting creatives and topics that hold up. What makes the WestEdge stage so special is the thought and effort that goes into the topics. They have all been carefully crafted, talent curated to speak to these ideas. Ideas that should hold up for years to come. 

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

Monogram – It’s the details that define Monogram

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Without steam, it’s just a bathroom.

Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

The program you are going to hear today was called Craftsmanship in the Digital Age. Here is how it was described in the program: Is Craftsmanship a lost art in a world where we increasingly value expediency and accessibility over authenticity and beauty? Join Steven Gambrel, interior designer and co-founder of Dering Hall, as he leads a discussion with some of the most talented artisans and designers working today. How have our digitally-centered lives made us care even more about objects created with passion, skill and time-honored tradition? How do designers create a network of skilled craftspeople and educate their clients about the value craft? Explore the marketing of bespoke products and how digital tools have made success as an artisan more of a reality than ever before.

Featuring Bernard Brucha, MASHstudios; Paul Priven, Zia Priven; Wendy SchwartzCuffhome; and Delta Wright, Curated

Think about this for a moment, the program you are about to hear was covering craftsmanship and the value that authenticity holds in made goods. This conversation might as well have taken place in 2020 at the onset of the pandemic when authentic craftsmanship was a must have. Or in 2018, when every design event was discussing how to reach Millennials and their desire for fewer, but more authentic goods. Or, well… now, at a time when hand-made comes at a premium. Again, this was recorded in 2015, live at WestEdge. And I am proud to share this with you again. Right after this.

Thank you, Bernard, Paul, Wendy and Delta. Thank you, Megan and Troy from WestEdge. I enjoyed our conversations so much. Thank you to my partner sponsors, ThermaSol, Pacific Sales, TimberTech, Monogram and Design Hardware. These partners are amazing companies all who have made a concerted effort to support the design community through education, incentives, events, media and exposure, not to mention a collection of extraordinary products and service to match. Check the show notes for links to each of them so you can see first hand how they can make your design business thrive and your projects exceed expectations. Thank you for listening, downloading, subscribing and sharing the show with your friends and colleagues. Thank you for your emails, show and guest suggestions. Please keep them coming, convobydesign at Outlook dot com and on Instagram @ConvoXdesign, with an “x”.  Until the next episode, be well and take today first. -Convo By Design