Martyn and I first spoke in 2019. We spoke at his showroom in the West Hollywood Design District and we spoke about set design, of which Martyn and I are both very fond. We talked about Tony Duquette and how the art of stagecraft allows Martyn to transcend the design with ideas and strategies for feel and emotional spaces. Use of non-traditional materials in unusual ways to create now objects. That is quintessential set decoration, masterfully employed. In this episode, Martyn and I have more time to really explore the ideas, history and experience behind his work.
We recorded this conversation live from the brand new Soho Home Studio on Melrose Blvd. in West Hollywood. They are actually Martyn’s showroom neighbor in an iconic space serving formerly as the Rose Tarlow showroom. Just an exquisite space that made for the perfect setting for our chat. Enjoy this edition of The Showroom, a one on one with Martyn Lawrence Bullard.
Thank you Martyn for your time, I loved this. Thank you Soho Home Studio for hosting this conversation and our tenth anniversary party. Thank you for listening, downloading and subscribing to the show. If not already, please make sure you are subscribing to the show. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts.
Thank you to my wonderful partners and sponsors, ThermaSol, Moya Living and Design Hardware. Without you, I would not be able to do this and for that, thank you. Thanks again for listening. Be well and until next week, take today first. -CXD
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a different perspective today. We’re hopping across the pond to hear from one of my new favorite design firms. From London, this is the mother and daughter team, Sarah and Rosie Ward from the Chelsea, London design firm, Ward & Co.
You will notice a few things about the following conversation. Strong design is universal. Good design relies talent, skill and a willingness to divorce oneself from their own personal style in favor of understanding what lies at the center of a client’s desires. Sarah and Rosie do that and it’s evident in their work. It’s also fun to have a conversation that spans international boundaries because while as humans we have similarities in needs and desires, the differences geographically are significant. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Sarah and Rosie of Ward & Co.
Thank you, Sarah and Rosie.I appreciate the time and insights. Thank you CXD partners, sponsors and friends ThermaSol, Moya Living, Design Hardware, the ICAA SoCal Chapter and The Oasis Alliance.
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to listen to the show. I hope you enjoy the show because that’s why I do this. I would also like to hear from you. I love the guest submissions and show ideas so keep them coming, email me convobydesign@outlook.com or message me on Instagram @convoxdesign, with an x.
Remember why you do what you do and for whom you do it. Let that be the thing that drives you to push the boundaries and let’s keep moving our industry forward. Be well, and until next week… Take today first. CXD
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. Can you believe it has been 10 years doing this show, because I can’t. Thanks for listening and supporting the podcast. I appreciate you. Today, you are going to hear from Tracee Murphy of Trade Mark Interiors. We’re taking a deep dive into the phycology behind design. Why we do what we do, and how design informs those decisions as well as how those design decisions inform what we do.
Designer Resources
ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman
ICAA Southern California – SoCal is Southern California’s preeminent resource on classical architecture and the allied arts.
Tracee Murphy has built her firm on the principles of therapy and crafted a process to get to foundational basics in design. Not just an exploration in how her clients want to live but why, which can be the difference between wonderful design and transformational design. It all starts with listening, that’s the easy part. Understanding, processing what follows is where the magic lies. And you’ll hear all about that, right after this.
Thank you, Tracee. Loved our chat and appreciate the time. There is such value in the art of listening. And it is an art form. Thank you CXD partners, sponsors and friends ThermaSol, Moya Living, Design Hardware, the ICAA SoCal Chapter and The Oasis Alliance.
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to listen to the show. I hope you enjoy the show because that’s why I do this. I would also like to hear from you. I love the guest submissions and show ideas so keep them coming, email me convobydesign@outlook.com or message me on Instagram @convoxdesign, with an x.
Remember why you do what you do and for whom you do it. Let that be the thing that drives you to push the boundaries and let’s keep moving our industry forward. Be well, and until next week… Take today first. CXD
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a journey south, Mexico City to be exact, to speak with Sten Studio founder Jose Miguel Schnaider. We are talking about stone, sculpture, lighting, art and so much more.
Designer Resources
ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman
Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!
From a family quarry to original works of art suing beautiful gifts painstakingly unwrapped from their multi-million year formation process, that is both a big responsibility and an unparalleled opportunity to create something truly unique.Using the minerals and materials unearthed using select manufacturing techniques, Juan Miguel crafts some incredible works. But not alone. This is also a conversation about collaboration and teamwork.
It dawned on my while writing the preamble for this episode that a consistent and constant theme that is present in every one of the 400+ previous conversations and from each of the 800+ creatives I have spoken with over the past 10 years, there is this state of wonder I feel. I was having a conversation recently with the CEO of a rather large company. We were just chatting about life in general and I realized something. My friend’s creative pilot light had gone out. As we delved deeper, it became evident that there was no joy in what he did, only obligations. The need to keep things going forward. Sales, R & D, stock price, no bad press, no scandals… Burnout will surely follow at some point, and he knows this. The goal, for him, is to hang on as long as possible. Get as close as he can to the day when he can eventually cut the cord and let go.
Think about that for a moment. Just keeping all the balls in the air versus living each breath in a state of awe and wonder. Nobody I know has reached that level of awareness, some are far closer than I but the goal is to eventually get there. Why so philosophical today? Not sure, but I think it has to do with this conversation and the idea of walking through a yard of newly unearthed minerals, geodes, and all different shapes of materials knowing that I would have the opportunity to craft them into something completely unique. Art. Isn’t that what life is all about? Taking the unknown, opportunity, discovery and crafting it into something you can be proud of?
Thank you Juan Miguel. I enjoyed our chat and love what you do. Thank you CXD partners and sponsors; ThermaSol, Moya Living and Design Hardware for your continued support. And thank you for taking the time every week to share some time together and hear the stories behind sublime design. Check the show notes for links to Sten Studio, our social media links and please keep emailing me with your suggestions and guest submissions. Convo By Design @ Outlook dot com. Until next week, remember why you do what you do and for whom you do it, be well and take today first. -CXD
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a podcast episode about podcasting and how this form of communication is finally getting the attention of those in the shelter industry. Moderated by a longtime friend, Breegan Jane and empaneled by new friends who you will meet in just a moment.
I learned a long time ago that you can’t force people to embrace any ideas until they are ready to do it themselves. Podcasting is something I am extremely passionate about because I have been doing it for such a long time. At the start of this show, 10 years ago, I really wanted to gain the attention of the established media because I felt like I was providing a product not available. telling the stories behind the design instead of just showing the work itself because that has always been of greater interest to me. It took far longer than I thought it would and the reason why? Because showing pretty pictures is much easier to do. Talking about the celebrity designer, starchitect or celebrity client is the design porn that gets clicks and shares instantly. it takes far more time to listen to a 30 or 60 minute conversation where the ideas build. I’m going to keep the preamble short because following is a longer conversation about the growth and development of podcasting in our industry. I was fortunate to be invited by Kim Porter, Senior Programming Manager with IMC, and Las Vegas Market, who also gives the introduction at the very beginning. In this episode, you will also hear from; Justin Honaman of Contender Cast, Daniel Russo of The Design Exchange and Michelle Sherrier of The Retail Whore. And this panel was deftly moderated by a friend of the show and previous guest, Breegan Jane.
Designer Resources
ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman
Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!
What you are going to find is an entirely different conversation than you might expect. It covers everything from how and why to the stories that drew each of us to the platform and what the future of arts and design focused podcasting sounds like.We’ll get to that right after this.
Thank you Breegan, Michelle, Daniel, John. I really am so furtunate for an opportunity to share a stage with you. Thank you Kim for making this possible andThank you to CXD partners and sponsors including ThermaSol, Moya Living, Design Hardware.. Thank YOU for taking the time out of your day to download, subscribe and listen to the show. I appreciate you and I hope this show helps you do that thing you do better. For more information about the show, about what we do here at Convo By Design, check the show notes for links and ways to connect. Until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with another installment of the Wellness & Design Thought Leadership Series presented by ThermaSol. For those new to the show, the Wellness & Design Thought Leadership Series is a deep dive into the work of shelter creatives who are at the forefront of holistic design. When I say holistic design, I mean it in the truest sense. Design that keeps the individual form whom its designed at the forefront of the work. Designers who craft space for the quality of life that space provides. And Michael Gilbride is one such designer.
Michael describes his namesake firm as one that creates, “for lives well lived.” He also describes well connected spaces and purpose to elevate daily life. That is the prototypical example of a designer that works to create, elevate, connect and better the lives for those he designs for. And that’s the point. Michael and I cover a lot of ground here. We talk about his South American upbringing that informs his design philosophy and his background in fashion prior to his work in design. We also chat about an extraordinary design house project that Michael worked on in the Hudson Valley of New York. The Kingston Design Showhouse. Michael and his team created an absolutely spectacular bathroom that is part spa, part art gallery and all zen. What I love most, and you will hear about this, This bathroom is simply one of the best, most-completely designed spaces I have ever seen. I have studied this space in depth, looking for some small detail that was overlooked and I cannot find one. It is one of the best-designed spaces I have ever seen and because design is personal, you might agree, or not and that is okay either way. But what is undeniable is that design is constrained by walls, space, location and imagination. This bathroom is not huge but every inch of space was considered in the final result. What you will hear is the philosophy behind it the why, and how it all came together.
Designer Resources
ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman
Moya Living –Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry. I love working with Moya Living and believe you will too for any design project you can conceive from residential to Commercial, hospitality or industrial.
Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home! Check them out and you will find what you’re looking for.
Thank you Michael for taking the time to share your story. Thank you CXD partners and sponsors; ThermaSol, Moya Living and Design Hardware for your continued support. And thank you for taking the time every week to share some time together and hear the stories behind sublime design. Check the show notes for links to Michael’s work, our social media links and please keep emailing me with your suggestions and guest submissions. Convo By Design @ Outlook dot com. Until next week, remember why you do what you do and for whom you do it, be well and take today first.
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. After 10 years doing this show, I am still happy to say that I love doing it. If I’m being completely honest, it’s not because I am surprised and delighted by the design. I am, but that’s not why. I have grown accustomed to seeing extraordinary design and architecture. Spectacular new products, amazingly talented creatives doing the work. But it is the people and their stories that keep me in a childlike state of wonder. That is why I continue to love doing this show the way I do. And today’s episode is no different. This is part of a series called American Made By Hand and it features a friend, Brad Glock who turns wood into exquisite pieces of Americana. And you are about to hear his story.
Designer Resources
ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman
Design Hardware – A stunning and vast collection of jewelry for the home!
I met Brad while learning to turn myself, something I have wanted to do for a very long time. After moving to Oklahoma to work on the design house, I had the chance to do that and Brad was one of the instructors. Turning is like any other passion or endeavor, you have to love doing it and the skill and art follow, as is the case with Brad. His work is amazing. As always, you can check the show notes for links to Brad’s work, but what is to follow is my conversation with Brad as part of a new series I’m starting called American Made By Hand. As the best designers know, if you’re accessorizing, clients want the story, the provenance, an understanding of the meaning behind products and materials they are bringing into their homes. Brad is an artist, and a craftsman. Years ago, you might recall me speaking with Rossoblu chef and restauranteur Steve Samson who explained that he was a craftsman, not an artist. He could make something you’ve eaten before in Northern Italy, and it would taste like his grandmother’s grandmother made it, but he doesn’t create new work. That left an indelible mark on my brain. It did. A desire not to create, but recreate with exactness… Amazing. But, Brad is an artist and a craftsman. He innovates using wood, a lathe and other items as they materialize.
I had an idea, I asked Brad to work with me to create a custom tableware set for the Tulsa Remote Design House Project. We ideated, designed it and he turned it. I did sand though, and I have a scar to prove it. That is a story for another day. I consider Brad a friend and I am thrilled, truly to share his story with you. This is Brad Glock on Convo By Design’s, American Made: By Hand.
Thank you, Brad. Love your work and I cannot wait to share images of this incredible tableware set. A side note, this collection is available for purchase, not this exact one, but one of your own, customized just for your project. Make sure to contact me directly. Message me @ConvoXDesign or email me at Convo By Design at Outlook dot com.
Thank you to my partners and sponsors ThermaSol, Moya Living and Design Hardware. You can find direct links to them and to Brad in the show notes. Thank you for listening and subscribing to the show. Remember why you do what you do and for whom you do it. I appreciate you, I do this for you. Be well and until next week, take today first.
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a special episode for the holidays. Before I shut things down, stop thinking about the business, I want to encourage you to do the same for about an hour. Hang with the fam, binge the Hallmark Channel all week. But, before you do, give this episode a listen with some eggnog…. Which is always better with Fireball. Just saying.
For the holidays, I’m posting a throwback that has nothing to do with the business of design. A past chat with friend of the show, Peter Gurski. Peter is a multi-disciplinary creative who also was responsible for the look and feel of the smash TV hit, Will & Grace. Peter was episode 203 of Convo By Design and I thought you might enjoy hearing about the set design and then go hit Hulu and watch. As you do, you can find some of the accessories in the show, look at the paintings, the furniture and you will see what he is talking about.
I have a special treat for you. I received a package in the mail. A book. So this installment of BOOKLOOK features Together at the Table, Entertaining At Home With The Creators Of Juliska. Capucine De Wulf Gooding and David Gooding have crafted a book that celebrates being together in so many ways just as their home tableware brand Juliska does. This book is part how-to, part why-you-should and part inspiration for better living. The better living part is what captured my attention. It’s not about buying someone else’s life which is what social made seems to have been made for. This is a concise treatise for better living. As the Gooding’s like to say here, “Don’t overthink.” There is tremendous value in that alone but even Moreso when it is accompanied by visual examples, which is what you find here. Great work here, Goodings. “Architects of Togetherness”! I love that. Jacket design is fabulous. The book is available now through the usual channels I assume.
Enjoy and happy holidays form all of us at Convo By Design. We’ll get to Peter Gurski LIVE from the Set of Will & Grace.
Designer Resources
ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman
Article, great style is easy. It’s the best way to buy beautiful modern furniture
Thank you Peter. I remember it like it was last week. Thank you for the tour and the fun look back. Thank you CXD partners and sponsors, ThermaSol, Article Furniture, York Wallcoverings, Franz Viegener and Moya Living for your continued support. Thank you for listening, downloading and subscribing to the show. Thank you for your emails and guest submissions. I love them, keep em coming. You are the reason I produce CXD. Designers, architects, set decorators, showroom managers, publicists, artists, makers…You make this world a better place. Remember why you do what you do. Be well. Until next week, take today first. -CXD
I found myself at the Design Hardware on 3rd Street in Los Angeles for a conversation on building sustainability, design, and wellness. I don’t think it will surprise anyone to know that there are a growing and distinct link to be made between sustainable design and designing for wellness. The trouble with the conversations around sustainability is that it’s dry, some say dull and it can be. What is truly exciting about the subject though is what happens in the application of sustainable practices. There is, truly a revolution taking place in the design and architecture space. The focus has completely flipped on its head, in a good way. Where many would once talk about how a structure is to be used and lived in, now we talk about how to design and build to serve the people who use that structure. Design is experiential. The experience is what makes it work.
Tract Metro moderates this chat with Maria McCain from the Natural Resources Design Council, Ben Stapleton of the US Green Building Council and Real Estate pro, Erick Zumwalt. This conversation connects the dots between sourcing, sustainable design, property value and how these elements all work together.
Enjoy this conversation recorded live from Design Hardware moderated by designer and TV host, Tracy Metro.
Maria McCain | Natural Resource Defense Council
Maria McCain’s work encompasses the organization’s entire real estate portfolio. McCain analyzes NRDC’s extensive data on waste, water, energy, and travel to develop and implement strategies that minimize the organization’s carbon footprint. These strategies are also applied to internal green construction projects. Overall, McCain values a methodical and integrated approach to solving challenges. She received a master’s degree in environmental monitoring, modeling, and management from King’s College London and a bachelor’s degree in environmental and natural resource economics from West Virginia University. McCain is based in NRDC’s Santa Monica office.
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/maria-mccain
Ben Stapleton | US Green Building Council
A native Angeleno, Stapleton is a recognized sustainability leader, who brings to this position extensive experience and connections across real estate, technology, and innovation. He led major operational growth, program development, and partnerships to triple revenue for the non-profit. Simultaneously, launched and managed the La Kretz Innovation Campus in Downtown Los Angeles, most recently serving as SVP, Operations & Finance for the LA Cleantech Incubator (LACI). The Campus has become an epicenter for sustainability in the region featuring events with
prominent local, national and international leaders, while being home to a community of cutting-edge businesses and nonprofits.
That’s a wrap on this episode of Convo By Design recorded live from Design Hardware featuring Eric Zumwalt, Ben Stapleton, Maria McCain and of course Tracy Metro. Thank you Design Hardware for hosting and putting on such a great event. Thank you, Walker Zanger, for your generous support and of course, thank you for listening. If you haven’t already, subscribe to the show everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Until next week, Keep creating.
