I’m Josh Cooperman, this is Convo By Design and today, we’re going back to Dallas, metaphorically of course to speak with Roz Murphy of Roz Murphy Designs about planning, fabrication and process. All part of the Wellness & Design Thought Leadership Series presented by ThermaSol.
Roz was born and raised on the East Coast, moved to Dallas to earn her Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Art History from Southern Methodist University. She later attended El Centro College where she earned her degree in interior design. Interned with the internationally renowned Wilson & Associates, as well as with Emily Summers Design. Later honing her high-end residential design skills working for Lisa Barfield Interiors and gained expertise in the window treatment industry under Barfield’s Claire & Co.
She has a passion for luxury designs that are as comfortable as they are timeless. And that is something that keeps coming up in conversation about design these days. Luxurious and timeless. Roz is as versatile as she is creative and those are some of the ideas I wanted to drill down on with Roz, who you will hear from in just a moment.
Designer Resources
ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience
Article, great style is easy. It’s the best way to buy beautiful modern furniture
Thank you Roz. I enjoyed our chat, love your work and appreciate the time.And thank YOU for listening to the podcast, subscribing to the show and for your emails. Its Summer in 2022 and travel is in full swing so you are going to be hearing episodes of the show from New York, Texas and LA events in the coming weeks and months. You are also going to be hearing episodes showcasing the work done on the 2022 Remote Design House – Tulsa. A project I am extremely proud of and really looking forward to sharing with you. Thanks again for taking part of your busy day to spend with me and the most wonderful designers in the world! Until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a conversation about books. It’s more than that, really. It’s about special books, the kind that connect with those who love to read but also love the idea behind holding the book as they do it.
Designer Resources
ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience
Article, great style is easy. It’s the best way to buy beautiful modern furniture
You can pop out the iPad, Nook or Kindle. Any digital device really and read material. It is an efficient delivery system and ubiquitous as none of us are ever really that far away from our mobile devices. But the idea of holding a book, reading the pages in anticipation of, not swiping but turning the page is an experience. Reading traditionally is a greater experience for many and that is where Christy Shannon Smirl comes in. She owns Foxtail Books & Library Services. They assist and consult their clients on building a unique library and the collection within that library to fill a void, a yearning really for an experience that only a library can provide. The services include curation, organization, appraisal, cataloguing and sourcing the right materials. It’s not jut about holding, touching and reading. It is an experience to match an escape into that thriller, comedy orseries of short stories. It’s the experiential nature of design. And you’ll meet Christy, right after this.
Thank you Christy. I appreciate the time and love what you do.And thank YOU for listening to the podcast, subscribing to the show and for your emails. Its Summer in 2022 and travel is in full swing so you are going to be hearing episodes of the show from New York, Texas and LA events in the coming weeks and months. You are also going to be hearing episodes showcasing the work done on the 2022 Remote Design House – Tulsa. A project I am extremely proud of and really looking forward to sharing with you. Thanks again for taking part of your busy day to spend with me and the most wonderful designers in the world! Until next week, be well and take today first. -CXD
Pivot – piv-ot /pivet/ verb – : a usually marked change especially: an adjustment or modification made (as to a product, service, or strategy) in order to adapt or improve
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a conversation that touches issues on the minds of just about every working designer and architect today. We’re talking about the pivot.
You know, the pivot that we have all been forced to make. It’s different for everyone but as times and issues keep changing from minute to minute, we find ourselves looking for ways to change how we work to make the work change for us. Okay, follow me. The business of design has changed now that it takes 12 months to get that sofa and 18 months for some appliances. Everything has and continues to change and I wanted to hear how some in the business are addressing that change. So, for the next hour, you will be hearing from Terra McNutt with RI Studio in Dallas, Kristin with Kozy Kasa Design in Austin and Veronica Ferro with VF Interiors in Chicago. You are going to hear about three very different yet remarkably similar approaches to the business of design. Similar in that they all do what’s needed to get the job done in their unique and fabulous ways, yet they each go about it with a different approach and I think, I hope that you will be as fascinated by this as I am. This is The Pivot panel and we’ll get to it, but first, this.
Thank you Kristin, Veronica and Terra. I am so grateful for you time. Thank you ThermaSol, Article, York Wallcoverings, Franz Viegener and Moya Living for your partnership and support. You are remarkable partners and amazing allies for the trade.
And, thank you for listening and subscribing to the podcast. I know you already know this, but… there are literally hundreds of past episodes of Convo By Design that you probably haven’t heard, especially if you are new to the show, so go check them out. Be well and take today first.
Welcome back to Convo By Design, I’m Josh Cooperman and this week we are speaking with Marissa Stokes. We are talking about…C’mon, you know what we’re talking about.
I say that half-kidding. Like, yeah we’re talking about interior design, architecture, art and this amazing business of shelter and design. But really, every conversation that I have had, over 300 interviews, 200 panel conversations, hundreds of events, every single one of them are different because each creative is so unique. This week, our conversation with Marissa covers design across the US including projects in California, New York, Montana, New Orleans and South Florida. Marissa earned her BFA in Interior Design from Parsons School of Design and spent time working for Victoria Hagan and Jayne Design Studios before starting on her own design journey.
Designer Resources
ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience
Article, great style is easy. It’s the best way to buy beautiful modern furniture
We talk about the work and her journey. We also discuss the current state of design, the business of design and all that that entails. Marissa is a complete designer with artists touch for color and an engineers approach to furniture placement. Her use of space is elegant and efficient as is her approach to the business. You’ll hear all about it, right after this.
Thank you, Marissa, loved our chat. Thank you ThermaSol, Article, York Wallcoverings, Franz Viegener and Moya Living for your partnership and support. You are remarkable partners and amazing allies for the trade.
And, thank you for listening and subscribing to the podcast. I know you already know this, but… there are literally hundreds of past episodes of Convo By Design that you probably haven’t heard, especially if you are new to the show, so go check them out. Be well and take today first.
Hello creatives, If you’re new, welcome, if not, welcome back to Convo By Design. This journey of ours in search of amazing design, architecture, furnishings and art is in its 9th year now and I am so happy that you’re joining me for another episode.
Designer Resources
ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience
Article, great style is easy. It’s the best way to buy beautiful modern furniture
This week, I’m speaking with Luis Murillo of LMD Architecture Studio. This Bogota, Colombia born architect moved his family to Los Angeles in 1997 and opened his firm in 2010. Luis is the exemplifies the American Dream, or at least what the idea of the American Dream is supposed to represent. South American influence is nothing new to Southern California. It takes a special architect to not just understand space, time and place. But honor all three when you have both historical significance and arguable the world’s greatest canvas upon which to work. Luis respects the past and allows his upbringing in Columbia and love for space to guide his design regardless of style, traditional, mid-century or modern. The art takes first chair.
My hope is that by introducing you to new talent, it will influence your work. It will allow you to strive for greatness and perhaps think about your own work differently. This is architect, Luis Murillo.
Thank you, Luis. Thank you ThermaSol, Article, York Wallcoverings and Franz Viegener and Moya Living for your partnership and support. You are remarkable partners and amazing allies for the trade.
And, thank you for listening and subscribing to the podcast. I know you already know this, but… there are literally hundreds of past episodes of Convo By Design that you probably haven’t heard, especially if you are new to the show, so go check them out. Be well and take today first.
Hello creatives, If you’re new, welcome, if not, welcome back to Convo By Design. This journey of ours in search of amazing design, architecture, furnishings and art is in its 9th year now and I am so happy that you’re joining me for another episode.
I recently took a trip. A journey back to Los Angeles for the latest installment of Legends, presented by the La Cienega Design Quarter. Saw some old friends and made a few new ones.It is the design events that remind me just how special our industry is and while I love design just like you, it’s not the work that makes the industry so special, it’s the people. That is why I love to focus on the stories. Like this one featuring Kathryn Sanders of Western Sensibility. We are talking about textiles. And next generation textiles at that. Kathryn is changing the way textiles are designed and produced. Small batch, custom prints, and state-of-the-art production techniques that make turn-around times faster and digital production that makes new collaborations possible without the long timelines and extensive cost. This is Western Sensibility’ Kathryn Sanders.
Designer Resources
ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience
Article, great style is easy. It’s the best way to buy beautiful modern furniture
Thank you, Kathryn. Thank you ThermaSol, Article, York Wallcoverings, Franz Viegener andMoya Living for your partnership and support. You are remarkable partners and amazing allies for the trade.
And, thank you for listening and subscribing to the podcast. I know you already know this, but… there are literally hundreds of past episodes of Convo By Design that you probably haven’t heard, especially if you are new to the show, so go check them out. Be well and take today first.
Hello Creatives, If you’re new, welcome, if not, welcome back to Convo By Design. This journey of ours in search of amazing design, architecture, furnishings and art is in its 9th year now and I am so happy that you’re joining me for another episode. A special episode, a throw back if you will.
Every so often, I try to bring back past conversations so you can hear them again and this one is special. It was recorded live at the Pacific Design Center in 2015. It was called Capitals of Style and featured, Jane Hallworth, Ashley Hicks and Vincente Wolf. Moderated by Dan Rubenstein,with a forward by Jeff Sampson, then VP of Marketing for the PDC and whom many of us in the SoCal design community miss dearly.
I wanted to republish this one because while travel has always been a top influencer of designers, travel is now so hot again it is time for both discovery and re-discovery. It’s time to recharge the batteries. It’s time to get out and while you’re at it, to go and see some world class design and architecture. Something tells me this conversation from 7 years ago holds as true today as it did then. Enjoy.
Thank you, Jane,Dan, Vincente and Ashley for participating in this conversation.Thank you to the Pacific Design Center for your many years of partnership and collavboration. Thank you Jeff for putting this panel together and casting it so masterfully. You are missed. Thank you ThermaSol, Article, York Wallcoverings and Franz Viegener and Moya Living for your partnership and support. You are remarkable partners and amazing allies for the trade.
And, thank you for listening and subscribing to the podcast. I know you already know this, but… there are literally hundreds of past episodes of Convo By Design that you probably haven’t heard, especially if you are new to the show, so go check them out.
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a conversation that should have aired on the podcast almost three years ago. I found this and I am really happy to share it with you, the incomparable Bernardo Puccio.
So, it’s tru, the following conversation was recently found on a drive in a my studio and this was recorded around October 2019. Bernardo Puccio has been in design for over a half century and has amazing stories to tell about the glory days of Hollywood, designing for his celebrity clientele or his activism with Elizabeth Taylor.
Thank you, Bernardo. I loved our time together. Your story is amazing. Thank you ThermaSol, Article, York Wallcoverings and Franz Viegener and Moya Living for your partnership and support. You are remarkable partners and amazing allies for the trade.
And, thank you for listening and subscribing to the podcast. I know you already know this, but… there are literally hundreds of past episodes of Convo By Design that you probably haven’t heard, especially if you are new to the show, so go check them out.
Remember why you do what you do and that the business of design is about making better the lives of those we serve. Until next week. Be well and take today first.
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a conversations from WestEdge Design Fair, circa 2019 that I have been holding onto for a number of reason, not the least of which is that with everything that has been happening, talking about designing around collected things seemed off to me. But now, let’s get back to collecting, shall we…
Seriously, with the office/ classroom/ yoga studio and trying to make those things work, it seemed a little tone deaf to try and talk passionately about designing around collected things. But the time is right again to start thinking about these things again.Collections make us happy. And in 2019, as I was crafting panels for WestEdge in the Convo by Design Programming Lounge, here was the inspiration.
The Collectors: Collected Clutter Made Impeccably Designed Collections
Many if not most of us have gathered and keep “treasures.” These collections represent the curiosity and vitality of life adventures and are, at least we hope, to be incorporated into our living spaces. Today’s ensemble of creatives have achieved mastery incorporating treasures into the design of their clients’ dreams. Learn strategies that make for a smoother process when showcasing collections.
Thank you George, Kevin, Laura and Jules. I loved this!
And, thank you for listening and subscribing to the podcast. I know you already know this, but… there are literally hundreds of past episodes of Convo By Design that you probably haven’t heard, especially if you are new to the show, so go check them out.
Remember why you do what you do and that the business of design is about making better the lives of those we serve. Until next week. Be well and take today first.
I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design and we are going back to the 1950’s for a look back at the future… That’s right.
I recently came across a video that was made in the 1950s by Westinghouse called the Total Electric Home. It is a fascinating film hosted by Betty Furness. She was an actress, consumer advocate and special assistant in consumer affairs to the Johnson administration.Furness past away in 1994 and she was really interesting. She turned a less than stellar acting career into a significant role as consumer advocate and saleswoman. Furness hosted this remarkable film that was created by and featuring the products made by Westinghouse Electric.
Westinghouse was founded in 1886 by George Westinghouse who years earlier, in 1865 patented the first rotary steam engine. In 1869, he patented an air braking system for use on the railroad. In 1888 Nikola Tesla patented the alternating current motor and goes to work for Westinghouse. In 1893, Westinghouse beats out Thomas Edison to win the contract to power the Chicago World’s Fair. Then in 1914, Westinghouse acquires CopemanElectric Stove Company to enter the home appliance market. So in the 50’s, here they are with this fully integrated electric home. Why didn’t it take? The idea was genius. The reason it didn’t work was due to many factors not the least of which was the competition in the marketplace and to perhaps an even larger extent, the proliferation of other power sources.
Natural gas has been used in the United States since before 1836 when the City of Philadelphia createdthe first municipal natural gas company. I don’t want to go too deep here and turn this into a history lesson. Rather, let’s look at this amazing piece of history as we look forward. Some of the same basic ideas incorporated into the Westinghouse Total Electric Home are relevant and even being reintroduced as of this writing. Just listen to Betty’s introduction: So the idea for the Ring doorbell can be traced back to the 50’s. While I don’t know what “Rayescent lighting” is, it sounds pretty cool. While the idea of seeing visitors is not novel to us now, imagine how this idea was received in the 50’s? A great idea right, but how about this?
What? The idea for a home that is organized in zones is not new, but to envision a home that works together as opposed to simply trying to seamlessly connect spaces is, to this day, a revolutionary idea. Keep in mind that at this time, formal dining rooms, formal living rooms and phone niches were all ‘must haves’.
Now, I don’t want you think that this whole idea could be plucked from then and planted now… There’s this…
It appears only men are interested in the weather, but wait…
Integrated heating and watering. Not only novel, but amazing!
Not sure about multiple hampers, because let’s be honest, no kid I know is going to self-sort by material or color. Speaking of kids…
Okay, so we are getting off topic a little bit, but it’s okay because this Total Electric Home is a concept house, like many of the cars you go see at the auto show. It makes you wonder why there aren’t more experimental spaces from which to truly explore the elements that go into living well.There is cost, of course, but I always thought that was a perfect role for the design house. Of which we are starting to see fewer organized by the media and more created by developers.
I wanted to use this opportunity to share some ideas you have heard by architects on previous episodes and a few to come. We are talking about not just creating the home of the future, but the home for now, homes with spaces designed to suit the way we live now andfactor in the changes that come next. This is architect Anthony Poon referencing the Wallace Neff Bubble House in Pasadena and talking about Modern for the Masses.
That was Anthony Poon talking about concepts, this is architect Stephen Francis Jones and his use of shipping containers to build. A plentiful, relatively untapped resource for creation of dwellings. Stephen founder of SF Jones Architects talks about creating a dwelling from shipping containers.
From here we can jump to a conversation with noted LA architect Dan Brunn. Dan and I spoke at the WestEdge Design Fair ant we were talking about some of his truly transformative projects and it all started with his love for the Bauhaus style in which he grew up as a boy in Tel Aviv. Listen to Dan explain it.
Studio MLA’s Ben Feldman and I sat down to talk about his work on the LA River project and this is further proof that the modern home and the modern solution to housing truly is a multifaceted patchwork of ideas cobbled together to address many issues, changing times and conditions not to mention technologies, both coming and going. That Total Electric Home of the future wasn’t just a one off creation but ideas put into practice every day. Listen to Ben explain it from his perspective.
Quite a bit has been unpacked here. Adding another twist to the modern, technologically advanced home is a brief chat with Steven Ehrlich when we met at Modernism Week in 2018. He was giving me a tour of an amazing project in the desert using some uncommon materials for the terrain to make the house both lighter on the footprint and function better. Check this out.
Wrapping this up with architect Lorcan O’herlihy and a brief chat about LA and Detroit from an urban living perspective. Concepts, materials, style, technology, and compatibility are all crucial to the modern, livable home and one also needs to understand municipal policy, change it if you can work around it when you must and be creative stitching projects in whenever possible. Nobody understands this like O’herlihy.
This has been fun, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I have. Here is Betty Furness one last time with the Westinghouse pitch. It’s compelling. Makes you wonder what we can do with the advancements we have some 70 years later.
What a fun look at past design and how it affects both today and tomorrow. Thank you to all of the creatives who added to this conversation; Anthony Poon, Stephen F Jones, Steven Ehrlich, Dann Brun, Ben Feldman and Lorcan O’herlihy. Thank you ThermaSol, Article, York Wallcoverings and Franz Viegener for your partnership and support. You are remarkable partners and amazing allies for the trade. And, thank you for listening, remember why you do what you do and that the business of design is about making better the lives of those we serve. Until next week, Be well and take today first.
