When interiors meet intention: a dynamic panel on how color theory, holistic living, sustainable materials, and design thinking come together to redefine residential spaces for 2025 and beyond.
Sherwin Williams set out to cover Earth with beautiful colors over 150 years ago. 1866, Henry Sherwin and Edward Williams founded the company in Cleveland, Ohio, on a mission really. And the result is a company dedicated to delivery of thebest in paints, coatings and related products to discerning clients all over the world. That dedication was evident from the start with the hiring of Percy Neyman, the very first chemist employed by an American paint manufacturer. Sherwin Williams continues to set the bar high and provide the design community with the essential tools to create superior projects. Sherwin Williams is commitment to supporting the design community, which is why they sponsor programs, like this one. They are also dedicated to a betterment philosophical approach which is why they selected ‘wellness” as the topic for this talk.Thank you Sherwin Williams for your tireless support.
In this timely conversation, experts from across interior design and sustainable living explore what it means to design for wellness in 2025. Moderated by Sue Wadden and Ashlynn Bourque of Sherwin-Williams, the panel features voices from:
Jeanne Chung (Cozy, Stylish, Chic) — known for crafting spaces that blend comfort, style, and emotional balance.
Julee Ireland (Julee Ireland Design Studio) — bringing a refined, intentional aesthetic rooted in longevity and livable elegance.
Greg Roth (CarbonShack) — spotlighting eco-conscious material sourcing, sustainable practices, and climate-aligned living environments.
Together they examine how interior design can be a catalyst for holistic living — from color palettes that promote calm and emotional balance, to spatial planning that supports aging in place, to circadian lighting and neurodiversity-friendly layouts. The discussion underscores a rising trend: residential interiors inspired by hospitality, wellness, and sustainability principles.
Listeners will come away with fresh ideas on turning their homes into future-proof sanctuaries — design-forward, earth-conscious, and emotionally attuned.
Health span-focused design: Designing spaces that help residents live longer, healthier lives at home.
Aging in place: Home layouts that accommodate long-term functionality and wellness.
Home gyms, saunas, cold plunges: Integrating spa-level wellness amenities in private residences.
Dual kitchens: Inspired by Italian family homes for multigenerational living.
Collaboration with architects: Designers as integral contributors to maximize natural light and spatial flow.
VR visualization: Helping clients experience proportion, scale, and sightlines before construction.
Problem-solving as designers: Addressing unforeseen construction issues creatively while maintaining aesthetics.
Circadian lighting: Lighting systems (e.g., Lutron Ketra) that mimic natural light patterns to support sleep and productivity.
Late last year, I moderated an event hosted by Pacific Sales Kitchen & Home with the goal of breaking down kitchen desires and needs of todays well informed and demanding design clients. You would think this is an easy conversation to have. I assembled an all star cast of design and architecture talent for an incredible conversation. One that you might want to save and re-listen every now and then.
Late last year, I moderated an event hosted by Pacific Sales Kitchen & Home with the goal of breaking down kitchen desires and needs of todays well informed and demanding design clients. You would think this is an easy conversation to have. I assembled an all star cast of design and architecture talent for an incredible conversation. One that you might want to save and re-listen every now and then.
At Pacific Sales Kitchen & Home in Torrance, leading architects, designers, and industry specialists gathered to examine how pandemic-era shifts, rising client expectations, and rapid product innovation are reshaping the future of kitchens and baths. Their insights reveal an industry moving beyond trend talk toward highly personalized, wellness-driven, and performance-first design.
The kitchen is no longer just a workspace, and the primary bath is no longer just a retreat. Over the past five years, these rooms have become emotional anchors, wellness centers, hospitality zones, tech platforms, and reflections of how people believe they should live. At Pacific Sales Kitchen & Home in Torrance, a cross-section of the industry’s leading voices came together to discuss how the profession is adapting—and what clients now expect designers to deliver.
For Sayler Design Studio founder Beth Sayler (https://saylorstudio.com), the shift is rooted in emotion. After years of pandemic-related uncertainty, material shortages, and insurance-driven rebuilds, clients want spaces that feel personal, restorative, and meaningful. Her projects now lean into “experience design,” where primary suites might include refrigeration drawers, espresso stations, integrated audio, and hospitality-level details. Her biggest tool is expectation-setting—helping clients redefine what’s realistic, what’s essential, and what will ultimately make them feel at home again.
Architect Luis Escalera of LMD Architecture Studio (https://www.lmdarchitecturestudio.com) experiences the evolution through the lens of constraints. Small lots, stricter codes, and the ongoing battle between mandated electrification and client cooking preferences require tight onboarding, detailed questionnaires, and careful translation of desires to built form. The modern kitchen triangle now includes the deck, yard, and pool—one interconnected lifestyle zone that must function as a unified system.
For Jessica Nicastro Design (https://www.jessicanicastrodesign.com), the challenge is volatility. Pricing, tariffs, and supply chains remain inconsistent, making early builder involvement essential. Her firm works to recalibrate what clients think they want—often shaped by social media—into spaces appropriate to the home, lifestyle, and budget. Transparency and trust have become the designer’s most valuable currency.
At Laney LA (https://www.laney.la), designer Michelle Her sees a growing demand for wellness integration: whole-home RO systems, chromotherapy, therapeutic water pressure, and recovery spaces designed with the same rigor once reserved for kitchens. Their philosophy—“the best idea wins”—creates an environment where architecture, interiors, and engineering collaborate fluidly to support elevated living.
Representing the host venue, Pacific Sales Kitchen & Home (https://www.pacificsales.com) showcased the power of specialized knowledge. Trade leaders Verzine Hovasapyan and Juan Pantoja describe a client landscape with no single standard—making customization and education critical. Manufacturer immersion programs ensure staff can guide clients through increasingly complex appliances and smarter home ecosystems, offering a level of service no online retailer can match.
Designer Shanna Shryne of Shanna Shryne Design (https://www.shannashryne.com) emphasized lifestyle-first programming. Outdoor kitchens, in particular, require multi-disciplinary collaboration—interiors, landscape architecture, and systems integration—to achieve unified performance. Complexity, she argues, demands partnership rather than lone-wolf generalists.
Finally, RHG Architecture + Design founder Rachel Grachowski (https://www.rhgdesign.com) and Hudson Home Interior Design principal Shelly Hudson (https://www.hudsonhomeinteriors.com) highlighted biophilia, natural light, and personalized ergonomics as the next frontiers. From adjustable counter heights to dedicated recovery rooms, the home is becoming a hybrid of spa, laboratory, and living space.
Taken together, their perspectives reveal a profession not following trends but redefining standards—one kitchen, one bath, one wellness ecosystem at a time.
Design After Disruption: How We Live Now—and Why Process Matters More Than Ever
The pandemic didn’t just change where we work—it redefined how we live, gather, and experience our homes. In this episode, designers and industry experts explore how COVID accelerated shifts in lifestyle, technology, and client expectations, forcing a fundamental rethink of residential design. From wellness and personalization to process and trust, this conversation reveals why great design today begins long before materials are selected.
A wide-ranging conversation about how post-pandemic living reshaped residential design, why understanding behavior matters more than trends, and how slowing the process leads to better, more meaningful homes.
Today, we examine the profound shift in how people relate to their homes—and how designers have had to evolve in response. What began as a temporary adjustment during the pandemic became a lasting transformation: homes turned into offices, classrooms, social hubs, and sanctuaries, often all at once.
As a result, clients now arrive more informed, more opinionated, and more influenced by social media than ever before. But with that access comes confusion. The conversation explores how designers increasingly serve as educators and translators—helping clients filter inspiration, understand trade-offs, and make decisions rooted in how they actually live rather than how a space looks online.
The discussion moves beyond aesthetics into behavior: how families gather, how kitchens function, how storage works, and how subtle design decisions impact daily life. From kitchen planning and furniture layout to the psychology of comfort and the importance of workflow, the episode highlights why the smallest details often matter most.
A central theme emerges around process. Thoughtful design requires slowing down, asking better questions, and resisting the pressure for instant gratification. Whether it’s understanding how a family entertains, how they cook, or how they want to feel in their home, the best outcomes come from listening first—and designing second.
1. Life After COVID: A Permanent Shift
How the pandemic changed expectations around home design
The rise of multifunctional spaces
Why the home is now both personal and professional
2. Social Media’s Influence on Design Culture
The upside and downside of endless inspiration
Why clients arrive more informed—but often overwhelmed
Separating aspiration from practicality
3. Designing for Real Life
Understanding how people actually use their homes
Why square footage means nothing without function
Designing for habits, not hypotheticals
4. The Role of the Designer Has Changed
From decorator to strategist
Educating clients through experience and data
Acting as a guide through complex decisions
5. The Importance of the Kickoff Process
Why the first conversations matter most
Learning how clients live before proposing solutions
Creating clarity through dialogue, not questionnaires
6. Kitchens as Behavioral Maps
Storage, workflow, and daily rituals
Why drawers often matter more than appliances
Designing around how people actually cook and gather
7. Slowing the Process to Improve Outcomes
Resisting the urge for instant answers
Why design is both art and structured process
Helping clients avoid regret through thoughtful planning
8. Trust, Education & Long-Term Value
Helping clients understand what they don’t yet know
Using experience and precedent to guide decisions
Designing homes that evolve with the people in them
Great design isn’t about trends, finishes, or fast decisions—it’s about understanding people and tailoring functional design to their lifestyle. This episode reinforces a simple truth: when designers take the time to listen, observe, and educate, the result is not just a better-looking home, but one that truly supports the lives lived inside it.
