Tag Archives: Lone Star House of Design

A Day of Creative Conversations featuring Women in Essential and Luxury Design from Around the U.S. | 524 | LIVE from Design Hardware in LA, May 2024

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a group of exceptional designers from our Day of Design gathering in Los Angeles in May 2024.

I think designers and architects provide a service that simply cannot be measured in terms of dollars and cents. Especially in an era of fast content, social media perspective that creates a social dysmorphia. We have all become so inextricably tied to the internet and social media that it is truly difficult to differentiate reality form make believe. The following conversations feature designers who met me at Design Hardware in LA for a day of creative thinking and sharing of dynamic design ideas that are shaping the way we design in 2024. 

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 found that f you gather creative types and provide the platform for them to showcase their individual approach to the work, some universal concepts begin to form and you have the opportunity to see what really makes these people special. The reason skilled designers can do what they do is because they possess the ability to silence the noise and focus in on true needs and desires of their clients. This is how they do it.

Letecia Ellis Haywood

Alina Wolhardt

Susie Novak

Mary Patton

Lauren Martin Moro

So much fun, right? Thank you, Lauren, Amy, Letecia, Alina, Mary, Susie. It was not my intent, but this turned out to be an amazing showcase of women designers who are setting the tone for the next phase of our design renaissance! Thank you for taking the time to share your story. I enjoyed our conversation and cannot wait to see what you do next. 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

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

The Pivot: Actionable Steps You Can Take Now to Level Up Your Design Business | 410 | Make 2023 The Year You Need it To Be

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. Today on the show we are heading back to the WestEdge Design Fair from Dallas, Texas to talk about something on every creative’s mind these days. The Pivot. I started writing about the pivot in the first year of the pandemic. Through my conversations, a constant theme kept emerging. This idea that creatives must continually reinvent themselves to reflect both a working knowledge and fundamental understanding of where the design industry was going from both technological and preferential perspectives. We continue this conversation with some new voices, and I am really excited to share this with you.

How are you adapting to the design business changes over the past 3 years? Are you working harder than ever before? Checking on delivery dates, specifying and re-specifying due to repricing and discontinuations? Wondering how to capture a bigger audience in social media, upgrade your clientele? Are you wondering if this is the right time to scale back, scale up or merge with another firm? Are you concerned about how inflationary pressures or that threatened recession will become a reality? 

Thought so. You’re not alone. These questions are on the mind of most if not every designer working today. Size doesn’t matter, scale does. Is this the time to scale down to find harmonious home/ life balance or scale up to increase revenues. While ultimately these are individual decisions, you will hear from designers who have scaled that mountain, some up and others down. You will learn from those who have experienced it and what they have learned from the experience. Is it working? Follow along as this distinguished group discuss these issues and others that directly affect the industry. Featuring Laura Umansky, Ann Jackson,  and moderated by Sara Malek Barney.

Designer Resources

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience. Episode 271 featuring Mitch Altman

Moya Living –  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

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

Before I get to this episode of the show, I received a special delivery and I’m so happy to share it with you in this edition of BOOKLOOK featuring Intersection of Nature and Art, an absolutely glorious book celebrating those very things by James Doyle Design Associates. There are a few different styles for today’s design and architecture books. Some are used as a promotional piece for the designer or architect. A way to display their work in a weighted volume from which to share detailed ideas, almost like that of a text book while others create picture books full of their project images sans much editorial. Then of course there are various options between the two extremes. Then there are those who craft and construct their tome with the approach of a romance writer but weighted and balanced as to demonstrate how the copy could have served as the instructions for what would ultimately become the completed work. That narrative is then seen in the photos. There is enough art and sculpted landscape, which could also be defined as art in the project images, but there is also a great deal of work that looks to be there, not because a landscape designer placed it but because it just belongs there. That too is the feeling I had going through this monograph. It is complex yet simple in the idea that nature and art are inexplicably tied, but there is a completeness to the story being told in the work itself. I’ll share a secret with you. I am what you call an extroverted introvert. I have known this for a long time and that is one of the reasons why I think I love design as much as I do. I can appreciate the work and even draw energy from it. Going through a design book like this energizes me, provides me with an opportunity to lose myself in their work and focus exclusively on what is about the inanimate and the living working together without the need for people to activate it. Intersection of Nature and Art is a journey that takes you from a fun, elaborate tree house to the concrete exoskeleton that will be a retaining wall. Exquisitely sculpted gardens to nature-scapes that appear not to have been touched by human hands in decades yet they all share the same sense of scale, detail, scope and importance.

This book is being shared with you because it belongs in your library if what I previously mentioned are important to you. I love books, I love design and so my love for design books runs deep. This is a book I can see myself returning to often and because of that, if you share this passion, I think you will enjoy it as well. James Doyle Design Associates, well done.

Thank you Sara for grabbing the mic and taking this conversation on. Thank you Ann and Laura for your insight and expertise. Thank you for listening and subscribing to Convo By Design. The podcast, now in our 10th year was created for those in the design industry as well as those who simply love design, architecture, the arts and want the insider’s perspective. 

Thank you ThermaSol, Moya Living and Design Hardware for your partnership and support of the show. Keep those email coming, I do love hearing your thoughts about the show, ways to provide you new ideas and those guest submissions. Love those. Until next week, be well and take today first.

Perspectives on Design and the Thought Process that Informs World Class Interior Design | 402 | Sherry Hayslip

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. Today, we are going back to the WestEdge Design Fair in Dallas, Texas with designer, Sherry Hayslip.

I have been working with the WestEdge Design Fair since I think 2015. I have been producing the panels and conversations since 2016 and as is the case every year it gets more challenging because I push myself to bring you designers you know, creators you don’t and topics that force you to think about the business and how it affects you and your impact on the business of design. I speak with creators who come from all walks of life and creative thought. Today, you are going to hear from my conversation with Sherry Hayslip, one of the most cerebral designers I know. By this, I mean that she puts more thought into the context of the design as it affects those who will be living with it. I would also say that she is also one of the most under-appreciated designers I know. She is an international talent, she is award-winning, she has Fortune 500 and celebrity clients, she works on a wide array of projects and styles and there is no shortage of press-coverage but in my opinion, she is in the conversation for one of America’s greatest talents. Hear her approach and you recognize that she is a special creative.

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

York Wallcoverings – Designed to inspire for over 125 years

Franz Viegener – Finely crafted sculptural faucets

Moya Living –  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

Thank you Sherry, WestEdge Design Fair and to all of you who came to the show. Thank you to CXD sponsors and partners, ThermaSol, Article Furniture, York Wallcoverings, Moya Living and Franz Viegener for your continued support. Of course, thank you for downloading, subscribing and listening to the show. Thank you for the emails of support and the guest submissions. I love them and it has allowed me to find some amazing talent to showcase. Please remember why you do what you do and for whom you do it. Designers, architects, artists, product designers, showroom managers, publicists, magazine editors, publishers, set decorators and everyone else that makes our industry stronger by the day, this show is for you. That’s why I do it. Thanks for listening. Be well, and take today first.

Perspectives On Design with Chad Dorsey | 401 | Live from the WestEdge Design Fair in Dallas, Texas

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. Today, we are going back to the WestEdge Design Fair in Dallas, Texas with designer, Chad Dorsey.

I started Convo By Design in response to a complete lack of design focused content prior to 2012. When I started this show, it was to purposefully and thoughtfully transport you everywhere design was happening. That was even true until March 13, 2020. But since then, everyone with the latest smartphone provides some sort of coverage from every event known to man. My priority since day one was to bring this to you, packaged so you felt in some small way that you were actually there, experiencing it first hand. That is my commitment to you, I will keep doing that. And because of this, I have had to continually up my game because every day, there is a new podcast, digital video outlet or e-design platform producing more and more design focused content. I appreciate the challenge, it keeps me motivated. Is that weird?

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

York Wallcoverings – Designed to inspire for over 125 years

Franz Viegener – Finely crafted sculptural faucets

Moya Living –  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

Anyhow, I started a new extension of the show called Perspectives, featuring creatives who are doing things differently. This is one such conversation from the WestEdge Design Fair’s first edition in Dallas Texas in September 2022. This conversation is with interiors and product designer, Chad Dorsey.  Chad has been on the show previously, back in 2019 when we caught up with him and his Lacienega Design Quarter, Legends installation. We reminisce a bit about that. This was so much fun.

For those interested in seeing some of Chad’s work or the video from this conversation, check the show notes for links. Enjoy, that is coming up right after this.

Thank you Chad, WestEdge Design Fair and to all of you who came to the show. Thank you to CXD sponsors and partners, ThermaSOl, Article Furniture, York Wallcoverings, Moya Living and Franz Viegener for your continued support. Of course, thank you for downloading, subscribing and listening to the show. Thank you for the emails of support and the guest submissions. I love them and it has allowed me to find some amazing talent to showcase. Please remember why you do what you do and for whom you do it. Designers, architects, artists, product designers, showroom managers, publicists, magazine editors, publishers, set decorators and everyone else that makes our industry stronger by the day, this show is for you. That’s why I do it. Be well, and take today first.

Modern Textile Creation & Manufacturing, A Creative Approach to Disruption | 378 | Kathryn Sanders of Western Sensibility

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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

York Wallcoverings – Designed to inspire for over 125 years

Franz Viegener – Finely crafted sculptural faucets

Moya Living –  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

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.

Crafting the Bridge that Connects the Design and Business of Design | 369 | Michelle Lynne of ML Interiors Group

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with another installment of the Wellness & Design Thought Leadership Series presented by ThermaSol featuring a powerful, self-described “late bloomer” in her design career and is making up for lost time, this is Texas based designer, Michelle Lynne. Check out our partners while you listen to the show.

Designer Resources

ThermaSol – Redefining the modern shower experience

Article, great style is easy. It’s the best way to buy beautiful modern furniture

York Wallcoverings – Designed to inspire for over 125 years

Franz Viegener – Finely crafted sculptural faucets

Moya Living –  Beautiful, durable powder coated kitchen, bath & outdoor kitchen cabinetry

I kind of feel like we are all “late bloomers” at this point. I am continually adjusting the Convo By Design brand and reforming the way I do business. Because the world is changing very quickly, and “Life moves pretty fast…If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Yes, for those playing the home game, that was a Ferris Bueller quote. Not sorry. It’s true. 

Michele Lynne is a perfect example and if you find yourself wondering what your next move is, listen to this from Michelle. She gets it, she did it and the point here is this. It isn’t a point to point excursion, it’s a journey of creative self-discovery. In addition to the design biz, she also trains designers about running their own business. The MLG Experience is something she is passionate about and will share the ideas behind it with you as well. We are also going to talk about her work in Dallas and beyond. Enjoy this conversation with Michelle Lynne of ML Interiors Group, the latest installment of the Wellness & Design Thought Leadership Series, presented by ThermaSol. You’ll hear from Michelle in just a moment, but first, this.

Thank you, Michelle. For more stories like this, make sure you are subscribing to the podcast. You can find the show everywhere you get your favorite podcasts… But, you already knew that. What you might not know, is that there are literally hundreds of other episodes for you to binge on now. Go check them out. 

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.

A Return to Wonderfully Whimsical Wallpaper | 344 | Area Environments President, Diane Perry

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This is Convo By Design and on the show today you are going to hear about a company that is changing the way you look, design and style the verticals, the upstanding barriers…. Yeah, we’re talking about wallpaper.

So much has changed when it comes to design in general over the past 10 years, but dramatic changes in wall coverings have been a major focus for many creatives who were actively seeking new design frontiers to conquer. I would say the last major developments in wallpaper came in the 1970’s with new and experimental colors, metallic and flocks. 

Interesting to note that wallpaper dates back to the 16th century, much of which was used to design the interiors of cabinetry. By the 20th century, it was ubiquitous. Designs were simple at first, floral motifs to make the repeat an easier process. Block printed with different colors stamped over the last to create the desired effect. 

Over time, the process in Europe got to be incredibly intricate and quality control got better. Flocks became popular using a powdered wool that was the byproduct of the wool industry. Think about that idea for a moment, what a remarkable use for a waste product. Until, the aforementioned 1970’s pretty much abused the concept in unimaginable ways combined with metallics and a color palette spilled over from the psychedelic 1960’s.

Backtracking for a moment, around the 17th century, chinoiserie style papers were coming out of Asia and could be found in the stylish boutiques of Paris and London. These were painted, not printed with non-repeating compositions with vivid color that lent the feel of true luxury.

Many designers have shared with me a trepidation for wall paper on the part of their clients. The rationales all make sense. A still fresh repulsion from the 1980’s and 90’s. A fear that it becomes instantly dated or clashes with the furnishings, fixtures and art. That final point is the one I want to focus on. The art. And that is really a good point because the proliferation of art at all price point levels has exploded over the past 8-10 years in the US. And this leads me into my conversation with Diane Perry, president of Area Environments.  First about the company. Founded in 2012, Area Environments is a studio that curates originals from contemporary artists and with that, produces large format wallpapers and murals. This feels like the natural progression for the medium. Thinking about this differently, in a perfect world, one could build the space, style and scale around the art… But that isn’t realistic. So what about finding the art that you love and stretching, molding and conforming it to the space you have. See, that makes sense.

Diane Perry has been with Area Environments since 2018 and has an extensive art background. She is a photographer, graphic designer who originally studied fashion design.  And that as the primer for my chat with Diane.

Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out.

Thank you, Diane. I really enjoyed our time together. Thank you Walker Zanger and ThermaSol for your partnership. And, thank you for listening and subscribing to the podcast. Keep those emails coming convo by design at Outlook dot com. Adding the word “pleasure” to our architectural aspirations will make life better for all who choose to embrace this idea. See if you can add this word to what you do every day and see what happens. I am looking forward to seeing you again in person at a design event near you very soon. Until then, be well and try to take today first.

Kyle Bunting & Friends featuring Timothy Corrigan | 341 | The Chateau Collection, A Partnership By Design Part 1

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This is Convo By Design. Technically, its Convo By Design… in reality, this is another episode of Kyle Bunting & Friends. A few months ago, you heard an episode of Convo By Design featuring Fern Santini, Lauren Rottet and Jan Showers. That episode included and was orchestrated by Kyle Bunting. Kyle and I have gotten to know each other a little bit since he was on the show and we were talking one day and this idea just came up, got legs, sprouted wings and before I knew what happened, Kyle offered to put this all-star panel together for an episode to be featured on the CXD spinoff, Lone Star House of Design.

It sounds kind of complicated, it’s really not. You can check all of the previous podcast episodes on your podcast source of choice and find everything previously referenced. Back to the story. While Kyle and I were talking after the episode with Lauren, Jan and Fern aired, I mentioned his collar with another CXD alum, Timothy Corrigan and Kyle was like… “I have an idea.” What is about to follow, in 2 episodes because it could not be packaged into one, is an incredible 2-part conversation about European rugs, collaborations, artistry in hide and a history of rug making.

This is part one of our conversation. You are going to hear about partnerships, European rugs by type and the process by which Timothy Corrigan imagined his Chateau Collection and Kyle set out to create it. This is a soon-to-be classic tale of creator/ designer and artist/ craftsman working together to produce something exquisite, delicate in appearance but durable, an heirloom quality rug made from the earliest of sourced materials.

So, this Kyle Bunting & Friends concept is pretty cool and I think you’re going to dig it. Speaking of that…Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out.

Thank you, Tim and Kyle, for being a part of this. I am so fortunate to have friends like you. I really enjoyed our time together and love the collection. Thank you Walker Zanger and ThermaSol for your partnership. And, thank you for listening and subscribing to the podcast. Keep those emails coming convo by design at Outlook dot com. Adding the word “pleasure” to our architectural aspirations will make life better for all who choose to embrace this idea. See if you can add this word to what you do every day and see what happens. I am looking forward to seeing you again in person at a design event near you very soon. Until then, be well and take today first.

Lone Star house of Design | Effortless Outdoor Living with Landscape Designer Melissa Gerstle

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This is Lone Star House of Design, a podcast about all things design and architecture from and about the Great State of Texas. This episode features Melissa Gerstle, an artist of outdoor spaces. She crafts, teases and manipulates organic matter and design product into highly unique and crafted spaces. Texas is not always the best canvas for such things. At times, the weather doesn’t really cooperate. You are going to hear how this artisan uses the inhospitable to craft incredible outdoor design.

The old saying about the value of property are true, “location, location, location” and Mark Twain’s, “Buy land, they are making it anymore.” Design and use of outdoor space is the equivalent to being given more land. By making the most out of every square yard, the value of the property is not only increases but the service value of the property is tapped to increase the ‘joy-per-foot’ ratio. A designer that can tap into the value of previously unactivated spaces is rare and we have one here.

Are you subscribing to the podcast, if not, please do so you get every episode automatically when they are published. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite podcasts and now, you can find us on DesignNetwork dot Org, a destination dedicated to podcasts, all things design and architecture so make sure to check it out.

Thank you, Melissa for your time and talent. Thank you Walker Zanger and ThermaSol for your support and Thank you for subscribing and downloading the show and If you are not already, please subscribe so you catch every episode of Lone Star House of design and Convo By Design the moment they are published. You can also ask your smart speaker to play Convo By Design.

And if you REALLY want more, follow along, ConvoByDesign.Com and @ConvoXDesign with an “X” on Instagram. For show inquiries, sponsorship and guest inquiries, email me ConvoByDesign@outlook.com. Be well and until next week, keep creating.