Tag Archives: Pacific Sales

Kitchens, Clients & the Art of Rebuilding After Disaster Strikes | 598 | Live from Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home in Pasadena, CA.

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:08:44 — 94.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

Today, we’re taking you into the heart of the home—and into the heart of a crisis. This is part three of our special series on kitchen design in the context of post-wildfire rebuilding. But this isn’t just about appliances and finishes. It’s about resilience, emotional healing, and how design professionals are redefining what a kitchen truly means in the aftermath of disaster.

In this episode, you’ll hear from an extraordinary panel of designers and industry pros tackling some of the toughest questions we face when rebuilding from scratch—often under pressure, always with purpose.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

We talk about the emotional weight clients carry into the design process and how trauma-informed planning can help ease that burden. You’ll hear how priorities shift when clients aren’t just dreaming up a dream kitchen—they’re reconstructing their lives. Function trumps flash, accessibility takes center stage, and the kitchen becomes more than a cooking space—it’s a symbol of comfort, safety, and a return to normalcy.

We’re also exploring how wildfires and insurance timelines are reshaping the design-build process itself. From tight ALE (Additional Living Expense) windows to panic buying and long lead times, designers are balancing empathy with efficiency, and creativity with constraint.

You’ll hear how technology—from induction cooktops to full home automation—is influencing new builds, and why education and trust are key when introducing these tools. We’ll talk about sustainable materials, fire-resistant solutions, and why regional design—from Altadena to the Palisades—is more influential than ever.

Finally, we examine the critical importance of early collaboration. When architects, designers, and contractors don’t align from day one, it’s the homeowner who pays the price—in money, time, and emotional energy.

This is a conversation for designers, builders, architects, and homeowners navigating recovery—or for anyone passionate about the evolving role of residential design in a time of crisis. It’s thoughtful. It’s raw. And it’s exactly the kind of dialogue that defines Convo By Design. The following program was recorded live form Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home in Pasadena, California. This group of amazing creatives had fantastic insights. The group included:

Emma DeRoche | Emma DeRoche Interior Design @derochedesign

Emma DeRoche of DeRoche Interior Design specializes in interior architecture with a deep emphasis on personalization. Her approach is highly client-centric—rooted in understanding who clients are, were, and aspire to be—and translating that into meaningful, livable design. Rather than adhere to a signature style, Emma’s work ranges from sleek, minimalist kitchens with hidden appliances to richly traditional spaces with detailed millwork and warm finishes. She designs kitchens that are not just functional, but deeply expressive—often including secondary prep kitchens, outdoor cooking spaces, and thoughtful additions like bathroom fridges or bedroom coffee stations. Her work reflects a shift in how we live: more casually, more connected, and more personally.

Eva Hughes | Black House Beige @blackhousebeige

Eva Hughes, founder of Black House Beige, leads a bi-coastal design firm based in Los Angeles with projects in both California and New York. Her work blends beauty and function, creating homes that evolve with families while reflecting their identity and lifestyle. Eva emphasizes regional lifestyle differences—such as LA’s car-centric, home-focused routines versus New York’s walkable, compact living—which directly influence design choices. Her approach involves keen observation and communication, especially when tailoring kitchens to client routines, from child-friendly layouts to chef-grade functionality. Eva is also a featured designer in this year’s Pasadena Showcase House, where she designed a powder bath—gaining insight as her own client and connecting deeply with the design community.

Gail Jamenetz | Soul Interiors Design @soul_interiors_design

Gail Jamentz is the principal of Soul Interiors Design, a firm deeply rooted in wellness-focused, sustainable design. Based in Altadena—where she also resides—Gail brings a personal and empathetic approach to her work, having lost her own home in the recent fires. Her mission is to help clients rebuild with intention, turning tragedy into an opportunity to create healthier, more fire-resistant, and joy-filled homes. Gail emphasizes education and advocacy, guiding clients through the complex rebuilding process while honoring Altadena’s character and community. She’s also a vocal supporter of thoughtful planning over rushed prefab solutions, and a believer in design as a tool for hope, healing, and community regeneration.

Neela Woodard | Neela Woodard Design @neelawoodarddesign

Neela Woodard is the founder of Neela Woodard Design, based in Burbank, California. With East Coast roots, Neela blends a personalized, human-centered approach with practical functionality—designing spaces that reflect not just her clients’ tastes, but who they are and how they live. Her work emphasizes the kitchen as the heart of the home, especially in contrasting communities like Altadena and the Palisades, where needs and styles vary widely. Neela brings a deep understanding of how lifestyle and regional context shape kitchen use, from indoor-outdoor living to evolving tech and storage solutions. She’s also navigating current supply chain and tariff challenges with creative problem-solving and a forward-thinking mindset—balancing urgency with long-term vision.

Tanya Paz |  TAP Studio @tap.studio

Tanya Paz, founder of TAP Studio in Pasadena, integrates architecture, interiors, and wellness in her work across residential and institutional projects. The recent fires deeply impacted the Los Angeles area, reshaping designers’ roles to include client advocacy, emotional support, and practical assistance in temporary housing and rebuilding. The loss extends beyond structures to personal histories embedded in homes, prompting new conversations about functionality and client needs. Rebuilding spans diverse housing types and budgets, demanding inclusive design solutions. Inspired by historical mass-produced kitchens like the Frankfurt Kitchen, TAP Studio explores customizable prefab “kits of parts” to deliver quality kitchens within fixed budgets. Prefabrication offers speed and cost control, especially for ADUs and cabinetry, but must balance standardization with customization. Overall, the fires have expanded designers’ responsibilities, highlighting their role in supporting clients through trauma and rebuilding resilient, meaningful homes.

Verzine Hovasapyain |Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home  @pacificsales

Verzine Hovasapyan is the Premium Manager at Pacific Sales, where she’s spent the past 25 years building deep relationships in the appliance industry. Based in Southern California, she oversees luxury sales, vendor training, and trade partnerships, with a strong focus on supporting the design community and staying ahead of appliance trends. Verlaine brings a relational, client-centered approach to her work—emphasizing continuity, care, and partnership, particularly in communities like Altadena, where many are rebuilding after fire loss. She champions the role of designers in grounding clients’ aspirations in reality, offering Pacific Sales showrooms and vendor spaces as hands-on resources. With ties to Best Buy, her team also offers financing programs, community incentives, and a designer rewards system—supporting both professionals and homeowners through every phase of the build or remodel journey.

Some of the topics covered in the following conversation include:

The Kitchen as the Emotional and Functional Heart of the Home

  • Kitchens hold deep emotional significance—sites of daily rituals, memories, and togetherness.
  • After a wildfire, the kitchen becomes a symbolic space for recovery and hope.
  • Design decisions are highly personal and emotionally charged.
  • Clients often want to recreate or reimagine their old kitchens with updated functionality.

Regional Differences in Design Expectations and Constraints

  • Distinct design preferences and material palettes between regions like Altadena and the Pacific Palisades.
  • Community aesthetic and architectural history influence rebuilding styles.
  • Regulatory hurdles vary by area, with different zoning, setback rules, and historical preservation requirements shaping outcomes.

Evolving Client Priorities Post-Wildfire

  • Clients are more focused on resilience, function, and safety than aesthetic trends.
  • Many are embracing sustainability, energy efficiency, and adaptability.
  • There is increased openness to modern design and materials, including induction cooking and engineered surfaces.
  • Emotional trauma affects client engagement—many lean on designers to make decisions.

Role of the Designer in Trauma-Informed, Post-Disaster Projects

  • Designers become part therapist, part advocate, and part project manager.
  • Clear, compassionate communication is key.
  • Emotional intelligence is just as important as technical design knowledge.
  • Clients often need guidance to make rational decisions under emotional duress.

Integration of Technology and Customization in Kitchen Design

  • Appliance integration is increasingly customized to lifestyle, with layouts tailored to how families live and cook.
  • Tech choices (e.g., induction, smart appliances) must be balanced with usability and client familiarity.
  • Over-customization can be a risk when designing from trauma—designers guide clients toward practical solutions.

Accessibility, Aging-in-Place, and Multigenerational Living

  • Kitchens are being designed with long-term use in mind—features accommodate aging or differently abled residents.
  • Appliance height, clearance, lighting, and ergonomic storage are now standard considerations.
  • Design reflects changing family dynamics, including more multigenerational households post-disaster.

Supply Chain Disruptions and Construction Delays

  • Long lead times for appliances, cabinetry, doors, and windows require early ordering—often a year or more in advance.
  • Delays lead to warehousing challenges, lost warranties, and misaligned installation schedules.
  • Designers, builders, and clients must constantly adapt timelines to product availability.

Financial Pressures: Tariffs, Budgets, and Insurance Deadlines

  • Rising material and appliance costs due to tariffs force compromises in design.
  • Insurance coverage for temporary housing (ALE) puts pressure on timelines and decision-making.
  • Budget-conscious clients often opt for fewer or more affordable design elements.
  • Designers must advocate for quality while respecting financial realities.

Collaboration Between Designers, Architects, and Contractors

  • Misalignment between architecture and interior functionality often leads to design inefficiencies.
  • Early collaboration is essential—especially in kitchen planning—to ensure layouts work for real-life usage.
  • Clear role definition and respect for each discipline improve outcomes and reduce errors.

Educating Clients and the Public About New Technologies

  • Induction cooking is gaining traction for its efficiency and safety, but requires client education.
  • Misinformation and lack of awareness among electricians, builders, and homeowners can slow adoption.
  • Designers play a key role in bridging the knowledge gap and driving sustainable choices.

That was the full conversation on designing for fire restoration and the ultimate functional kitchen.—an important and timely topic that continues to evolve as our climate, policies, and expectations shift. Thank you to this amazing group; Gail, Neela, Eva, Emma, Tanya and Verzine. I want to thank my partner sponsors who help make this show possible: Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home, a Best Buy Company, TimberTech, and Design Hardware. Thank you for listening, subscribing, and sharing the show with your colleagues. Your support means everything, and it helps grow this conversation across the design community.

Make sure you subscribe to Convo By Design so you never miss an episode. We have more incredible guests, ideas, and conversations coming your way.

Please keep those emails coming. You can reach me directly at convoByDesign@outlook.com, and be part of the conversation on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign—that’s Convo X Design with an “X”..

This is a complex issue and one that requires both deeper thought and immediate action.  I want to thank every one of our expert guests for their insights, time, and passion. We are surrounded by complex issues, are we not? That’s why I have been encouraging you to manage these complicated times. Because it’s real. It’s exhausting. But, from transition, comes opportunity. It is just a matter of thinking about it differently and finding the shiny, glimmering opportunities amongst dark and ominous clouds. So, stay focused and rise above the chaos. – CXD

A Study of Architecture. The Roles of Form and Function in Large and Complex Structures | 589 | CO Architects

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:44 — 79.3MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

We have come to a tipping point in the business of design. The point of no return. There has been a debate about form following function since architect Louis Sullivan coined the term. A protege named Frank Lloyd Wright once said, “Form follows function, that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.” This will most likely not go over well with the most ardent FLW supporters and fans, but I believe Wright misunderstood this as well. Sullivan suggested that form following function meant the design should speak to the intended purpose of a structure and not simply be reflective of historical design, ornamentation or precedents. I won’t speak for anyone but myself when I say that I have toured a number of Wright’s works and I don’t agree with his take on form following function. This will and should be debated, but not today. Today, we are going to focus on how form must follow function, or the project won’t perform.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Today, you are going to hear from Parini Mehta, AIA LEED AP, Tanner Clapham, AIA and Michael Stebbins, AIA from CO Architects. CO Architects, a firm dedicated to perpetual innovation and continual improvement through collaboration. This is a firm dedicated to creating lasting impact through design and the following conversation is evidence of that. This conversation is about the collaborative nature of an architecture firm that allows their architects to work on different types of projects and share their typology specialty while learning new ones in real time. We are discussing; education architecture, healthcare, medical facilities, laboratory architecture, research and exploring the idea of future-proofing structures from affects of both seen and unseen factors. I’m so appreciative for this opportunity to explore these ides with the incredible creatives. Since 2017, Convo By Design has been featuring peer-to-peer conversations from showrooms across the country. This one was recorded live from Design Hardware in Los Angeles. 

There has always been a deep divide between residential and commercial architecture. While I won’t rant about it today. Since the days of Julia Allison focused on the rise to celebrity through internet fame, we as a society have been discussing design and architecture through social value, not performative value. When you see your favorite design publication of website feature the latest celebrity home, you fill find that not much attention, if any has been focused on the performative value of the space. Much of what we see is about materiality, aesthetic, brands and it’s usually focused on a celebrity. And that’s fine. Design porn is not new, but it also doesn’t do much for moving the conversation forward. What conversation? How do top tier architects and the firms that employ them focus on commercial design, and create form that follows function in an environment where the function not only matters, but is critical to the success of the project? That is the conversation we should be having. And we are. You are going to hear it, right after this.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Thank you Parini, Michael and Tanner for taking the time to visit. Thank you to all of the professionals at CO Architects for your skill and willingness to share. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors, TimberTech, Pacific Sales, and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. Thank you for listening, subscribing to 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. 

Please keep those emails coming convo by design at outlook dot com and follow the conversation on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign with an “X”.

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

The Winds of Change Are Blowing In A New Era of Design Thought Leadership | 587 | Steph Schlegelmilch of Studio Seva

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:19 — 84.2MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

Things are changing. Can you feel it? I can. The mood in the design, architecture, built space is changing in response to external factors. Those external factors are being felt in numerous ways. I’ll give you an example and we don’t about this much, not nearly enough. Hardening of the enclosure in architecture is leading to new ways architects are approaching the exterior envelope of projects to address the threats brought on by climate change. Remember ‘global warming’? That was a misnomer, it’s climate change. Design has and in large part is still focused on aesthetic, but that too is changing. Are you changing with it?

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Change is hard. All change is hard. But without change, there is no evolution. Without evolving, we do the same things over and over regardless of the outcome. I have changed, Convo By Design has changed. Seemingly everyone has a podcast now, and it feels like every editorial headline is ‘something’ by design. 12 years ago, neither was that way. I see how my own editorial approach has changed, these conversations we share each week have changed and the industry is changing as well. Not by choice, but because, as the quote from Moneyball goes, “Adapt or die”. Today, you are going to listen in on my conversation with Steph Schlegelmilch, founder and chief creative director of Studio Seva. This Westport, Connecticut based creative blends a holistic approach with technical application. Steph shares her thoughts on a number of ideas affecting the business of design today, and these ideas are not going away any time soon. They include; 

  • An appreciation of and learning form failure
  • Experience and collaboration
  • Exploration of style, techniques and materials
  • Styling and photography
  • Trend translation , modification and the edit process
  • Home styling challenges
  • Lighting design
  • Partnerships

All of these ideas should be taught in a formal design education. Sadly, they are not. But you can find them explored here. So, enjoy this episode with Studio Seva’s Steph Schlegelmilch.

Thank you, Steph. Enjoyed this. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors, TimberTech, Pacific Sales, and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. Thank you for listening, subscribing to 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. 

Please keep those emails coming convo by design at outlook dot com and follow the conversation on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign with an “X”.

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

The High Points, Everything You Need to Be Ready for the Spring High Point Market | 582 | Victoria Holly

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:54 — 89.1MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

If you are listening to this episode the week it’s published, that would be the week of April 22nd, and you are planning on attending the Spring High Point Market, lucky you… You are going to hear from Victoria Holly, founder of her eponymous firm and one of this years Style Spotters at High Point Market, the Spring 2025 edition. What does it mean to spot style, differentiate emerging style from trend and further differentiate trend from trendy? Trendy, ugh.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Something can be trending and have lasting impact on design, but that separation of lasting impact vs ephemeral interest has been dogging the industry for quite some time. Victoria and I talk about this in detail as well as how she prepares for a show like High Point Market and what conversations she will be having as it relates to supply chain, pricing, tariffs and potential brand partnerships. The following is a master class on event prep. A conversations that was a joy to participate in and that I am incredibly proud to share with you in the hopes that you can prep if your going this time or perhaps in the fall. This conversation is absolutely jammed with actionable ideas for design talent at every level because Victoria knows her industry well. It is clear that she has studied her craft and knows how she wants that knowledge and insight to serve her. An idea that we don’t talk about nearly enough. But we do today and you will hear it all in the next hour.

Thank you Victoria, loved this. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors, TimberTech, Pacific Sales, and Design Hardware. Amazing companies and great friends to the trade so please give them an opportunity for your next project. Thank you for listening, subscribing to 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. 

Please keep those emails coming convo by design at outlook dot com and follow the conversation on Instagram, @ConvoXDesign with an “X”.

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

Technical & Bold, the Transformative Nature of Design | 580 | Lauren Reyes Lim , LVR Studios

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:11:27 — 98.1MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

Topics that keeps bubbling up in conversations industry wide is burnout. Exhaustion. Dealing with the daily and unrelenting chaos. These feelings are coming from the stresses caused by the constant price increases, subscription increases, the lost art of customer service and yes, the overall chaos caused by a litany of factors and you know what I’m talking about.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

I say, “you know what I’m talking about” instead of saying it, because, yeah, I’m sick of talking about it. Sick of thinking about it. I want to feel like I did back in 2022. That was a good year. The pandemic was behind us and blue skies ahead. So, your tired. Yeah, me too. The thing that recharges my batteries? The interpersonal conversations that you hear on the show. I started Convo By Design to tell the stories behind design. To showcase the very design that makes me happy. It’s that feeling I used to get when a new issue of Metropolitan Home arrived in the mail. It would be sitting there in the mailbox. I would spend a minute just looking at the cover, through the poly bag. I would spend a minute trying to imagine what will be in there. Then I would save it. Force the anticipation to build. Then put it down for a while and come back when I had a full hour or more to really dig in, read the Editors Letter, Pub Note, the Masthead, scour the ads. Did you know the advertising is really the best way to determine the forthcoming trends? The marketing, not the editorial is where you learn about future-thought.  But the editorial is what has been happening for the past 3 months to 2-years while the projects were in process.

I don’t think I have ever spoken with you about how I hope you use Convo By Design. This show is offered as both product and service. My hope is that you will take me with you on your walks, runs, trips to discover at local design centers or at the airport as you are on your way to the next big event. 

I tell you this in support of the conversation you are about to hear with Lauren Reyes Lim, principal and founder of LVR Studios. Lauren’s work, and that of her firm is both throwback and futuristic in thought and delivery. Pattern, color, texture, styling and presentation. That is very much how this chat goes as well. I hope you enjoy it. It’s coming up, right after this.

Loved this. Thank you Lauren. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors; 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 

Favorite Places, Unique Spaces in the Coachella Valley | 576 | Elyssa Contardo

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:17 — 88.3MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

One of my favorite places in the world is the Coachella Valley. Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells. The valley is thriving as new residents move in, the are is mountainous and arid desert blended in an oasis of mixed architectural styles blended with cultural influence from music to fashion and everything in between. I love the Coachella Valley because as a teenager, I would go to Palm Springs for spring break. Something then mayor, Sonny Bono did not care fore and eventually drove us out. Then it was the architecture, followed by Coachella Music Festival combined with Stagecoach. La Quinta Resort remains my personal favorite place to recharge and reflect.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

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

 – Where service meets excellence

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

I am really pleased to share my conversation with Elyssa Contardo, SoCal native and Coachella Valley based designer. She actually has two offices, one in Palm Desert and the other in Park City, Utah. And we discuss both locations and their emerging status as design forward locales. Check the show notes for links to Contardo’s work. Especially as we walk through some of her projects. You are going to hear all about it, right now after this.

Thank you, Elyssa.Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors; 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

Cliff Fong | 575 | Our March 2025 Convo By Design ICON Registry Inductee

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:05:26 — 89.9MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

There are some guests that you hear on the that transcend design. You will usually find those guests here, on a very special episode of the show called the Convo By Design Icon Registry. These episodes air Thursdays toward the end of each month and feature past conversations with those who so deservedly receive enshrinement into the Convo By Design hall of fame.

This months inductee is Cliff Fong. Cliff has been on the show twice. The first time was in May of 2016 and the most recent was his appearance at WestEdge Design Fair in 2023 where he and I sat for a one on one conversation in front of a live audience. It is that conversation I want to share with you as we add Cliff to a registry that features some of the most amazing creatives in the business today. Fong runs his design firm Matt Black, Inc. and has an emotional gallery of his own called Faire du Vert.

The Convo By Design Icon Registry is presented by Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home, A Best Buy Company and partner sponsor of Convo By Design. I am incredibly appreciative to Pacific Sales for their continued support of Convo By Design and the design industry. And again, congratulations, Cliff. You are going to her my conversation with Cliff form the 2023 edition of the WestEdge Design Fair right after this.

Congratulations Cliff on your enshrinement into the Convo By Design Icon Registry. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me and sharing your story. Thank you to my incredible partner sponsors, ThermaSol, TimberTech, Design Hardware and to the Convo By Design Icon Registry presenting partner, Pacific Sales for your dedication to making our industry better, faster, stronger! And thank you for listening to Convo By Design each week and sharing the show with your colleagues and friends who love sublime design. Until the next episode, be well, stay focused and rise above the chaos. -CXD

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

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:05:12 — 89.5MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

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

WestEdge Wednesday | 572 | The Great Outdoors: Reimagining California’s Love for Outdoor Living

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:40 — 54.6MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

Californians have perfected outdoor living, largely due to the favorable climate. As weather patterns change, the design industry has adapted with sustainable materials, inventive building practices and creative use of space including outdoor kitchens, theaters, plunge pools, functional landscapes, and unique approaches to sport courts.  From pickleball to a pickle martini, design meets entertainment with the new innovations in outdoor design.

All of these programs took place in the WestEdge Theater presented by Pacific Sales Kitchen & Home. The stage was designed by Julie Beuerlein of JKB Home Design. This program was sponsored by TimberTech. A fantastic partner/ sponsor of Convo By Design.

As a busy professional designer, you know how important it is to find the right partnerships. Partnerships that allow you to specify the right products for every project. Professionals like you just don’t have time to waste. Let me tell you about one of my partnerships. Pacific Sales is here to serve you with expert, knowledgeable and non-commissioned professionals to help you specify the right product for all your projects. Non-commissioned. That means their only incentive is your satisfaction. Pacific Sales Kitchen & Home, a Best Buy Company has just that with over 60 years of service in Southern California. Pacific Sales is your destination for exploration, advice and inspiration. And here’s the cherry on top, access to exclusive Builder Trade Incentives from top brands like Monogram. Visit a Pacific Sales Showroom today to learn how you can unlock additional savings and benefits. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to work with the best of the best. Visit Pacific Sales Kitchen & Home today and elevate your projects to new heights!

At the highest level of design, the absolute best specifying designers, architects and landscape designers are all highly focused on the technology and performance of products and materials today. You have to because the products you specify for your projects have to perform and they have to last. That is one of the reasons why I am so proud to be working with TimberTech. Their focus on the technical renaissance of synthetic decking is literally changing the conversation about innovation and performance. It pulls focus on three priorities homeowners have and expect from the products their designers and architects specify for their luxury projects; 1. Aesthetics must match the overall design and fit visually. 2. Durability and maintenance. I’ve told you my board-flipping stories about my own wood decks. Clients not only want beauty, but they want ease of use and they want it to last for decades. 3. Sustainably made. Clients are more conscious of the environment and they want the same of their materials. TimberTech hits each one of these elements with a product that not only meets expectations, they exceed them. TimberTech makes a synthetic decking that looks just like wood, color and embossed wood grain for a natural appearance. Their composite decking is technologically superior as it has been created to last for decades, and it is manufactured with up to 85% recycled material. Their Advanced PVC Vintage and Landmark Collections have a Class A Flame Spread Rating making these products an amazing choice for wildfire prone areas, which unfortunately continues to grow on a risk-map. Check the show notes for more information about this and to find the nearest showroom or lumberyard. You can also check them out directly TimberTech.com.

Moderated by: Josh Cooperman, Convo By Design

Featuring: John Feldman | Ecocentrix Landscape Architecture, Sam Toole | AZEK Co. Erik Peterson | PHX Architecture, Scott Specht | Specht Novak, Dustin Moore | Strata Landscape Architecture

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

Posted on by

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:05:50 — 90.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS | More

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