Special Series on Designing for Disaster | 7 | Designer Kim Gordon on Finding Your Happy-Place Now

I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design with a special series of episodes focused on the COVID – 19 pandemics from a different perspective. You already know about washing your hands and staying at home. But, staying at home has created a whole new set of unforeseen issues. Our homes were not created to serve as home, office, school, restaurant, daycare all at once. This series of episodes is designed to address the fact that most if not all of us are home riding out this pandemic, hopefully, this provides you with some inspiration and makes weathering this a little bit easier.

You are about to hear from an amazing design and an equally exceptional person. Kim Gordon is fearless, strong & sensitive. Her raw approach is refreshing and allowed for an amazing conversation about the idea of home. If this sounds too woo-woo for you, hang on a minute. Think about the idea of home and what you want it to be. It’s different for everyone and yet, there are consistent through lines that allow us to find what that special place means to each of us individually. In this episode, Kim talks about:

Hitting The Reset Button- Time to stop, think, and reassess.

Accept the Tension and Uncertainty- Stop fighting it and learn to live with it.

Time to Focus- This will allow you to rediscover what is truly important.

PLANTS- Kim loves to bring plants into foster relaxation.

Bring the Outside, In- Adding on the idea of plants with outside materials incorporated into the interior design.

What’s That Smell- The smell of home.

Water Feature- With the outside incomes sound with sight and smell.

Be Good to Yourself- That really is the core tenet.

Walk Your Space with a Fresh Look- Leave your preconceived ideas at the door and walk your space for the first time.

Home as Personalized Retreat- This process leads to a reassessment, rediscovery, and finding your personal happy place. A place you never want to leave.

Thank you, Kim for your time and talent. For more about Kim Gordon, please go to Kim Gordon Designs dot com. Thank you, Walker Zanger, for your partnership and support of Convo By Design. And thank you for listening, were it not for you, there would be no Convo By Design. We will get through this, together. And until we do, I will keep bringing you the ideas from incredibly talented creatives to make this a little bit better. If you have a question, ideas for a segment or you are a designer that wants to help, please email me at ConvoByDesign@Outlook.com. Take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Lone Star House of Design | 2 | Cindy Aplanalp-Yates of Chairma Design Group

Cindy Aplanalp-Yates is the Principal of Chairma Design Group, an award-winning design firm in Houston. Cindy goes into the game a bit later than most. The family came first, then the business. Cindy and I sat down at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas to talk design, trade shows and the uniqueness of Texans which makes designing in Texas so much fun. This is Cindy Aplanalp-Yates.

Thank you, Cindy, that was amazing and I truly appreciate the time. Please subscribe to the show so you catch every episode of Lone Star House of design and Convo By Design, ask Alexa or Siri, say, “Hey Siri, Play Convo By Design” and she will. You can follow the show on the socials as well, @ConvoXDesign with an “X” on Instagram and check out the YouTube channel for videos from some of your favorite episodes. Thank you for listening and until next week, Keep creating.

What Every Interior Design Trade Professional Needs to Know | 247 | The Design Influencer Group

In 2019 I started the Design Influencer and Innovation Group. This is a series of trade only events at Southern California. This gathering was held at the Ornare showroom on Beverly Blvd in West Hollywood.

First up is Rozita Nazarian with the benefits and challenges of design showcase houses. 

Gary Gibson is unique in that he is a designer with his own showroom so he has to be cognizant of what other designers really want as well. Gary also talks about industry events and the challenges of  expanding into new categories.

Leslie Shapiro Joyal has a unique view on the up cropping of designer workrooms allowing for creators to settle in a space that allows them to craft their own product. She talks about her workroom, her showroom and how she uses this experience to, in turn provide that experience to other designers. She describes it as a “circle in which the ecosystem thrives.” This is Leslie Shapiro Joyal.

Josh Borris with Core Development Group addresses the fundamental issue. How can the industry help busy design and architecture professionals. How can companies provide marketing and sales materials to help you along the way. Josh hits some really interesting points.

Longtime friend of the show, architect Takashi Yanai. Takashi opened the firm’s San Francisco office. He talks a bit about opening new territories. This is critical for design and architecture firms.

Julia Wong talks about design shows and the importance of support for design professionals.

Aaron B. Duke shares his thoughts about something that comes up all the time…. The pivot. What happens when you figure out that you need to change the carrier direction to accommodate for live direction? You don’t hear many talk about it in raw, honest terms.

Back to the issue of trade shows and inspiration, Nicolette Akiko from Studio Akiko has some strong opinions. I have had the pleasure of working with Nicolette and I value her perspective on establishing a local base for the firm and expanding outward, I think you will too.

Laurie Haefele, she is clear on what she needs and wants from the industry. Hey, design trade shows, manufacturers and showrooms… Do you want to know what design pros want from you…. here you go.

Wrapping this up is an outsider, for very good reason. Alex Abramian is a freelance journalist who has covered the design and architecture industry for quite some time. This is where trade editorial and design trade meet. And sometimes that meeting is a violent collision. Want a smooth transition? Listen to this from journalist, Alex Abramian.

That’s a wrap on this episode of Convo By Design featuring the Design Influencer and Innovator group. A collection of Southern California’s best and brightest in design and architecture. Thank you Rozita, Gary, Laurie, Julia, Josh, Aaron, Takashi, Nicolette and Alex. Thank you Cynthia and the Ornare showroom staff for making us feel so at home in your amazing space. Thank you Snyder Diamond, Vondom, SubZero, Wolf and Cove for your generous support and most of all, thank you for listening, downloading each episode, rating the podcast on iTunes and engaging in social media. You are the absolute best and I truly appreciate you. 

That is a wrap on this episode of Convo By Design and until next week, keep creating.