Tag Archives: podcast

3 Master Designers Who Break the Rules and Why You Should Too | 404 | featuring Mary McDonald, Suzanne Kassler and Thomas O’Brien

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I’m Josh Cooperman and this is Convo By Design. Today, another look back at a fun and fantastic panel conversation from past design celebrations. This one, from La Cienega Design Quarters Legends 2019…

This conversation was recorded LIVE at the Circa Lighting showroom on La Cienega Blvd in 2019 . Here was the write up for it in the press materials… As any great designer will tell you, so of the best projects begin by throwing everything you think you know right out the window. Joanna Salz, Editorial Director of House Beautiful, gets three rule-defining designers, @MaryMcDonaldInc  @SuzanneKasler  @AEROStudios to admit some of their biggest challenges, their hardest earned triumphs , and those moments when, against all odds, they created some of their most spectacular work.

As someone who creates, produces and moderates panels, I can tell you first hand how hard it can be to try and craft a panel concept that hasn’t already been done a thousand times or is just another ho-hum idea. This concept was genius and one that I will try to riff off in the future. It was beautifully done and very well executed. Just for fun, I’m including the talk-up from the original episode.

Thank you Mary, Suzanne, Thomas and Joanna. Excellent work. Thank you LCDQ for allowing Convo By Design to present these incredible talks. Thank you 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 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.

Imagine A World WITHOUT Frank Lloyd Wright | 291 | A Conversation That Would Thoroughly Annoy Him

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A conversation of his work and influence in the abstract would, no doubt perk up the prickly side of Frank Lloyd Wright who never seemed to pass on an opportunity to share his thoughts regardless of how they might be perceived. The cantankerous side of Frank Lloyd Wright was a gift second only to his work. It made things so much more interesting.

Around the time I was writing panel concepts for the Convo By Design Programming Lounge at WestEdge in 2019, I saw a movie that posed the question, what would the world be like if only one person remembered the Beatles… That made me think, what was Frank Lloyd Wright’s impact beyond the work itself? That is exactly what was pondered and explored by this incredible panel. Featuring Margaret Bach of Margaret Bach Design, Carlo Caccavale, Executive Director at American Institute of Architects, David Coffey, Director of The Design Thinking Academy, and Michael Lehrer of Lehrer Architects. This group of luminaries is led by moderator and educator, Carol Bishop who masterfully navigates this idea in a conversation called Modern World, Life Without Frank Lloyd Wright.

Wow, okay. This was a great chat, thank you, Margaret, Carlo, David, and Michael. Thank you Carol for navigating this strange idea and leading this excellent conversation. Thank you Walker Zanger  for your continued support and thank you for listening.

Please make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss a single episode. You can find Convo By Design everywhere you get your favorite podcasts. You can also ask your smart device to play Convo By Design, and it will. If you want to continue the conversation, you can find us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign, with and “X”. Be well, and until next week…Keep creating.

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

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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

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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

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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.