Domos Coliving | 312 | Coliving, The Future of Flex-Living and Finding Balance between Private Space and Shared Amenities

This is Convo By Design featuring Daniel Alexander and Richard Loring of Domos Coliving. From Millennials moving back home to traditional multi-generational cohabitation, the idea of coliving has not only gained steam, but taken hold in cities across the U.S. Home ownership once the foundational idea behind the American dream is, in many circle giving way to the idea the coliving provides all someone wants and nothing they don’t. But what role does design play when you are catering to the many without serving only a few. That’s what I wanted to know when I spoke with Daniel and Richard from Domos. Daniel is principal with DOMOS and Richard manages construction and design.

Some thoughts as you listen. If you are a designer, this will shed some light on the approach to application of design and flow. Architects, there is something here for you as well in the structure of a space made for many that feels cozy and personal.

Thanks for downloading, streaming and subscribing to this episode of the podcast. If you haven’t subscribed yet, please do so you don’t miss a single episode of the show, like this one with Daniel Alexander and Richard Loring of Domos Coliving.

Thank you Daniel and Richard. Thank you Walker Zanger for your extraordinary partnership and thank you for listening. My goal is to bring you the stories behind sublime design wherever that may be. To share those stories, bring you business strategies to help you build a stronger firm and inspire you to do your most creative work.

For more, please follow us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign with an “X”, check us out at Convo By Design dot com. Until next week, be well and keep creating.

Sandra Vlock | 310 | Transformation, Following Your Passion and Taking A New Path

What if you decided to abandon your profession to follow your passion, what would happen? You know you’ve thought about it. Who hasn’t thought about ditching the job to do what you love. I say that knowing most of you listening are in the design and architecture industry and having spoken with so many of you, know that you love what you do, even so, I also know many have that secret talent, that passion to do something else. Yes, It’s scary.

Sandra Vlock is an architect by education and an artist by choice. She had a moment of clarity after receiving 2 58” mooring bouys and then sculpting them into highly detailed fire pits. Crafting one thing into another, and watching that craft a feeling, an experience with fire. This is a conversation about personal and professional growth and following your passion where it takes you.

Thank you, Sandra. Thank you Walker Zanger for your extraordinary partnership and thank you for listening. My goal is to bring you the stories behind sublime design wherever that may be. To share those stories, bring you business strategies to help you build a stronger firm and inspire you to do your most creative work.

For more, please follow us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign with an “X”, check us out at Convo By Design dot com. Until next week, be well and keep creating.

Paul McClean | 308 | A Master of Modern Architecture

This is Convo By Design with an architect that is single hardly redefining what is possible in modern residential architecture, this is Paul McClean…

Paul McClean is one of those rare individuals who knew what he wanted to do at a very young age. Rarer still is growing up to change that space into your vision of what it should be. McClean grew up in Ireland and made his way to Southern California by way of Sydney, Australia. His work uses clean lines, site-specific features that make the most of water features, and the given space available, sometimes more, sometimes less. Always distinct, you can see McClean’s fine lines woven through space and structure in the most seamless and unapologetically spectacular ways. McClean’s work is inspirational, aspirational, and if nothing else, makes you wonder, ‘what if’.

Thanks for downloading, streaming, and subscribing to this episode of the podcast. If you haven’t subscribed yet, please do so you don’t miss a single episode of the show, like this one with master architect, Paul McClean.

Thank you, Paul. Thank you Walker Zanger for your extraordinary partnership and thank you for listening. My goal is to bring you the stories behind sublime design wherever that may be. To share those stories, bring you business strategies to help you build a stronger firm and inspire you to do your most creative work.

For more, please follow us on Instagram @ConvoXDesign with an “X”, check us out at Convo By Design dot com. Until next week, be well and keep creating.

Maggie Griffin | 304 | Designing Atlanta with Southern Charm and A European Flair for Style

Maggie Griffin is a fabulous Atlanta based designer who has mastered the feel of Southern charm, yet fine-tuned her craft in Europe while studying in Florence, Italy. Her studies included the history of fabrics, retail marketing, and merchandising. With an obvious passion for her work and institutional knowledge and mastery of textiles, Maggie is able to craft her spaces for southern living with a European flair and that is evident in her work. Maggie, as a designer, has what I call the ‘full range of motion’ as it relates to the work from her Modern Atlanta Farmhouse to a charming Dutch Colonial with southern accents. You are going to meet Maggie, hear her story, and learn how it all comes together.

Thank you, Maggie. I loved this conversation. Some of my favorite parts include project exploration. That really is what it is, a deep dive into the design itself. Amazing. Thank you Walker Zanger for your partnership. Thank you for listening, thank you for subscribing to the show. Thank you for keeping me company in 2020 through the podcast. It is amazing to receive emails of support and show suggestions. This is it, the last episode of 2020. With this, we bid 2020 farewell and look forward to what has to be a better year. I wish you health, success, and the best year ever. Be well, and until next year, keep creating.

New, Now and Next | 304 | Stunningly Beautiful Hygienic, Sustainable Bathroom Design

This is Bob Gifford from Hastings Tile & Bath. We met at the WestEdge Design Fair in 2019 and had a nice long chat about marketing and business development in the industry. We also talked about the full-body air dryer they were promoting at the show. Ditch the towel, this mounts inside the shower. Such a simple thing really, but consider this. How often do you wash your towels?

At a time when cleanliness is of premium concern in an era where water conservation is both important and a remarkable source of financial savings. This is something that can be installed in the shower, by the pool and you can eliminate the towel completely. Bob and I met again a day later at the full-body dryer to see how it works.

Thank you Bob, that was fun. Next up is Director, North America for Franz Viegener, John Weinstein. The brand from Buenos Aires is crafting some amazing plumbing products. Check this out from John Weinstein of Franz Veigener…

Thank you Bob, thank you, John. What’s new, now and next… ways to make your bathrooms simple, efficient and like going to the spa, when you can’t necessarily go to the spa. Thank you Walker Zanger for your continued support of Convo By Design. Thank you for listening, downloading and subscribing to the podcast. Join in the conversation, follow along at Convo By Design dot com and Convo X Design, with an “X” on Instagram. Be well, and until next week, keep creating. 

The Business of Kitchen Design Mastery | 303 | Exploring Experiential Kitchen Design

The kitchen is the heart of the home, always has been and you already know this. But this conversation features Julia Wong, Laurie Haefele and Shirry Dolgin, Barry Bredvik, and Kristi Nelson explores new directions and ideas about kitchen design. These three amazing designers come from different backgrounds but all have mastered interior design and truly understand the form and function of kitchen design. You are going to hear a high-level conversation that covers technology, layout, and specifically the use of space articulated into actionable methods for kitchen design.

Susan McFadden of California Homes Magazine moderated this panel. What you are going to find is how this conversation zigs and zags through so many topics but the through lines provide some remarkable ideas for crafting the perfect space for every home.

This panel is introduced by Megan Reilly, co-founder of WestEdge Design Fair, the fall home of Convo By Design in Santa Monica California.  

What a great chat. Thank you Susan McFadden for moderating, California Homes Magazine for your support. Thank you, Julia, Shirry, Laurie, Kristi, and Barry for your time and masterful contributions. Thank you Megan and Troy for your partnership. Thank you Walker Zanger for your continued support of the podcast.  And, thank you for listening, subscribing, and downloading every episode of Convo By Design. I miss you. I miss seeing you at WestEdge and all the other design fairs and festivals we missed in 2020. But we will meet again in 2021. And until we do, be well and keep creating.

The Showroom featuring Mikel Welch | 302 | Finding Balance, Mastering the Hi-Lo Mix and a Horse for Every Occassion

One of my greatest joys in producing Convo By Design is the exploration for and discovery of new design and architecture talent. I was familiar with Mikel Welch and his work but we had never met. Welch is producing some amazing design work. Mikel incorporates rustic charm, modern, clean lines, hints of regency, handcrafted tribal art. This blend is masterfully worked and along with an often present horse… I mention this because if the horse was, in fact, Mikel’s spirit animal, it wouldn’t surprise me.

The horse represents a driving force in life, what carries you. It represents strength, passionate desires, and balance between the tamed and the instinctual elements of one’s personality. I’m not trying to get too woo-woo here, but I’m seeing something here and as you listen to my chat with Mikel Welch, I think you might as well.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Convo By Design. Please make sure you subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. You can also follow along, ConvoByDesign.Com and @ConvoXDesign with an “X” on Instagram. 

Thank You, Mikel. That was fun. Thank you Walker Zanger for your partnership and continued support. Thank you for listening to this episode of Convo By Design. Please make sure you subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode. You can also 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.

Aspirational Design From the Garden State | 301 | The 2020 Aspire Design House

The Aspire House: Princeton is offering a fifth edition of this designer showcase and as design houses should, this one focuses on amazing talent and unique design. The New Jersey design house will offer live tours of the house which is a novel approach in 2020 considering almost all the other design houses this year have been forced to go with virtual tours. This was my first opportunity to cover the Aspire House: Princeton and as you will hear, this cohort of design talent is extremely diverse in style, aesthetic, philosophy and background. That is the secret to presenting a unique design experience which is exactly what the Aspire Design: Princeton house is. This episode features the following design house participants:

Dianne Durocher – Diane Durocher Interiors | Diane Durochere started her eponymous firm with the idea that a well-designed home is an investment in the quality of life. It influences the way we live. And that idea guides the way she designs.

www.dianedurocherinteriors.com
@Diane_Durocher_Interiors

Ginny Padoula – Town & Country Kitchen and Bath | Ginny Padola created her firm, Town & County Kitchen and Bath with the idea that clients should have access to luxury, bespoke cabinetry, high-end materials and finishes and work within the client’s budget and vision.

www.tckbdesigns.com
@TownandCountyKitchenandBath

Tamu Rasheba Green – Lux Pad Interiors | Tamu Rasheba Green is the principal designer behind Lux Pad Interiors. Green’s mission is to infuse society with love, one project at a time. And, in each project, she considers client, community and environment with individually tailored beauty.

Alirio Pirela – Pirela Atelier | Alirio Pirela is an east coast designer with a focus on blending artistic and technical aspects in the work. Pirela is multi-cultural and multi-lingual with Latin and European influences in his work.

www.pirelaatelier.com
@PirelaAtelier

Anna Maria Mannarino – Mannarino Designs, Inc. | Anna Maria Mannarino is an award-winning designer and principal designer of her namesake firm. The company promotes itself as transforming spaces from Cape Cod to Cape May. That span includes Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Maryland.

www.mannarinodesigns.com
@MannarinoAnnaMaria

Gail Davis – Gail Davis Designs | Gail Davis is a powerful creative with a fondness for color, texture and presenting the unexpected in a way that continues to surprise and delight. Gail has a clear vision and presents ‘lively elegance’ with a timeless traditional style and a hint of modernity.

www.gaildavisdesignsllc.com
@GailDavisDesigns

Joe Giamarese & Vivian Hung – Global Home

https://www.globalhomeny.com

Tram-And Poprik – Red Bank Design Center

Joe Berkowitz – JAB Design Group | Visionary designer, Joseph Berkowitz works to create ‘moments’ in time and space through design. Both simple and elaborate designs created through this elevated philosophy whose mission is to elevate personal and meaningful environments.

www.jabinteriors.com

Steve Mandel – Aspire Magazine | Aspire Design and Home Magazine produced and presents this design house and has enabled these amazing creatives to showcase their work in a unique format. Steve Mandel is the publisher of Aspire Magazine.

www.aspiremetro.com
@AspireDesignandHome

Thank you to all of these amazing designers for taking the time to share their spaces. Design houses are like the design and architecture industry’s version of the auto show for the automotive industry. It is a chance to present real, imagined aspirational and conceptual ideas in a real-world format. With work and a little good fortune, 2021 will be a different type of year and we can go see this house in person next year. Until then, I hope you enjoyed hearing about their work, make sure you check it out online. Thank you to Walker Zanger for your continued support of Convo By Design. Thank you to all of you listening and subscribing to the show. If not subscribing yet, please do, it’s easy. You can ask Siri for help and you can find Convo By Design everywhere you find your favorite shows. You can also learn more about the show at convo by design dot com and convo by design with an ‘X’ on Instagram. Thanks again for listening, be well and until next week, keep creating.

300th Episode Special | 300 | Seven Years, 500+ Guests, 300 Episodes and Here We Are

To be completely honest, I can’t really tell you which I am more excited about, hitting episode 300 or ushering out 2020. It is completely irrational to blame anything, let alone everything that happened in the year, but I can’t remember a year as absolutely traumatic as 2020. And regardless of how you feel about the outcome of the elections, the future of a vaccine, or the return to normality, whatever that means, here is what I know. When this whole COVID thing started back in March, I started talking to designers and architects, nobody knew what was happening, everyone, myself included said things like, “In these unprecedented times” followed by a statement about the obviously troubling times were in. But, here’s the thing. As the weeks passed, more conversations took place followed by even more research… I slowly learned something. These are not unprecedented times. There was a pandemic in 1918 and the Spanish Flu went pretty much the same way this one has. There were people who complained about masks, society was shut down and it had a massive effect on how life changed on the other side. In the mid-1920’s Le Corbusier was touting the benefits of cleanliness and minimalism in residential design. 

Prior to and during the early 1900s, indoor bathrooms featured mostly porous wooden furniture and paneling, it held germs and bacteria. The new focus on cleanliness led to tile, linoleum, built-in bathtubs. It led to bigger closets and less cabinetry that held clothing. It led to tile in bathrooms, more specifically the use of subway tile in residential design, and revolutionized toilet and porcelain sink production.

We are seeing some very similar behaviors and it is safe to say that design and architecture will change again after this pandemic is over. Not unprecedented. We have been through civil unrest, economic recessions, depressions… we have seen trying times. These are not unprecedented times, they are new to us. In an effort to try and understand what comes next I have spoken with incredibly talented designers and architects to help shed some light on what is most likely next. Speaking of “what’s next”, that is what is the most fun for me about producing this podcast. Exploring exquisite design now and figuring out what is going to come next with the best in the business today. That is what Convo By Design is all about.

So as I present episode 300, as is tradition, we look back on some of the conversations that have transpired over the past 7 years. It would be impossible to do this as if 2020 hadn’t been a completely different kind of year. Yet, much of what you are about to hear in the following episode has led up to this. I have long said that designers and architects are futurists and storytellers. You are going to hear some of those conversations and as you do, you will notice that every one of them has something in common, the betterment of life through design and architecture.

2020 has been a trip, has it not? When this whole thing started, I ran a special series called Designing for Disaster which was an opportunity to focus on the pandemic, in real-time and it was fascinating to hear how designers and architects were adapting in real-time.

I spoke with designer Joe Berkowitz about how design was going to change post-COVID. Joe shares his thoughts on the ‘edit’, something he already incorporates into his work, but now, is even more important than ever.

http://jabinteriors.com

COVID was not the only major issue we dealt with head-on in 2020. A core component of social injustice is the lack of diversity in American society and our business is not exempt. Listen to Jean Brownhill, architect and CEO of Sweeten as she shares her story and her introduction to architecture. Jean is incredibly talented and driven, this is how she got her start. 

On that same topic, I produced and moderated a panel at WestEdge Design Fair that covered the very issue of diversity, or lack thereof in the business. Some thoughts from Brian Pinkett, then Bridgid Coulter, and Ron Woodson.

https://www.wandrdesign.com

https://www.landrydesigngroup.com/#/about

http://bridgidcoulter.com

2020 also brought a new series called The Showroom, a partnership between Convo By Design and Walker Zanger showcasing incredible work as well as an inspirational series designed to shine a light on working more efficiently within design partnerships. This is John Colanari.

https://www.johncolaneri.com/biography

https://www.walkerzanger.com

Speaking of partnerships, we have a great partnership with Texas-based, Thermasol. This is Mitch Altman, the man at the helm of this family-owned and operated company doing groundbreaking work in steam showers for over 60 years.

https://www.thermasol.com

Convo By Design was built on fascinating conversations with world-class talent. Showcasing a handful of those. First up, Michael Berman.

https://www.michaelbermanlimited.com

Thank you, Michael, this is Cesar Giraldo from the Convo By Design Programming Lounge in 2017.

https://cesargiraldodesign.com

Up next, designer Lori Dennis. Lori is a multi appearance guest on the show. She is a friend and I always appreciate her take on the business.

https://www.loridennis.com

Thank you, Lori. This is Ron Woodson and Jamie Rummerfield…

One of the events missed in 2020 that I cannot wait to come again is the La Cienega Design Quarter’s LEGENDS. In 2019 brought Convo By Design was an official media partner and as the event brought in design icon, Bunny Williams, we got a chance to hear her thoughts on what designers REALLY need to know. And then, she shared her thoughts starting out as a new designer working for the storied firm of Parish Hadley and specifically, what it was like working for Sister Parish.

This is Ryan Saghian from episode 112. Now, Ryan is another friend who has appeared more than once on the show and he never disappoints. Ryan is highly opinionated, incredibly talented, and always fun to talk to.

https://www.ryansaghian.com

Thank you, Ryan Saghian. This is designer Ryan White who designer the Convo By Design Programming Lounge from the WestEdge Design Fair in 2016. It was a really special place masterfully designed by Ryan White and it could not have been executed without partners like Snyder Diamond and Warner Bros.

http://www.ryanwhitedesigns.com

We wrap part one with architect Ward Jewell to whom I often refer back to when I need to be reminded of what’s really important. In times like these, look back and you will find your path for the future.

https://www.wardjewellarchitect.com

Next up is the soft-spoken but incredibly talented, Joan Behnke talking about the value of art and how art influences her design.

http://joanbehnke.com

Thank you, Joan, this is Cliff Fong from episode 68. Another fine example of a multi-disciplinary designer, in this case, a fashion designer turned interior designer and entrepreneur.

https://www.mattblackeinc.com/about

Victor Zolfo, set decorator is going to tell you what it feels like to win an Oscar and a Bafta for his work on The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Have you ever wondered what that feels like?

Dakota Jackson and his work are legendary within the art furniture movement. The magician turned designer turned magical designer talks about crafting a one of a kind gift from Yoko Ono to John Lennon.

https://dakotajackson.com

 That was Dakota Jackson, this is Timothy Corrigan

https://www.timothy-corrigan.com

Thank you, Tim. This is architect Takashi Yanai

https://eyrc.com/studio/partners

This is Rachlin Architects, Michael Rachlin from episode 16

http://rachlinarchitects.com/firm/team/michael-rachlin

There are those that know how to develop a line, a goal for many designers. One of the best I know at this is Sue Firestone.

http://suefirestone.com

Designer Kyle Schuneman focused early on small spaces and millennials. This is more important now than ever before.

https://www.kyleschuneman.com

This is a series of set decorators Rosemary Brandenburg first, then William DeBiasio and K.C. Fox. Set decorators are first and foremost, storytellers. Architecture is the language of design is the storytelling of design. While set decorators are not necessarily designers, they are some of the best storytellers around.

https://www.setdecorators.org

I am ending with one of the absolute best interviews around. Martyn Lawrence Bullard is highly accomplished, you know this. But if you listen to how he tells the story, you can understand how he got there.

As I wrap up this celebration of reaching episode 300 I am reminded that I did not get here alone. As a matter of fact, without the incredible creatives that appear on the show every week, you heard a small sample here but there are literally hundreds that have appeared on this show over the past 7 years. Without the trade partners like the WestEdge Design Fair, Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts, ASID, LA Design Festival, Pacific Design Center, and Set Decorator Society of America, this would not be the show that it has become I am eternally grateful. A huge thank you to all the media publishers and professional publicists who bring their skills to sharing the stories of our industry and make this possible. And most importantly, thank you for listening. Thank you for subscribing to the show and engaging at our events for the past 7 years and for the last 7 months, exclusively online. 

Thank you for your emails, your texts, and your show suggestions. If it wasn’t for all of you that make up this amazing design and architecture community, what’s the point? So thanks for listening and until next week, Keep creating.

Woods + Dangaran | 298 | The Future of California Modern Architecture

If you have been listening to the podcast for any part of the past 7 years, you understand that you are going to hear different perspectives on design and architecture. I believe that there is truly a language of architecture, and that design is about storytelling. I do this podcast because I love discovering new designers myself and thoroughly enjoy introducing them to you. If you are in the biz, it gives you a chance to meet someone whose work might influence or inspire you. If you are an enthusiast, it makes you dream of what’s possible. Joseph Dangaran and Brett Woods are currently producing future classics in modern design. Full stop.

The work they are doing makes use of materials, space, the landscape, and a sense of theater. You look at their work and you can see a nod to Schindler or Neutra, but not a byproduct. Their work is unique, it’s great, and these are two architects making it, this is Woods and Dangaran.

Thank you, Brett and Joseph, I enjoyed our time together. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next. Thank you for listening, downloading, and subscribing to the show. Join in the conversation @ConvoXDesign with an “X” and while your there, check out our amazing partner @WalkerZanger. You can also find everything you need at Convo By Design dot com. Thank you for listening, downloading, and subscribing to the show, without you, there is no Convo By Design. Be well and until next week, keep creating.