Kaitlyn has been a good friend for a long time. I’ve been lucky enough to work with her and for her on several projects. Her practice, Basic Space is impressive in both it’s breadth of work and restraint of execution. While she’s got a few billionaire’s third and fourth home designs under her belt, her work really shines when space and budgets are tight.

I think one of the most interesting things about the majority of clients that gravitate towards Basic Space are ones that are at the beginning of a transition. Office spaces for growing startups, a NYC one-bedroom apartment renovation for when the third kid is on the way, the retirement dream home on the coast. These are the times that good design can make life easier and a little more beautiful.

We cover a lot in this one and we tried to keep it full of practical advice for those of you in the process of or hoping to create your own spaces one day. We deep dive into designing for small spaces, choosing materials and trying to find some form of equilibrium with work and life.

You can find Kaitlyn’s work at www.basic-space.com and on instagram, @basicspacedesigns

Cabin Fever is a podcast by Offsite Camp. Offsite is a design studio and operates rental cabins for creative endeavors. We create space for exploration.

If you’re looking to create a space of your own, please reach out!

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offsitecamp.substack.com

I’m pretty sure YUNS is my favorite company. A lot of time in my life has been dedicated to thinking about tools and hardware. When I ran the fabrication shop in Grad School, when I worked at Situ Fabrication, when I was co-founder of Lowercase and spent my days in the factory, and now with Offsite, tools and hardware have occupied an excessive amount of my brain capacity. So, when Kelly had a pop-up two summers ago at my local coffee shop (previously hers as well, shoutout Rita & Maria!), and I came across her unbelievable collection of tools, it embedded in my brain and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. Every hardware store that I walk by I want it to be a Yuns. Every cool tool I come across I want to send to her. I love the concept, I love the brand, and Kelly is so rad.

I was very curious what it was like to build a company in the hardware space - one that is comically masculine, notoriously consolidated, and honestly, just feels old and tired. Kelly was kind enough to sit down with me and lay out how YUNS came to be, how she thinks of a hardware store, and her vision of the future for YUNS and hardware in general.

I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did! Please share and subscribe, and don’t forget to give Yuns a follow and support the people building better things.

-BV

Thanks for listening! If you found the interview helpful or fun, please consider sharing!

www.helloyuns.com | @hello.yuns

www.offsite.camp | @offsite.camp

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offsitecamp.substack.com

Rashad is a man of many talents and he’s all over town, in the best possible way. He seems to be everywhere at once, know everyone doing anything worth doing, and is disarmingly calm and inviting. Rashad reached out to me last summer to come on his aptly named podcast, Wear Many Hats (linked below), and I wanted to return the favor. He’s become a friend since we first chatted, and has been a voice of encouragement and support - both technical and emotional - as I build up this side quest within Offsite.

Alongside his podcast, Rashad runs Dahsar - an advertising and marketing agency. He also surprised me on the podcast sharing the launch of his newest endeavor, Matsar. Matsar means memories, and it’s a matcha brand for coffee people. I’m a coffee person at my core. I don’ t drink matcha, but I tried this one, and I could be converted…

Also, if you want to hear Rashad interview me, you can check it out on his podcast here.

* https://www.offsite.camp/

* https://www.dahsar.com/

* https://www.matsar.com/

* https://www.wearmanyhats.com/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offsitecamp.substack.com

In this episode, Brian chats with DJ and artist Matthew Bentley. They discuss Matty's time up at Offsite recording an album, the importance of retreats for artistic growth, and growing up in NYC. They discuss Matthew's unintentional path to DJ ing, the role travel plays in his process, and the significance of letting go. Matthew shares insights into his artistic direction and visual storytelling, as well as his future projects.

Chapters

00:00 Matthew Bentley's Music Journey

03:41 The Creative Process and Music Production

09:17 Retreats and Nature's Influence on Music

14:52 Life in New York and Transition to Portland

18:43 Connection with Camp Grizzly and Early Experiences

19:07 From Entrepreneur to DJ: A Surprising Journey

26:42 The Boiler Room Experience: A DJ's First Set

29:44 International Adventures: Expanding Horizons

35:41 Creative Evolution: Merging Music and Visual Art

41:23 Future Aspirations: Projects on the Horizon

Listen to Matthew's music here:

https://soundcloud.com/maachewbentley

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/maachewbentley/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offsitecamp.substack.com

In this conversation, Brian Vallario speaks with Brian Kelley, a photographer and founder of the Gathering Growth Foundation. They discuss Kelley's journey from living in New York City to building an off-grid studio in the woods, his passion for documenting champion trees, and the importance of soundscape recordings in understanding the environment. Kelley shares insights into his archival projects, including the upcoming New York State Tree book and his previous works, such as the Parks series. The conversation highlights the significance of environmental conservation and the stories behind the trees.

Chapters

00:01 Journey to the Cabin Life

00:26 Gathering Growth Foundation

03:33 Inspiration Behind the Tree Project

09:50 Exploring New York's Giant Trees

13:53 The Science Behind Tree Growth

16:43 Documenting Nature: The Art of Tree Photography

24:44 The Journey of Creating Books

28:20 Future Projects and Conservation Efforts

Links:

www.gatheringgrowth.com

www.standardsmanual.com

www.briankelley.nyc

www.offsite.camp

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offsitecamp.substack.com

In the opening episode of Cabin Fever, host Brian Vallario speaks with Joe Hollier, co-founder of Light Phone, about his journey as a designer and entrepreneur. They discuss the DIY mentality that shaped Joe's approach to design and business, the evolution of the Light Phone, and the cultural implications of technology in our lives. Joe shares insights on balancing work and personal life, the importance of creativity, and the upcoming launch of Light Phone 3.

Chapters

00:01 Intro

00:39 The Birth of Light Phone: Concept and Philosophy

09:10 Evolution of Light Phone: From V1 to V3

14:04 Cultural Reflections on Technology and Parenting

18:46 The Future of Technology and Niche Products

22:51 Collaboration with Garden 3D and Community Impact

24:45 Balancing Work and Personal Life

29:38 Navigating Productivity in a Digital World

32:38 The Importance of Retreats and Creative Spaces

35:33 Excitement for Light Phone 3 Launch

38:20 Rituals and Daily Practices for Creativity

44:04 The Challenge of Independent Tech Startups

Links

www.thelightphone.com

www.offsite.camp

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit offsitecamp.substack.com