Convo By Design®

Julie Hardridge, founder of Architexture Interiors, brings a lifelong passion for history, craftsmanship, and design to every project. She began her academic journey at the Savannah College of Art and Design on scholarship before transferring to New York University, where she studied Architectural History and Decorative Arts with a minor in Urban Planning. Her studies, combined with time spent abroad in Italy and France learning from master artisans, shaped her distinctive design philosophy rooted in tradition, artistry, and innovation.

While the design world often prioritizes the “perfect” visual, this conversation dives into the structural and psychological foundations of creating a home. From the early stages of a career in Savannah and New York to the intricate details of a Miami penthouse, we explore how historical preservation, material intelligence, and even “imposter syndrome” shape the spaces where we live.

The Designer’s Identity Crisis: Even with decades of experience and degrees from institutions like SCAD and NYU, established professionals still grapple with imposter syndrome. The feeling of “not being there yet” is often exacerbated by the inflated realities presented on social media.

Archaeology in Design: Modern design is frequently an exercise in archaeology—digging into the history of a structure and the personal backstories of its inhabitants to create a cohesive narrative.

The Invisible Value Proposition: A significant portion of a project’s success lies in managing what the client doesn’t see: logistical pivots, fixing manufacturer errors (like ruined leather on a custom chair), and mediating between contractors and vision.

The “Jewelry” of the Room: Lighting is framed as the ultimate emotional regulator. The transition from harsh recessed lighting to personalized, AI-driven scenes and art-deco fixtures can fundamentally change how a person experiences their own home.

AI and Hyper-Personalization: The future of custom environments lies in “recognition technology,” where a home’s lighting, sound, and temperature automatically adjust based on which specific family member enters the room.

SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design): A foundational influence on the technical training for historic preservation and architectural drafting.

NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study: Where the “forced reading culture” and study of great books helped bridge the gap between architectural history and philosophical design.

Lutron Lighting Systems: A cornerstone for creating “scenes” that allow homeowners to transition their environment from high-energy productivity to soft, elegant “candlelight” modes.

CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association): The go-to resource for understanding how smart home technology and integrators work alongside designers to build proactive environments.

Pinterest as a Sourcing Tool: Not just for “inspo,” but a legitimate deep-dive tool for finding global artisans, unique hardware, and vendors that aren’t found in traditional design centers.

Sisters Olivia and Jenna Botrie of Dart Studio didn’t set out to build a design firm together, they grew into it. What started in a basement with a baby on the floor evolved into a highly structured, process-driven studio navigating growth, technology, and a post-pandemic design boom. Their story reveals how great design isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about systems, relationships, and knowing when to think bigger. From cottage culture and client psychology to AI workflows and generational shifts, the Botrie sisters unpack how Dart Studio scaled during the pandemic, why process is their secret weapon, and how they’re building a brand designed to outlast trends and even themselves.

Origins: A Basement, a Baby, and a Business

Olivia launches Dart Studio solo over a decade ago. Jenna joins organically during maternity leave. The now-famous “cottage pitch” that formalized the partnership. Sister dynamics: honesty, friction, and built-in trust as a business advantage

The Cottage Effect: Canadian Culture Meets Creativity

The uniquely Canadian concept of the “cottage” as creative reset Minimalism, disconnection, and family proximity as design influences How environment shapes both lifestyle and design thinking

Process Over Everything

Jenna’s role: operations, onboarding, hiring, and systems. Why structure—not style—is the firm’s foundation. Building scalable workflows for a growing team. The importance of documentation and repeatable processes

Pandemic Pivot: From Uncertainty to Opportunity

Initial fear: shutdowns, no site visits, stalled work. Sudden surge: waitlists, inbound demand, and client urgency. Strategic decision: say yes, scale fast, hire quickly. Long-term impact: bigger thinking, larger projects, expanded vision

The Post-Pandemic Client Shift

Movement away from resale-driven design toward personalization. Clients designing for themselves, not the market. More nuanced conversations around lifestyle, not trends. The home as a “backdrop for life”

Anti-Trend Thinking

Rejection of trend-driven design culture. Critique of “top 10 lists” and media-driven aesthetics. Designing from human cues: behavior, personality, daily rituals

Technology, Materials & the Reality Filter

Navigating rapid innovation in lighting, kitchens, and home tech. Balancing “cool” vs. “lasting”. Role of reps, trade shows, and industry relationships. The importance of practical function over novelty.

AI in Practice: Tool, Not Replacement

Current stack: ChatGPT, Midjourney, SketchUp, Enscape. AI for speed and iteration—not core design thinking. Client misuse of AI and the limits of prompting. Why human interpretation remains essential

The Experience Economy of Design

Design as a two-year relationship, not a transaction. Emotional experience vs. final result. Communication, trust, and job site culture as differentiators

Reactive to Proactive: Building a Brand

First 10 years: purely reactive growth. Year 11 shift: rebrand, visibility, social media presence. Expanding identity beyond Olivia to a team-driven creative model. Long-term vision: a legacy firm with multiple design voices

Generational Dynamics in Design

Different communication styles across clients and teams. Matching personalities: clients, designers, and contractors. “Boomer whisperers” vs. Gen Z workflows. Lifestyle-driven design considerations by age and stage

Designing for Climate & Context

Canadian winters and their impact on interiors. Storage, materiality, and seasonal living. Lighting as a wellness tool (circadian rhythm design). Creating emotional environments: cozy vs. open

The Through Line: Adaptability

Design as evolution, not static outcome. Balancing tradition and modernity within a single project. Embracing change as the only constant in both life and design

In the world of interior design, there is a pervasive myth that one must choose between the left-brain rigor of business and the right-brain flow of creativity. Eileen Applebaum, the founder of Threads Soft Goods, spent 35 years proving that the most sustainable success actually exists in the "dynamic tension" between the two.

The Studio Schickedanz founder is inducted into the Convo By Design Icon Registry, showcasing three decades of sustainable innovation, material intelligence, and integrated architectural practice.

This episode celebrates the installation of Mary Ann Schickedanz, founder of Carmel-based Studio Schickedanz, into the Convo By Design Icon Registry. Bringing a foundational Austrian perspective where buildings are crafted to endure for generations, Schickedanz has spent over thirty years pioneering sustainable architecture across the American West. The conversation highlights her holistic approach to environmental integration—combining high-performance building science with deep material intelligence to combat regional ecological pressures like drought and wildfire risks. The episode also revisits a poignant 2019 archival interview from the La Cienega Design Quarter (LCDQ) Legends event, where she discusses her creative process, storytelling, and the influence of Austrian modernist pioneer Josef Hoffmann on her multidisciplinary practice.

Designing for Generations: The Material Intelligence of Mary Ann Schickedanz

The contemporary architecture landscape frequently wrestles with the concept of “intentionality,” yet Mary Ann Schickedanz has quietly spent the last thirty years operationalizing it. Inducted into the Convo By Design Icon Registry, the Austrian-native and founder of Studio Schickedanz has permanently altered how the American West approaches luxury residential design by rejecting “disposable architecture” in favor of ancestral longevity.

Schickedanz’s design philosophy bridges a European reverence for multi-generational structural permanence with the acute ecological demands of California’s topography. Rather than treating sustainability as a surface-level checklist, her methodology relies on deep material intelligence and total environmental integration. From pioneering the first LEED-certified projects in Big Sur and Carmel-by-the-Sea to engineering net-zero contemporary estates, her structures are designed to function as living, breathing extensions of their native ecosystems.

This is achieved primarily through her firm’s integrated studio model. By seating architects, interior specialists, and regional horticulturalists at the same table from day one, she eliminates the traditional fragmentation of design. Structural concrete, local granite, and native exposed-root rooftop flora are specified in tandem, maximizing thermal efficiency and wildfire resiliency while anchoring buildings seamlessly into rolling topography.

Her forward-thinking mindset extends equally to modern building science and historic preservation. Whether rewriting the narrative around modular housing by assembling a luxury, all-electric compound at the Santa Lucia Preserve in a single day, or meticulously updating the performance of a 1948 Henry Hill midcentury landmark, Schickedanz proves that high design and strict environmental metrics are not mutually exclusive. Ultimately, her work champions a vital shift in the industry: shifting away from an architectural “etch-a-sketch” mentality and moving toward purposeful, permanent spaces built right the first time.

Today is one of the most incredible episodes of the show I have ever produced. I don’t say this lightly. Today, you are going to hear about a new project called Shelter Republic, officially launching although if you are an avid listener, you have probably heard me talking about it as we prepared for launch. Well, it’s here, and it’s official. And You are going to hear from my co-founder…I’m sitting down with computer engineer and Shelter Republic co-founder Jack Cooperman to discuss the platform’s structural architecture, functionality, purpose, and the necessity for safe places to explore ideas amongst peers.

Thank you Jack. I know I have already said it, but I have enjoyed every moment putting this together and we are thrilled to share it. Note on Access: Shelter Republic is entirely free, and does not collect user data except when stated like the use of polls and prompts for professional input. To maintain community standards and security, entry is restricted to verified industry professionals via peer invitation or direct QR code scanning at upcoming events.

The Future of Innovation and Adaptive Reuse The episode wrapped up with a look at future innovations, including the potential for prefabricated and modular homes to address housing needs. The idea of "adaptive reuse," moving and repurposing existing functional structures instead of demolishing them, was also discussed as a potentially more sustainable way forward for the industry, reflecting a broader trend toward more conscious and resourceful building practices.

A former media executive trades corporate strategy for interior design, only to discover the same rules still apply. In a rapidly evolving industry shaped by AI, rising client expectations, and economic pressure, design has become as much about systems as it is about style. This conversation reveals how one designer is navigating that shift by treating every project like a campaign with outcomes that extend far beyond aesthetics. A conversation about reinvention, material intelligence, and why the most effective designers today think in terms of ROI, storytelling, and client experience.

Integrating Sustainability in Heritage Design. Despite rigid preservation laws, the industry is gradually seeing a shift towards allowing sustainable upgrades, such as double glazing and improved insulation, provided they are sympathetic to the original design. Nick noted that older structures, with their thick stone walls and natural thermal performance, often offer inherent sustainability advantages over modern, thinner-walled builds. Modern Kitchen Functionality in Historic Spaces The pandemic has redefined the kitchen as a central social and functional hub, requiring more sophisticated appliance suites and technology. Adapting these modern requirements to historic layouts often involves creative solutions like building internal partitions to accommodate new plumbing and infrastructure without damaging the original building fabric. Applicable Elements

In January, you heard from Rebecca MacDonald and Kyle Basilius, principals at Parkin Architects, …Parkin is a Canadian, employee-owned, award-winning architectural practice with roots dating back to the 1940s. Founded and established in Toronto, expanded to Ottawa, and Vancouver, the firm specializes in designing purposeful, beautiful, and functional buildings. Our commitment to collaboration has earned us a reputation for excellence, bringing clients’ visions to life through thoughtful, impactful design. With a focus on social impact, we take pride in creating spaces that are accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to all. Not my words, theirs.

In this conversation with the principals of Tim Barber Architects, the discussion explores how architecture has evolved since 2020. The pandemic fundamentally changed how people live in their homes, forcing architects to rethink everything from spatial organization and material choices to health, resilience, and long-term adaptability.

The architects describe a profession balancing client desires, environmental realities, and community responsibility. Topics include aging in place, the shift away from open floor plans, rebuilding after wildfire loss, and the growing role of resilience and sustainability in residential design.

Designer Resources

Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise.

TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep

Shelter Republic – Request your membership invitation

The conversation also examines larger systemic issues—from the housing crisis and the loss of architectural criticism to concerns about deregulating the architectural profession and the future pipeline of architects. Ultimately, the discussion reveals architecture as both a creative discipline and a civic responsibility.

Tim Barber, Kelly Becker, David Stone, Ari Engleman, Katie Peterson-Hesketh

Post-Pandemic Spatial Design

Homes are now workplaces, classrooms, and wellness environments. Architects are designing more flexible, compartmentalized spaces rather than large open rooms.

The Reassessment of the Open Floor Plan

Open layouts are losing popularity as homeowners seek acoustic separation, privacy, and spatial hierarchy.

Healthy Homes

Clients increasingly ask about air quality, non-toxic materials, EMF concerns, and overall wellness in the built environment.

Aging in Place & Multigenerational Living

Homes are being designed for lifelong occupancy, with elevators, adaptable bathrooms, and secondary primary suites.

Housing Crisis Misconceptions

The problem is not a lack of housing overall but a shortage of affordable, well-located housing.

Sustainability Through Longevity

The most sustainable building is the one that already exists. Adaptive reuse and generational homes are key strategies.

Fire Resilience and Climate Adaptation

Wildfire rebuild projects are forcing architects to rethink materials, structural resilience, and building codes.

“Performance Spending”

Homeowners must choose between visible luxury and invisible resilience investments.

Architects as Client Advocates

Architects frequently guide clients away from poor decisions through education and alternatives rather than simply saying “no.”

Material Uncertainty and Construction Cost Volatility

Rapid cost changes and new materials create challenges for planning and specification.

Professional Deregulation Concerns

Removing architectural licensing protections could threaten safety, quality, and professional standards.

Education and Knowledge Sharing

The firm runs an internal “university” model to continuously train staff and share knowledge.

Loss of Architectural Criticism

The disappearance of critics and serious architectural journalism has created a cultural vacuum in evaluating design.

Adaptive Reuse and Density

Office conversions and moderate urban density may become major architectural trends.

Future of Residential Design

Homes may become smaller but more sophisticated—prioritizing performance, durability, and resilience.