Once Upon A Design

Today we welcome Viktor Sobra and Legare Sinkler, founders of the Italian based Sotokler Studio. Viktor and Legare are old friends from university, who discovered a mutual love for design, craftsmanship, and the thrill of the hunt. After many years of helping friends and family source antiques from across Europe, they began a business that finds beautiful and unique vintage pieces from near and far for their clients. In addition they have established relationships with an impressive collection of skilled artisans and craftspeople who can make just about anything you can dream up- all at the highest level. But the best part about working with Sotokler Studio, is their deep commitment to quality, multi-impeccable customer service and their deep commitment to supporting artisans. This is their story….

Public Regard is the design collaborative of Evan and Diego Gonzalez. They specialize in the fluent dialogue among architecture, interior design, furniture and objects. They launched Public Regard filling a niche in the market for beautifully designed commercial and hospitality spaces, and eventually moving into residential work and finally product and furniture design. Their work is deeply rooted in preservation and classical architecture yet they have a nuance that makes what could be staid and stuffy, incredibly chic and beautiful. This is their story.

Artist and decorative painter Tess Newall is our guest for this episode. Tess began her career studying anthropology and archeology- developing a deep appreciation for the way our ancestors used art as a way to tell stories and bring joy into their living spaces. She then moved into set design before finally settling on an accidental career as a working artist. She has created incredible murals, painted furniture and decorative finishes for design clients around the world, and she recently launched her own line of textiles and wall coverings based on her whimsical and charming artistic style. Today we learn why she is so taken with the natural world, how her own house has become her laboratory, and why art can be a suitable career as long as it never loses its magic . This is her story.

Becca Barnet is the founder and owner of Sisal Creative, an art studio that specializes in the design and fabrication of projects that vary as much in medium as they do in scope. From plaster relief, gilt lettering, painting, sculpture, 3D printing, collage and taxidermy, there is really no medium that Becca and her team are not willing to try. If you can conceive a shred of an idea, Becca and her team can most likely make it happen. Sisal Creative has been described as having the ability to turn what clients can't quite describe into something they can't imagine living without. And this is her story…..

This episode features a remarkable conversation with Joseph Kincannon and Christian Sottile about their shared passion for preserving and creating beauty. We get into the incredible work coming out of the American College of the Building Arts and how bringing back traditional craftmanship will help shape the possibilities for the future of new building developments. Joseph is the chair of the stone carving department at ACBA and a true master of the craft. Joining him is renowned architect and urban planner Christian Sottile, patron of the building arts. Christian recognized the quality of the work coming out of ACBA and commissioned Joseph and his students to design and fabricate many of the stone elements ornamenting one of his newest projects - The Laurel at Courier Square here in Charleston. Today we talk about the how apprenticeships help shape a person, both in confidence and skill, where technology helps the trades and where it falls short, and most importantly, necessity of creating beauty in our built environment. This is their story.

In this episode we sit down with Ben Little, the founder and owner of Benjamin Paul Studio, high end furniture, millwork and metalworking studio here in Charleston. BPS is known for their problem solving skills, willingness to try just about anything, and their ability to find the perfect balance between practicality and beauty. Today we will get into how Ben honed his craft by old fashioned trial and error, how managing people is the hardest part of his business, and why learning to be good at being bad has been his key to his success. This is his story….

On this episode, we cross over into the realm of architecture with the very talented Atlanta-based architect Stan Dixon. Stan's work has such depth of range that it simply cannot be put in a box. Each of his projects is thoroughly versed in the elements of classicism, while being infused with beautifully unexpected details. He has a beautiful book called Home, and has won countless awards including Southeastern Architect of the Year, The Phillip Trammell Schutz Award, The Addison Minzer Award, the ICAA Acanthus Award, and the Schuler Award among others. In this episode, we get a glimpse into the way his Southern roots influenced his aesthetic, how he goes above and beyond to create a narrative with his clients, and his ability to work with so many collaborators, all while leaving ego at the door. This is his story…

Mary Graham and Nicole Salvesen have a wonderful partnership, in which they have built an impressive design portfolio with projects all over the world. On top of that, they have created a beautiful collection of textiles, wall coverings, furniture and rugs, all while publishing their first book- A New English Style. Last month, they made an encore appearance on the House and Garden 101 List, and they have the honor of being one of the selected designers featured in this year's WOW! House currently on display in London. These are busy ladies, but we are delighted they were able to join us on the podcast to tell us about how they manage the elusive work/life balance, what English style means to them, and the surprisingly emotional process of publishing a book. Here is their story

Charleston based interior designer Allison Elebash is our guest today. Over the past two decades, Allison has built an impressive interior design business throughout the Southeast and Caribbean. She has become a fixture on the local design circuit, and her work has graced the pages of countless magazines over the years. Today we will learn how she pivoted from a career as a licensed social worker and mental health counselor, to talented interior designer with a dedication to craftmanship, how going the extra mile means everything, and last but not least, the importance of having a good mentor - even it if happens to be your wonderful mother-in-law. Here is her story….