studio.chats the podcast

The pandemic brought a million questions and a wave of uncertainty for all of us in the design industry on various levels. One level that left a huge question mark was what will the interactions between designers and reps be? Aina Picinic (KnollTextiles) + Dana Castillo (Tarkett), both NYC reps, had that exact same question, and rather than leading with fear they chose to lead with light. Today's chat is all about how this duo put their heads together to create safe experiences for designers to connect with each other, connect with products and support local businesses along the way! With over 20 years of experience each in the industry, they dove in and figured out a way. They did all the research and in the chat, they shared with us what they did, what worked, and how others can do the same too! Come say hi to us on the IG @studio.chats

We are pumped for today's studio chat with Li Chen! Today's chat is all about how to navigate as an international student and then designer + tips to set yourself up for success! A Canadian citizen, Li received her Bachelors of Fine Arts, Interior Design from Pratt Institute. Since then, Li has around five years of experience in both commercial and residential in both New York City at large corporate firms, and now in San Francisco on the residential side @reganbakerdesign

We are very excited about today's studio chat with Habiba Koroma! It is all about how she switched careers and her journey finding flow + alignment! Let me tell you, throughout the chat I found myself admiring Habiba even more and more. From boarding school to communications major, to interning at MTV, to London, to corporate philanthropies, these moments were all just pieces of Habiba's evolving story! She shared with us how all of those events plus more happened in order for her to find clarity & figure out what she really wanted to do with her life. This is how she found design.

Very excited about today's studio chat with Claire Hung! Today's chat is all about trusting your insights, taking your own route & seeing where that takes you! Her story & journey of designing her own path & finding opportunities that align best with her, is truly inspiring. Claire is a multi-disciplinary designer living and working in Brooklyn, New York. She holds a BA in Architecture from @ucberkeleyofficial. For over a decade she has worked in the Architecture &Interiors business, and in addition owned a successful 6-figure boutique wellness studio in E.Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Currently, she is running her own design practice & is a co-founder and vice president of Interior Collab. A Cali girl, growing up in a non-traditional household, found her way into design school, and was then left graduating in a recession. Pivoting then and making her way to NYC for a few years, she immersed herself into the Pilates practice. During the 2008 recession, she found her leaning into her love for wellness & pivoting again to open the Wellness Studio! She shares with us what her experience was like navigating all these pivots, trusting your instincts, and the most recent exciting new pivot she and fellow designers embarked on @interiorcollab ! Interior Collab is on a mission to connect clients to high-quality designers, but most importantly foster a strong community amongst all their design members! Come say hi to us! @studio.chat @clairehungdesign @interiorcollab

Today's studio chat is with Peter Harrison! Peter, trained as an Interior Designer from Utah State, he is a n Interior Designer at ZGF in Portland and is accredited in four different sustainability certifications! Today's chat goes from building a solid sustainability foundation, to what to look for when selecting a design program, what happens when you graduate & leveraging LinkedIn to score that job, with mentorship & tons of tangible tips intertwined throughout!

Have you ever wondered what life on the "other side" of design would be like?! Today's studio chat is with Kristen Matthews! Kristen had that exact thought, and in addition saw potential in both her and the opportunity of being a rep could bring to her! Trained as an interior designer @coloradostateuniversity, Kristen started out her career in residential design. The first big pivot she made in her career was from residential in CO to commercial in NYC, and three years after being a designer in the big city, she made the next jump to her current role with @myinscape !

Come say hi on the IG @studio.chats & @allaboutthatwall

This one is fun + full of new energy! Today's studio chat is with Hannah Henry! Hannah is an ambitious high school student in Eastern Washington, chasing her design dreams! Her first introduction to the design industry was at a career fair at her school. She then took the next step of introducing herself again and asking if she could shadow one of the local designers in town! She shares with us her experience working at her very first design job with D.Marie Interiors + Nest Design Studio in Ellensburg, WA, and tips for other high school students who are also interested in learning more about the design industry even before applying to design school! I admire Hannah's spirit and determination! It had me reflecting back at 16 year old me, who had zero idea that getting a job was even a possibility, and Hannah is proof that it is possible!

It was a pleasure to chat with Alan! He brings a seasoned and insightful perspective on how to succeed as a designer! Thank you Alan for the insightful and honest conversation! This one reminds me of times being at a large industry event and just by chance having an opportunity to sit next to a kind talented human and connect with them on a deeper level. You are going to want to catch this one!! See you in the chat! Alan, a native New Yorker, entered the design industry through the product design & manufacturing process and materials of design while working at Heller. He received a bachelor's degree in science and then completed his Master's degree, Interior Design from Pratt Institute. In today's chat, he shares his wisdom from 12 years of experience in commercial interiors inNew York City. In addition, he was the former Director of Interior Design atA+I & a design legend. Recently, Alan pivoted and started his own firm!