Surviving Design

Join professional interior designers Melissa Guerra, Timm Dolley, and Melody Smith as they discuss the extreme level of knowledge and expertise it takes to pull off a design project for their clients. What does it take? An inch deep and a mile wide of myriad knowledge for a variety of applications. Plumbing fixtures? Specifications and installation is different between brands, especially if you're using diverter or pressure balancing valves. Lighting? You'll need to know your Kelvin Scale, and you better pray that your contractor actually orders the specs you asked for! Furniture? Your clients (and their peers) are going to throw new product lines (and opinions) at you; you'll need to quickly adapt to their wants and needs and learn new lines lightning fast! The list goes on and on. Join us in Surviving Design, and we'll have you laughing (and learning) about the intricacies of this complicated (and often misrepresented) industry! 

Music Credit: StockAudios

Join professional interior designers Melissa Guerra, Timm Dolley, and Melody Smith as we talk about our most recent trip to Paris, how it inspired us, and how taking a break can sometimes lead to the design inspiration you've been looking for! From stories about the Louve, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, St. Tropez, Arle, and more, taking a much-needed vacation can make you feel so much better about the interior design business (and the stress of it) that you get to leave behind if only for a couple of weeks! Take a break, tune in, and let's start Surviving Design!

Music Credit: StockAudios

Join professional interior designers Melissa Guerra, Timm Dolley, and Melody Smith as they discuss all things interior-design related. You think you know this industry? You don't know the half of it! In this special edition episode we interview famous Palm Beach interior designer Jennifer Garrigues to hear about her illustrious career as well as her take on the ups and downs of the interior design profession. If you're an interior designer or planning to be you need to hear her take on the industry. From stories about her career in modeling, her travels to India and Morocco for inspiration, and her experience in teaching, Jenny has some amazing insight into the industry that you may not have heard before! Get ready to laugh and learn about the industry, and join us  in Surviving Design. 

Music Credit: StockAudios

Join Melissa Guerra, Timm Dolley, and Melody Smith as they discuss all things interior design. In this episode we talk about how "making it" in the interior design industry can often lead professionals to suffer from Impostor Syndrome, e.g. Do I deserve to be here? Am I good enough? Am I competent enough? The truth is even seasoned professionals second guess themselves all the time - especially in the post-Covid landscape that has changed our industry. Laugh and learn with us as we discuss the design and furniture industry, the problems we face, and what it takes to continue Surviving Design on a daily basis!

Music Credit: StockAudios

Join Melissa Guerra, Timm Dolley, and Melody Smith as we take you behind-the-scenes in the interior design world! In this episode, we delve into the world of designer show houses, what they are, and what the process is if a designer wants to participate and market their business. We also discuss the recent Kips' Bay Decorator Show House in West Palm Beach, and we take you through some of our favorite (and least favorite spaces). 

Here's a link to the Jellyfish room we discuss (Melissa and Melody's favorite from past years): https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/designer-show-house-2013-pj-vj~1442974

Here's a link to Timm's favorite room of past years (search for Red Cross Show House 2013): https://www.nxgstudio.com/portfolio

Here's a link to more info regarding the recent Palm Beach Show House:
https://www.kipsbaydecoratorshowhouse.org/pbplanyourvisit

Join Melissa Guerra, Timm Dolley, Melody Smith, and our special guest Kim Jones, owner of Tropical Vibes. As an owner of a lifestyle brand, Kim spills all the tea on what branding is truly about and how it can impact your design business. So what are you waiting for? Laugh and learn with us about the interior design business, and let's start Surviving Design!

Music Credit: StockAudios

Join Melissa Guerra, Timm Dolley, and Melody Smith as they discuss the "why" behind their interior design profession. What got them into the business? What makes them tick? Why is interior design so intriguing, and why is it such a coveted career? Laugh and learn with us, and join us in Surviving Design!

Music Credit: StockAudios

Join Melissa Guerra, Timm Dolley, and Melody Smith as they discuss the age-old question: Should we add fuel or water to the fire during an interior design project? During construction, egos, ideas, and personalities can clash. When is the right time to incite or defuse a situation? Is there a right time? When should your voice be heard? When should you keep quiet? Learn all about how we handle these situations - and more - as we help you in Surviving Design!

Music Credit: StockAudios

Join professional interior designers Melissa Guerra, Timm Dolley, and Melody Smith as they discuss red flags in projects and when to walk away from - or simply avoid - toxic clients. Just like personal relationships, you and your client will be together through thick and thin (sometimes for years depending on the size of the project). Make sure you're both ready for that kind of commitment! 

Think the interior design business is easy? Think again. We expose the secrets behind the often-shrouded industry to help you grow your business and your bottom line! What are you waiting for? Join us in Surviving Design!

Music Credit: Stockaudios

In the first episode of Season 2, Melissa Guerra, Timm Dolley, and Melody Smith discuss the ins and outs of being savvy shoppers. As professional interior designers, we often look to our trade sources and showrooms for the best price, but what happens when clients find a better price online? How can designers compete in this ever-changing industry after online shopping exposed many of our sources? All these questions are answered and more as we help you on your path to Surviving Design!

Music Credit: Stockaudios