Joining Ariel this week Talk Shop is Alexander Widener, a lifelong design enthusiast whose love of rummage sales and flea markets as a child in Pennsylvania grew into a career in the textile world. After stints at Matouk, Sister Parish, and Samuel & Sons, Alexander took a leap of faith earlier this year: leaving corporate America, moving to coastal Maine, and opening his own shop, Widener Collection, in a former antiques store. Since he joined us, his guest cottage is now open to visitors, and the shop, Widener Collection, is open for your visit. 

So tune in for a conversation around the thrill of collecting, art of brand-building, and what it really takes to pivot into a new chapter of life. Plus, his explosion on TikTok!

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Follow Alexander on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexander_widener/

And TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alexander_widener

Plus learn more about his cottage and store: https://widenercompany.com/

Finally, the Ina is Cooking for Jeffery playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6qyF59UZ2apkT0IzVuqFTn

This week, we return to the idyllic Mayflower Inn & Spa in the Connecticut countryside for a special conversation from our second annual Fenimore Lane Design Summit. Our first of two panels celebrating design, is in partnership with Farrow & Ball, all about the timeless influence of British design. 

Our host today, and dear friend, Grace Hunt, Home & Design Editor at Luxe Magazine, is joined by two iconic voices: Emma Burns, Managing Director of the legendary firm Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, and Paddy O’Donnell, International Brand Ambassador for Farrow & Ball. Together, they dive into their love of British design, the power of color, and share personal stories and practical takeaways from their remarkable careers. It’s a lively, inspiring exchange you won’t want to miss.

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Learn more about Farrow & Ball: https://www.farrow-ball.com/

Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/violetburns/

And Paddy on Instagram: 

This week on Talk Shop, Ariel sits down with due behind Nickey Kehoe, Todd Nickey and Amy Kehoe, lifelong friends turned creative partners whose shared love for design has shaped one of the most celebrated names in interiors. The two first met at a New York City dinner party, sparking a decades-long collaboration that would lead to their AD100 design firm and two beloved home stores across the country.

Before launching their partnership in 2004, Todd honed his skills in retail design for fashion houses like Donna Karan and Badgley Mischka, while Amy was crafting hospitality spaces at Starwood. Together, they built a brand that blends curated vintage finds, private-label products, and globally sourced treasures—pieces designed to live far beyond a single lifetime.

Now more than 20 years later, Nickey Kehoe has expanded its Los Angeles retail footprint and grown its thriving e-commerce business, with Amy leading design and Todd steering retail. Tune in as Ariel unpacks the story behind their friendship, their creative vision, and the business of building a timeless brand.

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Follow Amy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amymkehoe/

And Todd: https://www.instagram.com/toddnickey/

And learn more about Nickey Kehoe: https://nickeykehoe.com/

 This week Ariel welcomes Anna Brockway, co-founder and president of Chairish, the premier online marketplace for exceptional home furnishings, art, and jewelry. Since launching Chairish in 2013—alongside her co-founders, including her husband—Anna has transformed the way designers and tastemakers source one-of-a-kind pieces for the home.

With a background in Art History from Columbia University and a successful career in fashion, culminating as VP of Worldwide Marketing at Levi Strauss & Co., Anna brings a unique creative and entrepreneurial vision to the design world. Under her leadership, Chairish has grown to offer over 1.2 million vintage, antique, and contemporary products, serving a global community of design professionals and aficionados.

Join Ariel and Anna as they dive into the story behind Chairish’s success, the evolution of online design shopping, and why this platform has been named the “#1 can’t live without decorating app” by Architectural Digest.

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Shop now at Chairish: https://www.chairish.com/

And follow Anna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annabrockway/

 This week on Talk Shop, Ariel sits down with the legendary interior designer Markham Roberts, hailed by Vogue as “a master of timeless American style.” With over twenty-five years of experience and an enviable roster of iconic clients and projects, Markham has built a career on creating interiors that are both deeply personal and effortlessly elegant.

From his early days working alongside the great Mark Hampton to founding his own firm in 1997, Markham has consistently brought a refined, layered approach to every project—favoring authenticity and client collaboration over fleeting trends. His work, featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, and Vogue, has earned him a place on the AD100 list and the prestigious 2024 Arthur Ross Award for Interior Design.

Tune in as Ariel and Markham discuss his design philosophy, career-defining moments, and what it takes to create spaces that feel as timeless as they do inviting.

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Follow Mark on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krbnyc

And learn more about his firm: https://www.markhamroberts.com/

Welcome back to season four of Talk Shop with Ariel Okin! To kick it off, Ariel sits down with Kate Rheinstein Brodsky, the creative force behind the beloved home store KRB NYC. As the daughter of iconic designer Suzanne Rheinstein, Kate grew up immersed in interiors and honed her eye at Jeffrey Bilhuber, Ralph Lauren Home, and Elle Decor before launching her own retail destination on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in 2015.

Kate shares the story behind KRB’s 10-year journey, her approach to blending classical design traditions with a fresh, colorful perspective, and why her store has become a go-to source for timeless yet unexpected treasures. From antiques and vintage furniture to art and exclusive home accessories, Kate’s curated selections are all about finding that one piece you can’t help but fall in love with.

Tune in for a conversation filled with design inspiration, personal stories, and a celebration of a decade of KRB.

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Follow KRB on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krbnyc

And check out the KRB collection: https://krbnyc.com/

This week we're wrapping up season three with an incredible guest. Elizabeth Lawrence’s design origin story is one to inspire – rising from intern to partner at one of the most prestigious interior design firms in the country. Originally hailing from Wilmington, Delaware, the classically trained interior designer attended the University of Richmond and then the New York School of Interior Design. After graduation, a coveted internship with Bunny Williams led to a job as a Junior Designer, and she rose through the ranks, from Senior Designer to becoming the firm’s first ever Partner – a major accomplishment.

Together, Elizabeth and Bunny run Williams Lawrence, the interior design firm formerly known as Bunny Williams Inc., and the firm’s product line, Bunny Williams Home. Elizabeth has been honored by the New York School of Interior Design, and her work has been widely published in media outlets including Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Veranda, Galerie, Milieu, and others, as well as being featured in Bunny’s newest interior design course on Create Academy, “How to Design Your Dream Home.”

Thank you again for joining us for this season and stay tuned for season three coming this Spring!

This week we’re welcoming a mother-daughter duo, the creative forces behind Lee Ann Thornton Interiors. Lee Ann and her daughter, Allie, are known for their soothing color palettes and incredibly warm and inviting interiors, and believe in creating homes filled with meaningful furnishings and charming details that bring joy, comfort, and inspiration. 

Since launching her eponymous boutique design firm in 2003, Lee Ann has developed a reputation for creating high-end residential and commercial projects rooted in classical designs, and infused with an Anglophile thread. In 2016, Allie joined her mom, starting as a project manager, designer, and now, partner. She brings to the team a fresh, preppy, bohemian style, a welcomed thread to Lee Ann’s timeless and classic sensibilities, and each approaches their work with both warmth and thoughtful attention to detail. Lee Ann and Allie’s work has been featured in magazines like House Beautiful, Coastal Living, Luxe, and others, and we are so thrilled to have the mother-daughter duo on today. 

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Follow Lee Ann and Allie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leeannthorntoninteriors/

Learn more about their firm: https://leeannthornton.com/

We return this week as we are diving fully into the world of color, as Ariel’s welcomes the fabulous tastemaker and author Dabito to the podcast! His bold use of color and eclectic maximalism has cemented him as an always refreshing and ever-evolving influence in the world of interior design. 

In 2010, Dabito launched his blog, Old Brand New – an outlet to express himself and explore a broad range of creative mediums. Before jumping into interiors, his background varied in multimedia art forms, in printmaking, photography and graphic design. Since then, Old Brand New has amassed a devoted following across multiple platforms, and has been recognized by Better Homes & Gardens, The New York Times, Architectural Digest and House Beautiful.

Dabito's guiding design philosophy is that everyone can harness the power of color and meaningful objects to tell a moving and personal story in their home. He splits his time between Los Angeles and New Orleans with his husband, Ryan, and their fur babies, Luigi, Sterling, and Verbena.

So tune in for a conversation full of joy, color and advice! The best way to ring in the new year! 

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Follow Dabito on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dabito/ 

Learn more about his blog and book, Old Brand New: https://www.oldbrandnew.com/

Check out his current collabs with Mitzi and Brooklinen:

https://www.mitzi.com/Products/Feature/Dabito

https://www.brooklinen.com/pages/dabito

And listen to his jukebox playlists on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/122877525

This week Ariel is headed into the hospitality world, as she welcomes Callie Stanton, Senior Vice President of Brand for Auberge Resorts Collection. For any design aficionado, Auberge properties are a must visit – their one-of-a-kind properties truly capture the soul of each destination. With 28 hotels and resorts around the globe, each one is unique, immersive, and incredibly luxurious – not to mention stunning. Beautiful, unique design is at the core of the Auberge experience. 

With over 15 years in the marketing industry, Callie leads all brand communications, strategic partnerships, social media, and influencer marketing for Auberge. We here at Talk Shop are beyond lucky to not only call her a friend, but also to have the opportunity to work with her on our annual Fenimore Lane Design Summit at the Mayflower Inn & Spa, an Auberge Resorts Collection property in the Connecticut countryside. 

Prior to joining Auberge, Callie spent eleven years at Nike Communications, a New York-based luxury communications agency, where she led the hospitality, real estate, and lifestyle divisions, and her first role in the industry was at the iconic Carlyle Hotel on the Upper East Side. She often jokes that she feels more at home at a hotel than anywhere else in the world, so we’d say she picked the perfect career. 

Join Ariel as we go behind the scenes of some of the most beautiful properties in the world!

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Find your next Auberge destination: https://aubergeresorts.com/

Follow Callie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callieestanton/

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From Ariel and the Talk Shop team, we'd like to wish you all a very happy holidays. We'll be taking a short break and return in the new year with even more incredible guests. So have a happy new year and see you in 2025!