The Chaise Lounge Podcast

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Bauer Clifton: Big Business in a Small Town

Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Jeremy Bauer and Jason Clifton of Bauer Clifton from Juneau, Alaska. They discuss how Bauer Clifton got its start, the challenges of establishing a design firm in such a remote area, what they love about it, and where they are going in the future.

Getting to know Jeremy Bauer

Jeremy had been interested in design since childhood. He would build forts and work with his grandpa in his woodshop, and during school he decided to make a career out of his passion. He earned a double major in Engineering and Architecture at Kansas State University and then pursued jewelry for ten years after graduation. After that, he decided interior design was where he wanted to be.

The house he and Jason share is from the 1960s with a mid-century modern design that they liked and decided to keep. They remodeled the lower level of the house and upgraded some of the materials, however. Jeremy would still like to renovate the tower room as it is too simplistic and calling for a splash of style.

Getting to know Jason Clifton

Jason’s favorite place to shop is Ted Baker because of their combinations and variety of color. While he loves shoes, lapel pins, and eyeglasses, his favorite fashion accessory is socks. Jason sees bold, brightly patterned socks as a great way to add color to any outfit.

He found himself in Alaska after going on a family cruise there during a quarter-life crisis. The majesty of the northernmost United State took his breath away, so upon returning home to Indiana, he began planning his relocation. He moved to Alaska six months afterward.

Jeremy had moved there a few months prior and through a statewide network of friends, the two were introduced. After a few months, Jeremy and Jason connected over their shared agricultural, midwestern background as well as their love of design.

Bauer Clifton Today

Bauer Clifton not only works with design, but with homeowners, contractors, and the final placement of their designs. The office handles all the building materials and furnishings required for projects; something which has always been a part of the firm.

They developed a niche market in the design community after founding Bauer Clifton in 2007, where they were the first of their kind in Juneau, Alaska. When they realized they needed more options than what was available at the local lumberyards, they reached out to well-known brands around the world and opened their eyes to the potential Alaskan market. Thereafter they expanded Bauer Clifton into a firm and showroom. This was after disproving to large brands that there wasn’t enough of a market in Alaska and convincing others to adjust their minimum requirements to suit the low population in exchange for correct representations of their products. Bauer Clifton now caters to lodges in Yukon and British Columbia, Canada, as well as Seattle, Washington. They experience very little competition from other firms in Alaska and with what competition does exist, there is a respectable split between them.

Bauer Clifton’s designs primarily target kitchens and baths, but over the years have developed into full home remodeling. They replace many old materials with new ones and due to Jeremy’s background in architecture and Jason’s in design, they take a holistic approach to their work.

They generally work on twelve to eighteen projects at a time, which can be anything from room and paint consultations to remodeling a bath or home. The days between larger projects are used to work on smaller ones. They have other interior designers working with them as well and things are ever-changing.

How to Become a Junior Designer for Bauer Clifton

As with any job, previous experience from other jobs or internships is preferable.

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Hunter Kaiser + Randy Fiser

Today in The Lounge, Nick interviews, Hunter Kaiser, owner of the interdisciplinary design firm, H K+C, followed by a chat with Randy Fisher, CEO of ASID. Learn about Hunter’s nonlinear journey to creating his own firm and his tips for growing and maintaining his business. Then stay tuned for updates on Randy and Nick’s collaboration at KBIS in January.

The Early Years

Hunter Kaiser enjoys a Saturday brunch, the local farmers market, and visits to the lake. As a child, he found himself often moving around. Then in high school, his parents built a home in New Hampshire and hired an interior designer. This was his first face to face exposure to interior design. Although he was interested in in the process, he wasn’t interested in pursuing design. Instead, he spent his first year in college taking science and math courses as a pre-med major. This all changed by his sophomore year when he transferred to Indiana University where he ultimately received his degree in Interior Design. After college Hunter worked at Grisworld, Heckle and Kelly, an architecture firm which has now been purchased by Nelson, and focused on corporate interiors in the financial sector. After working for GHK for 5 years, Hunter transitioned to a job in sales at Henrickson, an Allsteel dealer in Chicago, his hometown for the past 17 years. Upon leaving Henricken, Hunter spent an additional 5 years in furniture sales as an Architecture and Sales rep for Herman Miller. Then in 2011, with one client in the book, Hunter left Herman Miller to start his own company.

Although his path was somewhat nonlinear, Hunter credits his experience in furniture sales as the key to get him to where he is today. His career journey ultimately taught him how to run a business. At Henricksen, Hunter had the opportunity to be an entrepreneur but with the support of the company to back him up. Alternatively, at Herman Miller he learned how to cultivate relationships and how to quickly read an audience. He still utilizes these skills in the day to day operations of running his business.

Starting The Firm

When Hunter left Herman Miller in 2011, he walked straight into a design meeting for his new business. With a lean staff of 2, his company works both nationally and globally with clients in Australia, Paris and across the United States. Their main focus is restaurants, retail and residential, using a holistic design approach, graphics, branding, and client experience. In the beginning, the firm started out doing wedding events and designing store windows for clients. Working on weddings enabled his company to focus on lifestyle and experience. Hunter had control of everything from the look and feel to the floral arrangements. As the company expanded into retail and restaurants, they continue to maintain this holistic approach, curating the customer experience and focusing on the details.

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Maintaining Growth

Hunter attributes their continued growth to the layers of deep relationships they have built over the years. Reputation has been vital, as their design community is small. Not only is personal reputation important, but also the reputation of others within the design network. When a project is located in a city where the staff has never been, Hunter relies on his national network of designers to inquire about local contractors or installers, vendors and receiving warehouses for large deliveries. The strength of their reputation and consul provides him with trusted local contacts to successfully execute the project demands. He also credits speaking in front of people, networking, and social media to maintain a continual client base. Due to their continued growth and focus on a holistic design approach Hunter has rebranded his company from Hunter Kiser, LLC  to HK+C. In looking back at the last 5 yrs of business,

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The Buckingham Effect

Today in the Lounge, Nick speaks with Skip Sroka and London Walder, who both have a little something in common... Julia Buckingham! When Julia was on the show she mentioned one of her designers who went on to start her own firm. Later that day London messaged us to say she WAS that designer! So we knew we had to get London on the show! Skip is a friend and fellow designer of Julia’s who impacted her design career along the way.

London is from Wicker Park in Chicago. Her favorite movie is Captain Fantastic. Her favorite childhood memory is from when she was a gymnast. She would travel, stay in hotels, and hang out with her friends before meets and practices. London's favorite retail store to shop in is in anything vintage because the items are unique and not mass produced. "Beer, wine or cocktail, London?" BEER. All things beer, such as IPAs and the experience of going to breweries to try out new and different beers.

How London got Started in Interior Design

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London always had a creative mind and she feels like she’s been interested in interior design forever. As a young child, she would always redesign spaces in her mind. London attended Illinois State University for Interior and Environmental Design. She started out as a liberal arts student and then later applied to the interior design program. She had one internship her junior year doing price checks and organizing which helped her receive a great technical understanding of interior design. She says that school is so different from the real world. In school, you really learn the technical aspects of design such as using computer programs, learning how to finish a space, learning the safety of the materials, and learning how green materials are. Her very first studio design class was residential and then the rest of her classes focused mainly on commercial design. London enjoyed the fact that school focused on becoming a technical designer so that she could then go on to learn about the business side of interior design later.

When London graduated in 2010, there were no design positions available for her. She applied for about 200 jobs and then began working retail at Crate and Barrel. During her time there, London learned from all the designers that came into the store with their clients. She had a friend who knew someone in the lighting store and moved on to a job as a customer service rep for the company. This is where she first started learning more about interior design from a business perspective. London worked her way up to later become Showroom Manager. She says it was an awesome experience which she still applies to her business today. London also worked at a furnishing company and then received her first design job (other than small projects and freelance work) with Julia Buckingham.

"The Buckingham Effect"

London says that working with Julia was an incredible learning experience. She loves Julia’s confidence and how she explains everything to her clients well. London helped to facilitate product development for Julia's line. She also worked as a designer and helped with the office flow. London says it was the perfect first design job. She tells us that Julia runs a tight ship and has high expectations from everyone who works with her. She loves that Julia is the full package for her clients. London worked with Julia for just over a year and also took another lead design position before she felt like she was at a crossroads in her career.

The Business Today

Today, London is working for herself. She is looking to hire an intern, open up a storefront, and get a team together. She still has a lot of research to do. Right now, London has about 10 clients in progress, a few projects she’s finishing up with, and some in the pipelines.

Phyllis Harbinger + Charrisse Johnston: Oh the Places You'll Go

Today in the lounge, Nick catches up with Phyllis Harbinger while he's just outside her soon-to-be new apartment in Miami. Nick is in town for the grand opening of the new Porcelanosa Miami showroom. He also has the pleasure of interviewing Charrisse Johnston, past Chair of ASID National Board of Directors and Interior Design Practice Leader at Steinberg.

What’s So Great About Miami?

Nick asks Phyllis why she chose to Miami and her first answer is simple: She doesn’t like the cold. Additionally, she had always liked Florida but was never sure about living there. When her sister took Phyllis on a trip to Miami as part of a birthday celebration, she found herself falling in love with the city. The culture was intoxicating with its rich diversity and vibrant energy; something she says helps keep her young. Not just that, but Phyllis loves speaking Spanish, which Miami enables her to do a lot of. She compares the culture of Miami to that of New York but with more cleanliness and greater energy.

The Miami Renaissance

Nick asks Phyllis to describe what’s happening in the design scene of Miami. She tells him that it’s ever-changing with new showrooms, restaurants, hotels, and all sorts of things going up on a weekly basis. The city is going through a renaissance period where a lot of old designs are being integrated with new ones and Phyllis invites anyone interested in seeing great design to visit Miami for that reason. Plus, Art Basel is now being held in Miami from December 7-10, along with ICFF which was held in October. The Art Deco Festival will also be happening in South Beach, Florida. With so many things going on, there’s never a dull moment in Miami.

When Phyllis closes on her new apartment, she plans on renting it out from May to October to accommodate the influx Miami sees of South Africans vacationing there for their winter. This will not be the first time Phyllis has rented out a property to travelers; she sees it as a fun challenge because it requires her to make the space something she can fully enjoy along with her renters.

As Phyllis says her goodbyes, she reminds listeners to visit her on her website if they would like to use her consulting services and learn more about her.

Getting to Know Charrisse Johnston

Charrisse values functionality over style when it comes to her personal fashion, but if she were to choose a favorite accessory, it would be her handbag she always receives compliments on. Charrisse and her siblings are first-generation Americans from Chinese-American parents and that Chinese was her first language. Since her parents never used profanities in the household, she and her two brothers and one sister would make up nonsense profanities in Chinese and tattle on each other, only to be met with confusion from her mother and father. Charrisse’s favorite movie is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, though she forgets the name at first. Charrisse notes how in today’s society, “you feel like you’re not worthy unless you’re going one-million miles-per-hour all the time,” which isn’t healthy. She argues that while we as a culture generally recognize this, more people need to actually take and appreciate time for themselves. Charrisse talks about how in L.A., professionals who don’t feel the need to dress up and aren’t required to go into the office every day are often the most successful. As such, we shouldn’t feel too guilty for giving ourselves a break.

From Doctor to Designer: Charrisse's Journey to Interior Design

As the oldest of four siblings in a Chinese-American family, Charrisse was groomed to be a doctor. She attended John Hopkins University and majored in biology with the intent to apply for medical school after graduation. During her time at the university, however, she learned that she was more interested in knowing what made people ...

Photo source: Who's Who HPMKT

High Point Market: Alexander Julian

Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Alexander Julian, fashion and furniture designer, at High Point Market. Alexander talks about where he found his start, and what he’s learned in his journey to success. Nick went live on Facebook with Alexander Julian at the Universal showroom. Watch here!

Getting to Know Alexander

Alexander has an affinity for older films, so while the most recently made movie he saw was “Hidden Figures,” the last movie he watched and enjoyed was a 1938 rom-com called “Bringing Up Baby.” When he’s not reading emails, he’s reading the works of P.G. Wodehouse. Alexander’s favorite piece of technology is the iPhone for all the work it enables him to do. The last piece of furniture he added to his house was a bowtie table he designed and produced with Jonathan Charles. His own designs are not the only that festoon his home, however; he has many wonderful antiques as well. His wife has worked with antiques for years and he considers her to be his mentor on them.

As the bowtie table might suggest, Alexander’s favorite fashion accessory is the tie. He claims that they are the only piece of men’s apparel that has a great deal of latitude and room for self-expression.

How Alexander Got His Start

Alexander grew up in the clothing store his parents’ opened in 1942 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. His first toy was a swatchbook and he would take naps under the clothes. The first shirt he designed was at the age of twelve after the one he was wearing was torn during a pickup football fight. It was a blue shirt and when he took it to his father’s tailor to be mended, he requested for it to have a yellow collar. When he wore it to school the next day, the most popular girl at school asked him to talk about it, and thus his career in fashion design was born.

The first jacket he designed was when he was fifteen and his first store was opened after he turned twenty-one. Alexander ghosted his first collection at age twenty-three and then he moved to New York at age twenty-six. He won the Coty Award with his second nomination and became the youngest member of the Fashion Hall of Fame when he was thirty-three. After receiving the Industry’s Career Achievement Award at age forty, he decided it was time to move on to designing furniture. It only took him ten years to finally get his foot in the door with Universal Furniture.

The Business Today

Today, Alexander still designs fashion and sells his products in brick-and-mortar stores. Most of his products are sold at boutiques in other stores, though he has recently re-opened 300 of his own stores in Japan and Italy. His most expensive, top-line brand is Alexander Julian and his mass-produced, less expensive line is Colours.

As for his furniture, he only works on one design at a time. Networking is a large part of his career because, without the right relationships, Alexander claims, his brand would not exist. While he does value the relationships he makes through work, he values the customer even more!

In addition to furniture and fashion, Alexander has also done vinting. He was a vintner for three years and now has plans to produce vodka. If given the opportunity, he would also like to design cars.

Alexander’s Reflections

Alexander says that if anyone wants to excel in any creative field, they should first learn to recognize the difference between ordinary and exceptional. He claims that knowing that difference is the best way to add depth and meaning to one’s work. Along that same vein, he believes that the most important part of someone’s personality is their taste. When doing interior design, he advises that you be in touch with what makes YOU excited to wake up in the morning and feel like the best version of yourself.

Despite his enormous successes,

High Point Market: Passion Sucks. It's All About the Money!

Today in the Lounge, we have a live recording of Nick's panel "Passion Sucks. It’s all about the Money!" at Universal Furniture's event room during High Point Market. Nick hosted this panel with superstars Kelli Ellis, Chad James, Steven Favreau, and Nina Magon. Also on the episode, Nick talks with Jill Erwin of Jill Erwin Interiors. Jill talks about her how she transitioned from fashion into interior design, how she runs her business and all about her killer marketing tactics.

Passion Sucks. It's All About the Money!

All of us in the interior design industry are passionate about interior design, but that doesn’t mean all of us are successful. Passion can only take us so far, so what differentiates those that are successful, from those that are trying to become successful? Nick talks to industry-leading design firms from across the country, to learn how they’ve broken out of mediocre to build stand-out design firms. Learn not only how to get press coverage but also how to make REAL dollars.

Panel Summary

Kelli Ellis is an interior designer, licensing LLC, author, business coach and TV personality. While design is her passion, it’s also her business. Nina Magon was an economics and finance major turned interior design. She was on American Dream Builders with Nate Berkus in 2013 as a semi-finalist. Nina just completed her project on 51fifteen Cuisine and Cocktails with Sax Fifth Avenue in Houston, Texas and does both residential and commercial design. Before Steven Favreau became an interior designer, he was a professional dancer and singer. Based out of Boston, Steven is opening up the Favreau’s Factory, which is an 11,000 square foot think tank for himself, architects, high tech web people and photographers. It will launch January of 2018. Chad James is based out of Nashville, Tennessee but he has a plethora of clients all over the World including in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Cayman Islands. He originally studied Architecture at Auburn University and five years into his career he decided to start designing the interiors his buildings. His company does Architecture Consulting and 75% of their projects are residential, the rest are Commercial.

Steven relays that one of the things you learn in becoming a successful designer is to always be looking for clients with large budgets. If you are able to do what you'd like without limitation, you will be better at your job and be able to show this off. For Steven, it’s all about how you present yourself to clients. If he is put up against other designers for a job, he always makes the client feel comfortable that’s he is the right choice because he is going to get it done right. Steven believes social media is where it’s at but, networking, such as going High Point, is also important.

Nina has been called the number one contemporary designer in Texas. To make her firm stand out, she has a no-nonsense policy. This policy means that they don’t fool around with clients or their money and they deliver the best customer service. She only hires people who believe in her brand and who are modern and forward thinking. Four staff members out of her 12-person firm were educated in Columbia. They are able to bring new and innovative ideas to her company which help set her apart. Nina receives new clients by making all her previous clients very happy. Word of mouth goes a long way. For every project, Nina shoots to make 35%. Her firm charges $250 an hour with $20,000 minimum. Nina is involved in every aspect of the project and everyone she works with is an extension of herself. Nina prefers working on full houses and high profile projects which help get her name out there. 

The first time Kelli started to feel successful in her career was when she started getting knocked off. She doesn’t see this as a negative because she broadcasts so much of what s...

High Point Market: Hospitality Designers Share All

Today in The Lounge, Nick hosts the Hospitality Insiders Share All: What it Takes to be a Designer in the Hospitality Sector panel with guests Gary Inman, Nina Magon, Patrick Sutton, and Todd Ellenberger. The panel was recorded live at High Point! Nick also talks with Lynne Lawson of Lawson Dream Team at Norwalk Furniture during High Point. Lynne and Nick discuss how she finally entered into interior design and how she did it with no interior design education. 

Hospitality Insiders Share All: What it Takes to be a Designer in the Hospitality Sector

The panel begins with each designer introducing themselves and talking about how they began their careers in interior design. They all work in varying design firms, from large to small. Both Gary and Nina have fashion design backgrounds and then later moved to interior design. Patrick is the son of a pioneer of 'travelism,' so he spent his childhood seeing the world and enjoying its architecture. He loved the world of architecture but felt something was missing. In order to complete his story, he stopped doing architecture and began designing interiors of buildings. Todd started thinking about interior design in high school and right out of school began designing handmade draperies for high-end residential clients. A few years down the road and he now works for Hirsch Bedner Associates.

The designers talk about their transitions into the hospitality sector and some of the difficulties they faced in changing from residential to hospitality. They discuss the differences in design, such as logistics and fabrics, as well as the change in monetary profits. They also chat about how long it really takes to design a hotel from start to finish. For more input, listen to the full panel!

Getting to Know Lynne

The last vacation Lynne took was in Europe when she visited Austria and Switzerland this past summer. She fell in love with Switzerland during her two-week stay. Lynne lives in Columbia, Maryland and the last home decor piece she purchased for her home was a convertible cocktail to dinner table. The one room in her home that she would never put on Instagram, is her daughter’s room because it’s still in transition from her moving out... Lynne plans on converting it to her 'woman cave.' "Beer, wine or cocktail?" Lynne prefers wine.

How Lynne Got Started in Interior Design

Lynne previously worked at IBM for 19 years, as a salesperson, consultant, and a consulting principal. She would sell mainframes to NASA, classified agencies, the White House, House of Representatives, the Senate and the World Bank. She left because she was traveling a lot, lost her younger brother, and turned the age where enough was enough. She thought about what she really wanted to do with her life and decided to go 'interior design.'

Decorating Den Interiors is a 47-year-old business of individually owned and operated franchises. It is for both start-up interior decorators with no experience and interior designers with degrees who want to take advantage of the business, marketing, and public relations opportunities that Decorating Den Interiors provides. To get into Decorating Den, you first have to contact the corporate office and they take you through a series of steps: you qualify the company and the company qualifies you. At the end of the day, you should be able to run your own franchise! If you move forward in the process, you are then given both business and design training. Some of their training includes how to recieve leads and how to market your business. You are encouraged to have a grand opening seminar to generate leads so you can get started on designing. In the beginning, you continue to receive training from a manager as well as continue going to CEUs (Continuing Education Units). Lynne says that running your business from a series of consistent and repeatable proces...

166 - High Point Market Live: Madcap Cottage + Marketing Your Design Firm

Today in The Lounge, Nick is live from High Point Market. The show kicks off with a live recording of "Marketing Your Design Firm," a panel moderated by Nick at the Zuo Mod showroom. Hear what Shayla Copas, Jason Clifton, and Jeffrey Johnson do to get the phone to ring each day. Then, Nick is joined by Madcap Cottage's duo, Jason Oliver Nixon and John Loecke, in the Phillips Collection Showroom. Nick speaks to the duo about how they started in interior design, how they license their own products and all about their new book.

Getting to Know Jason and John

Jason is from Tampa, Florida. He went to school in Maine and then later moved to New York. John grew up in Iowa where he attended Iowa State and then, also, moved to New York, which is where he and Jason met. Jason’s favorite accessories are his bags...just ask John. It’s not that he has a problem with them, he just owns over 60 L.L. Bean Boat and Tote bags and these bags go everywhere with Jason. John’s favorite accessory is his watches. He also loves vintage movies; his favorite is Auntie Mame. Auntie Mame inspires him because the design style is so over the top. John also loves books but admits that he’s been so busy with work, he doesn’t have time to read novels anymore. Jason’s favorite guilty pleasures movies are murder mysteries or vintage James Bond books and movies. John's favorite stores are Fortnum & Mason and Liberty in London. He loves the designs, presentation, and architecture. John and Jason spend 24/7 together and to balance out their lives they build in time to actually see the city they're working in and visit a museum or cafe. When asked 'beer, wine, or cocktail?' Jason says, he loves a craft beer or a citrus beer, for wine he loves a good rosé and for a cocktail, he chooses a Tito’s martini dirty with olives on the side. In other words, "All of the above." John prefers a gin or vodka cocktail.

John always thought he wanted to be an architect, but when finally in school, he saw that it wasn’t right for him. He didn’t really look at interior design as a profession until he started writing and doing graphic design work for a couple magazines in New York, including House Beautiful, American Homestyle, and Better Homes and Gardens. This is where he met Mario Buatta and Bunny Williams, who both inspired him greatly. Meeting them was a wake-up call that interior design was where he really wanted to be. On the other hand, Jason was always interested in interiors. As a kid, every Friday night, he would move around his parents' contemporary furniture. Jason worked in television as a producer and was a magazine editor when he met John in New York and they decided to start their business. John says that they are storytellers and it took that thread of working in the magazine and television industries to be able to tell people’s personal stories through design.

The Business Today

Madcap Cottage is a small firm with Jason, John, and three or four regular employees. Their employees help with strategy, structure, social media, bookkeeping and running errands. They are currently working on a 40,000 square foot home as well as small projects in Sarasota, Florida; Pittsboro, North Carolina; and one in Connecticut. They take projects for people who want to embrace living to the fullest in a space that is all about them. They work on three to four interior projects a year, license their own products, and would like to be the next great Laura Ashley: where clients can get great home and accessory items that are both, affordable, and accessible.

They two J's both love to travel and traveling inspires their designs. They have written a book called Prints Charming about looking to the past, to move the needle forward. They enjoy planning the old-school way, on paper and have hired someone to do it professionally in CAD.

Shayla Copas: From Homeless to Luxury Interior Designer.

Today in The Lounge, Nick speaks with Shayla Copas of Shayla Copas Interiors at the Zuo Modern Showroom in High Point, North Carolina. Shayla discusses how she runs her business with only a small group of people and a few interns. Find out how Shayla advertises in a way that people don’t really do anymore and how she became an interior designer withOUT a proper design education. Nick also speaks with Brian Pagel from Emerald Expositions. They chat about The Chaise Lounge’s new partnership with KBIS and what to expect this year from the 2018 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in January.  

Getting to Know Shayla

Shayla’s favorite type of music is rap, she loves Tupac and Biggie. Her favorite fashion accessory is her pink Valentino shoes and handbags. Her ideal Saturday night is being at home next to her husband with a glass of wine, watching movies. Shayla’s favorite vacation spot is in Italy on the Amalfi coast. When asked ‘beer, wine or cocktail?’ Shayla picks a Caymus wine...by the case. As a child, Shayla would rearrange the furniture in her house and redo her bedroom at least three to four times a year.

Shayla originally went to school for marketing and nursing and had almost graduated when she decided to follow her talents in interior design. Shayla’s marketing experience helps her not only market her own business but her husband’s as well. She met her entrepreneur of a husband in Portland, while out with some friends and now they’ve been married for 20 years. At one point, her husband was the fourth biggest commercial contractor in Arkansas, but he’s only helped out in Shayla's business four times.

Shayla was 19 years old when she was kicked out of her home because she was pregnant. She went to a pregancy home where they convinced her to continue school, start a career, and give back. Shayla asked the baby’s father for child support but the father’s parents didn’t want him to help her. Instead, they gave her some silk plants to sell on the street and told her support the baby that way. So, Shayla stood in a pet store parking lot in Vancouver, selling silk plants rain or shine for 8 months. She began to supply silk plants as housewarming gifts for apartments around the nation. Her own apartment was filled to the ceiling with silk plants and trees in order to keep up. The production cost and materials for each plant was only about $10 but she sold them for $25-$125. Shayla was thankful for her source of income but, she was always thinking beyond what she was currently doing and looking for the next business venture.

The Business Today

Shayla now runs a luxury design business that does both commercial and residential work. She has a small staff from two to ten, depending on the season. Shayla markets, sells, and designs. She has interior designers on retainer and recieves a lot of help from her interns.

To market herself, Shayla uses print advertising. She does advertorials with her local magazine and is getting ready to go national. Her advertorials are made from a monthly kit that the magazine supplies her, which helps them not feel like ads. She wants her customers to see her personal touch as a designer while being authentic, organic, and not contrived. Shayla gets some business from her social media platforms as well and uses Instagram to convey her brand. She loves posting stories to bring in more followers, showing off products from her vendors and from her portfolio, unless the images are going to be published. Shayla and Nick tell us that you should redo your website every two to three years because the business is always changing, and you should be as well. Shayla thinks designers should also include their press on their website.

Shayla’s favorite part of the business, besides design, are her clients and the relationships she builds with them.

XXIV International Architecture & Interior Design Exposition in Spain

In the world of porcelain, stone and ceramic wall & floor design, there are two key international exhibitions that take place every year - Cersaie in Bologna, Italy during the close of September and Cevisama in Valencia, Spain.

Earlier this year, The Chaise Lounge along with sponsor Porcelanosa visited the Spanish Group’s exhibition which ran concurrently with Cevisama.

The following shows recap some of the highlights of the tour with guests sharing their individual and collective experience from the trip, the inspiration for which was the Chaise Lounge’s social media competition #Let’sGoToSpain.

Silvestre Segarra Jr.

Silvestre Segarra Soriano is the grandson of Porcelanosa co-founder Jose Soriano Ramos. Establishing the company 46 years ago, Porcelanosa began operations as a tile company. The vision of the business has seen the enterprise transform into a manufacturer of so much more than just their world-leading ceramics, with kitchens, bathrooms, KRION® Solid Surface material, and many other solutions for architecture and home heading the product assortment.

Silvestre details the Porcelanosa XXIV International Architecture & Interiors Exhibition, an event that spans the course of two weeks and welcomes more than 14,000 visitors from over 100 countries. Attendees include architects, designers, customers, international branch staff, press, and media. Each of the eight Porcelanosa companies re-design their showrooms to feature product releases and innovations for their respective global audience.

Nick expresses his astonishment at the scale of the organization, not least of which is the fact that Porcelanosa began as, and remain, a family owned and run business. Silvestre explains the special culture that runs through the company, the intimate involvement of the shareholders’ desire to drive perfection in product and customer service – he firmly believes this to be the biggest differentiator from the competitor set.

Nick and Silvestre also discuss the distinct European style that Porcelanosa is known for and how their awareness in the US has grown over recent years. Nick pondered the question of the sustainable environmental manufacturing the group had witnessed during the visit and Silvestre confirmed that it had been a tenet from the very beginning of the company. Eco-friendly principles, modern cost-efficient production facilities, and cleanliness are core values which he believes translate into sound business and ultimately a product designed to enhance the end customer’s lifestyle.

Kelli Ellis

Kelli Ellis is working with Kym Johnson from Dancing with the Stars and her husband, television personality, Robert Herjavec. They bought the old Richard Simmons dance studio in Beverly Hills and Kelli will be doing the entire reception area with Porcelanosa products. She learned so much on the trip and is ready to parlay the materials and knowledge that she uncovered in Spain into her designs. In other news - Kelli recently wrapped up the first season of Design Therapy, which can be watched on The Design Network. She also created a new art collection with Leftbank Art, in addition to an exclusive licensing deal with a furniture company to be debuted at High Point.

Kelli is planning multiple Design Mastermind events to talk about the business of design, marketing, and how to ramp up and ignite business. Classes are capped at 20 people to keep it a small, one on one format where Kelli personally gets to know and work with delegates. As a passionate educator, Kelli is a firm exponent of collaboration and aims for the goal of “Design Geek to Rockstar Chic.”

Nick and Kelli reminisce about their trip and Kelli’s emotional connection to Spain. Her lasting memory is of the strong relationships she built with the traveling group members.