The Chaise Lounge Podcast

I have interviewed designers from all across the country, but today, I finally interviewed an interior designer from my own back yard of Denver, CO. Lynn Coit owns Elsy Studios and focuses on commercial design.  Lynn was trained as an architect, but has always had a love for interiors.  Her firm is growing, has a staff of ten, but will grow to over 20 within the next decade.  Lynn went to school in Mississippi, and while traveling to California, stopped in Colorado, and just never left.  Lynn and her team focus on projects in Colorado but have taken on a few clients across the country.  As a mom, she tries not to take on work that requires too much travel.

A few things that Lynn shared:

To get new clients, don't shy away from small projects.  A lot of large clients started with small projects for her.

Network with your vendors and build a team.  She has received lots of referrals from her vendors to get her into some large commercial projects.

If you are an interior design student, get involved in organizations to build your network.

 

 

Today in The Lounge, Nick talks with Steven Teich of The Teich Group. A designer in Detroit, Teich is working on both residential and commercial properties out of Royal Oak, Michigan. From the Motor City, Steven has expanded across state and national borders and shares his story.A Little About StevenTo describe himself in his younger years, Stephen called himself an “artistic nerd.” Looking for a way to turn an art-loving lifestyle into a career, he first was an art major, then attended architectural school for a time, but ultimately found he preferred working for an interior designer. Through his position spanning 10 years, he discovered he liked working one on one with clients. He spent the decade working at the top tier Detroit design firm and eventually broke off to start his own business. Now contemplating retirement and his business scaling back a bit, Steven is slowing down but says he will never really stop. The business will transition into the hands of the current team members, but for now, the firm is running strongly in his lead.How The Teich Group Got StartedIn 1991, after time spent with the firm, Steven began to find his own clients. From several previous business connections, The Teich Group grew. Quickly, operations expanded across the states. Almost exclusively connecting with builders, the group began with working on single-family projects, reproducing model homes. In the late 90s, Detroit hit a recession, but The Teich Group survived and expanded to work on restaurants, assisted living, and memory care facilities. Steven worked with automotive executive clients for their residences in Detroit, and later their retirement homes in Florida. Establishing a network has been key to the business’ success.The Business TodayWith two designers today, Steven decided to transform the larger company to a smaller business, leaving more time for better personal connections and focused attention towards clients. Showhouses and restaurants are important, but most efforts go towards residential. Today, The Teich Group has expanded projects to Canada, Mexico, Texas, Colorado, California, and Florida. Though Steven is not always on-site, he sets up reliable job superintendents to oversee the projects.Beyond PassionSteven says school did not prepare him for the real world, and working in the field is what taught him. Learning the trade through work, he mastered how to sell an idea. Even when you have unparalleled passion for design, selling is important. Additionally, communication and collaboration is vital when working to create what is desired by the client. Steven learned that having a job designing was more than the creative aspect; there were business measures to be learned. More than just the love for design is important when working in the trade.To learn more about Steven Teich, visit The Teich Group.

Chaise Lounge Updates

We're covering High Point Market fall 2018! Stay in the loop on our Instagram and Facebook pages.The Student Lounge is up and running! Visit us to hear podcast episodes produced for students, by students.

Our Events Page

Resources

See what our sponsors can do for you.

Upcoming Markets

BDNY Nov 11 – 12

More About Our Sponsors

Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com. Lastly, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or post a review on iTunes, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. With that said keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Big show today!  BIG announcement today!  So happy and excited to finally be able to share that we have a new sponsor.  Design Manager, the leaders in interior design software, has come on as a sponsor for The Chaise Lounge.  To introduce you to what they have to offer, I interviewed Lindsay Paoli, their Director of Sales and Marketing to tell you all about it.  Offering a desktop version as well as a cloud-based version, Design Manager can help you organize all your clients, projects, accounting, and vendors in ONE place.  Please, check them out.  You won't be disappointed.

Today's designer interview is with a Chicago designer, Susan Brunstrum, the owner of Sweet Peas Design.  Susan is not a trained designer but has surrounded herself with a fantastic team.  Susan is the leader and driving force of the firm.  Starting the firm just outside of Chicago, in Libertyville, IL, Susan now has two offices:  one in Libertyville and one in Chicago.  Susan shared her story of life-change, starting our, finding great team members, and working with clients.

One of my favorite topics we talked about was marketing.  Since Susan came out of a marketing in corporate background, she has a bit of an advantage.  She knows all about branding and messaging, and getting the story told.  Here is a great example of using a showhome project to get more attention and traction.

 

I know you are going to love this interview just as much as I did.  To learn more about Susan, go to her website at Sweet Peas Design.

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com

Today in The Lounge, I have Austin based designer Komal Sheth.  She is originally from India, but now has a thriving design firm in Austin, Texas.  Spaces Designed is a multifaceted interior design, architecture, remodeling and interior design firm that was created with one goal in mind, “the home should be a reflection of the Client’s vision and taste with the Interior Designer’s touch to exceed expectations”.

Komal shared how she came to The States, and how she has been so successful.  One of the things we talked about was marketing.  She gave us a few key ingredients for her marketing:

Invest in good photography

Invest in a good web design

Invest in good SEO for your website

Sprinkle project pictures into social media.

All of these items don't produce work overnight, but if done consistently, will return volumes back to you...that is if you treat your customers well, and give great customer service like Komal and her team.

So thankful to have the opportunity to have Komal share her story.  To learn more about her, go to her website at spacesdesigned.com.

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com

Today in the Lounge I have the first husband and wife team, John and Krista Everage started Everage Design over 30 years ago and make a fantastic pair.  Their now grown children have decided to join them in the design firm, and each have their areas of expertise.  John has a masters in fine arts from the Art Institute of Chicago and Krista has a degree in interior design and a minor in architecture from the University of Cincinnati.

Starting in 1986, Krista started Everage Design after working at a prestigious design firm in Los Angeles.  John joined her in 1989 as the firm was needing more help.  Mostly they focus on residential projects, but they do get asked to work on the occasional restaurant and office space.   John works a lot with the contractors and architectural details, and Krista specializes in furniture and soft treatments.  Together they build the vision and concept and manage each project as a team.

In our conversation, we talked about how they got started, Krista's first client that landed her in Architectural Digest.  Not bad out of the gate!  They have continued to find lots of media coverage, and even landed themselves in Esquire Magazine once or twice.  We also talked a bit about their work outside of Cali.  Everage Design had the opportunity to work on one of the most famous home in my neck of the woods...Cableland, build by cable mogul Bill Daniels.

So thankful to have the opportunity to have John and Krista on the show to share their unique story.  To learn more about them, go to her website at Everagedesign.com.

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com

Kari Whitman, Hollywood's Interior Designer

Today in the lounge we have Hollywood’s most sought-after designer, who works with some of the most sought after celebrities, Kari Whitman. Clients including Jessica Alba, Kristen Bell,Virginia Madsen, Emilio Estevez, Don Henley, Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas have flocked to her firm Kari Whitman Interiors for her trademark eclectic style and knowledge of eco- and pet-friendly design. The elegant and inviting spaces she’s created have been featured in In Style, Home and Décor, GENLUX and US Weekly, among others. Her most recent design for royalty was featured on the cover of the Spring 2012 issue of Luxury Home Quarterly.  A noted producer, Kari Whitman hosted and produced her own show Designer to the Stars on the WE Network, was a featured designer on The Dude Room on The Discovery Channel, and is currently developing several new shows about pet-friendly and green design. She has been a special correspondent for Extra and has appeared on E, The Today Show, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Inside Edition and Hollywood Green. As an actress, Kari Whitman has appeared in over 60 TV shows and films and has worked with Sean Penn, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Don Johnson, Charlie Sheen, Judd Nelson and Martin Sheen.  So, not to brag, but (cough, cough), I think I've done a pretty good job and bringing the heat today.

Kari Whitman, her love for Interior Design

Kari Whitman’s true passion is animals and she is also the founder of Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue . This non-profit organization is dedicated to rescuing dogs from Los Angeles County shelters the day they are scheduled for euthanasia and finding them loving homes—a mission that has saved the lives of over 2,000 dogs in the past ten years. In 2008, Kari Whitman merged her passions—dogs, design and the environment—with Greener Pup (www.greenerpup.com), her original line of eco-friendly dog beds. Designer covers are made from overstock or discontinued fabrics, preventing thousands of yards of material from being discarded.

In our time together, we covered a lot of ground. Kari Whitman shared with me how she transitioned into interior design after college, and after starting a successful modeling and acting career.  We talked about working with some of her celebrity clients like Emilio Estevez and Melanie Griffith.  We talked about a lot of fun topics like art, her love for Boulder, CO, working around the world, and finding the right staff.  However, what was truly fun to talk about was our shared love for dogs and her non-profit Ace of Hearts Dog Rescue.

Learn more about Kari Whitman

Kari Whitman is such a busy designer, and it was an honor to have so much time with her.  To learn more about Kari Whitman, go to her website at KariWhitmanInteriors.com.

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com

Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Grania Murray, an interior designer of 20 years from Dublin, Ireland. Despite her unconventional entrance into the interior design profession, her successes are manifested in the great satisfaction of her clients around the world.A Big Career ChangeUpon graduating, Grania Murray left college with an advanced computer programming degree. Murray, who did some modeling on the side, one day had a photographer come to her home fora shoot, who then asked to snap some images of the home itself. She then received an offer from a publisher of a design magazine to print the photos with Murray’s credit. Despite having a degree in advanced computer programming, her natural niche for design enabled her to begin a career in interior design.The Learning CurveMurray’s “backdoor” entrance into interior design presented several challenges—though none of which proved too daunting for her. She later attended to interior design school in Ireland for a semester, but found that she already knew and practiced what was being taught. With the advice of her professors, she jumped straight into the industry. Murray further explains that gaining experience in practice taught her various qualities that embody a successful interior designer such as charging correct amounts and conveying designs to clients.Above all, she discovered that the key to attracting clients is forming relationships based on trust and authenticity. She states that accurately demonstrating her visions to clients is the crucial step that bridges this trust between her and her clients; she credits advancements in technology for enabling her to digitally show her clients exactly what she envisions for various interiors. Murray also discusses the importance of interior designers to consider the client budget, timeline, and additional plans for the future. Involving clients in the design process enhances personal relationships and makes the wholistic design experience more exciting and fun for both parties.Going GlobalThroughout her interior design career, Murray has designed spaces, both commercial and residential, all around the world. She also conducts speeches, and has been featured on several radio and television shows. Murray even hosted her own television show called “House at Home” in Ireland, which provided advice on various interior design products by way of interviews with suppliers and manufacturers. Murray explains that her recording work has drawn a large clientele for her interior design business, as the shows can be broadcasted repeatedly. As an experienced designer, Murray advises young interior designers to gain experience in commercial and residential projects while working under a practiced designer and to pursue personal relationships with clients.Current PursuitsLiving in Los Angeles since 2013, Murray’s latest project is an interior design website, AWellConsidered.Life, which serves as a resource for useful and inspiring suggestions from professionals to “enhance one’s life.” This includes interiors, events, travel, fashion, and food. Her goal is to provide a single page where people can get advice and suggestions for their everyday life endeavors. On the side, Murray works with clients online, who send in images of the space in consideration and she compiles a list of suggestions for the redesign.Learn more about Grania Murray at: GraniaMurray.com and AWellConsidered.Life

Chaise Lounge Updates

We're covering High Point Market fall 2018! Stay in the loop on our Instagram and Facebook pages.The Student Lounge is up and running! Visit us to hear podcast episodes produced for students, by students.

Our Events Page

Resources

See what our sponsors can do for you.

Upcoming Markets

BDNY Nov 11 – 12

More About Our Sponsors

Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes,

Bio: Garrison Hullinger is an interior designer with a passion for creating interior environments that are as warm and beautiful as they are comfortable and functional. He brings a deep understanding of color, form and construction to all of the firm's work, and insists that each client's style be faithfully yet surprisingly interpreted in every aspect of their project. Widely quoted in the industry, perhaps his greatest asset is the ability to instantly see the potential in any space and to artfully facilitate every detail from start to finish.

This week we head to Portland to talk with Garrison Hullinger.  After a traumatic accident that left Garrison with a brain injury, he was inspired to make a major life change, and he found himself in the interior design world after moving away from San Francisco.  He has built an impressive design firm with about 17 staff that works from coast to coast.  Not bad for a firm that is only about five years old and started with him and two part-timers.

We talked about all the fun business topics we normally do, but some things Garrison shared:

How did you start taking on commercial work?

How do you hire staff?

How did you get your first project?

How do you charge for your services?

What do you want to be remembered for?

Garrison and his team know what they are good at, and they stick to their core.  Now that they are larger and have more staff, they are able to spread the workload and value to the client between junior designers, design assistants, and the lead designers.  Along with this, they try to use their buying power to bring more value to their clients.

For more information on Garrison, please go to his website at GarrisonHullinger.com.

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website atTheChaiseLoungePodcast.com

Today in The Lounge, I welcome Eileen from Eileen Gould Design and Construction in Malibu, CA.  Eileen has a breadth and depth to her that few designers have.  She is not only an accomplished designer, but she has her contractor's license as well.  Learning a trade was mandatory to get your license in the state of California, and she is no stranger to a construction site.  Don't let that pretty face fool you.  She knows her stuff.

Eileen shared plenty of great stuff with me in the interview, but one thing we talked about, and is so critical for designers trying to build their interior design firm is marketing.  Eileen recomends you do three things:

Charity work.  Eileen volunteer on board, and committees, and gets involved.  This leads to lots of great relationships.

Teach classes. Eileen teaches two different DIY classes: How to design a Kitchen, and How to design a Bathroom. She explained that yes, many people come to learn how to do it themselves, but she gains one or two new clients every time she has a class.

Public Speaking.  Be known as an industry leader.  Share your wealth of knowledge and offer to talk.  Eileen has had lots of opportunities to get up in front of groups, get on television, and gain other media attention because of her willingness to talk.

Bio: Eileen Gould is the owner and founder of Lifestyles Interior Design and Construction, Inc. and Eileen Gould Design and Construction, Inc., and has been practicing both Commercial and Residential Design for the past 30 years. She combines her creative talents with her knowledge of general contracting to reflect your personal style, your character, and way of living. Eileen’s ability to guide each and every client allows you to walk comfortably through the design process, satisfied and meeting your financial needs.

Eileen received her certification in Interior Design and then became one of the few women to obtain her General Contracting license in 2001.  She has been featured in Westlake Magazine, Ventura Star, Valley Connection, and Jane Applegate's column in Los Angeles Magazine, in addition to an extensive write up in the Business Section of the Los Angeles Times. She sat on the Learning Tree University Design Board in 1985 and the ASID LA Executive Board in 2006. She has also appeared on Channel 7 Eyewitness Morning News.  She has worked with many celebrity clients. Eileen has won the National Association of Business Owners Award for Working Women’s Magazine 2000 and she has been named the “First Runner-up of the 2003 Designer Appreciation Award” awarded by the L.A. Mart and the L.A. Mart Furniture Association.  Eileen has twice appeared on HGTV “Designer’s Challenge” once winning the challenge of redesigning a Master Bathroom. She has also spoken at The Rotary, The New West Symphony and the AARP Convention in early 2000.

Eileen is now retrofitting homes for seniors and the handicapped.

For more information on Eileen, please go to her website at LifestyleDesign.com

Chaise Lounge Updates

We’re gearing up for High Point Market fall 2018. Stay in the loop on our Instagram and Facebook pages.

The Student Lounge is up and running! Visit us to hear podcast episodes produced for students, by students.

Our Events Page

Resources

Click here to see what our sponsors can do for you.

Upcoming Markets

High Point Market October 13 – 17

BDNY Nov 11 – 12

More About Our Sponsors

Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com. Lastly, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or post a review on iTunes, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. With that said keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

"I’m interested in all aspects of Art, Architecture, Design and History. Though a Contemporary minimalist, I love styles such as Art Deco, Bauhaus, Neoclassical and Palladian. I like to describe my design style as Classic Simplicity.  I believe in Philanthropic causes, giving back and helping others… and in giving back to the community and to the planet through Sustainable practices."

-Jerry Jacobs

Jerry got his start into interior design through a career in commercial architecture.  Jerry traveled the world working with a company called Aca Joe, a chain of retail stores based out of Mexico City.  He has since moved to the United States and currently lives and works just outside of San Fransisco, CA.

Jerry works with a lot of clients doing "turn-key" project where he works on the design, and managing the project.  This can be challenging as many of his projects are not in his own back yard.

For more information on Jerry, please go to his website at JerryJacobsDesign.com

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com