Category Archives: Design

Destination: Legends of La Cienega 2022 Pat 1: Keia McSwain, Cesar Giraldo & Huma Sulaiman

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This is curated chill, the aspire design and home podcast. I’m Josh Cooperman, director of broadcast media for Hudson One Media and this week, we are talking about the Legends of La Cienega, the annual event produced and presented by the La Cienega Design Quarter. The LCDQ is comprised of a select group of showrooms that line La Cienega, Melrose Blvd. and Melrose Place. For more than half a century, this distinguished group of showrooms has served LA’s vibrant design community. Legends is a celebration of design and more specifically, the designers who create it. This year, three days between May 3rd and 5th showcased conversations, panels, parties, exhibits and gatherings, all in celebration of of amazing design. This years theme, California: The Golden State of Design.

One of the best parts of Legends, the windows. Designers are invited to decorate select showroom windows and show their skills capturing this years theme in a showroom window. Sounds easy, it’s not. In this episode of curated chill, you will be hearing from three of the designers selected; Huma Sulaiman, Keia McSwain and Cesar Giraldo.

These three creatives come from very different backgrounds and perspectives on design and yet, tackle this theme with equal passion, poise and skill.  So listen, I have been covering Legends for a number of years and I understand when you say, “Hey Josh, this is a podcast. I want to see what you’re talking about.” Who can blame you. These conversations were recorded in video as well and you can go watch the videos on HOME+ by aspire, a platform created exclusively for those who love sublime design as much as we do. Please check the show notes for links that will take you to each video. First up, you will hear from Keia McSwain.

Thank you Cesar, Keia and Huma. Thank you La Cienega Design Quarter for making this possible. Thank you to our partners and sponsors like Fiber Seal Northeast for their support and thank you for listening to the show. For links to the videos, check the show notes and if they are published, you can see them. I’m Josh Cooperman, looking forward to sharing the next episode filled with stories about sublime design, so come back to chill.

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Designing For the Third Coast | 17 | A Deep Dive Into Design & Style Surrounding The Great Lakes

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This is curated chill, the aspire design and home podcast. What can be said about design style and philosophy based somewhat exclusively on geographical location. Opinions vary. You have the east coast anchored by the high style, ultra luxe, fast paced New York design ethos. You have the west coast, with a decidedly more inside out, biophilic, experiential design approach. What about the Third coast? Is it real or imagined? I wanted to find out and Design Chicago seemed to be the perfect venue for this and the deAurora Showroom was the backdrop for a conversation to explore this idea. Joined in front of a sizable crowd of designers, Erin Humphrey and Jim Josephson, project leads with James Thomas Designs, K. Tyler and Bob Zuber, Architects with Morgante Wilson Architects and me.  A Special Thank you to our partners and sponsors for this episode, like FiberSeal Northeast.

I wasn’t really sure where this conversation was going to go, it was a winding journey that covered a few issues of note. There is a very distinct midwestern design philosophy that is inextricably tied to the hard working, subdued, “don’t look at me, look at the work” mindset. So, you have that and you also have this incredible lake life philosophy. Did you know that there are over 4,530 miles around the Great Lakes? In perspective, California has 840 miles of coastline. So, with all this coastline comes an incredible canvas for outdoor living, winter recreation and summer fun. 

This was a fun chat, one that all of us at aspire design and home are thrilled to share with you. View From the Third Coast live from Design Chicago, live from the deAurora Showroom, a beautiful space inside TheMART, one of the Most amazing and inspirational structures in the country.Thank you Design Chicago and deAurora for hosting this chat.

Curated Chill is the perfect podcast companion for anyone who truly loves design, art and architecture. We strive to bring you the story behind sublime design, every week, directly to your smart device. Listen, subscribe and come back to chill.

Thank you Erin, Jim, K and Bob for participating and deAurora for presenting this conversation. Thank you Design Chicago and TheMART for having us out. Thank you to all the designers, architects and other creatives for coming out and sharing of yourselves at this amazing event. Thank you for listening to the show, make sure you are subscribing to the podcast so you never miss a single episode of the show

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Disappearing Deign, The Art of Crafting Space that is One With Its Surroundings, The Sterling Forest Project | 16 | Judy Dunne & Alex Gorlin

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This is curated chill, the aspire design and home podcast with a conversation about collaboration and that special relationship that exists between architect and designer.

I’m Josh Cooperman, director of broadcast operations for Hudson One Media and every week, all of us at Hudson One, aspire design & home and Home + by aspire do our best to bring you stories of amazing creatives from within the design community.

This week, we focus on Alex Gorlin of Alexander Gorlin Architects and Judy Dunne of Butter & Eggs. We  dive deep into their collaboration on the Sterling Forrest House.  A simply magnificent project in Sterling Forrest, NY. Water, wood, stone and glass. A project that features a stunning home designed to disappear into the landscape. Luxury that lives comfortably and materials that deceive the eye at every turn. And you are going to hear how they did it, right after this.

That’s a wrap on this episode of curated chill, the aspire design and home podcast featuring Alex Gorlin and Judy  Dunne. Thank you Judy and Alex, love your work and congratulations of the Sterling Forrest House. From all of us at aspire design and home and HOME+ by aspire, thank you to all of our sponsors and partners, like Fiber Seal. And thank you for taking out of your busy day to join us here on curated chill. See you next week, and until then, listen, subscribe and come back to chill.

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Book Nook featuring Author and Organization Expert Shira Gill | 15 | Minimalista

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This is curated chill, the aspire design and home podcast. I’m Josh Cooperman, director of broadcast media for Hudson One Media and today on the show you are going to hear from Shira Gill, author of the book Minimalista. Gill calls this book “Your step-by-step guide to a better home, wardrobe and life.” That’s a bold statement. There really is an art to the edit. Addition by subtraction. That is what minimalism is after all, right? When done properly, minimalism is the art of living with less, but that doesn’t mean living without. Living with less can provide a sense of freedom that can sometimes be lost by having too much stuff. 

Minimalism is actually an art form, started post WorldWar II. That art form transitional as many do into a philosophy and of course, after that, it was misinterpreted to take on many different meanings aside from that which it was originally intended.

The idea that one can elevate their lifestyle, sense of freedom and ultimately happiness through living with less is not an act of depravation, but instead, a strategic series of choices based on needs and preferences. And for more about that, we are going to speak with Shira Gill, author of Minimalista, right after this.

So there you go, another episode of curated chill, the aspire design and home podcast in the books with author, coach and organizer, Shira Gill. Thank you Shira for the time. Curated chill is the perfect podcast companion for anyone who truly loves design, art and architecture. We strive to bring you the story behind sublime design, every week, directly to your smart device. Thank you for listening, subscribing and loving sublime design the way we do. For more great stories about design, art and living well…listen, subscribe and come back to chill.

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A Midwest Design Syndicate, True Originals | 14 | Live From Design Chicago

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This is Curated Chill, the aspire design & home podcast. I’m Josh Cooperman, Director of Broadcast Media for Hudson One Media and host of curated chill and every week, we will bring you stories from across the country and around the world showcasing amazing creatives and locations. In this episode of curated chill, the aspire design and home podcast, you will hear from design luminaries we met at the most recent Design Chicago including; Christopher Peacock as he shares his views of what it means to re-merchandise his showrooms to reflect new ideas,  Ariana Massouh from Tai Ping Carpets on what it means to produce luxury, sustainable carpets for a demanding design trade, Shayla Copas on introducing new ideas to her clients that have been starving for design and finally, Tom Riker & James Dolenc from Thomas James Interiors and their thoughts on what’s next for the industry.

We have a jam packed episode here, recorded live from TheMART during a triumphant return to Design Chicago that included panel discussions, personal interviews, showroom gatherings and a mushroom latte that is simply divine. This is the first of a series of conversations from Design Chicago, so sit back, or keep driving, hiking, working, working out or whatever it is you’re doing while you listen to this episode of curated chill the aspire design and home podcast. Here are some of the topics we chat about with our roster of design all-stars!

Christopher Peacock

  • Design Chicago
  • TheMART 
  • Chicago
  • Changes in the business affect changes in merchandising his showroom
  • Clients are making harder choices as it relates to design destinations
  • Managing that experience and making the engagement more valuable
  • Business challenges in this and all businesses now
  • Creating the environment for well thought out design decisions

Ariana Massouh – Tai Ping Carpets

  • Trappings of Zoom and virtual meetings
  • Lasting post-pandemic lessons
  • Design Chicago
  • The origin of Tai Ping Carpets and Edward Fields
  • Hand tufting and the future of manufacturing
  • Technology trappings and product quality
  • Wool origin and processing to make world-class product
  • Working with the trade
  • Tactile experiences and walk testing the carpet
  • New design trends; Focus on mindfulness, sustainable choices, high demand for well made products, trustworthy companies, passion for product,  return to responsible choices

Shayla Copas – Shayla Copus Lifestyle

  • A new vibe
  • Return to live and a new appreciation
  • The things we’ve missed
  • Return of Southern glam and hospitality 

James Thomas Interiors – Tom Riker & James Dolenc

  • Design Chicago
  • Need to be surrounded by people, in person
  • Design community of Chicago
  • Pivot toward using technology in design has changed the industry
  • The growth of the design fly-overs
  • Working with clients in other cities has opened up new opportunities
  • International design events are coming
  • New design ideas; Vintage, refurbished, blending new & old, natural fibers, wall coverings and growth in design personalities, proliferation of local work rooms

Thank you, Christopher, Tom, James, Shayla and Ariana. It was such a joy sitting down with you in-person which will now be the norm again, and I promise not to take it for granted. Thank you to our partners and curated chill sponsors like Fiber-Seal NE. And thank you for listening to this episode of curated chill, the perfect podcast companion for anyone who truly loves design, art and architecture. We strive to bring you the story behind sublime design, every week, directly to your smart device. I’m Josh Cooperman, director of broadcast media for Hudson One Media inviting you to listen, subscribe and come back to chill.

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Tranquility in Design: A Conversation About Injecting Peace Into Everyday Design | 12 | Live From Design Chicago

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This is Curated Chill, the aspire design & home podcast. I’m Josh Cooperman director of broadcast media for Hudson One Media and today we have a conversation recorded live from Design Chicago. Yes, recorded in front of a live audience. I cannot tell you how great it felt to be back. 

For those who have never been to Design Chicago, a moment about what you are missing. The Midwest’s largest residential design conference at arguably one of the most exquisite industry buildings, TheMART. If you didn’t make it this year, make sure not to miss the next one.

This was a really fun conversation about crafting tranquil design in the home and what is more important than that right now. Mind, body and soul have an inherent connection with habitat. Balancing function and expression in homes can create sacred spaces but achieving that ideal can be frustrating and difficult to obtain. Many design elements can be a pleasurable and impactful for designers or homeowners aspiring to enable tranquility in the home. This is an exploration into these ideas hosted by yours truly and featuring interior designer Amber Golob and Vicostone Marketing Director Louis Andrade. We explore how to utilize color, material, light and other factors into design that fosters tranquility and relaxation. 

Thank you Amber, Louis for participating and Vicostone for presenting this conversation. Thank you Design Chicago and The MART for having us out. Thank you to all the designers, architects and other creatives for coming out and sharing of yourselves at this amazing event. Thank you for listening to the show, make sure you are subscribing to the podcast so you never miss a single episode of the show. Listen, subscribe and come back to chill. 

@designchicagomag #designchicagomag @vicostoneusa

@ambergolobinteriors @designcentermart #designchicago

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Mira Lehr & Hunt Tackbary | 11 | Visual Merchandising, Value of Art & The Story Behind Design

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This is Curated Chill, the aspire design and home podcast. I’m Josh Cooperman, director of broadcast media for Hudson One Media. On the show today, you are going to be hearing from artist Mira Lehr, an extraordinary talent and Hunt Tackbary, director of showroom art for Holly Hunt. This is a conversation about art, of course but also about visual merchandising, the business of art and how art is so inextricably tied to interior design.

Lehr is a multi-disciplinary artist with a fun really interesting story about new beginnings and constant reinvention. Her work is significant and compelling. Her work with fire, gunpowder, steel and dyes is, to me in direct contrast with her soft-spoken demeanor. On the other side of this conversation is Hunt Tackbary. Tackbary is the director of showroom art for Holly Hunt. His views regarding “collectable design”, visual merchandising and the impacts of fine art of design showrooms creates another option for looking at the value and power of art in design.

Thank you for listening to this episode of curated chill, the aspire design and home podcast. If it’s not too much trouble, please subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a single episode of the show. This is Mira Lehr and Hunt Tackbary.

Thank you Mira, thank you Hunt. I truly appreciate the time. Thank you  to our partners and curated chill sponsors. And thank you for listening to this episode of curated chill, the perfect podcast companion for anyone who truly loves design, art and architecture. We strive to bring you the story behind sublime design, every week, directly to your smart device. I’m Josh Cooperman, director of broadcast media for Hudson One Media inviting you to listen, subscribe and come back to chill.

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An Illuminating Conversation About Modern Product Design | 10 | Nina Magon

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Welcome back to curated chill the aspire design & home podcast. This show was crafted to take you from around the corner and across the globe on a journey in search of sublime design. You regularly find amazing people and projects in every issue of aspire design & home as well as aspire design and home dot com. This show takes you one step farther down that path sharing the stories behind the stories.

In this episode of Curated Chill, you are going to hear from interior and product designer, Nina Magon. Magon is the quintessential renaissance woman. The Houston, Texas based designer started her career with a focus on fashion but shifted toward interiors because the head goes where the heart leads and Nina has a passion for crafting remarkable spaces.

Her work is heavily influenced by her travel which have taken her around the world in search of sublime design. From shopping in the bazaars of India or fashion shows in Milan, Magon has crafted a distinct look in her interiors and that of her Studio M lighting collection. Instead of describing the collection here, I am going to let Nina tell you all about it. What I will say is that it is simply exquisite and if you would like to see it, you can find more @ Studio M. You can also find links to Nina’s website and see some of her interior projects as you listen to the show for an immersive experience. Enjoy this episode of Curated Chill, the aspire design and home podcast.

Thank you, Nina. Incredible work. From the entire aspire design and home team, thank you to our partners and curated chill sponsor, Fiber-Seal Northeast for your support. And, most importantly, thank you for taking the time to enjoy curated chill, the aspire design and home podcast. Thank you for listening to the show and loving sublime design the way we do. For more inspiration, visit us at aspire design and home dot com. Until next time, come back to chill.

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