The Chaise Lounge Podcast

Greg Durrer: Global Brand Leader Delta Hotels by Marriott Today in the Lounge we've got a BIG episode! Lee Rotenberg cofounder of IvyMark reached out after hearing our last breaking news, special edition episode: Houzz purchases Ivy. Tune in to see how this controversial conversation went! Next Nick checks in with Lindsay Paoli, COO of Design Manager, to get her take on the situation and some of the topics brought up by Lee. Later, Nick chats with Greg Durrer, Global Brand Leader of Delta Hotels by Marriott live from the media lounge at BDNY. Learn about the history of Delta Hotels, designing for their typical guest, and their forecasted growth path. Brand Beginnings The Delta Hotels brand started in 1962 in British Columbia, Canada. Acquired by Marriott in 2015, Delta Hotels has grown to become part of the upscale tier of the global brand. From a series of focus groups, quantitative and qualitative data, Delta has determined that their typical guest values the ability to maintain the same routine as if they

SPECIAL EDITION: Houzz Purchases Ivy On this episode of The Lounge, Nick chats with Frank Leyon, Director of Global Sales of Oly Studio; Rachel Waldron, Owner of Waldron Designs; Julia Malloy, Owner of Bold Summit; Steven Avitable of Theodore Alexander; and Shawn Hughes of Steelyard about breaking industry news: Houzz purchases Ivy. Tune in and enjoy. Upcoming Events Modernism Week – Feb 15 – 25 Design Bloggers Conference – March 4 – 6 BD West – April 4 – 5 High Point Market – April 14 – 18 HD Expo – May 2 – 4 ICFF – May 20 – 23 NeoCon – June 11 – 13 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!

Today in The Lounge, Nick talks with Dan Rak of Dan Rak Design, about his journey from tax law to interior design. Dan talks about his career, what he’s learned, and what he looks forward to as his business grows.  Dan’s Career JourneyDan grew up in Detroit, Michigan. His education led him to tax law. To feed his need for creativity, Dan bought a house, lived in it while he renovated it and then sold it. Soon, clients from his tax firm and others heard about his talent and asked him redesign spaces in their homes. This is when he noticed something was amiss. Dan loved the process of creating spaces for people and found fulfillment - something tax law wasn’t providing. He left the law profession and went into Interior Design full-time by opening his own firm.Growing a Design FirmDan openly talks with Nick about how he had to learn about the world of design from vendors, asking lots of questions and reading everything he could about design. He did not get a degree in the field; however, his skills from the law

Phyllis Harbinger: Starting a Business Today in The Lounge, Nick meets with Phyllis Harbinger to discuss what it takes to start a new business. They remark on the boon that easy access to the internet provides for start-up business owners, the funds and resources one needs to secure before striking out on his or her own, and what potential business owner must be capable of to attain success. No Fun Without Funds Phyllis strongly suggests that new business owners save up at least six months’ worth of money before trying to go out on their own. This is because the cost of starting a new business is high. The new business owner must be able to pay for the space they use to host their business, procure extra phone lines, hire staff, pay for medical insurance, business taxes, etc. A savings fund will not only allow you to pay for your necessities more readily, but it will also help cover any additional costs that arise unexpectedly. Much of the money you gain should go toward marketing as well. Phyllis notes that

(Click on the photos to see more!) Nadia Geller: From TV to Industry Today in The Lounge, Nick speaks with Nadia Geller of Nadia Geller Designs out of Burbank California. Nick and Nadia discuss how she got into interior design at a young age, how she was cast in the show While You Were Out, what her business is like today, and about her experience on another show, The Job Interview. Getting to Know Nadia Nadia’s favorite place to visit is Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, México where she’s been vacationing for the past six years. She has two kids, eight and ten years old. Nadia says that the last thing she wants to do when she gets home from work, is work, on her home. At the age of twenty-four, she lost everything she had to a flood. She is now less attached to belongings but in case of a fire, Nadia would grab her art collection and photos. If she couldn’t be an interior designer, she would be a painter and a part-time bartender, or she would just be a mom to her kids. At age 5 Nadia’s mom took her to buy wallpaper w

Raad Ghantous: Designing Experiences Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Raad Ghantous from Raad Ghantous andAssociates. Raad and his team do not design interiors, they design experiences. Learn about Raad’s journey to Interior Design, his company today and his ongoing work in radio. Early Life and Career Currently residing in Southern California, Raad Ghantous came to the United States in 1985 to pursue a career in business. He was born in Baghdad, Iraq, grew up in Kuwait and attended college in Switzerland. After receiving his undergraduate degree in economics he traveled to the US to pursue a Masters degree in Marketing from the Peter Drucker Center in Claremont, California. Upon arriving in the States he quickly realized he was at a disadvantage, he did not have the same work experience as his graduate peers, whom he was competing against for jobs. After the real estate crash in 1991, Raad serendipitously received a card in the mail for a school in Newport Beach, offering a certificate program in Interio

KBIS Show #4 Today in The Lounge, Nick hits the trifecta at his third day at KBIS. He gets to chat with Randy Fiser, CEO of ASID, about their partnership with products supporting wellness. He then learns from Lin Guo of Bluewater Group about advanced water filtration systems for commercial and residential settings. Nick then chats with both Greg Delmonico (Monogram Brand Merchandising Manager) and Chef Nick Liberato about Monogram products. Randy Fiser and ASID’s Promotion of Wellness Good thing Randy Fiser brought his sneakers for all the walking he did at the KBIS 2018 show! On the episode, Randy talks about how his goal was to link ASID and NKBA together to highlight a pavilion that showcases wellness in design based on ASID’s message, “Design Impacts Life.” ASID hosted about a dozen businesses at the show, which align with wellness components such as using nature in spaces, sustainability, using plant and water components in spaces, and the psychology of the human connection to the use of wood in design

KBIS Show #3 Today in The Lounge, Nick talks with Kimberly Timmons-Beutner from Kimberly Timmons Interiors (KTI) and Steve Waddell, a man who seeks to reinvent the bathroom faucet with his product, Nasoni. Nick learns how Kimberly got her start and how she brought her firm to the list of top fifty designers and architects in Denver. Nick also learns about the functionality of Nasoni and what puts it a step above the traditional bathroom faucet. Nasoni: From Italy to Your Bathroom Nasoni is a water fountain/faucet combination named after the drinking fountains invented by the city of Rome in the 1870s. The idea was conceived when Steve Waddell found himself growing tired of bending down to the faucet to rinse his mouth after brushing his teeth. Nasoni is meant to be a more sanitary way of rinsing your mouth and drinking tap water. The product is not yet on the market, but hopefully will be soon. Find Nasoni at www.nasoni.com or on Facebook and Instagram. Getting to Know Kimberly Kimberly and Nick get to ta

KBIS Show #2 Today in the Lounge Nick talks with Richard Anuszkeiwicz the Executive Director of the Kitchen and Bath Division for Alt Breeding Schwarz Architects, Chuck Wheelock of Wheelock Design, and Brad Egan of Niagara Conservation live from KBIS Day 2. Richard and Nick discuss how he skyrocketed his career in design in less than 10 years and about his new project with Liebherr this year at KBIS. Chuck and Nick talk about Chuck’s business and his relationship with Perlick. Nick and Brad chat about the current water crisis and what Niagra is doing to help. Getting to Know Richard Richard Anuszkeiwicz was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His favorite vacation was last year when he traveled with a continuing education course to the Honolulu Design Center in Hawaii. He loves Tom Ford. Favorite movie? Nocturnal Animals. Beer, Wine, or Cocktail? Richard loves cocktails, either a gin and tonic or vodka soda. How Richard got his Start Richard was very creative as a child. He went to school for Reside

KBIS Show #1 Today in The Lounge Nick interviews two designers and one vendor live from the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Orlando, Florida. First up, Nick chats with Nissan Ringel of Liteshelf, an innovative lighting solution for kitchen and closet areas. Then stay tuned for Nick’s interview with Kerrie Kelly of Design Lab. Learn about her new business 42nd Street Design and latest brand collaborations. Lastly, Nick receives a personal guided tour from designer Vanessa DeLeon of the kitchen she designed in collaboration with True Residential. Nissan Ringel- LiteShelf New to KBIS, LiteShelf, is quite simply, a shelf that doubles as a light. Available in three versions, classic, floating and inset, LiteShelf provides even, shadow-free lighting ideal for closet areas and kitchens. It installs easily with adhesives or brackets. Most task light solutions have a single point light source that leaves behind dark spots and is harsh on the eyes. The even lighting offered by LiteShelf provides a calming, pleasant e

Kevin O’Shea: A Dream Come True Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Kevin O’Shea from Salt Hotels in his New York Porcelanosa office before heading off to BDNY. Kevin talks about how food was his first interest in hospitality, his start with Starwood Hotels, how and where Salt Hotels was born and his experience running the company with his husband and team. Getting to Know Kevin Kevin enjoys watching indie films and prefers a glass of wine over a beer or cocktail. His house was formerly a fine dining restaurant and appropriately, his favorite room is the kitchen. He finds cooking to be a relaxing pastime. While there are no specific dishes he prefers to make over others, he does enjoy cooking family recipes passed down from his Italian grandmother. From Colorado to the East Coast Kevin grew up in the Westminster area of Denver, Colorado. After graduating high school, he attended Johnson and Wales University to earn a degree in food and beverage hospitality before deciding it was not for him. He then transfer

Today in The Lounge, Nick talks shop with Kevin Htain of Identity Home Staging, Real Estate Stager and HGTV contributor. Very well known in California, Kevin had an interesting pathway through the design world to end up as one of staging's most high profile players. Find out more, in this episode of the Chaise Lounge.The BusinessKevins start t in the interior design business was designing model homes and leasing offices with KB Homes as his first gig out of college. He began as a studio art major in school, but then realized he needed his creative education to have a solid business fundamental. That's when he discovered interior design. He has since worked for powerhouses like Ikea and progressive businesses like Pacific Dimensions, a merchandising company that seeks to blend traditional staging techniques with cutting-edge design trends. It was the most unlikely of avenues that finally got him into the staging industry though…a call from Mom. She had heard about it from a friend and recommend Kevin look into

Steven Favreau: From Broadway to The Favreaulous Factory Steven Favreau attributes his success as a designer to his first career as a singer, dancer, and actor on Broadway. As an actor you are the business, constantly training every day and always looking for the next job.  It is a good way to realize that you can only be your very best and the rest is out of your control. The skills he learned from his first career are still utilized to this day. Growing up in Milford, Massachusetts, Steven became involved in theater in high school, believing that his future career will be in fine arts or theater. His journey as a professional actor led him to Broadway, Dutch television, Paris, as a dancer at Moulin Rouge, and as a cruise ship performer, eventually making his way to Cruise Director for American Hawaii Cruises. Eventually, he lost the theater bug and went back to school to study interior design at Fashion Institute of Technology. While in school he worked part-time at a public relations firm, then as a fundra

Andreas Eickholt: German Designer Today in the Lounge Nick speaks with Andreas Eickholt all the way from Cologne, Germany. Andreas works with the Voglauer Hotel Concept. He is the department lead for Architecture and Calculations. He and his team find design solutions and work on corporate appearance for the hotels and companies. They specialize in the interior of hotels but they have also worked exteriors as well. Andreas and Nick discuss what it is like working with Porcelanosa products and how Andreas' German-based company keeps America and Americans in mind. Getting to Know Andreas Andreas is trained as an interior designer. In Germany, University interior designers and architects receive almost the same education with differences in exterior design and their specializations. Andreas also received a carpentry education in the 70s. He decided to go to school in the evenings to further his education in architecture and interior design. Andreas loves every place he has visited because each place has uniqu

Todd Ellenberger: Lux Drapes to Lux Space Today in The Lounge, Nick interviews Todd Ellenberger of Hirsch Bedner Associates while at the Porcelanosa office in New York. They talk about Todd’s love of cooking, what engendered his interest in interior design, how and where he got his start and the sort of work he does today. Getting to Know Todd Todd is a native to Atlanta, Georgia and currently lives just outside of the city center. He enjoys cooking and grilling, though does not partake in creating desserts. His favorite fashion accessory is the lapel pin while his favorite vacation spot is the Key West. Rocket Man in Architectural Digest: Todd’s Inspiration Todd’s grandparents always had home and garden magazines on hand when he visited, which he delighted in. He maintained his affinity for the design of spaces growing up, although it wasn’t until his senior year of high school in 1993 that he decided he wanted to pursue interior design. At that time, Architectural Digest had published an issue featuring Elt

Sharyn McBride: Where Travel and Design Collide Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Sharyn McBride of Belson Design and Design Tours. Sharyn is located in beautiful Melbourne, Australia and is driven to expose her fellow Aussies to a design education that reaches far beyond her native shores. Find out more, in this episode of The Chaise Lounge. Breaking the Ice First and foremost...Nick wants to visit Australia and he isn’t shy about sharing it! After making that point clear, he learns some interesting fashion tidbits from Sharyn. She is a big fan of shoes as a go-to statement accessory. Her faves are colorful ankle boots. Though not necessarily a fan of the Ugg boot, she is happy to share that these are originally from her native land and that it was interesting to watch them evolve from house slippers to full-on streetwear. Her favorite room in her well-designed house is her master bedroom. It is truly her sanctuary. The only spot that is off limits is her garage full of finds from her travels abroad, whi

Industry: Trade Shows!  Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Phyllis Harbinger of Design Concepts Interiors and  Harbinger Design Consulting, live from the media lounge at BDNY. Phyllis discusses the current need for designers to collaborate across different sectors and the positive benefits of attending as many trade shows as possible. Then stay tuned for Nick’s interview with Bill Darcy, CEO of NKBA on what to expect at the KBIS trade show in January. Phyllis Harbinger at BDNY Collaborative Design Phyllis Harbinger is mostly a residential designer but looks to hospitality design for inspiration. The lines between residential and commercial design are blurring and now more than ever designers need to be aware of the current design trends. One of the ways this is evident is in mixed-use developments. Mixed-use developments combine retail, apartments, hotels, restaurants and possibly a school, movie theater or hospital with dwelling spaces to make a full-scale community within a bigger universe. Designers need

Garrison Hullinger: We Meet Again Today in The Lounge, Nick catches up with Garrison Hullinger, whom he hasn’t spoken with since Episode 24, about two years ago. The two update each other on what’s been happening since then and Garrison talks about what has changed within his business. Getting to Know the Garrison Garrison is a fan of messenger bags, colloquially known as a “murse” or “man-purse.” He cannot travel without is iPad and loves it for its small size and easy mobility. When asked the infamous “Beer, wine, or cocktail” question, he claims to still prefer cocktails, though he has graduated from the dirty martini to the classic manhattan. Garrison also recently visited Spain with Porcelanosa to visit their new factory. Highlights of the trip included incredible food and incredible connections made with incredible people who are also in the business of interior design. Where Are You Now?: The Business Today Two years ago, Garrison worked with a team of about sixteen people. Today, he works with twenty

Kajsa Krause and Tracey Sawyer: International Hospitality Design Today in The Lounge, Nick chats Veronika Miller, the founder and CEO of Modenus and Official Media Partner with KBIS. Veronika will discuss her collaboration with KBIS and the line-up of events at KBIS 2018. Then stayed tuned for Nick’s conversation with Kajsa Krause and Tracey Sawyer of Krause Sawyer at the Porcelanosa showroom in NYC. The duo will discuss their partnership, their love of travel, and how they created their niche in the hospitality sector. About Modenus Veronika Miller is the founder and editor inchief of  Modenus, a comprehensive digital resource for design professionals and design enthusiasts. Modenus began in 2009 and added a social media component known as the Blog Tour in 2011. The goal of the Blog Tour is to bring both people and brands together. The following year KBIS approached Modenus to help them connect with the design community, to build a bond and to reach design professionals who were not necessarily engaged in

Matthew Ferrarini: The Next Wave of Kitchen Design Today in The Lounge, Nick talks shop with Matthew Ferrarini of Ferrarini & Co, Kitchen and Bath Designer. Matthew works out of Philadelphia, but today Nick is catching up with him on location for a client in Miami. Turns out Matthew has interior design in his blood as the son of an interior designer mom and a contractor for a dad. Find out more, in this episode of the Chaise Lounge. Breaking the Ice Nick opens up about a favorite topic for a lot of guys…automobiles. Matthew is a fan of Tesla as an everyday vehicle and Ferrari for a higher end wow-factor. When asked about recent movies, Matthew shared that he recently got the chance to watch the movie Ma Ma with Penelope Cruz. Perfect segue to Nick’s recent trip to Spain with Porcelanosa. Turns out Matthew been to Barcelona a few times and is also a big fan of Spain’s rich heritage, culture, friendliness and just overall coolness. Getting Into the Business Matthew attended Temple University (go Owls!) for