The Chaise Lounge Podcast

Here’s the bottom line: It’s 2020 and if you’re not marketing your interior design business on multiple digital platforms, you’re missing out on the kind of name recognition and working relationships that come with getting your images and keywords in front of the people who can help your business grow.  The good news, says Chicago-area-based social media and blogging expert Kyla Herbes (HER-bess), is that it’s not too late to start: “I’ve heard people saying the blog is dead—but the blog is still there…and still very important part of the machine.” In this episode of the Lounge, Kyla shares with host Nick May her secrets to effective digital influencing, pinning, algorithms, analytics, keyword enrichment, and the perils of overthinking it all. So pour yourself a glass of Prosecco (to match Kyla’s bubbly personality), grab a pen and notebook and start writing the next chapter of your interior design business today. Remember to be patient: One Kyla’s most effective social media traffic-drivers remains a post

There are many kinds of modern families—and just as many kinds of family businesses. In this episode, host Nick May talks with fellow Coloradan Noelle Hernandez, founder and owner of MATTER, a highly collaborative family-run residential and commercial planning and design firm based in Aspen. A native of Denver, Noelle launched her design career as a kitchen planner. Over time, her innate sense of organization, refined eye for clean, quality-focused beauty, and expertise at identifying a place for everything and situating everything in its proper place evolved into an award-winning design career focused on full-service space planning, interior architectural design, and project management.  At MATTER, Noelle works in close partnership with her sister, Soraya Gallego, an expert in commercial and marine design, and her daughter, Nicole Stewart, an accomplished project manager, to design everything from high-end residential interiors to investment offices, restaurants, bank and hotel lobbies, hair salons, retail

This week in The Lounge, host Nick explores pizza, process, and customization vs. practical DIY packages with metro New York designer Lori Miller, founder of LGC, Inc. (fka Lori-Girl Creations), a full-service interior design firm based in suburban Long Island.

Welcome! Today in The Lounge, Nick sits down with NYC interior designer Kati Curtis. Kati founded Kati Curtis Design in 2005 after 12 years of working with international architecture and engineering firms. She is a Certified Interior Designer (CID), and a Leadership in Energy and Efficient Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP).

Welcome! This week on The Lounge, Nick spends some quality time with New York-based architect, interior designer, and vintage Rolex watch collector Neal Beckstedt, who boldly launched Neal Beckstedt Studio in 2010 in the depths of the recession, landed his first project two weeks later, appeared on Architectural Digest's "Ones to Watch" list in 2013, and has never looked back."Call me an architect, interior designer, a decorator—it's all about problem solving, and I love it," says Neal, whose portfolio of warm, modern interiors includes everything from intimate residences for two to a 40,000-square-foot office space for 500 employees and his own 1890s weekend house.  Nick and Neal talk about how the designer keeps the lightning-paced operations at his 12-person shop running smoothly, the ONE ESSENTIAL THING every designer must invest in, the marketing tool he can't live without ("Instagram, Instagram, Instagram"), and much more on this inspiring episode of The Chaise Lounge.So pour yourself a Casamigos on the

Welcome! Today in The Lounge, Nick sits down with Florida-based celebrity designer Krista Watterworth. Krista is perhaps best known for her appearances on HGTV and the Food Network but she has also achieved stellar success in Palm Beach with her all-female owned and operated design firm Krista + Home. In this episode, Krista discusses the pathway to her success and goes deep into her design philosophy and process. She provides burgeoning designers invaluable advice for building relationships, marketing, how to succeed in an evolved retail environment, and she also shares insight on her fascinating career working with Vanilla Ice!

Welcome! Today in The Lounge, special guest host Stacy Garcia meets long-time friend and collaborator, philanthropist and resort designer extraordinaire Jacki Arena. Jacki has made a name for herself in designing high end resorts throughout the world, and for establishing her celebrated Florida based design house Jacki Arena Interiors (JAI).

Welcome! Today in The Lounge, guest host Rachel Moriarty sits down with Artist/Designer/Musician/Host and Entrepreneur Tym De Santo. Tym is perhaps best known for his appearances on HGTV’s Design Star, however, Tym’s skills and abilities go well beyond his Design Star persona, (interior and exterior design) to fine artist, (sculptural furniture and photography) award winning singer/songwriter as well as a run at professional ski racing and adventure skiing. The common thread here, running like top stitch on a leisure suit lapel, a passion for using his wild imagination in a creative and inspiring way in everything he does!

Welcome! Today in The Lounge, celebrity guest host, Chad James sits down with Katherine Nicholson of Peacock Alley. Chad and Katherine met at the Atlanta Spring Southeastern Showhouse years back and Chad has direct experience using Katherine’s services with Peacock Alley to attain his vision many times.

Welcome! Today in The Lounge, Nick meets the founder of Cochineal Design, Sarah Mendel, who, in just 5 short years since graduating from Parsons School of Design, has made a name for herself in the New York interior design community as a fresh and exciting designer to watch.

Brass Horse Heads Antler Chandelier CA. 1870'S SWEDISH GUSTAVIAN VITRINE Today on the Chaise Lounge, your host is the Antiques Diva Toma Clark Haines. Toma chats with her friend and fellow antiques dealer Margaret Schwartz of Modern Antiquarian. They discuss the behind-the-scenes life of an antique dealer, like how easy it is to get into on accident and the way dealers need to surf on economic waves to weather recession.  Margaret Schwartz started her design career working for Martha Stewart and she took everything she learned there and turned it into her own firm where she eventually hired her first and still-only employee, Kelly Maguire. And Schwartz, thanks in part to Toma’s influence, got inspired to turn the whole operation into Modern Antiquarian. Make sure to find Margaret Schwartz online at ModernAntiquarianShop.com and on Instagram @modernantiquarian. The same goes for Toma at AntiquesDiva.com and @theantiquesdiva. "Perfect is the enemy of good."

Today in The Lounge, Nick sits down with celebrated California designer Raili Clasen. Raili has a very interesting and unique background and a great story. She is self-trained but she has become a highly sought-after designer in her native Orange County.  Raili got her start in design late on. She originally trained to be a newscaster, and then she had a stint as a flight attendant before getting into the surf industry. The famed designer Mossimo was a family friend and he encouraged Raili to pursue a marketing role in the surf industry, which led to her launching the Roxy line for Quicksilver.

Today is a special day in the Chaise Lounge. Your host, today, is not Nick May but rather Stacy Garcia of Stacy Garcia, Inc. Stacy is the first of many guest hosts on the Chaise Lounge this season. In this episode, she sits down with design icon Clodagh.

Living room design by Mitchell Hill Beach house design by Southern Studio Dinning room by Mannarino Designs On the final episode of the Chaise Lounge’s coverage of High Point Market, Nick hosts a panel with Vicky Serany of Southern Studio, Adrian Bugg and Brandeis Short of Pillar and Peacock, Anna Maria Mannarino of Mannarino Designs and Michael Mitchell of Mitchell Hill.  These designers have seen it all and been through it all, and, in this panel, they talk about the things they had to learn on the job, whether or not they went to school for interior design where somebody should have taught them about what they would need to do in the industry.  As always, if you like what you hear from these designers, check them out on their Instagrams: @southernstudio, @pillar_and_peacock, @mannarinoannamaria and @mitchellhillcharleston. Chaise Lounge Updates Welcome to the week of High Point content! Stay in the loop for more on our Instagram and Facebook pages and keep an

Today, High Point continues with a conversation in Nick’s Lounge Away From Home with Stacy Garcia, Sandra Funk and Laura Thurman. They talk about how they manage their time and give themselves permission to succeed in interior design whether they run one business with one brand or four. In the second half, Nick and communications guru Amy Flurry sit with a panel of designers that includes Bria Hammel, Corey Damen Jenkins and Darla Powell for a conversation about how design entrepreneurs can generate the attention they need to grow their businesses.

Patina Vie's storefront Setting the Space's storefront Leon & Lulu's storefront The Chaise Lounge is back from High Point Market. This week brings with it two episodes packed with everything Nick got up to in High Point. This week’s episode is one part Nick’s panel featuring successful independent retailers, Retail Isn’t Dead, and one part classic Nick in the Lounge.  Nick’s guests on the panel include Sarah Willett of Patina Vie, Mary Liz Curtin of Leon & Lulu, Anne Rainey Rokhar of Trouvaille Home and the SnobShop and Blair Hamaty from Setting the Space. Each of these business owners work in different parts of the industry and different parts of the country, but they all have something to say about how running a store works for them.  In the second portion of this episode, Nick kicks it in the Universal Designers’ Lounge with Hilary Farr from “Love It or List It,” home stager Bobbie McGrath of Successful Staging, DMc ID’s Drew McGukin and furniture designer Re

Today’s episode of the Chaise Lounge is the last of the season, and it is graced by Chris Roughan. Roughan is principal of Roughan Interiors, a high-end residential and commercial firm with offices in New York City and Greenwich, Connecticut. In today’s conversation with Nick, Roughan talks about how her company is growing more into digital marketing, how a firm can land projects all over the place and the importance of believing in your own capabilities.

Welcome to the final week of the Chaise Lounge season 23. The first designer who will usher the season into High Point weekend is Michele Plachter, principal of Michele Plachter Design in Philadelphia. Plachter tells Nick about how she uses video to market her business and they get into all the ways that business owners can stay out of legal trouble by knowing what their liabilities and responsibilities are.

Today’s episode of the Chaise Lounge is the conclusion of Nick’s adventures in Nashville. In this batch of interviews, Nick talks to Melissa Marro of Rave Home Staging and Redesign, a home staging business that teaches other people how to get into staging themselves and Blair Hamaty, owner of Massachusetts-based staging firm Setting the Space.

This week brings with it a two-part episode of the Chaise Lounge with guests Nick spoke to at the International Association of Home Staging Professionals Conference in Nashville. Today, three guests join Nick in the lounge: Kelly Moore, the vice president of Karastan a luxury machine-made rug brand. In addition to wool, he tells Nick, Karastan weaves rugs from fibers made out of recycled water bottles and corn. Sanja Radovanovic, the president of IAHSP Europe and a Rome-based home stager. She offers perspective about the differences between the markets European home staging professionals serve compared to American markets. Young Kim is the CEO of Washington D.C.- based Staged Interior which he founded with his wife in 2006. Kim talks about the ways Staged Interior markets and specifically the importance of digital and social media marketing. Visit each of the guests online at Karstan.com, IAHSPEurope.com and StagedInterior.com