Beyond the Design

Kari Bennett’s professional evolution is a compelling story of shifting from purely creative instincts to high-level systemic mastery. In the earlier chapters of her career, she identified strictly as a traditional interior designer, focusing heavily on aesthetics, material curation, and spatial beauty. However, as she navigated the complex execution of major commercial and residential projects, s...

In this episode, Vern Yip shares the exact tactical methods, operational frameworks, and professional philosophies that define his approach to spatial creation. He challenges the standard, clinical view of home remodeling by establishing a definitive design baseline: exceptional design is never simply about superficial aesthetics. Instead, his methodical approach prioritizes creating highly intent...

Lauren Thomsen’s profound connection to architectural environments began with a deeply formative childhood event when she was just seven years old. After her family made the decision to relocate, a young Lauren found herself sitting in the back of her mother's realtor's car, completely mesmerized as they toured a wide array of houses. Walking through those highly varied layouts, she experienced an...

Scott Hudson’s creative lineage is deeply rooted in American craftsmanship, carrying the name of his grandfather, Henry, who was originally a farmer turned carpenter-builder. Growing up on a piece of land that had been split across generations of his family, Scott was raised by his mother and his grandfather just five miles down the road. Beginning at the young age of twelve, Scott spent his summe...

Laura Tribbett’s evolutionary path into interior design had a remarkably early and structured beginning in the public school system of suburban Twin Cities, Minnesota. In the mid-1990s, a fourth-grade school assignment requiring graph paper and a scaled cardboard model house sparked a lifelong fascination with space planning. Growing up in a household with a one-story layout, a young Laura designe...

Marcel Wanders' journey into the world of creation began long before he or the world around him even had a word for "design". Growing up in the Netherlands, where his parents ran a local shop, a young Marcel found his sanctuary in a backroom filled with broken items. Armed with just a hammer and a few screwdrivers at three or four years old, he would enthusiastically unscrew objects to study how t...

Michelle Morgan Harrison’s creative trajectory began not in design studios, but in the fast-paced world of 1990s print fashion journalism. An intersectional internship between her junior and senior years of college at Elle magazine introduced her to legendary industry giants like Marion McEvoy and Rona Berg. After completing her degree in magazine journalism at Syracuse University, she transitione...

Susan Weiss’s career is a masterclass in how early environments shape creative destinies. Growing up the daughter of Harold Bailey—an architect, avid collector, and adventurer—Susan was immersed in a world where design was not just a profession, but a lifestyle. She describes this early exposure as "intravenous," suggesting that while she didn't realize she was being shaped at the time, the apprec...

Britany Simon’s path to interior design was paved early on, influenced by her father’s career as a residential developer. As a child, she was constantly building and decorating homes for her Legos and Polly Pockets, showing clear signs of her future career. Though she briefly considered architecture and fashion in high school, she ultimately returned to her primary passion of interior design. Her...

Jamie Drake describes his aesthetic in a single sentence as "urbane, sophisticated, energetic, visually intriguing, and always has a touch of wit". His professional philosophy is driven by a balance between his creative and entrepreneurial sides, ensuring he remains a "chameleon" who can adapt to changing trends—from the vibrant, saturated colors he was first known for to the more neutral, gray pa...

Paloma Contreras did not begin her professional life in a design studio; instead, she spent four and a half years teaching foreign languages at the high school level. Her transition into the creative world was sparked by a deep-seated love for culture, art, and architecture, which eventually led her to start a design blog in 2007. Originally intended as a creative outlet and a way to document deco...

Patrick Cunningham always keeps a sketchpad within reach. Not because a client asked — because the ideas don’t wait. The co-founder of C & C Partners has spent four decades translating the personalities, dreams, and budgets of Southern California’s most discerning homeowners into architecture that feels inevitable. In this conversation, Patrick walks us through what that actually looks like: p...

Lindsie Davis, the creative force behind Blueberry Jones Design, joins the show to share her unique journey from a background in art and textile studies to becoming one of Austin’s top interior designers. She details how her early education in fashion design and printmaking at Texas Tech provided a foundation for her current work, particularly in the way she layers colors and patterns. Lindsie cre...

In this episode of Beyond the Design, we sit down with Light and Dwell founder Aymee Kuhlman and design principal Katie Cunningham—two creative powerhouses who believe a home should be more than a backdrop. They share how a farm childhood in Oregon, grandmothers who collected antiques, and a mother who painted murals in the eighties quietly shaped their design eyes and set them on a path toward in...

In this episode of Beyond the Design, we sit down with Calgary-based interior designer Stephanie Martin, founder of Stephanie Martin Interior Design, to explore how she built a career around creating deeply personal, timeless homes that truly reflect the people who live in them. From a childhood spent wandering show homes, hunting at garage sales, and redesigning her bedroom every year, Stephanie...

Brad Ramsey has built a remarkable career defined by integrity, creativity, and an uncompromising eye for detail. From his roots in Georgia to becoming one of Nashville's most sought-after interior designers, Brad shares how his artistic background and early wanderings through construction sites shaped his instinctual design philosophy. Starting his firm in 2013 from his basement and growing it in...

In this inspiring episode of Beyond the Design, we welcome Summer Jensen, founder of Hawk and Company, whose design philosophy merges luxurious minimalism with deep Hawaiian values and a profound connection to nature. Growing up in Hawaii climbing waterfalls and spending afternoons at the beach, Summer wasn't exposed to traditional architecture the way mainland children might be—but that absence b...

What does it take to build a successful textile brand when you're competing against legacy companies with household names? Otis Weis answers that question by sharing his decade-long journey of growing Otis Textiles from a 20-fabric startup to a 260-SKU collection that serves hundreds of high-end design firms across the United States and internationally. After leaving investment banking due to heal...

In this episode, we sit down with Steven Cooper, principal designer of Cooper Pacific Kitchens and Cabinet Los Angeles, to explore the intersection of art and functionality in kitchen design. As Cooper Pacific Kitchens approaches its 40th anniversary, Steven shares insights from nearly four decades of creating bespoke kitchens for clients around the world—from Tokyo to Palm Beach's iconic Tiffany'...

Interior designer and architect Benjamin Johnston brings a deeply human approach to creating refined, timeless spaces that defy categorization and trends. With formal training in architecture including a master's degree and experience working on mega-scale developments in Tokyo for Cesar Pelli, Benjamin made the deliberate choice to reverse scale and work at the intimate level of interiors. His pa...

Laura Williams, founder of Living Oak Design in Austin, Texas, joins the show to share her remarkable journey from opera singer to sought-after interior designer. Growing up in a creative family of musicians and artists, Laura always had an eye for design—she was the kid constantly rearranging furniture in her room. After studying opera through college and working in the fast-paced design scenes o...

In this episode of "Beyond the Design," host Matt Donahoe, founder of Bureau Interiors, shares insights into his unique design philosophy that blends comfort with sophistication. Influenced by his European upbringing and a love for literature, Matt emphasizes the importance of storytelling in design, where each client's narrative is woven into their home. He explains the significance of using both...

Interior designer Christine Vroom joins us to discuss the art and craft of creating timeless homes. In this conversation, Christine shares how she defines timeless design—yrooted in history and the evolution of color, materials, and architectural elements across eras—and how she protects her work from fleeting trends. She reveals the common misconceptions about interior design, particularly the "T...

Some lives are shaped not by ease, but by endurance. Mark Jupiter's story is one of building and building again, each time with greater intention. From the raising of timber frames to the quiet poetry of handcrafted furniture, his work speaks to a belief that making is not just an act of creation, but an act of survival. Today, we sit with a designer whose hands remember every chapter and whose wo...

For New York–based designer, mom, and former fencer Jennifer Press, home is more than a backdrop—it is a refuge that should either soften a hard day or extend a joyful one. In this conversation, she shares how she listens deeply to clients to build spaces that feel like personal havens, whether that means a fully neutral apartment that quiets the city or a playful, immersive kid’s room with bold,...