Interior Design San Diego - Presented by ASID San Diego

The Builder's Perspective: What Every Designer Should Know Guest: Chad Arendsen, COAT Design Remodel What happens when an interior designer and a general contractor truly work as partners? In this episode of Interior Design San Diego, Rachel sits down with Chad Arendsen, owner of COAT Design Remodel, for an honest conversation about collaboration, communication, and creating exceptional client exp...

Growing a design business doesn't start with hiring a full-time employee—it starts with building the right support system. In this solo episode, Rachel Larraine Crawford shares her personal journey of growing Tiger Veil from a one-person operation into a collaborative team. From hiring an accountant as her very first business investment to bringing on a full-time team member and mentoring emerging...

Building Relationships, Luxury, and Legacy with Russ Diamond of Snyder Diamond In this episode of Interior Design San Diego , host Rachel Crawford sits down with Russ Diamond, President and CEO of Snyder Diamond, to talk about what it really means to build a legacy brand in the design industry. From traveling through Milan and touring Bertazzoni’s factory to discussing the evolution of luxury, men...

In this episode of the Interior Design San Diego Podcast, Rachel Crawford welcomes back Kendra Araujo of K2 Interiors to recap ASID San Diego’s unforgettable Design Gems journey through Italy during Milan Design Week and Salone del Mobile. From immersive showroom experiences and trend forecasting to Carrara marble mines and late-night dinners with fellow designers, this conversation dives into why...

In this student spotlight episode, Rachel sits down with emerging designer Sam Iacometti, a fifth-year architecture student at the NewSchool of Architecture & Design, to talk about what it really looks like to step into the design industry. From attending events solo (and why that matters) to designing an elementary school rooted in sensory experience, Sam shares a thoughtful, grounded perspec...

At the IP Expo, LuAnn Nigara shared a message that felt equal parts business coaching, mindset shift, and reality check—and it’s one I knew I wanted to bring back to our podcast community. In this solo episode, I’m reflecting on the biggest takeaways from her talk and why they matter for interior designers at every stage of business. From embracing the idea that sales is part of service, to settin...

On this solo episode of the Interior Design San Diego Podcast , Rachel Larraine Crawford pulls back the curtain on the reality of running a full-service interior design business. After years of being asked by students and fellow designers what her days actually look like, Rachel walks you through her weekly rhythm—from focused admin days in her 500 sq ft ADU studio to client meetings, sourcing ses...

What happens when interior design and fabrication live under the same roof? In this episode of the Interior Design San Diego Podcast, host Rachel Larraine Crawford sits down with Brittany Cartwright, Design Studio Director at Texture, a Barrio Logan–based design and fabrication studio known for bringing bold, custom ideas to life. Texture has been shaping some of San Diego’s most memorable hospita...

This week on Interior Design San Diego, Rachel sits down with Lorena Gaxiola—San Diego native and global design force—whose career spans luxury hospitality, high-end residential, product licensing, and international practice. Lorena shares how curiosity, systems, and a whole lot of courage helped her scale from local projects to designing around the world—while staying grounded in purpose, people,...

In this episode, Rachel sits down with educator and designer Jessica Newman to talk about the evolving world of interior design education—and why students today are uniquely positioned to lead the future of the industry. Jessica shares her journey from fine arts to hospitality design (including time at Hirsch Bedner Associates) and into academia, where she now champions sustainability, technology,...

In this episode, Rachel chats with Julia Savas, a fourth-year interior architecture student at San Diego State University, about following a clear design calling, discovering a passion for healthcare and wellness spaces, and finding confidence as an emerging professional in the San Diego design community. In this episode, you’ll hear: How a fifth-grade dream became a focused path in interior archi...

In this episode of Interior Design San Diego , host Rachel Larraine Crawford sits down with the incredible Anjum Razvi, founder and principal of Razvi Design Studio, to explore her dynamic 40+ year design journey from architecture in India to boutique hospitality design in San Diego. Anjum shares how motherhood, resilience, and a passion for creative freedom shaped the evolution of her studio—and...

In this solo episode, host Rachel Larraine Crawford pulls back the curtain on one of her favorite community-driven events: ASID San Diego’s Spring Spruce Up. Now in her third year of participating, Rachel shares how this one-hour consultation event has helped her generate real leads, deepen community ties, and give back in a meaningful way. Whether you're a seasoned designer or just stepping into...

Today on Interior Design San Diego , host Rachel Crawford sits down with Lauri Howell, a designer, community-builder, and longtime ASID leader who has navigated big career shifts — from running her own design firm, to leading chapter boards, to her current role connecting design professionals with resources at Sunset West. Lauri dives deep into why community truly matters in design, how leadership...

In this episode of Interior Design San Diego , host Rachel Lorraine Crawford is joined by Laura Abrams, founder and creative force behind Laura Abrams Design . Laura shares her journey from early design instincts to building a boutique design studio rooted in “livable luxury” — a philosophy centered on comfort, function, and elevated living . Laura opens up about what it takes to run a small desig...

In this special episode, we’re flipping the mic! Interior design student Lynn Salbato from Mesa College joins me for a candid Q&A that started as a school assignment—and turned into one of my favorite conversations about business, balance, and building a career in design. We cover everything from how I landed my first client (hi, Thumbtack!) to what I really wish someone told me before startin...

Design Trends vs. Design Truths: What Really Matters in 2026 Hosted by Rachel Larraine Crawford, ASID Allied Happy New Year, design community! In this solo episode, Rachel kicks off 2026 with a fresh (and grounding) perspective on what’s actually worth paying attention to—beyond the “what’s in / what’s out” lists flooding your feed every January. You’ll hear the trends showing up in meaningful way...

What if instead of winging it into 2026, you actually carved out time to design your business—and your life—with clarity, calm, and creative purpose? In this solo episode, I’m walking you through the exact process I use to plan my year—not just for projects and profits, but for alignment . This isn’t a rigid goal-setting workshop or a “new year, new you” kind of vibe. It’s a cozy, journal-in-hand...

In this student-focused episode of the Interior Design San Diego podcast, we sit down with Ximena Harmer, a sales manager and active ASID San Diego industry partner, to talk about what it really looks like to build a career on the sales side of the design world. Ximena shares how she found her way into the industry, what designers actually look for in product reps, and how students and emerging pr...

In this solo episode of Interior Design San Diego, host and designer Rachel Larraine Crawford speaks directly to the ASID San Diego community about what is unfolding in the chapter and what it really means to build a brand that feels as good as your best designed space. Rachel opens with exciting chapter announcements for the year ahead including travel, study, and community events then guides you...

In this episode of Interior Design San Diego, host Rachel Larraine Crawford sits down with hospitality designer, educator, and ASID leader Shannon Rice to explore how design can literally change the trajectory of a family’s life. Shannon shares her journey from 20-year-old receptionist at a flooring company to hospitality-focused designer, business owner, long-time instructor at Design Institute,...

In this special Student Edition episode, we’re passing the mic to Anna Wright, a junior at San Diego State University and student rep on the ASID San Diego board. Anna shares her journey from STEM to design and opens up a real, relatable conversation with fellow student and ASID committee member Theresa Staine —who brings a unique blend of business savvy and design passion to the table. Theresa sp...

In this episode of Interior Design San Diego , host Rachel Crawford sits down with Kristy Kropat, the incoming President‑Elect of the ASID San Diego Chapter, to explore her journey, design philosophy, and her vision for the chapter. Key Topics Covered: Kristy’s unconventional path into interior design: from a decade as a software and embedded systems engineer to retraining at the Design Institute...

What do you do when the dream job isn’t hiring yet—or doesn’t exist at all? You build your own path, one floor plan at a time. In this episode, I’m joined by Heather Vitti Pruett of Vitti Interiors—a San Diego-based designer who turned her love of design into a multi-stream business that blends creativity, construction, and serious adaptability. From working in flooring and high-end residenti...

Welcome back to Interior Design San Diego ! In this episode of our “Meet the Board” series, we sit down with Mallory Duran—our newly‑appointed Finance Director at ASID San Diego. If you’ve ever wondered how someone with a music major and a retail‑management background ends up influencing budgets and design‑industry partnerships, you’re in for a treat. Mallory shares her circuitous journey into des...