The Chaise Lounge Podcast

Latest Episodes:

203 – Rob Klein + Amy Kreutz: Kitchen Design Off Mar 31, 2018

Show notes

Rob Klein & Amy Kreutz: Kitchen Design-off Today in the Lounge Nick Speaks with Rob Klein and Amy Kreutz from Carmel, Indiana. Rob and Amy are partners at Conceptual Kitchens. They talk about how they each fell into the design world, even though it wasn't exactly what they thought they wanted to do. They also talk about the unique kitchens they design for clients whether the budget is big or small. Getting to Know Rob and Amy Rob and Amy are partners in business. Rob grew up and has lived in Carmel almost all his life. Amy grew up in a small rural town outside of Indianapolis. She attended Ball State University in Muncie. Amy’s favorite fashion accessory is her watch because it's stylish and.... she’s always a tad late to the office. Rob’s favorite inspirational books are military books. Beer, Wine, or Cocktail? Rob prefers straight tequila. Amy prefers wine. How Rob and Amy got their Start Amy got interested in design from her art classes. She would play in the yard with her brother and create homes and communities with sticks. She loved drawing and drafting classes in high school. Rob has always been creative. He attended Kenyon College and majored in Fine Arts and Economics. After college, he worked for his dad’s construction company and drew homes for his dad. He did that for seven years and learned a tremendous amount working with his dad. After that, he started Conceptual Kitchens in the late 90s. When Amy was a freshman she found that there was an overabundance of architects coming out of school not getting jobs. She then decided to get a degree in design and a minor in marketing. The duo came together when Amy walked into the showroom saying that Rob needed to hire her, and he did. The Business Today Amy became partner a little over a year ago, after being together for five and half years. Rob and Amy both wear all the hats. They find this beneficial because they really help each other out. They are a four-person organization with two independent subcontractors. They have about 40 clients that they are working with in various states. They finish about 12-15 kitchens a year. The majority of their business comes from word of mouth. They work with five cabinet lines that all make custom cabinets in-house. Rob and Amy both talk with the client to get a feel for what they want, and then have a design-off. They both come up with their own interpretation of the client's desires and present each of their ideas to see which kitchen the customer wants. As far as budget goes, they total appliances and cabinets with a ballpark figure and then get into more specifics to get a feel for the clients reaction. The three factors that help decide which cabinet manufacturer they’re going to work with are budget, lead time, and finish. To learn more about Conceptual Kitchens visit their website and Instagram @ckandm. Upcoming Events 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!

202 – Danielle Sylvia: 30 Under 30 Mar 27, 2018

Show notes

Danielle Sylvia: 30 Under 30 Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Danielle Sylvia, a recipient of NKBA’s “30 Under 30” award at 2018’s KBIS convention. She talks about what got her interested in interior design, how she got started, and what her plans are for the future. Getting to Know Danielle Danielle grew up in Rochester, Massachusetts. She was always interested in interior design from having watched HGTV at age seven and building homes in The Sims computer game. When she’s not working, she’s chilling out at her new home or working on decorating it. She enjoys cranberry vodkas and wearing rings or anything made from rose gold. Coastal Living Danielle went to Point Loma Nazarene University in California for a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Interior Design. She got two internships during her schooling first by applying then providing a portfolio of her school projects during the interview. Now, Danielle has moved back to her hometown in Massachusetts where she works for KB Details. She works on projects from the concept stage to the installation. Her designs attempt to incorporate classic looks with modern styles and she hopes to incorporate some of the inspiration she got from KBIS in her designs moving forward. To learn more about KB Details, visit kbdetails.com. You can also check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kbdetails Visit Danielle on her personal Instagram page @danielle__sylvia. Upcoming Events 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!

201 – Kendall Simmons: Southern Charm with an Edge Mar 23, 2018

Show notes

Kendall Simmons: Southern Charm with an Edge Today in The Lounge, Nick talks to Kendall Simmons of Kendall Simmons Interiors, Southern charm with an edge. Kendall talks about her journey to design, how she developed and grew her business, and plans for the future (hint: E-Design!). Kendall's Journey to Design Kendall was born in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, but lived in Tennessee for high school and has relocated back to Nashville, and loves it there. She grew up in a home with a very artful and creative mother and believes this is where her interest in design developed. She has traveled all over the world and feels that when you are limited in language by being in another country or culture, you become an observer and really pay attention to lots of visual information. Kendall knew she wanted to pursue design in college and said she was able to intern during the summers for a few weeks at a time. During these internships, she felt she really learned valuable information about what she did and didn’t want to do. Kendall moved to New York after college for a job with Campion Platt (an architecture firm). She then returned to Tennessee and took a job with McAlpin (an interior design and architecture firm) and got a world of knowledge and experience. She then opened her own firm and has had it for 4 years now. Kendall says going off on her own was like “jumping off a cliff,” but after contemplating it over a year she gave notice and jumped in. Doubt immediately filled her mind until she received 2 emails pretty quickly asking for her help to design spaces. She’s glad she did not open the business too soon and admits the timing was “serendipitous.” Kendall’s upbringing in Nashville gave her a splash of Southern Charm and it’s combined with the “edge” of her New York experience and her younger clients’ perspectives. The perfect combination! The Company Kendall Simmons Interiors is run by just her and her husband, Kane, who helps with business development, management and outreach - this helps free up her time to be creative. She has had some interns, but these have not been consistent, so she doesn’t rely on them at this time. Although Kendall admits she does not really do any “true” marketing, she has found success in other ways. Her husband, Kane, will outreach to bloggers and other individuals and companies they think will be a good collaboration. Kendall is also very involved with her website and supervises everything on it to make sure it is user-friendly with lots of visuals. She wants it to feel approachable and be a good representation of all the projects she has done and the services she provides. Insta-Success Kendall talks with Nick about the success she has had from Instagram and how she has over 9,000 followers. She talks about how most of her clients are young and love the visuals on Instagram and she gets referrals this way. Kendall recommends Instagram updates every day with new content to always keep followers wanting more. Kendall gives 3 tips to build success on Instagram: 1) Invest in getting your work professionally photographed. Check to see if there are local photographers who are looking to build content as well - team together. 2) Post on a regular schedule. Kendall will post every day, sometimes twice. She says this consistency keeps you in their mind and they want to see what you’ll post next. 3) Devote time - put posting on social media on the calendar every day as a “to-do” item. Make it important and it will pay off. The Future is Bright in Nashville Kendall’s younger clients typically have not had experience with a professional interior designer before and some want to do the work on their own and just need a roadmap of how to get there. So, Kendall started a web-based E-Design service for those clients with lower budgets. Interested clients give her a detailed questionnaire (including measurements) and can upload an inspiration board. She gets back to them within 2 weeks with information ab...

200th Episode – Design Bloggers Conference Mar 14, 2018

Show notes

200th Episode - Design Bloggers Conference Today in The Lounge, Nick celebrates his 200th episode at The Design Bloggers Conference, an integral reason for how The Chaise Lounge has gotten to where it is today. Special shout out to Design Manager, one of the first sponsors of the show, Benjamin Moore who has been with the show from the beginning, and Porcelanosa. Nick chats with designer and fellow podcaster, Rachel Moriarity, Jeanine and Brian from Aprhochic, Tina Nicole co-founder of Nathan Anthony, the ladies of Four Friends Designs, award-winning fabric designer Mally Skok and finally concludes with Caroline Hipple of Norwalk Furniture and Aviva Stanoff. Stay tuned to the end of the show for the latest Chaise Lounge Updates and JLF Contest Announcement! Rachel Moriarty Rachel Moriarty is attending The Design Bloggers Conference for the second time. This year she is attending as both a designer and a podcaster. She is now in the second year of her Podcast, Design + Style, which she produces twice a week with co-host Dixie, and as always, is traveling with her co-host, Flat Dixie. For Rachel, the experience at the DBC is different each time. This year she is interested in affiliate marketing and connecting with brands in the networking lounge. To connect with Rachel visit her website and her podcast. Jeanine and Brian from Aphrochic Aphrochic is an Interior Design firm specializing in commercial, residential, branding, and product design. They are the first black company to have their own line of paint, are authors and also have a show on HGTV House Hunter’s page, Sneak Peak with Aphrochic. Their company started with an idea of modern design and culture within the home decor space. Although not designers by training, Jeanne is an attorney and Brian is an academic, they started a blog writing about design with a highlight on diversity. What started as a hobby eventually became their profession. Soon they discovered a product gap in the market where they didn't see products geared towards people of color. This led them to their first book deal. For Aphrochic design is an ethnographic study into who a person is. Brands now come to them because they like their aesthetic and their focus on the intersection between modern design and global culture. To learn more, follow Aprochic on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook or visit their website. Tina Nicole Tina Nicole is the co-founder of Nathan Anthony, a furniture company with LA origins, known for their custom furniture pieces and colorful tone. The company started in 2005 when her husband, a local mattress, and sofa manufacturer who owned his own factory, asked her to come in and pick fabrics. Naming the business after their son, they did a few local trade shows and then the business took off. They now showcase their products at High Point Market and Design Bloggers Conference. This is their first year attending and showcasing at the Conference. To learn more visit their website or follow them on Instagram and Twitter. Four Friends Designs Elizabeth, Meg, Renee and Sheila, the owners of Four Friends Design all went to school together at the New York School of Design. After school, the four friends moved away from New York and worked at top design firms across the country. Although they have been on their own for 10 years they continued to stay in touch, utilizing each other as design resources. About two years ago they had the idea to harness the power of their collective minds and various design styles and resources into one business. They started a blog called Four Friends Design which they manage in addition to their full-time job, each taking turns writing posts. The goal of the interiors and lifestyle focused blog is to tell the real truth, from four different perspectives from designers spanning four distinct regions of the United States. To learn more, visit their website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Leslie Price Leslie Price had a life-changing moment after he...

199 – Industry: Personal Branding Mar 09, 2018

Show notes

Industry: Personal Branding Today in The Lounge Nick speaks with Phyllis Harbinger about an important topic, personal branding. As a bit of twist, Nick gets interviewed by Phyllis this week. She asks about how KBIS went for Nick and how doing the podcasts affects Nicks first business, Walls by Design. Both Phyllis and Nick give advice on how to figure out your own personal brand and finally, they discuss Nick's wants in the near future for his podcasts. How Does Nick Do It All? During KBIS, Nick was in the midsts of starting his painting podcast, The Business Brush. He was able to work with Home Advisor and interview the guys from This Old House. As a result of Nick traveling a lot, he decided to start a Facebook Live show, every Wednesday called, Where in the World is Nick? Nick says that podcasting as a whole has elevated his name and brand in the industry. His painting business, Walls By Design, is so successful because of his great team paving the way for him to be away and trust they can handle the business. He still hires painters, deals with big picture stuff, and oversees the sales team but most other painting business owners still paint, do all the estimates, and answer the phones. Building Your Own Personal Brand When you are building your brand, you want to be successful and reach far. To do that it’s great to know what kind of support system you have in both your business and your life. As you think through where you want to go in your business, you need to know what you want it to look like and you have to be willing to do all the hard work to get it there. What you want may change as your business grows and develops, and that’s okay. Having a business is all about networking and getting people to know who you are, as well as what you can do for them. You can never get to do the big things until you start with the small things. You should also embrace the new technology out there. In the near future, Nick hopes for opportunities for speaking engagements. He also wants to laser focus on speaking at markets. He hopes to continue to double the listeners and sponsors for his shows. One phrase that helps people understand the personal brand that is Nick May is "What do you want to be known for?" Your name stands for something so, think about what you want to be known for, or known as, and create your niche. To learn more about Phyllis feel free to email her at info@harbingerdesignconsulting.com or check out her website and her book. Updates Be sure to listen to next week’s show, it’s a special one, our 200th episode!! Live from the Designers Bloggers Conference. Resources Design Manager 30-day free trial plus a 90-day money back guarantee only for Chaise Lounge listeners. Porcelanosa They don’t just to tile, they also do cabinetry, fixtures, faucets, shower enclosures and building supplies. Upcoming Events 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!

198 – Betsy Nathan: Collecting Feng Xue Mar 08, 2018

Show notes

Betsy Nathan: Collecting Feng Xue Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Betsy Nathan from Chicago about her business, Pagoda Red. Betsy had been collecting 18th and 19th-century Chinese furniture and putting them in a gallery until recently, where she is now beginning to branch out into African and European art. She and Nick talk about her inspirations and what fuels her interest in art and furniture. China in the 1990s Betsy is the youngest in a family of four siblings with a considerable age gap between her and them. Her older siblings traveled around the world as she was growing up and brought back exciting stories about where they had been, which inspired her to do the same when she grew up. Betsy's mother was also a contemporary art dealer who exposed her to the world of art throughout her upbringing. In her adulthood, Betsy worked for a cross-cultural consulting firm in the 1990s that worked with many Chinese clients. This eventually prompted her to live in China for two years to study Mandarin. While studying abroad, she gained a deep interest in Chinese furniture from the 18th and 19th century because of the symbolic meaning tied in with the designs. The Beginning of Pagoda Red When she came back to the United States, she had collected a few furniture pieces that a friend of hers thought would be great to exhibit in a gallery. She agreed with the idea and thus the idea for Pagoda Red was seeded. However, this friend “chickened- out” (as Betsy put it) last minute, but rather than give up, Betsy decided to start the business on her own. When Pagoda Red first began, there was a bit of superstition surrounding Feng Xue, but since then the superstition has ebbed, allowing Betsy’s business to prosper. Pagoda Red Today Today, Betsy seeks furniture that are unusual examples of traditional or common pieces. She focuses mainly on Chinese furniture that was created for the middle market in the 18th and 19th century as well.Pagoda Red recently loaned a few of its pieces to the Chicago botanic gardens for their 10,000 orchid display. Pagoda Red also offers a trade program for designers intended to extend themselves the way they do in a gallery, online. To learn more about Pagoda Red, check out www.pagodared.com and go to www.pagodared.com/trade_program to learn more about their trade program. Upcoming Events 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!

197 – Margaret McMahon: From Temp to Managing Director Mar 06, 2018

Show notes

Margaret McMahon From Temp to Managing Director Today in the Lounge Nick speaks with Margaret McMahon, the Managing Director for Wimberly Interiors from WATG. Margaret talks about her unusual introduction into the interior design world, what her job at WATG entails, and what she looks for when she hires interns. Getting to Know Margaret Margaret McMahon grew up in Douglaston, Queens. Her favorite vacation spot is Ireland. She loves road trips, the people and the bad weather from there. She went to school and attended SUNY Albany and then DIS, Danish International Studies in Copenhagen. Beer, wine, or cocktail? She hasn’t had alcohol in 9 years. She pretends to be drinking with a club soda, cranberry juice, and a lime. How Margaret Got Her Start When her father refused to pay for law school, Margaret windsurfed and smoked pot instead. Her mother ended up helping her by telling her to go to Kelly Services, a temp agency, and find a job. Trisha Wilson Associates was hiring for someone to cut matboards. Margaret was hired and ended up helping put together a presentation for the bankers' trust offices in Cairo, Egypt. She also took out the trash and got doughnuts. Margaret earned her two-year certificate in interior design at night while working for Trisha. She says that she learned things in school but in the ends was trained most by her clients. Not to mention Trisha Wilson was an amazing mentor. WATG WATG is an international architecture firm. Wimberly Interiors is the interior design firm within WATG. She has been with the firm for seven years. She is the Managing Director at Wimberly Interiors. Starting out, her job was to assess the business and open up a studio in New York. Her first year was tough because no one knew that she was coming into the firm. Today, Margaret's day to day really varies. She helps out the other WATG firms in Singapore or LA if they need help they help and vice versa. She often travels for projects. Margaret looks at proposals, manages staffing, and oversees financial work. There are some days where is she is completely bogged down with admin work that going out to the floor and just looking at the designs helps her unwind. She is very good at critiquing and giving advice on projects. Her job has no set definition because it changes every day. What Margaret Looks for in an Intern As an intern, or someone looking to get into the industry, you have to be willing to make it happen. Young people have to remember that this business is a learning process. Margaret doesn’t care where you went to school, what really matters is your work ethic and your outlook on life. They absolutely look at portfolios and resumes when hiring. If you don't’ have the same opportunities as someone going to a private school, if you're going to a public university or community college, you can still get the same opportunities, it just depends on how you author yourself. Even if your portfolio isn’t all that great you can still sell yourself. Margaret and her team will certainly give you a try if you show you are worth it. Even if you are not required to do an internship for credit, Margaret highly recommends getting one to receive experience in the field. If you’re passionate enough about the job you want and you do what it takes, you will be successful. To learn more visit Wimberly Interiors and follow Margaret on Instagram. Resources Benjamin Moore Porcelanosa Design Manager Universal Furniture Upcoming Events 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,

196 – Laura Thurman: Nashville Design with LA Flair Feb 27, 2018

Show notes

(Click the photos for more information!) Laura Thurman- Nashville Design with LA Flair Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Laura Thurman of Thuman Design Studio. Learn about Laura’s pathway to design, her transition from LA to Nashville, and how she harnesses the power of networking and social media to grow her interior design business. Pathway to Design Originally from LA, Laura Thurman moved to Nashville, TN five years ago. As a child, she enjoyed painting, drawing, dancing and re-arranging her bedroom furniture. These interests ultimately lead to her future career as an Interior Designer. After receiving her degree in Interior Architecture from Woodbury University, Laura began freelancing as a graphic designer in LA, before landing a job with a commercial furniture dealer. While working in commercial sales she learned how form and function plays a crucial role in product selection and how to think both ergonomically and spatially. After working in commercial sales Laura went on to work for local residential interior design firms before venturing out to start her own business. The Business Today Before starting her own business, Laura spent six months developing her business cards, website, logo and resource library so she was prepared to go out on her own. Now after three years in business, she feels more established. Today, about 50% of her business is working with builders and developers making new construction product selections and the rest is working with the custom residential client. Her workload typically comes in batches of about 4-5 projects at a time. Laura attributes the power of networking as a key to her success. Laura decided to join a BNI professional networking group, which she attributes to helping her learn how to present herself to people. She has also found networking success through Linked In, and by simply reaching out. A fellow design colleague introduced her to Universal Furniture whom she collaborated with on a video series focusing on the behind the scene world of designers. Laura recommends using collaborations and partnerships and to think outside of the box to get your idea sponsored in a way that equally benefits both parties. In addition to networking opportunities, Laura is also very active on Houzz. Houzz has generated some quality leads for her business. To be successful at Houzz, be timely with your response to inquiries. As Houzz may not work for everyone, Thumbtack offers a similar platform. Showing up to industry events has also been a key element to help grow her business. Next up, Laura will be attending the Design Bloggers Conference for the first time. Although a smaller venue than some of the other design shows, The Design Bloggers Conference attendees represent some of the biggest movers and shakers in the industry. To connect with Laura, visit her Instagram page, website, or blog for the latest updates. More from Laura: Nashville Ivy Designer Gathering with Laura Thurman, Amy Flurry & Kathy Kinton 3 Easy Interior Home Decor Ideas That Won’t Break The Bank Prep Your Guest Bedroom for the Holidays Fall Holiday Prep and Checklist Resources Benjamin Moore Porcelanosa Design Manager Universal Furniture Upcoming Events 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!

195 – David Phoenix: Daring Self-Starter Feb 23, 2018

Show notes

David Phoenix: Daring Self-Starter Today in The Lounge, Nick interviews David Phoenix, a daring self-starter who shot out on his own with only his ideas and passion to back him. We learn how David went from being jobless in the 1990s to working with millionaires overnight, all without college experience or the internet to guide his way. Getting to Know David David was born and raised in New England just west of Boston. He now lives in Los Angeles, California and has been living there since 1984. Watches are his favorite fashion accessory while his favorite vacation spot is Fiji. The room he likes the least in his house is his walk-in pantry/ closet and while he doesn’t drink, he does enjoy Pellegrino with a squeeze of lime. Oh the Places He Would Go In his mid-teens, David had a mentor who would take him through furniture stores where he would take home the magazines they had out and trace over the pictures. After high school, he attended design school for a single day before deciding the environment was not for him. He then worked numerous jobs at showrooms, fabric stores and the like; anything that gave him experience in the design field. After being let-go from one of his jobs and being unemployed for a month, David decided he would start his own design firm. Shortly after making this decision, he ran into Maria Shriver who liked his concepts and character. She then gave him a job the following day. Where He is Now Today, David has six-to-seven staff members on his team. They mostly work ground-up construction, though do not hesitate to take on remodeling jobs or both simultaneously. He has done work all around the United States from the West to East Coast, though would love to do a house, hotel, or resort in Hawaii as well. When hiring staff, he looks primarily for characters who are highly organized, self-starters, and those who readily take on work. He ensures that his staff is open to making connections with him and their co-workers so as to limit the potential for internal conflicts. David highly prefers applicants with experience to show alongside their skill sets. David’s business has grown from a walk-in closet to an office space in Los Angeles without a marketing team to advertise his brand. He has managed to maintain a steady flow of work via word-of-mouth and recommendations from clients. David claims that the biggest struggle of his job is working amicably with the clients, which he likens to marriage counseling. He also designs showcase homes which are enormous time and financial investments, but worth it for the client to see the designer physically linked to the spaces he creates. When figuring out how to price himself, he asked others in the field how they priced themselves and based his assessment off what he learned. David launched his first line of furniture with Hickory Chair last year. Learn more about David Phoenix at www.davidphoenix.com Also be sure to check out www.hickorychair.com to keep up to date on when David’s furniture line launches. 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!

194 – Anna Kenoff: Morpholio Apps Feb 20, 2018

Show notes

Anna Kenoff - Morpholio Apps Today in the Lounge Nick speaks with Anna Kenoff, co-founder of Morpholio, all the way from New York. Anna and Nick discuss how Morpholio began, how it launched four different apps and, the costs and benefits of using Morpholio professionally. Getting to Know Anna Anna grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. She stayed there until she went to architecture school in Virginia. That’s when she made her way up to New York and practiced architecture for ten years while also obtaining her masters from Colombia. What is Morpholio? In New York, Anna worked on a lot of medium-scale commercial projects. When the iPad came out, she had an idea. If she was going to have such a powerful device in her hands, she wanted to be able to utilize it to show off her work. That is when Anna and her three partners, friends from grad school, created Morpholio Design Portfolio App. Additionally, they designed a feature to able to draw on top of your work, which eventually became its own standalone app called, Morpholio Trace. They felt that because they had launched the perfect app for architects, they also wanted to create the perfect app for designers. Morpholio Board, started with the foundation of being digital mood board, which is an inspiration board for projects, but it now offers so much more to interior designers. The features for this app include a massive library of products; Ava (Automated Visual Assembly), which takes your board and lets you export spreadsheets which keep links, data, notes, and images; and augmented reality (AR) color capture, which takes the colors around you and finds samples for the colors using its RGB color number. You can even look up complementary colors for any color you choose. Lastly, Anna and her team have also created an app called, Morpholio Journal, which is a simple sketchbook. With the launch of AR, it created an opportunity for the design industry. Additional to her partners the small Morpholio team has four part-time staff. Cost and Benefits of Morpholio Right now, Morpholio is available for $11.99 a year or $3.99 a month. It comes with a free week trial and there is an option for an extended trial. The free trial doesn’t include all the features so purchasing the pro app would be to your benefit. Morpholio Trace is $20.00 a year. Morpholio Journal is $3.99 a year. Morpholio Portfolio is free. These apps are available for the iPhone but, the iPad is where you really get to see the app in its full capacity. You are able to send clients jpegs or files for the boards you create for them. Morpholio apps are unique because people in the industry created them so they know what tools you need to make your design work. They have also been working really closely with Apple. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, used images of Morpholio Trace in his annual keynote. Branding for Morpholio Morpholio branded their apps by reaching out to well-known vendors in design such as Knoll, Herman Miller, Kravet, and Porcelanosa. This gave vendors a new place to launch their products. They are also looking to branch out to work with big companies as well as up-and-coming designers and vendors, so don’t be afraid to reach out. Architects and designers are finding morpholio through their Instagram page and they reach out to clients at events ,such as ICFF and Porcelanosa lunch and learns, which is a way to earn credits for different licensing. To learn more about Morpholio visit www.morpholioapps.com and follow them on Instagram at @morpholioboard. You can get notifications for the lunch and learns if you have the app downloaded. They do also send weekly emails to keep up everything Morpholio. Resources Benjamin Moore Porcelanosa Design Manager Universal Furniture 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

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