Podcast Archives - The Chaise Lounge: Interior Design Podcast

Senior Living Interior Design with Melissa Banko | S27E18

56:48

Although getting an education is important, there are some things that can only be learned by having work experience. For our season finale of The Chaise Lounge, Nick May is joined by Melissa Banko of Banko Design. Melissa tells of the importance of getting out there and learning by working.

Nick and Melissa discuss the good and bad of HGTV programs and whether they help paint an accurate picture of what interior design is. She emphasizes that students get out and start learning the trade outside of their textbooks and what they see in the media

Banko Design specializes in senior living, multi-family and hospitality. They believe that a senior living community should be designed for the seniors living there, not just to appease the adult children. The firm also provides procurement services for FF&E, decorative lighting and custom flooring.

Learn more about Banko Design at www.bankodesign.com. Be sure to check out what they’re doing on their Instagram page @bankodesignfirm.

We have had really rapid growth. I have an amazing team and people ask how we did it as fast as we did it and without sounding too cheesy, it really is the people. This team has got grit, they’ve got hussle and that’s why we’ve grown as fast as we have in 6 years.
Melissa Banko Tweet

Chaise Lounge Updates

Coast to Coast Design is taking a hiatus as we are working to bring you a better listening experience. Stay tuned for further updates.

Resources

See what our sponsors can do for you.

Upcoming Markets

High Point Market – June 5 – 9, 2021

Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app! We’d love it if you post a review, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. Also, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With that said, keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

An Interior Designer with an Entrepreneurial Spirit: Cara Woodhouse | S27E17

45:15

Today on The Chaise Lounge, Nick May is joined by Cara Woodhouse of Cara Woodhouse Interiors. Nick and Cara discuss her bad experience with an internship, her love of art as a child and downsizing her company to better provide services to her clients.

Cara has had multiple design companies with one ending with her moving to London during the 2008 recession. Back in New York, she started Cara Woodhouse Interiors in 2016 after a short partnership with a close friend. Her firm specializes in high end residential and commercial design all over the US and abroad.

Learn more about Cara Woodhouse Interiors by visiting their website at www.carawoodhouse.com. Be sure to check her out on Instagram @carawoodhouseinteriors.

I was just constantly working nonstop and I just felt burnt out so I told my now husband ‘Don’t come here. I think I’m going to come live to London.’
Cara Woodhouse Tweet

Chaise Lounge Updates

Coast to Coast Design is taking a hiatus as we are working to bring you a better listening experience. Stay tuned for further updates.

Resources

See what our sponsors can do for you.

Upcoming Markets

High Point Market – June 5 – 9, 2021

Wrap Up

How to Transition from Employee to Partner with Tom Diverio | S27E16

47:47

For the first time on the show, we have a guest that became a partner at a firm after being an employee. Joining Nick May on The Chaise Lounge is Tom Diverio of Dunagan Diverio Design.

Tom had worked for Charlotte Dunagan for several years before being asked to come on as partner. Charlotte’s background in interior design and Tom’s background in architecture combine for a unique service they call interior architecture. They specialize in high end residential design and have grown the company from 4 people to 20 people. Listen in and see how they came together to grow an existing business.

Learn more about Dunagan Diverio Design at www.dunagandiverio.com. Be sure to check out their Instagram @dunagandiverio. To listen to the episode with Charlotte Dunagan, go to www.thechaiseloungepodcast.com/90-two-different-interior-designers-charlotte-dunagan-garrow-kedigian/.

We both sort of do everything which I think is great because if something ever comes up we can both handle it. It’s not like ‘Oh my God. This person is asking this so that’s really a Charlotte question, not a me question.’
Tom Diverio Tweet

Chaise Lounge Updates

We’re well into another new season of Coast to Coast Design. New conversations, new microphones, new takes on old themes. Be sure to add us to your feeds if you haven’t already, and stay tuned!

Chaise Lounge Updates

Resources

See what our sponsors can do for you.

Upcoming Markets

High Point Market – June 5 – 9, 2021

Wrap Up

Social Media Marketing with Kyla Herbes | S27E15

38:08

If you’re not using social media, our next guest highly recommends you start. On today’s episode of The Chaise Lounge, Kyla Herbes joins Nick May as they talk about using social media as a marketing tool for your business.

Specifically, Kyla talks about using Pinterest and Tik Tok to grow your business. Pinterest works like Google in that with the right keywords (SEO), users can reach you easily. Videos are trending and Tik Tok is perfect for showing short clips of what you can do. Better yet, you can pin your Tik Tok clip on Pinterest and reach even more people!

Learn more about Kyla and House of Hipsters at www.houseofhipsters.com. Use Stats Check LOL to see which hashtags to use in your Tik Tok posts www.statschecklol.com. Click on the link to see Nick’s Tik Tok.

It is a huge traffic driver that if you use the proper keywords - I’m going to say SEO and hope that people know what that is - if you think about Pinterest as a search engine or as google only with images, you want to be higher ranked.
Kyla Herbes Tweet

Chaise Lounge Updates

We’re well into another new season of Coast to Coast Design. New conversations, new microphones, new takes on old themes. Be sure to add us to your feeds if you haven’t already, and stay tuned!

Resources

See what our sponsors can do for you.

Upcoming Markets

High Point Market – June 5 – 9, 2021

Wrap Up

Building a Network for Interior Designers with Genevieve Trousdale | S27E14

41:13

On today’s episode of The Chaise Lounge, Nick May has a conversation with Genevieve Trousdale of Circaphiles. Nick and Genevieve share a passion for helping others and bringing value to their industries.

Genevieve started a network that services interior designers and allows them to network with others, find vendors, and educate themselves on how to run a successful design business. She knows how important it is to build and nurture relationships to find success in the business world.

Learn more about Circaphiles by visiting their website at www.circaphiles.com. Be sure to check out their Instagram @circaphiles.

I’ve always nurtured my relationships with my vendors because I can’t do my job without them and this console table is not going to have as pretty as a finish if I rely on somebody else so it’s really important to build a relationship and nurture it.
Genevieve Trousdale Tweet

Chaise Lounge Updates

Resources

See what our sponsors can do for you.

Upcoming Markets

High Point Market – June 5 – 9, 2021

Wrap Up

Kendall Wilkinson: Hiring a COO for Interior Design | S27E13

00:51:40

To the public eye, you might seem like an overnight success. For our next guest, her overnight success came after over 20 years of hard work. This week on The Chaise Lounge, Nick May is joined by Kendall Wilkinson of Kendall Wilkinson Design.

Kendall grew up in California where she started her career in the film business. She decided to take a break and vacationed in Paris where she fell in love with architecture. She decided to change career paths and studied interior design. She started her company after a short stint in her mother’s design firm. Kendall Wilkinson Design is a full service design firm. She has also delved into indoor and outdoor fabrics inspired by her travels to such places as Paris and Mexico. Kendall hired a COO so that she can focus on design and have more freedom in her business and life. Let’s see how a COO can help you as well!

Learn more about Kendall Wilkinson Design and her fabric lines at www.kendallwilkinson.com.

If you’re going to have a partner, you want to make sure you have a partner who does the exact opposite as you do, but you are coming from the same level of wanting to get to the end result but you’re both going about it in a different way because of the skills one has versus the other.
Kendall Wilkinson Tweet