Doctoring Up Design

Explore the forces shaping interior design in 2026. Experts discuss how tariffs, trade policies, and material sourcing are impacting projects, while highlighting innovative, practical design solutions. We will be exploring and you will be sharing how technology, sustainability, and evolving client expectations are transforming workflows—and actionable strategies to keep your interior design practice competitive and ahead of the curve.This conversation features: Eva Hughes | Black House BeigeRachael Grochowski | RHG ArchitecturePriya Vij | hapny HomeShelly Sandoval | Lauzon CollectionRecorded live at Design Hardware, this episode of Doctoring Up Design unpacks how designers, architects, specifiers, and manufacturers are navigating one of the most turbulent periods the industry has seen in years. The panel — Eva Hughes (Black House Beige), Shelly Sandoval (Lauzon Ltd.), Rachel Grachowski (RHG Architecture & Design), and Priya Vij (hapny Home — explores the widening communication gap between clients, trades, and vendors; the collapse of predictable supply chains; and the new demands placed on professionals in an AI-accelerated landscape.Conversations center on language breakdown (“modern,” “wellness,” “luxury”), vendor inconsistency, shifting budgets, tariffs, fluctuating stock, and the need to reinvent specification workflows. The group also examines the role of AI — not as a threat to designers — but as an accelerant for those who learn to wield it effectively. Design as a Translation Problem — Why identical terms mean different things to designers, architects, clients, and showrooms. Vendor Volatility — Rapid inventory changes, inaccurate stock reports, dye-lot inconsistencies, and pricing fluctuations. Specification Reform — Early procurement, high–low budgeting, over-communication, and storage strategies. Expectation Engineering — How professionals are reframing client education around uncertainty. Two Opposing Realities — A manufacturer with stable Canadian supply vs. small businesses battered by tariffs and freight volatility. AI as a Multiplier, Not a Replacement — Where the panel is currently using it (renderings, ideation, room scenes) and where they aren’t (yet). Critical Thinking vs. Prompt Thinking — The emerging tension around new skillsets needed in design practice. Eva Hughes – Black House Beige https://blackhousebeige.comShelly Sandoval – Lauzon Flooring https://lauzonflooring.comRachel Grabowski – RHG Architecture & Design https://rhgdesign.com/Priya Vij– hapny Home https://hapnyhome.com

Mark Font and Andrea Yebra of Viefe share how a family business that began with wooden buttons nearly 100 years ago evolved into one of Europe’s most respected makers of knobs, handles, and home accessories.This conversation explores Viefe’s journey from its roots in Catalonia’s woodturning tradition to becoming a global design brand with a growing U.S. presence. Mark and Andrea discuss their manufacturing approach, the art of merchandising, their U.S. showroom strategy, and how they balance tradition, innovation, and design trends while navigating tariffs and global supply chains.Origins of Viefe Founded nearly 100 years ago by Font’s great-grandfather, originally a baker who shifted into woodturning Early products: toy accessories, then wooden and later plastic buttons Expansion into knobs and handles in the late 2000s The Shift from Buttons to Handles Market pressure from low-cost production in Asia made buttons less viable In 2009, launched the first Viefe handle collection By 2017, phased out buttons entirely, focusing on knobs, handles, hooks, and accessories Craft, Manufacturing & Design Process Manufacturing in Spain, Turkey, China, Vietnam, India, and Europe Wood turning origins, now largely CNC milling for precision Design philosophy: trend-spotting through travel, trade shows, customer input Internal design briefs and team collaboration for new collections U.S. Expansion Strategy Entered U.S. market ~2019–2020 with warehouse in Canada First KBIS (Kitchen & Bath Industry Show) in 2020, right before the pandemic shutdown Approach: bypass national distributors, instead build direct relationships with showrooms and reps Current rep coverage: California, New York, Florida, Texas, Midwest, New England, and more Navigating the Pandemic Lucky timing: completed a new large facility in Spain right before COVID Warehouse expansion allowed stockpiling and meeting surging demand during home-renovation boom Grew 70% in one year despite shutdowns Merchandising & Showroom Strategy Display boards: a challenge in U.S. vs. Europe Striking a balance between finishes vs. collections on boards Special attention to long handles and accessories (like doorstops, hooks, appliance handles) Showrooms customize boards; Viefe provides guidance and options Cultural & Market Adaptation American market requires bigger sizes, bolder finishes—“go big or go home” Regional taste differences: California vs. New York vs. Midwest Good design seen as universal, but scale and finish matter by market Example: Brooklyn Collection works globally; Chassis line tailored for U.S. industrial aesthetic Global Supply Chain & Tariffs Viefe manufactures worldwide but keeps wood production local in Spain Adapting to tariffs, supply chain volatility, and pricing confusion Chose to delay raising prices rather than constantly shifting costs

This panel explored the critical challenges facing designers, manufacturers, and distributors as they navigate supply chain instability, shifting global manufacturing strategies, recycled content sourcing, and client expectations amid tight deadlines—especially in wildfire-impacted areas like Altadena and Pacific Palisades and features; Melissa Zellner - Director of Marketing | ASSA ABLOY Group, Anthony Powsney _ Regional Sales Manager | Zip Water, Emile Zmenak, Managing Partner | Urbania Canada and Jay Williams, Senior Director | The AZEK CompanyKey Themes and Takeaways:Manufacturing Strategy & Location Flexibility:Supply Chain Pressure & Preemptive Planning:Tariffs & Pricing Instability:Communication Breakdown & Trust:Transparent Relationships & Education:Planning for Large-Scale Rebuilds:Resilience Through Partnership:Supply Chain Uncertainty & Design Resilience — A Blueprint for Moving ForwardDesigners today face a reality that feels less like a puzzle and more like a moving target. Supply chains are in constant flux, tariffs are reshaping pricing strategies overnight, and manufacturing must strike a careful balance between cost, speed, and sustainability. In this recent panel hosted by Doctoring Up Design, industry leaders from manufacturing, distribution, and design gathered to talk candidly about what's changing, what's working, and how designers can better navigate a turbulent environment—particularly when working on wildfire rebuilds or urgent residential timelines.Manufacturing Is No Longer Local or Global—It’s StrategicThe conversation began with a look at where products are made and how that affects availability and pricing. One manufacturer described their hybrid model: U.S.-grown timber processed and partially assembled domestically, with finishing done in locations like Southeast Asia and Cartagena. Why? Because even with wages at $28/hour and benefits, they couldn’t hire enough skilled labor in Central Michigan.“We built a state-of-the-art factory,” one panelist explained. “We had people interested in sawing timber, but no one wanted to stay through the manufacturing process.” That labor challenge forced the company to rethink what “Made in the USA” really means—and how they could still meet that standard while staying economically viable.Recycled Materials & Smart Sourcing Offer New HopeCommunication Isn’t Just Important—It’s Non-NegotiableRebuilding After Disaster Requires a Different PlaybookBudgeting and Flexibility Go Hand in Hand“We're all going to have to compromise somewhere,” one panelist said. “But when you work with people you trust, you know they’ll do everything they can to help.”Final Thoughts: Partnership Is the New Competitive AdvantageUltimately, design is a human business, not just a technical one. Whether it’s a manufacturer innovating with 48-hour veneer drying or a showroom that calls to walk you through every option, success depends on real relationships. If one leg of the stool—manufacturer, showroom, or designer—breaks, the whole system collapses.But when all three collaborate, communicate, and plan together, they can weather any disruption—and even build something better than what came before.

I’m Josh Cooperman, host and publisher of Convo By Design as well as Doctoring Up Design, the official podcast of Design Hardware and Flooring in Los Angeles. This is year 6 of Doctoring Up Design, a show that was created to help design specifiers address some of the pain points professionals in the architecture, interior design and landscape architecture space face on a daily basis.Today on the show, you are going to hear from Parini Mehta, AIA LEED AP, Tanner Clapham, AIA and Michael Stebbins, AIA from CO Architects. CO Architects, a firm dedicated to perpetual innovation and continual improvement through collaboration. This is a firm dedicated to creating lasting impact through design and the following conversation is evidence of that. This conversation is about the collaborative nature of an architecture firm that allows their architects to work on different types of projects and share their typology specialty while learning new ones in real time. Today, we are discussing; education architecture, healthcare, medical facilities, laboratory architecture, research and exploring the idea of future-proofing structures from affects of both seen and unseen factors. I’m so appreciative for this opportunity to explore these ides with the incredible creatives. I really enjoyed it and I hope you do too.Thank you Parini, Michael and Tanner for taking the time to visit. Thank you to all of the professionals at CO Architects for your skill and willingness to share. Thank you for sharing this time together. Thank you for subscribing and downloading Doctoring Up Design. Thank you Michele Solomons and Avi Balsam with Design Hardware for your commitment to this incredible and durable industry. Thanks again for listening, see you next time.

In an industry that celebrates greatness from within the ranks of design creatives across the country, we don’t always do the best job cultivating new talent. Sometimes it starts by simply showcasing a new creative, even if they don’t happen to be new to business. Designer as second career is one of the most popular ways many arrive, but in many ways the challenge to succeed is greater for younger designers who are new to design as opposed to those who are more mature. Julie Beuerlein of JKB Home Design brings an electric personality and passion to the business, one she started four short years ago at the start of COVID. You might mock the timing, she’s not. It was the perfect time to launch a new design endeavor as the world looked for ways to improve their pandemic prisons.Here are some of the topics we discussed during our chat: Julie’s Decision to Launch a New Endeavor Need to Make People Happy Putting the Ego in Check Confronting (and embracing) Ageism - Sounds Odd, Right? Challenges and Opportunities Thank you.… Thank you Michele Solomons and Avi Balsam fro Design Hardware. Check out the Instagram feed, @DesignHardwareandflooring for more information as it’s released. Thank you Michele Solomons and Avi Balsam with Design Hardware for your continued and unwavering support of the design and architecture community. And thank you for listening to the podcast. I love hearing from you, love learning about new products and guests you think should be featured on the podcast, so email me, you will find a link in the show notes along with links to all of our guests and their work in addition to Design hardware, where you can find everything you could want fro your next design project along with ideas and suggestions. Until the next episode, be well.

This is Doctoring Up Design, the official podcast of Design Hardware and Flooring. The showroom has been here on 3rd Street in Los Angeles since 1985 serving the design community and part of our commitment to this vibrant and talented group of creatives includes showcasing talent and allowing for peer to peer, long form conversations. These conversations showcase the talents and processes so that others in the community can learn and so clients who are listening can find their perfect designer.We host Day of Design events each season with a new group of creatives to showcase their work. We met at the showroom in July. And in this episode, you are going to hear from two amazing creatives, Shirry Dolgin of ASD Interiors and Leslie Shapiro Joyal of Shapiro Joyal Studio.More clients are embracing remote design work, which is good because that is the direction the industry is going and the best designers who understand this trend are best positioned for success. Many designers fear that artificial intelligence is going to take their jobs. That’s not going to happen for a very long time, if at all. If designers don’t win projects, it will most likely be to design professionals who know how to do the work, and know how to do it most efficiently.A major part of understanding remote design is application of techniques and strategies to both have the work designed and build relationships with those upon whom one will depend to supply product and complete the work.Shirry Dolgin is what I would call a designers-designer. She is so well versed in the business, trained and experienced to complete any style or extent which a client might challenge her. There is far more to it and while we covered a great deal, we can’t cover everything we’ve learned in just 30 minutes with Shirry. But this was a solid start. SDThank you, Shirry. Amazing. I have known Leslie Shapiro Joyal for many years, seen her work and admire her design and the way she approaches the business as well as the craftsmanship. I know you will too.LSJThank you, Leslie and Shirry for making the tie to have this important conversation. . Check out the Instagram feed, @DesignHardwareandflooring for more information about these amazing creatives, the show and the showroom. Thank you Michele Solomons and Avi Balsam with Design Hardware for your continued and unwavering support of the design and architecture community. And thank you for listening to the podcast. I love hearing from you, love learning about new products and guests you think should be featured on the podcast, so email me, you will find a link in the show notes along with links to all of our guests and their work in addition to Design Hardware, where you can find everything you could want for your next project.

Welcome to Doctoring Up Design, the official podcast of Design Hardware and Flooring in Los Angeles. I’m Josh Cooperman, I host and produce this show in addition to planning and executing the activities around our quarterly Day of Design events. These have become well known for a few reasons, and if you listen to the show, you know. We invite extraordinary design talent and brands to come into the showroom and share their thoughts and ideas revolving around actionable steps they take to ease the pain points within the design process. These conversations strengthen the design business in Southern California and beyond. This episode of the show features: Letecia Ellis Haywood | Letecia Ellis Haywood Interior DesignMary Patton | Mary Patton Design Amy Pigliacampo | Amy Pigliacampo InteriorsThank you Letecia, Amy and Mary . Thank you Michele Solomons and Avi Balsam fro Design Hardware. Check out the Instagram feed, @DesignHardwareandflooring for more information as it’s released. Thank you Michele Solomons and Avi Balsam with Design Hardware for your continued and unwavering support of the design and architecture community. And thank you for listening to the podcast. I love hearing from you, love learning about new products and guests you think should be featured on the podcast, so email me, you will find a link in the show notes along with links to all of our guests and their work in addition to Design hardware, where you can find everything you could want fro your next design project along with ideas and suggestions. Until the next episode, be well.

This is Doctoring Up Design, the official podcast of Design Hardware and Flooring. Today really is a treat. I am going to share some of the conversations for our Spring 24 Day of Design at Design Hardware. This day of design also provided for an incredible opportunity to sit and chat with some of the designers working on this years Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts. We discuss the project house this year, but also chat about design houses in general as well as the challenges that go along with participation in a project like this.project. I was joined by:Margaret Lalik | Margaret Lalik Design and Decor @Margaret_Lalik_Design_and_DecRachel Scheff | Rachel Scheff Design Studio @Rachel_Scheff_Design_StudioRebecca Hansen | Rebecca J Hansen @RebeccaJHansenAshleigh Miranda | AYM Interiors @AYMInteriorsShari Tipich | Shari Tipich Decorative Design & Artistry @ShariTipichSteven Cordrey | Cordrey Collection @CordreyCollectionYou are going to hear inside stories from this years showcase. And it is spectacular. Make sure to check the show notes for information about the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts.What an amazing group! Loved this, hopefully you did as well. Thank you to all of the amazing creatives who shared of themselves and their work. Check the show notes to see their work and this remarkable house. Thank you to everyone at the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts for being so wonderful to work with! Doctoring Up Design is the official podcast of Design Hardware and was created to address the pain points affecting the design and architecture community. Diagnosing these issues and providing practical insights to address them, that is our mission. #DoctoringUpDesign is available everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening.

This idea is a simple on really. Gather some very talented designers, place them around a table, drop the topic, hit the little red button and see what happens. This is the idea I came up with in 2017 after years of attending industry events and leaving with a sense of disappointment that the formal conversations didn’t yield the same amazing dialogue that the informal ones did. When creatives come off the stage, the audience leaves and they are just chatting amongst themselves, it was pure gold. I wanted to capture that. We hold these events regularly at Design Hardware. We record them and publish them to Doctoring Up Design, the official podcast of Design Hardware. We gathered on February 29th, in partnership with ASID-LA, we gathered some amazing creatives to discuss the rapidly changing nature of the design industry and how the rapid changes and evolving tastes are changing the game. You are going to hear an open and honest conversation, the likes of which you rarely hear. Which is exactly why we do this. The ASID - Los Angeles ChapterThe following conversation features;Cheryl Vines | Mesa Design GroupJaqueline Steinberg | Eve Mode Design @JackieSteinbergLenora Mahle | Mahle Design @LenoraMahleMark Cutler | Cutler Schulze @CutlerSchulzeJuliette Schatan-van der Meijden | Curated by Juliette @CuratedbyJulietteNicole Schulze | Cutler Schulze @CutlerSchulzePhilip Nielsen | Nielsen Dye @NielsenDyeWe are talking about important issues that include; How has the business of design changed in a post-pandemic environment The rise of virtual and remote design Design transitions and changing tastes The design shows and events. Is the industry keeping up with advanced specifiers needs Color, materiality and performance. How have manufacturers responded to the needs of the trade Sustainability and wellness. Do clients like to just talk about it or do they really care Catalogues and samples. Addressing waste in the industry Modern uses for traditional materials Client relationships are of greater importance now Manufacturer, supplier, showroom and vendor relationships are more important now. There is a shortage of great partners Sketch and vision. Adding value to design services by showcasing the possibilities. AI is a major new skill set Doctoring Up Design is the official podcast of Design Hardware and was created to address the pain points affecting the design and architecture community. Diagnosing these issues and providing practical insights to address them, that is our mission. Now, the audio was recorded live and if you would like to know ore about each of the participants, check the show notes for links and check @DesignHardwareandFlorring on Instagram where you can lear more about each of our participants.#DoctoringUpDesign is available everywhere you find your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening.

This is Doctoring Up Design, the official Design Hardware podcast. I’m Josh Cooperman and today we are continuing our conversation about safety and security in residential design. This topic is not being discussed to scare you or to make anyone uncomfortable. To the contrary, there are a few ideas here that are extremely important and incredibly timely. Here’s the idea…we live in a civilized society, but not necessarily a safe one. Weather patterns have changed and it would be crazy not to address those changes by preparing for the worst potential outcomes, right? Technological advances have made the modern American home stronger, more efficient, more comfortable and highly performative. And, it continues to get better. Our society has become more dangerous. It’s just the way it is. So, if you are a homeowner listening to this, and safety is important to you, keep listening. If you are a designer, architect or builder, you have a remarkable opportunity to increase your firm’s profile, create a new value proposition, a brand extension that will set you apart by offering something that is not widely offered by the design trade at large. And, you will generate more revenue in the process. If this is of interest to you…keep listening.On the show today, you are going to hear from Garett Winn, and Matt Terry from Saferoom. We are discussing the inner working s for creating an inner sanctum. Seriously, you don’t have to be a super hero, super-villain, actor or tycoon to have one. Having a dedicated safe room is not a cheap proposition, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility either. What is your safety, peace of mind and overall security worth? The answer is different for everyone. It’s personal. And it starts with an education. And you are going to get that, right after this from Accurate Lock and Hardware #Saferoom #Design #ArchitectureThank you Garett and Matt with Saferoom for your time and expertise. This was part one of a series that we will be continuing live from the Design Hardware showroom in Los Angeles. Check out the Instagram feed, @Design Hardware for more information as it’s released. Thank you Michele Solomons and Avi Balsam with Design Hardware for your continued and unwavering support of the design and architecture community. And thank you for listening to the podcast. I love hearing from you, love learning about new products and guests you think should be featured on the podcast, so email me, convobydesign@outlook.com with ideas and suggestions. Until the next episode, be well.

This is a very special edition of Doctoring Up Design. For years, this podcast has been a work in progress. A labor of love that continually drives us to bring you solutions for your design and architecture pain points. Design, architecture, development of all sorts is a living, breathing study of how humans live, cohabitate, recreate and establish domiciles and work spaces. For years, pre-pandemic, there was a time when all you saw in the trade publications were what was pretty, stunning, new. Then glimpses into how celebrities were living. Aspirational for sure, but not super relatable for the rest of us. Then the pandemic hit and all everyone wanted to know was how do I make my dysfunctional house into a performative home? How do I fix this, quick. Post-pandemic, much of that was implemented and we all moved away from these ideas as travel and experience took the priority. All of these things are important. But now, a new movement is currently taking place. A movement that puts the highest priority on safety and security. When politicians and their families are attacked in their own homes. When school and hospital shootings become a regular occurrence. When massive groups of people descend on retail establishments and steal so much that it registers on many of America’s biggest retailers bottom lines as “shrink”. We are currently in a crisis of security that affects every one of us. We wanted to conduct a conversation with professionals who have been dealing with thee very issues at the highest level for long enough to understand the basics and translate these ideas into actionable steps that designers, architects and homeowners can implement in their residential spaces, now.The following conversation is part one of a two-part series that I am quite certain will grow into something bigger. This conversation features James Krueger, Director of Design and Kirk Rose, Healthcare Practice Leader, both from HMC Architects. A firm that was founded to make major contributions in the healthcare, education and civic spaces. I mentioned two-parts. This episode is being aired in November of 2023. Part two will be a live continuation of this conversation featuring both Kirk, James and Sergio Lechuga, Director of Interior Design for HMC. If you are listening to this episode and would like to attend in person, please email me, convobydesign@outlook.com and I will send you an invitation for the live session on November 16th at Design Hardware in Los Angeles. This is part one of our conversation.ConversationThank you Kirk and James for your time and expertise, thank you Bruce Boul with HMC for making this incredible conversation happen. Thank you Michele Solomons and Avi Balsam with Design Hardware for your continued and unwavering support of the design and architecture community. And thank you for listening to the show. As previously mentioned, If you are listening to this episode and would like to attend in person, please email me, convobydesign@outlook.com and I will send you an invitation for the live session on November 16th at Design Hardware in Los Angeles. Be well.

this is Doctoring Up Design, the official podcast of Design Hardware, they can help you specify some of the worlds greatest decorative hardware, building materials and wood floors plus a selection of bespoke products that will elevate any project from ordinary to extraordinary from LA to London to the middle east, they ship anywhere and everywhere so you have one trusted point of contact.On this episode of the podcast, you are going to hear from Terri Robison and Greg Bleier of Studio UNLTD. We cover a lot in the following hour including interior design, architecture and the nuts and bolts that make for an extraordinary design and architecture firm, but we are also talking specifically about designing for hospitality. The CIR Lounge, an emotional lounge with rounded everything, try to find a 90 degree angle, Saizon, Bar Maruno, all extraordinary spaces and there are many more where those came from, so let’s get to it with Greg and Terri from Studio UNLTD. This has been another episode of Doctoring Up Design featuring an incredible conversation . Thank you Greg and Terri for your time and talent. This podcast is presented by @DesignHardware. Thank you Michele Solomons and Avi Balsam with Design Hardware for making this platform available and for your tireless support of the design and architecture community. Thank you for listening and subscribing to Doctoring Up Design. Please make sure you are subscribing to the show so you don’t miss a single episode. You can find all of the links in the show notes.