Beyond the Design

Jaksot

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  Evolutionary Environments: Karen Asprea on Natural Materials, Human Scale, and Emotional Storytelling 11.09.2026 43min

  At its core, Karen Asprea’s design philosophy asserts that interior design is a living, continuous conversation between human beings and their physical surroundings. Rejecting the modern obsession with sterile perfection, Karen embraces patina, natural aging, and historical continuity. From sun fading wood floors to hand oils softening metal finishes, natural materials capture the history of a home. She views sustainable design not just as a technical checklist, but as the art of preserving and refinishing enduring natural elements—such as sanding down and re-oiling original solid teak wall paneling during a 40-story lobby renovation rather than sending it to a landfill.The conversation delves into the deep emotional state behind real estate transactions. Recognizing that major life transitions—such as births, deaths, career changes, or divorces—drive people to buy or renovate homes, Karen positions emotional comfort as the ultimate goal of design. She deconstructs client requests to find the underlying feeling, translating a request for a blue sofa into a desire for safety and childhood nostalgia.Ultimately, Karen believes that exceptional design should feel natural and almost invisible. When scale, proportion, light, and texture are correctly aligned, the design recedes into the background, allowing human life, family, and connection to take center stage. By replacing cold, high-contrast, sterile environments with rich natural textures, spaces foster genuine emotional peace and timeless elegance.
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  Living Art in the Home: The Plant Daddies on Curating Exotic Trees, Custom Vessels, and High-End Plant Design 04.09.2026 1t 6min

  Lucarelli and Dane. Dane’s connection to organic materials started early in life while working for his father, a cooking professor, before transitioning to a greenhouse in Virginia and eventually pursuing formal studies at the Los Angeles Institute of Architecture and Design. Macy, coming from a background as a real estate agent, used large trees as memorable closing gifts for clients to keep his services top-of-mind. During the COVID-19 pandemic, while working out together in the empty parking lot of the Hollywood Bowl, Macy noticed a local nursery with long queues and proposed launching a plant business—unaware that Dane had just registered Green Vibes Plant Co.Combining forces under the memorable moniker "The Plant Daddies"—a nod to Macy’s history of planting passion fruit vines across Los Angeles—the duo set out to reshape the indoor plant industry. Early in their business, a pivotal moment occurred during an installation in West Hollywood. While unloading specimen plants, movers brought in an authentic Basquiat painting on loan from the Broad Museum. When the entire family gathered to admire the plants rather than the multi-million dollar art piece, Macy and Dane realized that curated greenery could serve as the primary design statement in high-end architecture.Through a shared work ethic, constant experimentation, and a willingness to break traditional horticultural rules, Macy and Dane have cared for over 10,000 plants and trees. Supported by a third business partner, Kenny, who handles financial and administrative operations, the duo has expanded their practice into a multi-location design studio with locations in Los Angeles and Orange County.Explore more at: theplantdaddies.com
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  Why Living With Style Is About Lifestyle, and Integrity with Brittany Farinas 21.08.2026 34min

  Brittany Farinas’s connection to design began at six years old while spending time in the furniture showroom where her mother worked. By age 21, while attending college and trying to chart a lucrative yet passionate path, she launched her own firm, House of One. Lacking formal experience at other firms, Brittany built her business through sheer drive, balancing a real estate license, waitressing at night, and working in a real estate office by day, all while managing clients in between. Her relentless work ethic earned her early word-of-mouth referrals, proving that credibility comes from delivering value rather than age.Starting a firm at such a young age meant confronting industry biases, but Brittany Farinas channeled those challenges into sharpening her instincts as a leader. Over time, she shifted away from the initial "yes girl" mindset and hustle mentality that drove her early career. Early on, she felt the pressure to accept every project, hit external milestones, and constantly pitch new portfolio work. However, experiencing burnout and eventually becoming a mother transformed her approach, grounding her in intention, peace, and health.Today, Brittany Farinas leads House of One with confidence, authenticity, and selective curation. Reflecting on her evolution, she embraces every past challenge as a necessary learning experience that shaped her strategic vision. Rather than measuring success by the volume of projects, she focuses on delivering a high-value, deeply considered service for clients who align with her firm's standards and values.
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  Crafting Quality in the West: Jeremiah Young on Architecture, Scale, and Timeless Interior Design 14.08.2026 57min

  Jeremiah Young’s path to becoming the principal designer and owner of Kibler & Kirch was anything but conventional. Having moved constantly as a child—living in 17 different places before age 17—Jeremiah found his early stability at his grandparents' house. That longing for a restorative environment planted a deep appreciation for the power of home. Moving to Montana as a teenager in 1994, he first stepped into Kibler & Kirch and felt an immediate aesthetic connection. Though he pursued an English Literature degree, worked as a librarian, and ran a clothing boutique, Jeremiah continuously self-educated in design, architecture, and textiles.In 2010, after discovering that Kibler & Kirch’s founders were planning a retirement sale, Jeremiah stepped in to acquire and reimagine the business. Drawing on the firm’s established reputation—originally founded in 1990 and named after the founders’ grandmothers—he preserved its core identity while shifting it from a retail store into a full-service design firm. Today, Jeremiah leads the 35-year-old firm, honoring its origins while guiding high-end residential and commercial projects across the West.Jeremiah's journey reflects a deep respect for historical continuity, hard work, and serendipity. From buying the firm he admired as a teenager to recently acquiring a historic 1905 Victorian home from its original family, his life’s work revolves around preserving stories and crafting meaningful spaces.
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  Designing Beyond Trends: Amy Courtney on Crafting High-Quality, Bold Interior Spaces 07.08.2026 43min

  Amy Courtney’s entry into interior design wasn’t an intentional career detour—it was the environment she grew up in. Raised in New Rochelle, New York, by a mother who was an interior designer and painter, and a father who worked as a carpenter, Amy lived at the direct intersection of construction and aesthetics. Her parents operated a general contracting business and flipped every home the family lived in, resulting in Amy living in approximately 20 different houses in the same school district before heading to college. By simply observing her parents, attending client meetings, and visiting fabric showrooms, she absorbed the fundamentals of craftsmanship, finishing touches, and job-site tools early on.Her formal career began in Connecticut, where she worked for seven years as a designer in an interior design retail store. While that role provided foundation and experience, Amy found the prevailing regional style—dominated by coastal neutrals and repetitive light woods—uninspiring. Seeking broader creative opportunities, she moved to New York City, where she encountered eclectic clients who embraced bold color palettes, pattern mixing, and custom designs. This transition allowed her to draw directly from her mother’s artistic influence and lean into her innate love for vibrant, expressive spaces.Reflecting on her years working within larger firm structures and retail sales settings, Amy eventually identified what she did not want for her own business. She rejected corporate environments driven purely by escalating sales quotas and rushed deadlines, choosing instead to establish an independent practice focused on intentional work. Today, Amy brings her full background—from childhood job-site exposure to city-driven creative boldness—into running a specialized firm that balances construction rigor with detailed interior styling.
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  Noz Nozawa on Spatial Freedom, Creative Boundaries, and Designing for Joy 31.07.2026 1t 4min

  Noz Nozawa’s awareness of how spatial environments shape human emotion began during a challenging childhood. Growing up in a difficult domestic situation where she was not permitted to alter or personalize the common areas of the house, her bedroom became her solitary sanctuary. It wasn't until she went away to college and moved into her very first apartment in San Francisco that she experienced the transformative autonomy of shaping her own living quarters.That initial taste of spatial independence was immediately put to the test by a notoriously messy roommate. Noz recalls an extreme living environment marked by neglected appliances and mold growing on abandoned iced tea containers left on the floor. During a Christmas break, Noz gifted her roommate a complete clean-up of the apartment. The immediate, palpable relief they both felt upon returning to a clean, ordered home provided Noz with her very first visceral lesson: physical surroundings directly dictate mental health, emotional clarity, and daily sanity.This early realization served as the underlying foundation for Noz Design, which she established 12 years ago after transitioning out of marketing. Over a decade later, Noz has built a celebrated, multi-faceted practice known for its vibrant, deeply expressive interiors. Her journey illustrates how navigating early personal constraints can cultivate a profound empathy for human living spaces, fueling a multi-decade career centered on wellness and personal sanctuary.Find more about Noz at: nozdesign.com @noznozawa
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  Timeless Soul with Kara Childress 24.07.2026 49min

  Kara Childress’ illustrious career in interior design has spanned over four decades, tracing back to her professional beginnings in 1984. Operating long before the advent of digital mood boards, Pinterest, or internet algorithms, Kara’s early career was built on the foundation of hands-on physical discovery and pure relationships. Based in Houston, Texas, she began her design journey with a deep curiosity for European design history, establishing a clear lane that would guide her studio's signature "old-world meets modern living" aesthetic.Her early path was shaped by a distinct work ethic and the dual challenge of growing a high-level business while raising a family. Kara candidly reflects on the early days of juggling school carpools and client presentations, admitting that she used to battle a sense of guilt about balancing her demanding career with motherhood. Decades later, however, those same children have grown up to follow in her entrepreneurial footsteps, showing her how deeply her passion and dedication influenced their own lives and career trajectories.Today, Kara stands as one of the Southwest's most celebrated design figures, leading a tight-knit team of women who she warmly refers to as her extended family. Her journey from the analogue design landscapes of the mid-1980s to the cusp of publishing her first major monograph is a testament to the power of authenticity, patience, and a refusal to compromise on quality.
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  Deke Rogers on Timeless Antiques, the Layered Design Philosophy, and Living History 17.07.2026 28min

  In this episode, Deke Rogers shares the thoughtful philosophy and hands-on approach that have made him one of the South’s most respected voices in antiques, interiors, and timeless design. As the founder of Collected for the Home, his celebrated brick-and-mortar retail studios—now with locations in both Birmingham, Alabama, and New Orleans—serve as living expressions of his belief that every object carries a story worth preserving.Throughout the conversation, Deke explains why true character should never be sacrificed in the pursuit of perfection. He challenges the growing trend of aggressively restoring antique furnishings, cautioning that excessive bleaching and refinishing often erase the very history that gives a piece its value, beauty, and soul. Rather than attempting to make antiques look new, he champions preserving their authentic patina as a testament to generations of craftsmanship and use.Deke also reveals how he creates interiors that feel collected rather than decorated. His process centers on balance, proportion, and personality—thoughtfully blending 18th- and 19th-century antiques with clean Mid-Century and contemporary pieces to produce spaces that are layered, dynamic, and deeply personal. Every composition is driven by the homeowner’s story rather than adherence to a single historical period or design style.For collectors, designers, and homeowners alike, Deke offers practical insights into mixing wood tones, textures, finishes, and eras without sacrificing harmony. His perspective transforms decorating into an exercise in storytelling, demonstrating that the most compelling interiors are those that embrace history, celebrate craftsmanship, and reflect the lives of the people who inhabit them. Whether through his design work or the carefully curated collections found inside Collected for the Home, Deke Rogers reminds us that timeless interiors are built through authenticity, thoughtful curation, and an appreciation for the beauty that only time can create.
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  Orchestrating Space with Kari Bennett 03.07.2026 30min

  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, she recognized that exceptional design could not exist without bulletproof operational structures. This realization marked a major turning point, pushing her to study the underlying mechanics of business efficiency.This evolutionary shift ultimately led to the founding and scaling of Edge Design, widely known as EdgeID. Rather than letting her business be dictated by the chaotic, fragmented workflows common in the design trade, Kari intentionally built a studio defined by clear parameters, reliable execution pathways, and ironclad operational precision. She transitioned her internal identity from a singular creative individual to a master strategist, building an ecosystem where ideas are never left as abstract sketches but are systematically Karid all the way through to physical reality.Today, Kari stands as a celebrated firm leader who successfully balances a busy professional career with a vibrant, grounding family life that includes her husband, three children, and the family dog. She candidly acknowledges that her passion for her craft is what fuels her drive every single morning, making her genuinely look forward to stepping into the car and tackling new design challenges. Her journey serves as an inspiring blueprint for creative entrepreneurs, proving that true professional fulfillment comes from marrying artistic talent with a passion for building lasting people and systems.
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  Vern Yip's Philosophy of Purposeful Spaces 26.06.2026 1t 14min

  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 intentional environments that celebrate a homeowner's unique story and actively reflect their core personal values.Tactically, Vern treats space planning like a meticulous narrative puzzle. His discovery process focuses heavily on understanding a client's specific daily behaviors, routines, and underlying psychological needs before any material selections or floor plans are drafted. He argues that this deep operational layer cannot simply be taught in a standard classroom; rather, it requires a designer to cultivate a fine tuned instinct for reading human behavior and translating daily habits into highly optimized circulation pathways and functional zones.For listeners looking to refine their own living environments or execute complex renovations, Vern's philosophy offers a clear roadmap. He emphasizes the tactical balance between high performance and visual comfort, steering clients away from fleeting, over-hyped internet trends that quickly lose their value. By focusing on structural integrity, proper scale, and purposeful detail, his studio constructs enduring backdrops that simplify daily living and allow a physical structure to gracefully adapt over a multi-generational lifecycle.
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  Spaces That Breathe with Lauren Thomsen 19.06.2026 48min

  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 architectural epiphany, intensely imagining the entirely different types of lives she might live within each distinct boundary. This early realization that spatial layout directly dictates the quality of human life established a permanent lane that she would follow into her adult career.Before gaining the confidence to launch her own independent firm, Lauren pursued a rigorous academic path and built a strong foundation inside prestigious, high-stakes design studios. She describes her years spent working under established mentors as an invaluable phase where she learned the complex operational realities of translating abstract blueprints into physical structures. However, as she sharpened her technical skills, she increasingly felt a strong internal push to express her own unique, holistic design language—one that favored soulful intention and longevity over fast-paced corporate execution.This desire for creative alignment ultimately led to the founding of Philadelphia-based Lauren Thomsen Design. For Lauren, stepping into entrepreneurship was not driven by individual vanity, but by a necessity to craft a practice that could seamlessly blend rigorous architectural discipline with an empathetic understanding of her clients' personal narratives. Her journey stands as a powerful masterclass for emerging designers, illustrating how a pure childhood fascination with spatial possibilities can mature into a celebrated, forward-looking architectural studio.
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  Scott Hudson on Henrybuilt, Master Carpentry, and Whole-House Engineering 12.06.2026 47min

  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 summers laboring alongside his grandfather—doing everything from repairing weathered barn roofs and building fences to laying structural concrete foundations.This early immersion in the trade instilled in Scott a foundational understanding of raw materials and spatial geometry, effectively embedding a passion for building into his DNA. Alongside this technical training was a rich domestic culture anchored by a massive two-acre garden, cattle, and a grandmother who was an exceptional cook. This environment taught Scott to view the kitchen not as an isolated showroom, but as a hard-working, vibrant extension of agricultural life and family sustenance, a perspective that would later shape his corporate trajectory.After transitioning through diverse intellectual pursuits—including studying creative writing, working in literature, and entering the fast-paced corporate tech sector during the dot-com boom—Scott returned to his foundational roots. In 2001, he combined his grandfather's legacy of rigorous manual execution with his own refined corporate insights to launch Henrybuilt. From its humble origins, the company has grown into a major force in high-end design, proving that a deep-seated respect for ancestral utility can revolutionize modern luxury living.
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  Outlining the Human Space with Laura Tribbett 05.06.2026 38min

  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 designed a two-story miniature cabin with a dramatic opening overlooking the main floor—an architectural element that represented the ultimate luxury in her eyes. This formative cardboard project established a clear lane that she would eagerly follow into adulthood.As the youngest of three siblings, Laura enjoyed a high degree of creative autonomy within her home. Her parents, who balanced careers as musicians and language and math teachers, gave her free rein to experiment, allowing her to constantly rearrange her furniture and explore 1990s trends like sponge painting and wallpaper borders. This self-directed exploration was heavily supplemented by consuming shelter magazines and racing home from school to absorb the transformative—and sometimes wildly chaotic—episodes of early home improvement television programs like TLC's Trading Spaces.While she pursued interior design as her core major in college, Laura candidly acknowledges that her real education only truly commenced upon stepping into professional high-stakes work environments. She sharpened her skills across the industry before taking the leap to launch her own firm. Intentionally naming the venture "Outline Interiors" rather than utilizing her own name, she aimed to establish a highly collaborative environment focused on collective, beautiful execution rather than individual vanity. Her path highlights how a blend of early public educational opportunities and a passion for spatial puzzle-solving can build a lasting legacy.
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  The Design Alchemist, the journey of Marcel Wanders 29.05.2026 53min

  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 they were made. He began gluing these pieces together to craft little sculptural fidgets as gifts for visiting aunts, discovering early on the intoxicating power of extracting a joyous, emotional reaction through handmade objects.This early instinct evolved into a deeply personal design philosophy centered on the concept of the "ultimate gift". Marcel realized that a truly great creation must feel intimately customized for the recipient while remaining unmistakably reflective of the giver's unique identity. This guiding principle ultimately anchored his professional life, driving him to view every commercial product and immersive interior space as a medium to celebrate and deepen the relationship between himself and his audience.The trajectory of his career changed forever with the 1996 debut of the iconic Knotted Chair, a piece that seamlessly fused handcrafted magic with technical innovation. Shortly thereafter, Marcel co-founded the globally renowned design brand Moooi alongside Casper Vissers, transforming a local Amsterdam lampshade venture into a premier launchpad for vanguard design talent. Today, having famously closed his massive powerhouse studio three years ago to embark on a solo path of rediscovery, Marcel looks back at his decades of work not as a series of shifting styles, but as a singular, organically growing philosophy.
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  The Editorial Eye: Michelle Morgan Harrison on Fashion, Ground-Up Construction, and Timeless Interiors 22.05.2026 54min

  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 transitioned into a full-time career in the fashion capitol ecosystem.Her early professional years were defined by old-school curation, starting as the wardrobe manager for Mirabella magazine under the iconic Grace Mirabella. Working in the fashion closets handling couture dresses and traveling across Europe to cover runway shows alongside visionary creative directors, Michelle developed a keen instinct for predicting cultural shifts. During the height of the mid-90s "British Invasion," she was running up five flights of stairs in London to help spot and support emerging talents like Alexander McQueen.The transition into interior architecture happened organically as Michelle rose to become the fashion director at Mirabella, where she began managing holistic home and lifestyle photo shoots. After a brief stint directing corporate editorial work for Saks, her passion for historical home restoration took center stage. Shortly after relocating to Connecticut and giving birth to her second child, neighbors began knocking on her door to ask about her exterior paint colors and light fixtures—a sign that inspired her to officially launch her own design firm Morgan Harrison Home in 2006.
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  Susan Weiss: Curation, Craftsmanship, and the Art of the Architectural Journey 15.05.2026 53min

  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 appreciation for craftsmanship and the stories behind objects became part of her DNA.Her father’s approach to collecting was never about the mere possession of "things"; it was about the journey, the people met along the way, and the process of refurbishing and sharing those pieces. This foundational philosophy led Susan into the world of luxury curation, eventually leading her to play a pivotal role in the development of Net-a-Porter’s furniture and home divisions. She learned early on that a piece of furniture is a living history, carrying the fingerprints of those who created it and those who lived with it before.Today, Susan reflects on her journey from a curious child watching her father refurbish antiques to becoming a leading voice in high-end curation. She discusses how her background in art history and her inherent "processor" personality allowed her to bridge the gap between architectural structure and the fluid beauty of interior objects. Her story is a testament to the power of observation and the importance of honoring one's creative lineage while forging a unique professional path.
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  From HGTV to High-End Design: The Evolution of Britany Simon 08.05.2026 35min

  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 early professional years were spent on the construction side of residential development, where she assisted clients in picking finishes for new builds. However, she found herself yearning for more creative fulfillment, as she rarely saw these projects through to completion. This desire led her to audition for HGTV’s Design Star on a whim, a move that proved to be her "first big break".Appearing on television was a pivotal moment that transformed her business. After the show aired, she began receiving calls from clients she didn't know, allowing her to transition from working with friends and family to taking her company to a professional level. Since 2004, she has built a career defined by transformation and a deep love for textiles and creativity.
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  Jamie Drake: 40 Years of Bold Color, Philanthropy, and Iconic Design 01.05.2026 49min

  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 palettes favored by clients in the last decade.Tactically, Jamie designs rooms to include "visual exclamation points". He believes that when entering a space, your eye should immediately land on a strong, bold, or tall piece at the far end. From there, the composition should guide the eye to discover additional interesting elements throughout the room, creating an experiential narrative. He emphasizes that spaces need "room to breathe," and he carefully guides clients in selecting art with composition and balance in mind.This process extends beyond interiors and into product design for furniture, lighting, and carpets. Jamie explains that while product design is simpler in focus—creating a single object—it comes with unique manufacturing limitations and high setup costs compared to interior decoration. Whether he is designing a bathroom faucet for THG or a sprawling oceanfront property, his work is guided by core principles of scale, texture, and program.
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  Paloma Contreras: Modern Art, Traditional Foundations, and the Business of Design 24.04.2026 29min

  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 decorating her first home on a budget, the blog served as her "entree" into the design world as it gained unexpected traction.Despite her success, Contreras candidly discusses the "imposter syndrome" she felt for years because she did not attend design school. She reflects on her childhood bedroom—a product of the 1980s filled with wicker and Laura Ashley bedding—as an early, unrecognized influence on her path. Her story is one of evolution, showing how professional skills from one field, such as teaching, can translate effectively into running a successful interior design firm.Today, Paloma is a celebrated designer with two books, a retail store, and multiple product lines. Looking back, she believes her younger self would be proud of her accomplishments and the courage it took to follow a creative path. This version of the show notes highlights the grit and passion required to pivot from a stable career into the competitive world of interior design.
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  Patrick Cunningham: Design Build Diaries 17.04.2026 33min

  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: pools cantilevered off sheer cliffs, underground tunnels connecting guest houses to main residences, and a glass cube engineered to float beside an Antoine Predock landmark in Manhattan Beach. He talks about learning to read a client — whether they’re a fireplace-and-a-book person or a home theater and rooftop infinity pool person — and then finding the architecture that fits that life.He also opens up about what drives him: a sketchpad always within reach, a library full of architecture books, and a biannual tour of high-end custom homes across the country with a network of elite design-build peers. With nearly 30 projects currently on the board spanning seven distinct architectural styles, this episode is a masterclass in creative range without creative compromise.If this episode gave you something to think about, leave us a rating — it’s the single best way to help another architecture lover find the show.Follow the show so you never miss a conversation like this one.Patrick Cunningham is the co-founder and principal architect of CNC Partners, a fully integrated design-build firm based in Southern California. Since co-founding the firm with his brother Michael in 1987, Patrick has led the design of some of the region's most distinctive custom homes — from cliffside estates in Beverly Hills and Pacific Palisades to award-worthy reimaginings of architectural landmarks in Manhattan Beach and beyond.A lifelong student of architecture, Patrick trained alongside builders from the start, believing that great design and skilled construction are inseparable. Today, CNC Partners operates with 22 professionals and has nearly 30 active projects on the board — spanning Scandinavian, modern French, mountain modern, Japanese-Craftsman, and European styles. Patrick's daughter Brianna and his nephew have recently joined the firm as part-owners, ensuring the next chapter of CNC Partners stays in the family.