DESIGN ROUND TABLE: What We’ve Been up To, Subscriber Q&As and Our Recent Saves on Instagram
updates from the last month plus photos and links of our current inspo
I loved putting together our last “round table” post, and I’ve been thinking about turning it into a new series on our journal (if that’s something you’d want to see). If you missed last month’s updates, you can catch them here. This week, we’re sharing a peek at what we’ve been up to at the office, some new sources and inspiration, and a few of our favorite messages from the chat lately.
our collaborations
If you follow us on Instagram, you might have seen that I was in Ohio last week - and you’re probably wondering why. We’re working on a flooring collection (curating the best tile, carpet, and wood flooring options and bringing them all together for you in one online shop) with an amazing showroom, so we flew out to Columbus to meet with some brands and see what they had to offer. We looked at lots of product, learned a lot, and even found some great budget-friendly options to add to the collection. I’d call that a win.
Out of everything we saw, the wood (and wood-alternative) floors surprised me the most. I mean, who knew there was a laminate floor on the market that actually looked good? I’m curious if you can tell which one of the photos below is laminate (because it totally fooled me). We also saw some really nice LVP options. While I usually lean toward natural materials, I completely understand why vinyl flooring can be such a good, affordable choice for lots of people. Excited to share more with you soon!
We also saw some really pretty wool carpet samples and we’re hoping to offer a few as custom rugs online. More to come on that - but I’d love to hear if there are specific sizes or styles you’re always searching for but can never find.
And of course, since tile is what kicked off this whole collaboration, we spent plenty of time looking at that too (my camera roll is proof - so many tile photos). We found timeless classics along with some fun ones, like an octagon dot and a reeded subway. Best of all, a lot of the options we loved will be really affordable!
On another note, Columbus totally surprised me with its restaurants and shopping. A few favorites: Marcella’s, Del Mar, So Cal & Brassica.
from our subscriber chat
If you aren’t a part of our subscriber chat, you’re seriously missing out! In all seriousness, I think it is such a great resource because there are so many people in it (and you can join the chat here). I try to answer what questions I can and love interacting with you all there, but am truly so impressed by how active everyone is there and how much you all help each other out. Thinking back to when I first started my design career (or even before that when I was remodeling my own home), I would’ve loved to have a place to send in photos of what I was working on and get the input of other people who love design - or if I had a specific question, to have a place I could send it and learn from the experiences of others who were deep in their remodel.
I wanted to share a few examples of what people have been chatting about just to give a glimpse into what you can expect. These are just a few questions that have been sent in this week, but I’ve also included screenshots further down of some of the more in-depth questions and answers.
Note: If you have a free membership, you can see what’s in the chat and respond, but if you want to send in your own messages, you’ll have to be a paid subscriber. Our ask me anything sessions are a step beyond just the normal chat (they’ll be all in one thread so that they’re all in one place and I don’t miss any - and those are for founding members only). If you have any questions about these different tiers or are having issues with the chat, please let us know. We’re continually working with Substack to make sure the platform is user friendly.
round table / what’s inspiring us
—These brass and metal islands by Dewinter Metalworks are so cool - just watch this reel to see all the detail that went into making the island in the photo below. Definitely something we’re keeping in mind for a couple of our projects.
—This one is for my fellow designers. If you don’t follow this account on Instagram, you should! They post lots of helpful tips and do polls/research amongst designers to share what’s working for people collectively. I really liked this post where they broke up the amount of time it takes to design per room.
—I love these unique tile layouts from MA Tile & Stone Collection (another great follow on Instagram.
—High gloss ceilings and paint: It’s definitely not for everyone or every project, but when it is a fit, it looks so cool. We’ve seen other designers using a high-gloss or polished plaster that feels like such a unique alternative and fits better with our aesthetic. I’ve also come across high-gloss wallpaper, which could be a fun, less permanent option (and maybe better for installation/wear). A lacquer paint isn’t the best fit for any of our current projects, but it’s something we’d be excited to try when the right opportunity comes along.
—Always a fan of small scale wallpaper and this one from Whittney Parkinson Design’s latest project is so cute. I’ve also been loving these sconces (right photo) from Claude Home Lighting. They have lots of great colors and I love how they feel charming and delicate.
Ooh can’t wait to hear the info on the flooring options!
I loved natural too until we paid £6000 to have Forbo Marmoelum tiles laid. Which have curled up. I can't bear that they will all have to be disposed of, even the good ones.