OC DESIGN
SUMMER ISSUE 2020
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On the Cover The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) kicked off 2020 at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS), in Las Vegas, with a special pop-up dedicated to infusing health and wellness into design. With human-centric design at the exhibit’s core, the Society aims to encourage a healthy trade show experience for its visitors and guests. Explains Randy Fiser, Hon. FASID, past ASID CEO, “The kitchen and bath are two of the spaces that most directly impact our day to day wellness. We hope that our KBIS installation will inspire attendees to incorporate human and health-centric design philosophies into their practices, proving the power of design to directly affect people’s
lives.” We will all miss Randy and his wisdom and leadership as he moves onto new things leaving us with Greener ideals and hope for the future. In these unusual times, we hope our members can use their skills to help impact the daily lives of their clients and themselves through Interior Design.
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Contents P.6 A Day in the (Pandemic) Life of the ASID OC President P.7 Board of Directors P. 8 Moving Forward with our President Elect’s P. 14 Tip’s from our At-Large Director
Outside The Box ASID CA OC Chapter Magazine Summer 19/20
P.16 Committee Chairs Editors
P.17 New Members
Angela Eason, Allied ASID Communications@caoc.asid.org Kasey Sterling administrator@caoc.asid.org
ASID CA OC Office 23807 Aliso Creek Rd. Suite 205 Laguna Niguel CA 92677
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AD
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A (COMICAL) LOOK AT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE ASID OC PRESIDENT
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Day in the Life during Covid-19 (that’s CO for corona, VI for virus, D for it being a disease and the #19 for year 2019 it was actually discovered, not in 2020) just so you know...
For me, although I am and still do feel unmotivated, exhausted, not tired, exhausted and overwhelmed by it all; I wanted to maintain as much as I could of my pre Covid-19 daily schedule. However, I am not a “work from home” person. I am a “ work from office” person, so I’ve had to create an office. Pre-quarantine , my daily schedule was wake up at 7:30 AM, walk the dog, leave for work or gym by 8:30AM, come home or go out for dinner and be ready for bed by 10pm. My time was filled with work, ASID, and some socializing everyday!! So now…the dog walk is at 830ish, yes I sleep in, when I return from the walk, if they are up, (they sleep in too) talk to the friends I live with, then leave the house at about 930ish when I go for “my walk”. Yep, a 2 hour walk, either the Newport Back Bay, Crystal Cove Beach, Newport Pier to Balboa Pier or the Castaways Park. That takes care of my morning, but how should I fill the rest of my day? I have been co-hosting a podcast, Design $ense with a fellow ASID Member! I am responsible for lining up the guests, which has kept me busy ( thank Goodness), phones calls, emails, background research on the guest, preparing questions.. but not that busy. We talk for an hour but then the show is edited to ½ hour, it’s not streaming live. Filling my schedule is much harder then I thought. Somedays, after the show I will take another walk or just lunch then a nap. Sometimes when I don’t have a guest, I’ll just go home and take a nap…remember unmotivated, exhausted and overwhelmed. Then at 6PM go downstairs for wine and dinner with my Friends… But I do the clean up! If I’m feeling a little more motivation I’ll go somewhere nice by myself, that has a bar with a view of the Ocean or the Bay and just start drinking wine, (a lot of wine…) eat something at the bar, then more wine. Then I start texting all my friends or watching Tik Tok. That’s when I start feeling grateful for all the things in my wonderful life which of course include being President of ASID OC (Even during the Covid-19 crisis) and all of your tremendous support of ASID that I am truly humbled by and honored with, and I sincerely hope and pray that your life hasn’t been touched by Covid-19 and you have a somewhat normal routine you can be grateful for too….. Thank you again for all your support of ASID OC during this very trying time, and for allowing me to guide us through it.
William Elson, Allied ASID President 2019-2020
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Board of Directors President Elect Julia Alt
President William C. Elson Allied ASID
Allied ASID
Communications Director Angela Eason Allied ASID
Finance Director Sue Rexroth Allied ASID
Membership Director Raad Ghantous Allied ASID
Professional Development Director Alix Flamm Allied ASID
At-Large Director Derek Fisher Industry Partner
Student Rep to the Board Jayne Jacobson Student ASID
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Moving Forward...
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he coronavirus has altered our way of life and our way of doing business. It brings so many questions and not too many answers. Masks, social distancing, hand sanitizers, long lines, temperature readings, toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning agents, quarantine, lockdown. Who in a million years ever thought this would happen to us?
It’s been months since I’ve seen my ASID friends. I miss showrooms, Industry Partners, touching things, and going on the hunt for the perfect item. I’ve taken the opportunity to engage in so many webinars. I’ve learned how to use Zoom for meetings. I’ve contemplated that word pivot for months now. But where do we go from here? That’s the million- dollar question, right? Forecasting is so difficult. I figure its Plan A everything is close to whatever you might call “normal”, Plan B is everything is normal and then it’s not, and Plan C is nothing is ever normal again. This translates to not only to a business plan, but a plan for the future of ASID OC. I am listening and observing to see what others think and see. I am looking for partners and alliances to get not only myself, and my family, but all of us through these uncertain events. Soon our incoming board members and I will start navigating the uncertainty to lead the chapter to the other side of all this. What will the next year look like? Which brings me back to this: I miss my ASID OC community. I miss meetings and events, and seeing happy faces, hearing laughter, seeing new products and showrooms, and learning new things. I yearn for “normal”. I’m sure this resonates with all of us. We, as human beings, crave contact and engagement. So the challenge for the incoming board members will be to figure out how to bring us all together through social distancing and so much uncertainty. But what is certain is that ASID OC needs to provide stability and leadership while we negotiate difficulty. Please reach out to me if you should have any ideas or inspirations, want to join up with a committee in the fall, or just need to talk. Stronger together! Julia Alt, Allied ASID President Elect 2020 8
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Resiliency to Challenging Times
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he good news is construction is open. This article will not discuss the technicalities of the design business at this time, however, express hope that the interior design business will adapt and continue.
“ASID Eye on Design” reports construction activity is improving in many parts of the Country. Where other parts of the Country show future projects are being cancelled or put on hold. Wherever you are on the spectrum we have survived challenging times before. I can recall the 2008 Recession as the economy fell so did design projects. Through determination many of us thought outside the box. Creativity is one of our strong points. As we know people are spending more time at home. Probably thinking about making changes. Our business is always constantly changing and we are figuring out how to adapt to these changes. Social Media, Videos, Podcast, Webinars, and CEUs etc. The information is out there. Finally, how will the Coronavirus change or reshape Architecture and Design? We can grow with the new changes, take the opportunity, and be excited to implement them. With ASID OC we will be here to help you learn and grow along with our Industry Partners. Once again we will thrive because that’s what we do. Thank you, Alix Flamm, Allied ASID Professional Development 2019-2021
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Trends & Implications in 2020
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f you haven’t taken advantage of the 2020 Outlook Report for Interior Designers, you might be missing some of the best content offered in while! ASID Members can download the report from the ASID.org website free of cost, an amazing savings that will benefit you in so many ways. Here is a just a brief taste of what the report has to offer:
Interior design continues to be recognized as an essential component of quality of life regarding how we live, work, play, learn, and heal. Macro-trends that occur around the world and the U.S., and those that relate to changes in lifestyles, are pertinent for interior designers to understand and apply in practice. Knowledge, skills, and applications interior designers should keep up with in order to stay competitive are also included in this section. A few trends to highlight are: • Organizations are focusing on human-oriented outcomes as part of their business agenda and are turning to design for solutions. This is in response to a growing employee demand that work be purposeful and companies invest more in human development. Firms are challenged to find and keep top talent, especially with the low unemployment rates, and must be prepared to offer competitive compensation and benefits packages to different generations of workers. • Choices in living styles are transcending generations. More people are choosing to rent than buy, and communal and co-living arrangements are increasing in popularity, appealing to both Millennials and the aging population. Age-targeted communities may emerge, but so may inclusive communities that create new types of encounters and socializations. • New (and smart) technologies are improving productivity, management, and the occupant experience. For example, “multiexperience,” which links human-machine interfaces across multiple channels (e.g., augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality, and sensing technologies) to create immersive experiences and “people-centric smart spaces.” • Wellness has become a way of life, with potential towards good health, optimism, productivity, and social engagement. Measures of well-being can vary by generation, but this sense of well-being or proactive approach towards well-being are changing behaviors and lifestyles, and providing designers with the opportunity to reposition their value proposition and redefine the elements of good design. • Designers are accessing neuroscience research to better understand how and why humans react to environmental stimuli in built spaces. With particular consideration of persons with neurodivergent conditions, research will further inform design strategies and decisions to avoid using elements that could cause anxiety, stress, and overstimulation. Angela Eason, Allied ASID Communications Director 2019-2021
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Insta-Famous with Pacific Sales Quarantine couldn’t stop ASID OC and our Titanium Chapter Sponsor Pacific Sales from taking over the web with a series of interviews with some of Orange Counties best Interior Designers! Shaun Ayala, Marketing Manager for Pacific Sales, took on the task of interviewing each designer, livestreaming from Minnesota on his end on both Instagram and Facebook Live . With a potential combined audience of more then 35,000 followers between ASID and Pacific Sales we know our designers will impress! We hope to provide more virtual offerings like this as time goes by and we certainly thank all the designers who volunteered for an interview, your participation made this a blast!
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Tips from a Pro!
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ummer is here! It seems like this year has been dragging on forever! I am, however, encouraged by the number of designers and homeowners with big projects in the works. In fact, I have received several calls lately from designers who want information about the characteristics of certain fabrics and how they will stand up to everyday use as well as cleaning. While fabric selection is often a small part of the design project, it can have a big impact on client satisfaction. It’s very important to make responsible selections. The next time you are specifying fabrics, consider the six criteria listed below. Three criteria – color, style and client satisfaction are the domain of the designer, but perhaps I can provide some information about the additional three criteria, which are suitability, cleanability, and longevity. Suitability / Durability A beautiful fabric can light up a room, but regardless of the look, sometimes it is just not a good choice. A white silk in a sunny room is a good example. White silks tend to yellow over time, and silk is very susceptible to sun damage. Needlepoint carpets and rugs are great but not ideal for stairways. They may not hold up well to the paws and nails of family pets either. Cleanability In a room that is used constantly, cleanability is an important consideration. Certain fibers are simply more cleanable than others. Using a fabric with a rayon pile on a family room sofa can be a disaster when the client realizes that rayon is difficult to maintain. This does not mean that every fabric selection must be steel-like and dull, only that fabrics and carpets specified for high use should be able to withstand spotting and overall cleaning so they can be enjoyed without worry for the client. Many designers are shifting to some incredible “performance” fabrics that are both stylish and durable. Longevity Longevity should always be part of the selection criteria. Choosing quality fabrics that will last and protecting them with soil and stain protection are the final steps in making a professional selection. One way to assure clients that longevity has been considered is to talk to them about fabric protection DURING the selection process, rather than thinking of it as an “addon.” Letting the client know about resources that can help them with maintenance, cleaning and after-care shows the client that you respect the costs they are incurring and want to help them protect their investment. While no one can determine how long a certain fabric will last, making selections with these criteria in mind should certainly help you and your client conclude that you have done your best to choose the best! 2020 has been a challenge to say the least. However, it is exciting to see many designers I personally know who are really busy with great projects. Let’s make the balance of 2020 the best we possibly can! Derek Fisher, Industry partner Fiber Seal At Large Director 2017-2020 14
2020 Outlook of Design An excerpt on "Education”
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ccording to the College Board, over 300 universities offer interior design as a major discipline and 179 are accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). Business-related courses continue to be included in the interior design curriculum, which has been identified as vital knowledge for the profession.
Diversity is moderately increasing among interior design students and in interior design programs. The importance of work experience coupled with business will continue to enrich the educational experience and prepare graduates for the profession. Technology has also changed the way students interact with their professors and is changing the
traditional learning experience. The interior design profession is ever-changing, and with the overall number of interior design degrees conferred decreasing, colleges and universities will have to take on the challenge of offering skills-training and innovative resources to prepare students to be successful upon graduation, to compete in this current economic environment, and to remain a strong program within higher education. National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) holders are continuing to increase, surpassing 33,000 in 2019, and maintaining representation among the highest employed interior designer states. • The past decade saw positive year-over-year growth in the number of NCIDQ holders, with an average annual growth rate of three percent. However, 2019 showed the slowest growth of the decade, almost one percentage point lower than the average. • The top five states with most NCIDQ certifications are the same as the top five states with the most interior designers (California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois). The pace of increase in the number of NCIDQ holders has subsided, but continues to see growth. The slow pace of growth may continue as the number of interior designers slow as well; however, with increasing recognition of the significant role interior designers play and the impact design has on the human experience, the importance of certification will continue, if not grow. In Conclusion the interior design industry and profession has made tremendous progress over the past decade—from the increase in the number of designers and firms to the gains in salary and wages. The future is looking positive. However, there are opportunities for improvement, including a push for the industry to become more resilient, especially when it comes to demographics, distribution of financial gains, and diversity of sectors and services. The markets are forecasted to slow down rather than heat up over the next few years, but with persistence, the potential for growth is great. Jayne Jacobson, Student ASID SRB 2019-2020 15
Committee Chairs Mingles Chair & Co-Chair
Emerging Professionals Chair
Jessica Jones, Allied ASID Angela Blake jessica@jessjonesdesigngroup.com angelacblake@gmail.com Pamela Barthold, Associate ASID Pazzamdesign@gmail.com
Gala and Design Awards Chair & Co-Chair
Pop Up Events Chair & Co-Chair
John Henry Kaufman, Allied ASID jh@johnhenrydesigns.com
Mari Garcia, Allied ASID mari@blushhouseinteriors.com
Angela Blake angelacblake@gmail.com
Betty Lang, Allied ASID langstudiodesign@gmail.com
Technology Chair Steve Huang, IP s.huang@cscdgllc.com
Industry Partner Liaison James Schaefer
Hospitality
james.schaefer@calligaris.com
Zara Estakhr, Allied ASID zdecor.ze@gmail.com
Holiday Party Chair Sue Rexroth, Allied ASID suerexroth@pacbell.net
Historical Design Tour Zoya Mirzai, Allied ASID
Calendar Until further notice, due to COVID-19 we are postponing all of our currently scheduled events. ASID OC wants to assure all our members that we are committed to the health, safety, and livelihood of our members. We are striving to find ways to connect our chapter during these unusual times and will be updating our members by email as move forward.
Thank you for your continued support. 16
Welcome New Members PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS
Lyssa Leahdora Taylor, Student ASID
Martha Lynn Brandon, ASID
Gabriela Gutierrez, Student ASID
ALLIED MEMBERS
INDUSTRY PARTNERS
Lauren Elizabeth Osborne, Allied ASID
Delos Rugs True Residential
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Fine Fusions
Tricia Tedio-Smith, Associate ASID
PIRCH Verlin Richins Bespoke Window Covering
STUDENT MEMBERS
Circa Lighting
Xin G Schiffman, Student ASID Julie Corcoran, Student ASID
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