”yeah I’m live is it live never taught this is working hi guys happy Monday we’re back who’s excited for another week of work how’s everybody’s weekend by everybody I mean all three of you I don’t know what you guys did for Mother’s Day but we had a really nice weekend which at the farmers market cooked some dinner had a nice little barbecue last yesterday very normal very sweet it was perfect I wanted to say thank you guys first and foremost for all the nice comments about the Covenant House episode this week on homemade simple big deal very excited is a really important organization something that I take really seriously thank you guys for all your support and your kind words of being so gracious about the whole thing so today first we hit 200,000 followers is that what we call them yeah 200,000 yay which means that our community is growing which I’m excited about – Taiwan I’d say this every time we do these but I really appreciate the opportunity to connect with you all of you guys and have a conversation even though it’s really just me talking to myself
it’s in reference to you so that makes it better doesn’t feel like a total crazy person what you guys think of the Covenant house episode did everybody see it who saw it would you what you think I broke into ugly cry about four times so for those of you who don’t know covenant house is this really amazing organization across the country really but we were in the Hollywood branch and they are really special to me and they help homeless youth starts at ages 18 and up so we went in there and redid their great room and you know something that was really important to get both Nate and I this season is to talk about home and the many different ways that you can translate home and connect to it which I think is really amazing because it’s designers you know we don’t really get a chance to connect to the real meaning of home unless you’re actively trying it you know with clients and everything is just about making a room look pretty but I believe in making it reflect a person’s personality and their story and where they’ve been from where they’re going so I’m glad you guys liked it it was a really fun emotional episode the Covenant Houston there’s only three miles from our house crazy
it’s a world away so today we’re gonna talk about if I should shave my head or not I’m just gonna would not be a cute look hi from England Bella marzo says I was so moved and motivated to contribute that’s so sweet you guys check it out the Covenant org if you guys want to contribute there’s a homeless youth is through the roof so anything you can do to help as simple things just like donating toothbrush and toothpaste and towels and it makes a big difference so today I was with less serious now we’re going to talk about how we got started and this business and give you any advice I can if any so shoot away give me any of your high from the Caribbean of Trinidad so jealous I’d like to be there Shirl our baby nurse who’s now basically just my surrogate grandmother and lived with us for three years she’s from Trinidad so hi Trinidad so a couple questions these are like some of the most popular questions that got sent to us how did you get started I for those of you don’t know I have absolutely no business being a decorator I have no formal training at all I used to design furniture for people as a hobby and then furniture turned into rooms and then rooms turned into homes and homes turned in clubs and businesses and then it kind of graduated into a business but I grew up obsessed with imagining how people could live in a space
I used to go on the weekends my parents and we would go through open homes and I would sit there and think about how I could reimagine the space which should have been the first clue to my parents but I wanted to go redecorate homes on the weekend but I’ve always been kind of really fuelled by this connection that people have with their home and that translation it’s all very psychosomatic and I take it very seriously because I think your home could really change your entire life so you know it’s and watching your home shift somebody just asked you know how is it going with two babies amazing you know but life shifts and you know you can feel it intrinsically right away so the idea that your home should shift with you that’s really kind of what I’m connected to so I hope you guys are liking that process somebody else asked if you need a proper education for interior design listen I mean school is cool like I get like I’m not gonna you know I’ve got kids I’m gonna tell them to go to school I think there’s nothing better than an education I think that nothing can stop you from doing what you want to do if you’re passionate and you believe in yourself when you bet on yourself so for me I went to school for marketing and advertising
now I’m designing sofas so you know it’s it’s what fuels you paths with passion Rachel Zoe actually gave me the best piece of advice when she said you know you should not be styling and it’s like what do you mean I got a fashion she says no you look fashion but we’re doing a photo shoot and you’re more worried about the sofa that the model was sitting on then you’re worried about the model and she’s right you know I care you know I don’t care about the silhouette of a coat I care about a silhouette of a sofa so follow your passion I from Poland cool I’m gonna go to Poland have you been a pond no how do you hone in two different perspectives clients and yours into a design concept I get this question a lot because I’m not designing for me my design aesthetic is very personal and you know it took me a long time to find it the cool thing about my design firm and the people that I’m lucky enough to work with both that work with me at my office and our clients is my job is to be a lens I did to translate their style I’m not over traditional but if a family’s we put traditional
how can I translate it in a way that feels fresh that feels personal and one of the things that I love about the clients that we take on is that a very short one of them right and I had this angle it’s really special one of the things that I love about the clients that we take on is that there are a multitude of design aesthetics we have a traditional house in New York we have a beach house there we have you know it’s that kind of idea that I don’t want to create one design aesthetic and I’m fueled by the people that we actually work with so damn that’s it Nicky says I love how sentimental you are that’s a nice way of saying I cried too much Nicky but thank you you know I’m deeply passionate about the work that my husband and I get to do both on the show and life and that much I can’t hide so I’m glad you guys are enjoying it hello from Taiwan hello hi from Toronto this is so crazy do you have times where you questioned yourself during the design process yeah I always questioned myself I mean I feel like if you’re an artist you question yourself constantly and you’re always wondering you know is this am I pushing myself hard enough I never questioned my my gut instinct but I always am wondering can I do more can it we go further with this you know I always challenged the people in my office
what are we doing how can we make this different what’s our reference I’m really inspired lately by historical references and places across the world and you know the way things used to be done and how meticulous they were I think there was a real beauty to that [Music] kanika asks as she sits behind me what exactly you’re always talking about layering what does that mean so layering is really important you know the first there’s a and I think that there’s three fundamental layers here on that first layer is just the clean furniture sofas chairs you know basic silhouettes things that kind of are timeless and can transition with you for now a decade if need be or longer the second layer is kind of that really beautiful stuff pillows accessories pottery ceramics things that kind of help weave a story about where you’re at currently in life and what you’re drawn to and then that third layer which I think is the most important is the personal stuff the photographs the memorabilia the things that you’ve collected that things have been passed down to you the pieces that are really important and I think it’s the most important part of the home so those are the layers I would say what is your biggest career wish and how did you get past the fear oh well my biggest career risk I think starting my own design firm was my biggest risk you know I left a working for Rachel Zoe who was a great teacher and a lot of ways tell me a lot about professional maturity and how to grow up and I made a huge risk and bet on myself
I sold almost everything I had I worked out of my living out of my living room and sold everything to kind of buy my LLC and start my business it was a big risk but it paid off and continues to pay off so but I guess my biggest advice would be something that my husband always says which is you’ve got a bet on yourself I swear if people just believed in themselves and believed in their ability it would change the world you know get out of your own way who sounds so queer and cliché but there’s a reason it’s a cliché where is the best way to grow my interior design business that’s a good question but me now I would say currently engage engage get out there meet people network introduce the world to you social media is a brave new platform and a really amazing extension of conversations like this to connect with other designers you know I think the best way to grow is to listen and talk and share so that’s why I’m doing this um can let’s see do you even know how much I love you oh that’s so nice thank you people are very nice people had a lot to say about my Diane Keaton outfits everybody’s got an opinion about my pant what do you guys think you like do you hate my high-waisted pants do you like them I can promise you the progress of what you say I’m gonna continue wearing them so but I think it’s funny nobody loves you more than anything highly uh – Taiwan do you guys have any other fun questions what’s everybody’s plan for the week anybody excited about the week anything fun going on I’m gonna be going on The Today Show on Wednesday morning so you guys stay tuned I’m excited about it I’m going to talk about some inexpensive ways to add some personality to your home you know keep the conversation going I’m excited can I cook yes
I’d love to cook I cook all the time especially to kids there’s like the ceremony of cooking for you family I think is a blast what if papi wants to be an interior designer more power to her pop the good news about our daughter and the biggest gift that I can promise you that my husband and I are giving her is that she is growing up a free of expectations she can be whatever or whomever she wants to be and I think that’s a big deal and currently she wants to be a pink princess that’s in control of all the octopus’s that’s what I was told this morning so maybe interior designers next all right I have a couple questions before I get out of your face and you stopped listening to my voice Naomi says you’re wonderful parents that’s very clear from the show Naomi thank you we try we have our good days we have our bad but we appreciate every opportunity that we have with our family let’s see a favourite room in your home that changes every week right now my favourite room in our home is a TV room which is very original but I like this you say you shaped a sofa and it’s kind like a pick and the last couple nights every time I’m in there with my son he falls asleep on my chest and I pass out
I’ll post a photo of it like last night I just passed out there was a time in my life where I went out to a club and passed out yeah I thought I saw an infant on me so things have shifted for me in a big way so everybody’s growing up all right one other question let’s see anybody else so not cuz she I’m gonna butcher that daughter’s a big vinegar too she got her boards result congratulations this somebody asked my husband and I are going through an adoption process any advice first of all I’m sending a big my the biggest break a leg good luck to you I didn’t have never adopted you know we went through a surrogacy with our kids but I think what you’re doing is really dude and there’s so many kids out there that need a beautiful home so I’m sending you guys tons of love and tons of light know that it’s a massive success I feel like you’re gonna be very good parents alright guys I’m leaving because I have to actually go work before people start yelling at me oh yeah I see this is always telling you what to do hi oh she is she’s a troublemaker um so again I just want to thank you guys two hundred thousand two hundred thousand followers is not a small deal I’m super grateful I really love the people this community that we’re building the conversation that were happening we’re having the passion that you guys all have or design the conversation the questions so thank you as always there’s Amanda thank you guys as always it’s a blast and I have to go by a very large pair of high waisted pants I’m just kidding thank you guys for everything we’ll talk to you soon you”
