Claim OwnershipTalk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production
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Delve into the personal worlds of the top interior designers & tastemakers around the globe – interviewed by Ariel Okin, House Beautiful Next Wave Designer, Founder of Fenimore Lane, and Contributing Writer to Vogue, Architectural Digest, & Coveteur. These insightful conversations range from a designer’s favorite resources when sourcing for clients, to how creatives, shopkeepers, and artisans built their businesses, and more. Tune in each Wednesday as Ariel welcomes a new guest to discuss their career journey, design inspirations and even share a little advice for fellow design enthusiasts!
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This week Ariel is headed into the hospitality world, as she welcomes Callie Stanton, Senior Vice President of Brand for Auberge Resorts Collection. For any design aficionado, Auberge properties are a must visit – their one-of-a-kind properties truly capture the soul of each destination. With 28 hotels and resorts around the globe, each one is unique, immersive, and incredibly luxurious – not to mention stunning. Beautiful, unique design is at the core of the Auberge experience. With over 15 years in the marketing industry, Callie leads all brand communications, strategic partnerships, social media, and influencer marketing for Auberge. We here at Talk Shop are beyond lucky to not only call her a friend, but also to have the opportunity to work with her on our annual Fenimore Lane Design Summit at the Mayflower Inn & Spa, an Auberge Resorts Collection property in the Connecticut countryside. Prior to joining Auberge, Callie spent eleven years at Nike Communications, a New York-based luxury communications agency, where she led the hospitality, real estate, and lifestyle divisions, and her first role in the industry was at the iconic Carlyle Hotel on the Upper East Side. She often jokes that she feels more at home at a hotel than anywhere else in the world, so we’d say she picked the perfect career. Join Ariel as we go behind the scenes of some of the most beautiful properties in the world!—Find your next Auberge destination: https://aubergeresorts.com/Follow Callie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callieestanton/--From Ariel and the Talk Shop team, we'd like to wish you all a very happy holidays. We'll be taking a short break and return in the new year with even more incredible guests. So have a happy new year and see you in 2025!
On this week’s episode, Ariel is joined by the duo behind Weezie Towels, Liz Eichholz and Lindsey Johnson. Launched in 2018, Weezie Towels is not only our favorite brand for gorgeous towels, but also a true embodiment of a modern, luxury direct to consumer brand with a big heart. Weezie’s origin story is the stuff of lore: Newly married, Liz had a lackluster experience looking for embroidered towels. She approached her long-time friend Lindsey, and the two agreed that there was a gap in the market. They hit the ground running to modernize this niche space, eventually introducing the world to Weezie. Liz, Weezie’s Creative Director, was born and raised in Austin, Texas. After receiving a BFA in graphic design from the University of Georgia, she spent five years in New York working in creative, including at Uncommon Goods and Bustle before moving to Savannah, GA with her husband and three children. Managing the business side, CEO Lindsey spent her childhood with stops around the US, before attending Vanderbilt for undergrad, and then Columbia Business School. She spent almost a decade in New York City, before planting roots in Atlanta with her husband and three children. With fifteen years of friendship, and over five years at Weezie (plus six kids between the two of them!), Liz and Lindsey constantly inspire us here, and hopefully you too, as you listen in on the conversation about entrepreneurship in the design world.—Start your own collection of Weezie Towels: https://weezietowels.com/ and use the code TALKSHOP15 for 15% off your entire order. Order ASAP for delivery in time for the holidays!—Follow Liz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liz_weezie/Follow Lindsey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsey_weezie/Follow Weezie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weezietowels/
This week Ariel welcomes our first husband-wife duo to the podcast! Travis and Rhiannon, lead Hageman Homes, a Residential Interior Design and Custom Home Building Firm located in Oakville, Ontario. The couple's path to design began with a love of traditional architecture, decoration and craftsmanship. What started as a custom home building firm has evolved into a boutique design studio where architectural storytelling and deeply personal interiors come together with beautiful results. Rhiannon's full-service interior design approach celebrates the art of layering, from storied antiques and classic textiles to collected pieces that whisper of lives well-lived. Her spaces feel as though they've been thoughtfully assembled over generations, each room telling its own unique story. Travis brings his expertise in engineering, design and construction management to their practice, ensuring that every detail and architectural element is executed with precision and authenticity. Together, the couple believe that truly great homes should feel lived-in and are to be enjoyed, spaces where memories can be made without worry, and where every corner holds something meaningful. Over the last 5 years the Hagemans have built a reputation for creating residences that honor traditional craftsmanship while embracing the way families really live. Their work has garnered attention throughout Canada and the US, with features in Veranda and House & Home, where they continue to craft spaces that feel both sophisticated and deeply personal, designed to be cherished for generations to come. —Learn more about Hageman Homes: https://hagemanhomes.ca/Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hagemanhomesinteriors/
This week we’re journeying to the storied past of NYC and the East Village as Ariel welcomes the founder and visionary behind the Il Buco hospitality group, Donna Lennard. For the last thirty years, Donna has been at the forefront of ingredient-driven Italian/Mediterranean cuisine, winning numerous accolades, including a rare three star New York Times review for il Buco Alimentari. With the recent launch of Il Buco Vita, the group's foray into the home space, Lennard's impact on creating warm, inviting and lasting interiors is even more impactful. Donnabegan her career as an independent film producer and worked in restaurants all over Manhattan during her school years, where she initially met Alberto Avalle, a “foodie” from Umbria. In 1994, she and Alberto stumbled upon a storefront on cobblestoned Bond Street and created il Buco, which was initially opened as an antique shop. Il Buco catered to the tastes of the artists living in the area who quickly discovered thatDonnaand Alberto not only had an eye for beautiful antiques, but also a refined taste for delicious food and wine. It didn’t take long before the store transformed into the buzzy restaurant it remains to date, in a gorgeous interior setting to boot.Since the opening of il Buco,Donnahas opened three more restaurants in New York City, the Hamptons and Ibiza, along with their coveted tabletop and lifestyle brand - il Buco Vita. The common thread weaving each area ofDonna’s locations is an inviting atmosphere of quiet luxury with an exquisite attention to detail.—Visit one of Donna’s Restaurants: https://ilbuco.com/Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ilbuco_av/And shop for your own piece from il Buco Vita: https://ilbucovita.com/
This week we’re joined by a guest whose prolific work in the architecture and interiors worlds is, quite literally, historic. Ben Pentreath is an English architectural and interior designer, whose firm has become known for its brilliant master-planning and urban development, along with incredibly detailed and beautiful private homes and playful interiors all over the world. As Ben says, “we love designing spaces that work beautifully for the long term, and feel right for the place.”Ben’s background is in Art History, which he studied at the University of Edinburgh before attending the Prince of Wales’s Institute of Architecture. He worked for five years in New York at Fairfax and Sammons, and then with the Prince’s Foundation, before starting his own practice in 2004.In 2023, Ben Pentreath was awarded the Richard H. Driehaus Prize, given to a living architect whose work embodies the highest principles of traditional and classical architecture and urbanism in contemporary society, and reflects positive cultural, environmental and artistic impacts. Ben is one of the youngest laureates of the award.Along the way, Ben has also established himself as an author, with regular contributions to the Financial Times and other journals, as well as three fantastic books which I adore. His most recent book, An English Vision, a monograph of the work of the practice, is out now with Rizzoli!---Learn more about Ben Pentreath’s Firm: https://www.benpentreath.com/Follow Ben on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benpentreath/Pick up a copy of Ben’s new book: https://pentreath-hall.com/products/english-decoration-copyArchitecture and Design Books Recommendations:Jame Gibbs' Book of Architecture - https://www.amazon.com/Gibbs-Book-Architecture-Eighteenth-Century-Classic/dp/0486466019Ben’s Blog on Living in Vogue - https://pentreath-hall.com/blogs/bens-posts/you-can-t-judge-a-book-by-its-cover
This week we’re joined by a designer who found her calling for interiors through a lifestyle blog she started on the side of her day job, back in 2009. Alexandra Kaehler (known as Alex!) is a talented interior designer whose work has been recognized on prestigious industry lists such as House Beautiful’s Next Wave and Luxe Magazine’s “Gold List”. Alex began what she believed to be her dream career in advertising, and soon realized interior design was actually her calling. Through her blog, and a postgraduate program at Harrington College of Design, Alex began to take on clients, and eventually opened her firm, Alexandra Kaehler Design, in 2011. Alex believes the most important element of design is to fill your home with things you love – nothing should be so fragile or delicate that you aren’t able to enjoy it. If you ask Alex, a home is meant to be loved and lived in. (And we agree!) More than a decade out since founding her firm, Alex still calls Chicago her home, with her husband and children. Her beautiful work has been featured in numerous publications and websites including House Beautiful, Domino, Luxe, Vogue, The Chicago Tribune, and The Wall Street Journal, and you can follow the behind the scenes of her own home renovation of a historic property in the Chicago suburbs, on her Instagram account, @alexkaehlerdeisgn. —Learn more about Alexandra’s firm: https://alexandrakaehler.com/Follow Alexandra on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexkaehlerdesign
This week we’re honored to welcome an incredibly talented interior designer with a prolific career, Alessandra Branca. Born and raised in Rome, Alessandra has called Chicago home for over 30 years. Alessandra acquired her love for classical beauty from her Italian upbringing, and those roots still speak to her soul today. Her designs are anchored by classical details: rich colors, patterns and textures, antique and custom furnishings, modern and European art, and distinctive accessories.As an Art History student, Alessandra started collecting architectural and natural history prints, and after attending college and then moving to America, she opened a print business. Her shop, fashioned to look like a charming home, led to requests from customers to decorate for them, and the rest was history. Alessandra’s work has been featured in countless magazines, including Architectural Digest, Town & Country, The New York Times, Veranda, and Elle Decor, and has been recognized within the industry with a myriad of awards, including House Beautiful’s Master Class. Inspiration comes from all facets of Alessandra’s life, including design, history, art, nature, and travel, and she is continually seeking and exploring – I was incredibly inspired by this conversation and I hope you will be too. ---Follow Alessandra on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abrancaLearn more about her work: https://branca.com/
This week’s guest cut her teeth on the fabulous sets of Hollywood, before transitioning her set design experience into a career: as one of the most sought-after interior designers in LA.Mandy Cheng launched her solo design career first as a production and graphic designer in the film industry. You can find her design work in music videos for chart-topping names such as J.Cole, and One Republic, & DJ Snake, and her graphic design on projects ranging from 20th Century Women and Ladybird to Beyonce's Lemonade.Mandy quickly realized she had a passion for interiors, and she has received widespread acclaim: her work on Emmy Raver-Lampman and Daveed Diggs’s home, landed the April 2021 cover of AD, and she most recently designed Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita’s home, which was featured in AD and their fan-favorite platform, Open Door.Since she founded Mandy Cheng Design, Mandy has been named to the prestigious AD 100 list for three years in a row, and has designed a wide range of spaces, including residential and commercial, all spanning the country.---Learn more about Mandy Cheng’s Design Studio: https://www.mandychengdesign.com/And follow Mandy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandychengdesign/
For this week’s episode, it’s a Talk Shop first, as we welcome a duo (!) – lifelong friends and now co-founders,Hannah Weil McKinley and Leah Melby Clinton.Hannah and Leah first met over a decade ago, during their time spent in editorial at POPSUGAR–a pop culture site that covers all things from fashion to beauty to shopping. After the birth of Hannah’s first daughter, she felt a seismic shift, and began to look for and share more candid stories around motherhood and womanhood. Across the country, Leah started to kick around an idea of creating a space for community. Then the pandemic hit, and the beginnings of In Kind took route.Printed twice yearly, and available digitally, In Kind is thoughtfully curated and touches on the conversations modern women are having: about motherhood, career, ambition, personal style, and of course, interiors. As Hannah and Leah say, In Kind is a conversation around the things that really matter, focused on capturing, exploring, and supporting the questions and dreams that women are having with each other. (And I agree, as a personal fan of the magazine.)---Learn more about In Kind: https://inkindmagazine.com/And follow Hannah and Leah on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/hannahmck20https://www.instagram.com/leahmelbyclinton
We’re thrilled to kick off Season Three with the fifth-generation creative leader of an incredible 125 year-old family business: Jennifer Gracie. Gracie creates some of the most beautiful and beloved custom hand-painted wallpapers in the world, utilized by many esteemed designers and celebrities around the globe.Founded in 1928 in New York City, James Gracie originally sold custom lamps and home furnishings, until the 1920s, when the company began to offer Chinese and Japanese furniture, screens, and porcelain. Soon after, Gracie became the first company to import hand painted wallpapers to the United States since the 1700’s. Today, the studio has showrooms in New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas, and several exclusive collaborations with luxury companies such as Aerin, Estee Lauder, Stubbs and Wooton, and more.Our guest this week is Gracie's Creative Director, Jennifer, who oversees the company’s day-to-day operations, social media, new collections, inspirations for custom projects and more. Alongside her brother and company president, Mike, and Jenn’s son and Sales Director, Zach Shea, they continue to carry out Charles R. Gracie’s legacy and maintain the family’s generations-long commitment to exceptional design. “The Art of Gracie”, available now from Rizzoli, is a glorious celebration of America’s most storied hand painted wallpaper company, featuring dozens of rooms by today’s top interior designers.—Follow Gracie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/graciestudio/Pick up your own copy of “The Art of Gracie” plus learn more about the upcoming book tour: https://graciestudio.com/the-art-of-gracie-book
Join me, Ariel Okin, interior designer, editor and writer, as I kick off season three of my design podcast, Talk Shop. Each week, I welcome the foremost tastemakers from around the globe to chat about how they built their businesses, where they find inspiration for new projects, and key pieces of advice they’ve learned along the way. And you don’t have to wait long, as we welcome our first guest of season three next Wednesday, September 25th. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. See you soon!
In our final episode for the season, the theme is all about lighting a room, live from our second panel from the Fenimore Lane Design Summit, held at the Mayflower Inn & Spa. In partnership with Mitzi, Ariel is joined by fellow Mitzi Tastemaker, Anthony D’Argenzio of Zio and Sons, on the how-tos of decorative lighting and how they've styled some of the most popular fixtures from their Mitzi Tastemaker collections. With a special nod to our moderator Luxe Magazine’s Grace Beuley Hunt. Tune in for their bright and lively discussion!
Thank you again for joining us for this season and stay tuned for season three coming this Fall!
Follow our panelist and moderator:
Anthony D’Argenzio: https://www.instagram.com/zioandsons/
Grace Beuley Hunt: https://www.instagram.com/gracebeuley/
Learn more about Mitzi’s ceiling, wall and lighting offers: https://mitzi.com/
And their Tastemakers: https://mitzi.com/Tastemakers
Recorded live this past Saturday at the Mayflower Inn and Spa, in partnership with Farrow & Ball, Ariel is joined by two fellow best-in-class panelists to chat color and interior design: This Oak House’s, Annie Meyers-Shyer and Farrow & Ball's Colour Consultant and author, Joa Studholme. Special thank you to our moderator Luxe Magazine’s Grace Beuley Hunt. We sit down to discuss our love of color, how we interact with it in a room, and share a few tips & tricks for choosing the right color for your home.
Follow our panelists:
Annie Meyers-Shyer - https://www.instagram.com/thisoakhouse/
Joa Studholme - https://www.instagram.com/joastudholme/
Grace Beuley Hunt - https://www.instagram.com/gracebeuley/
Learn more about Farrow & Ball’s new wallpapers and current color catalog: https://www.farrow-ball.com/
This week Ariel welcomes her friend, Amanda Jones Vaughan. A creative consultant and tastemaker with a career path that runs the gamut from cutting edge interior design startups to fashion powerhouses, Amanda has done it all. From NET-A-PORTER and J. Crew, to most recently, Editor-At-Large for Over The Moon, Amanda’s day-to-day involves overseeing events, content partnerships, and VIP services along with sharing top trends, product picks and styling content for brides and beyond.
After over a decade in Manhattan, Amanda returned to Philadelphia with her husband and 3 lively boys, where she is continuing to provide her keen sense of brand building through a growing consulting and styling business.
Follow Amanda over on Instagram and to learn where you can subscribe to her weekly newsletter, “That Said,” where she will be sharing her fresh take on aesthetics, an enthusiasm for unique finds and a healthy, humorous dose of motherhood reality.
https://www.instagram.com/amandajonesvaughan/
Books recommended by Amanda:
Move and Work by Malene Birger: https://www.amazon.com/Move-Work-Malene-Birger/dp/3832798099
Mr & Mrs Clark: Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell: https://www.artbook.com/9788836653768.html
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Also, we’re not wrapped for the season yet! Come back on May 22nd and the 29th for two special episodes recorded live from the Fenimore Lane Design Summit. And hopefully see you all at the Mayflower Inn on Saturday, May 18th!
Learn more about the Fenimore Lane Design Summit:
https://aubergeresorts.com/mayflower/experiences/fenimore-lane-design-summit/
On this week’s episode of Talk Shop, Ariel is joined by the accomplished interior designer, Hillary W. Taylor. Having grown up in the San Francisco area, Hillary learned the art of designing the home environment from her mother. After graduating from Princeton, she worked for an investment banking firm, before realizing design might be much more her style, and founding her business, Hillary W Taylor Interiors in 2003.
Known for her neo-traditional design style that seamlessly blends classic elegance with contemporary elements. Her work exudes a sense of refined sophistication, creating spaces that are both timeless and inviting. With a keen eye for detail, Hillary blends colors, textures and patterns to achieve a sense of balance and harmony, with a bit of her own eclectic charm.
And when Hillary is not in the design studio, one might find her digging in the dirt, on the running trail, or cheering on one of her four children at their sports games, all while awaiting her next plane ride to adventure.
Learn more about Hillary’s design firm: https://hillarytaylorinteriors.com/
This week is all about legacy, as Ariel joined by Eliza Crater Harris, the Chief Creative Officer of American heritage brand, Sister Parish Design. As the great-granddaughter of design icon Sister Parish, Eliza's work honors her family's design legacy by overseeing product development, textile production, visual merchandising, and marketing initiatives for Sister Parish Design.
After graduating from the University of St. Andrews in 2011, Eliza began her career in the decorative arts in New York City, training under some of the most prestigious design firms in the country. From there Eliza joined her family business in 2018, and under Eliza's creative vision, the company continues to honor the story of great American houses. Sister believed that to decorate is to dream and Sister Parish Design is a family of dreamers.
Learn more about Sister Parish Design: https://sisterparishdesign.com/
Ariel’s guest this week has over two decades of experience in the interiors world, both in print and digital. Tori Mellott is the Style Director at Frederic Magazine, and Director of Video Content at Frederic Media. Throughout her storied career, with stops at House Beautiful, Domino Magazine, Martha Stewart and Traditional Home, to name a few, Tori has curated a deep understanding of print and digital storytelling.
When she’s not behind the editor’s desk, Tori is a face many know in the industry both as a social media personality as the Instagram Live host for Schumacher, as well as a mentor to various designers, stylists, photographers, writers and editors in the industry.
Originally from a small town in western Pennsylvania, Tori now resides in New York City with her ten year old twin daughters. Listen in as Ariel has a lovely conversation with this industry legend!
Follow Tori’s design inspirations on her instagram at https://www.instagram.com/torimellott/
On this week’s episode of Talk Shop, Ariel is joined by Katie Rosenfeld, a fellow self-taught designer, whose career started on Wall Street, but eventually led to design through starting her blog, Bogle Street, in 2007. Originally from Tampa, Florida, she would spend time in New York and Los Angeles before landing in Massachusetts with her family. In 2012, after her Boston home was published in Better Homes and Gardens, Katie would launch her design career and eventually her own firm, Katie Rosenfeld & Co.Katie is equal parts vintage and modern, never trendy and always comfortable, she brings this same sense of stylish-ease to her designs. Her firm’s goal is to design a home to feel warm, comfortable and familiar, but thoughtfully designed, well-functioning and beautiful. At the end of the day, Katie’s aim is a home that reflects the clients’ life ― with Katie’s signature warmth and layers peppered throughout.Learn more about Katie’s firm: https://katierosenfeldandco.com/
And her upcoming retail site for Vanity and Co: https://www.instagram.com/vanityandcompany/
Joining Ariel this week is Caroline Gidiere, an acclaimed interior designer and tastemaker based in Birmingham, Alabama. Caroline’s design aesthetic is a modern take on traditional interiors, using beautiful pieces and classic textiles to create spaces that are fresh and timeless.
Raised in the South, Caroline’s principles of design were absorbed by watching her mother, a talented seamstress who wasn’t afraid of a complicated pattern or roll of wallpaper. But Caroline didn’t always work in design – after years as a business and litigation lawyer, where she even even clerked for a federal judge for a few years, Caroline eventually found her way to design full time with the help of her husband, after designing her own home, which was featured on the cover of Veranda Magazine in 2020.
Pick up your own copy of Emily’s recent book, “Mario Buatta: Anatomy of a Decorator”:
https://www.amazon.com/Mario-Buatta-Emily-Evans-Eerdmans/dp/0847873579
And learn more about the gallery and upcoming exhibitions: https://www.eerdmansnewyork.com/
Join us this week as we dive into design history with Emily Evans Eerdmans. Emily is the founder of Eerdmans, a fine and decorative arts gallery and consultancy in New York City. Her most recent book, Mario Buatta: Anatomy of a Decorator, is now available. A close friend of Mario’s, Emily oversaw the dispersal of his estate, including the blockbuster auction of the Prince of Chintz’s prized possessions at Sotheby’s. Emily’s book presents the key learnings and decorative history of Buatta, one of America’s most famous interior decorators.Along with Anatomy of a Decorator, Emily has also authored a long list of books, including monographs on Madeleine Castaing and Henri Samuel. With a Master’s degree in Fine and Decorative Arts from Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, Emily has taught design history at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the New York School of Interior Design.
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Pick up your own copy of Emily’s recent book, “Mario Buatta: Anatomy of a Decorator”: https://www.amazon.com/Mario-Buatta-Emily-Evans-Eerdmans/dp/0847873579
And learn more about the gallery and upcoming exhibitions: https://www.eerdmansnewyork.com/
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