The C.Next Experience: Community, Innovation and Inspiration

Casey: 00:00:32

Hi, I'm Casey.

Rainey: 00:00:33

And I'm Rainey. Welcome to the Reframing Design podcast. If you're a new designer, a seasoned designer, a homeowner or a home enthusiast, you are in the right place.

Casey: 00:00:44

We are going to talk about all things design. Our stories, our opinions, our experiences. And we're probably going to chase a few rabbits down a few rabbit holes.

But one thing we can guarantee, we will not talk about politics.

Rainey: 00:00:58

So when we decided we were talking about our wins right before the cameras started rolling and we decided to do a combo win. A combo win. So take it away.

Casey: 00:01:09

Well, no, we wouldn't say it together. We're talking. It's.

Rainey: 00:01:12

We're talking at kbis, which this is.

Casey: 00:01:16

Going to come aired after K Biz is done. But we just got off a call.

Rainey: 00:01:21

We just got off the call and it's nuts.

be wild if next year for KBIS: 2025

Casey: 00:01:49

It's called a bhag Big hairy, audacious goal. Which seemed big, hairy and audacious. And now we're talking. We're doing it two times, maybe two guests. We get to. So anyways, that's.

Rainey: 00:02:01

We really don't know all the deets yet. We literally are flying high because we just got off the call. But we're going to interview some rad designer.

Casey: 00:02:08

Rad designer. And some rad vendor.

Rainey: 00:02:10

And some rad vendor.

Casey: 00:02:11

Introduce them to you guys. We don't know who they are about them ourselves. Yeah, we.

And the reason we are getting to do this is actually about what our episode was supposed to be about, which was a little CNEXT wrap up and how fabulous that was. And so the fact that this all happened in this, like, anyway, it's kismet, love.

Rainey: 00:02:33

It's kismet.

Casey: 00:02:34

It is.

Rainey: 00:02:35

So CNEXT is, for those of you who don't know, it's Cosentino. They do an event, they have CNEXT fabricators where they invite all of the stone fabricators that install their product around the United States.

Right.

Casey: 00:02:51

Cosentino is the lot.

Rainey: 00:02:53

What did I say?

Casey: 00:02:54

Well, no, no, no. C. Next. But like Cosentino sponsors. Sponsors, yeah.

Rainey: 00:02:59

So they don't even just sponsor. It's like their thing.

Casey: 00:03:02

Yeah, it's. They put the entire thing together and Then bring in the fantastic other vendors for us to learn and learn from.

But anyway, so I just met for the fabricator part, because it was that tie in the. Why.

Rainey: 00:03:14

Yeah, that's great. So I'm sorry that I left that part out. So Cosentino is a countertop company.

They have the most amazing products that can be used for cladding, flooring, countertop tops, showers, more and more applications, really.

And so they invite the fabricators, which I think is awesome, because then the fabricators know all the new products that we're about to bring to them. Is that genius?

Casey: 00:03:40

It's brilliant. But, like, so fabrication, which is, if you're not in the construction side of it, it's the.

The ones who come and actually take the slabs and put the sinks in and put it on your counters and do all those fabulous things on your countertops. Because I. Before I really knew construction very well, I didn't know what a fabricator was exactly.

And so if you have a great fabricator, it makes a world of difference. And so the fact in their products are so unique and so learning how.

Rainey: 00:04:06

To use them is for them to be installed properly, Right? Yeah. Because if not, no bueno. And then the second half of the week, they do scene X designers. And we just got back from that, and I know.

Was this your first, fourth time to go?

Casey: 00:04:22

With only my third. This was their fourth year, but that was, I guess, a small, very intimate, great group of designers. And I am not in.

Rainey: 00:04:30

Stop it.

Casey: 00:04:31

I do not want wheelhouse, so I got to come the next year. But. Yeah.

Rainey: 00:04:34

And so you've been three years. This is my first time to go.

I was supposed to go the previous two years, but some challenges with aging parents and that sort of thing made it so I had to back out both years. But this year was sort of. It was neat. It was very neat to be able to go. And.

Casey: 00:04:53

And will you continue going?

Rainey: 00:04:55

So I said, I mean, I'll never miss it.

Is between High Point Market, where we learned so much about furnishings and what's coming out that's new and trends, and we put eyes and eyes on things and bottoms and seats for sit tests. I will never miss. See next. I just won't. Are you ever going to miss it?

Casey: 00:05:16

I don't think so.

It's so funny analogy, but I ran Boston one year, and I was going back the following year, and my grandpa said, well, I thought you already did that one. Why would you go back? And I'm like, if you get in a box, like, you go. If you're invited. What are you talking about?

Rainey: 00:05:31

What are you talking about?

Casey: 00:05:32

If I. Yeah, this is. That's what I feel I could see next.

If they continue to give me that, like, okay, extend an invitation on the email as soon as it opens. Which, if you are interested, it sold out fast this year, so be on your. Ready for your email.

Rainey: 00:05:45

Yeah, two weeks. I think they said it sold out.

Casey: 00:05:48

And because it's a small group, Right. We only had, what, 350 people total and 200 of those designers or something like that this year. We'll have to get the exact numbers. But.

Rainey: 00:05:58

But really, what I. What I was struck by, and they talked about it several times during the week, is the amount of love that goes in putting Scenex together.

And from the minute you step off the plane this year, it was in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and you had a driver that picked you up. When you got to the hotel, there was somebody who made checking in very easy and your bags were whisked off.

And then you checked in and downloaded the app and got your little arriving party favor and your cocktail and. And everything was so, so seamless. And you got assigned a butler. Okay, so I have to talk about this.

So the very first day when I And my butler's name was Roberto. What was your name?

Casey: 00:06:48

Guillermo.

Rainey: 00:06:49

Guillermo.

Casey: 00:06:49

Oh, he's so dull.

Rainey: 00:06:50

So the very first day, I realized the power of Roberto, because, Casey, you were so nice to pick up my shoes at the shoe hospital because I had these shoes at the shoe. And then we had that snowpocalypse thing happen, so I couldn't go pick them up.

But the shoe hospital was right by your house, and you picked them up and brought them in your suitcase. Well, I had to wear them that very first night. I mean, those are my first night shoes. And I was like, oh, my gosh, you're two buildings away.

How am I going to do this? So I asked Roberto on my WhatsApp to go to your room, gave him your room number, and he just whisked in, took them, and brought them back to me.

So right after that, I sent a message to my husband, and I said, I have my own butler. I'm not coming home. And his response was. That tracks. I love you.

Casey: 00:07:39

Let's just first say that you also texted, my butler is coming to pick up my shoes. And I came back with, have you ever in your life texted those words? Because I've never received a text that said something like that.

My butler is coming. It was hysterical.

Rainey: 00:07:54

It seemed so normal, though, when I typed it, but when you. I went back and read it and I was like, oh, my God, they made it.

Casey: 00:08:02

Everything was just such a quiet luxury. I just heard that and I loved the phrase. That is actually what CNEXT kind of instills in you.

It is quiet luxury because nobody's slapping you over the face with, look what we did. They just make it. So that's what you're doing. And you don't even realize how catered to and taken care of you are.

Rainey: 00:08:21

Yeah.

Casey: 00:08:21

And that's the quiet. That's the goal we want for. To give our clients. Right. So that's why going to these things.

Rainey: 00:08:26

Is so huge, so amazing.

Casey: 00:08:28

Because, you know, we talked a little bit about our backgrounds and stuff, but, you know, I didn't grow up even close to what we. So you need to know how our. That client is being treated and what, how they should be treated and if.

Rainey: 00:08:40

And what they feel like when they experience quiet luxury.

Casey: 00:08:44

Yes. And so, yeah, it kind of comes around. So, yeah, that. And so you got your shoes. And it was the White Party.

Rainey: 00:08:50

And the White Party, which, oh, my gosh, was just unbelievable. It was. So who did sponsor the White Party? I don't remember.

Casey: 00:09:01

Was it Perlich for the White Party?

Rainey: 00:09:03

I don't know. Maybe Perlick. I think Perlick. And so when we say White Party, so we go out to this tent, it's on the beach and it's.

The lights are strung beautifully and the tables are long with these beautiful floral arrangements. And everybody had a place card. So there's something about being expected.

And I've talked about that a lot in my life, that when you go through periods of depression or you do have imposter syndrome, or you feel like you're somewhere that maybe you shouldn't be, and then you find out that you're expected, that it really transforms you from the inside out. And I think that's what a place card says.

It says, you know, Rainy Casey, we knew you were going to be here, and we purposely sat you by these people. And it was intentional. And then I don't eat beef or fish.

And so my meals that came out were different than everyone else's, but they knew where I sat. They knew my dietary preferences. And again, quiet luxury.

Casey: 00:10:09

It is quiet luxury. God, I hadn't even looked at it like that.

Just those little moments when they're taking care of you in such a way that nobody else at the table because saying you don't eat meat or saying you're gluten free or dairy free. Which is sort of my song and dance. I never want people to say. So I'll typically have to follow the waiter out when they ask the table.

Yeah, you know, is anybody here got allergies or anything? I swear. And then I just go and kind of shuffle along, because I don't want that to be. That's not the reason they're at dinner.

So I love that because they asked ahead of time. They asked all the questions, and they did. And Patty, Patty.

Rainey: 00:10:40

And all of that was. It was just really amazing. And then we had the meal, and then fireworks go off over the ocean. I mean, I can't even begin to tell you how spectacular.

Casey: 00:10:53

And to see an entire. So you're told beforehand what to wear. So the white, you know, is just for that. So everybody is white.

And for designers, that's tricky because you want to maybe bring your own pizzazz. And people follow the rope. I mean, they. It is white, and you bring it out. Maybe your shoes or an accessory.

But it's the most beautiful thing of all these 250 people. It's a fun night in music anyway. And that's a kickoff. Like, that's how it starts.

Rainey: 00:11:20

That's how it starts. And then the next morning, you start out.

We went to what was our meeting room, and they had theme music, the same song that played throughout the entire time that let you know it was time to go into the next panel, or it was time to celebrate. And one of the moments that. And you had food and drink, like, whatever.

Casey: 00:11:42

Oh, if someone was there with their coffee, which they come. They're amazing. But they had their coffee machines, which were killing it. And people. I mean, the line for that. Thank God they bought Moss Ball.

They're so gracious. But. And then the food. And then.

Rainey: 00:11:55

Right. You would think, oh, I would like to have some fruit right now. And you'd look over and there would be a spread of fruit.

Not a tiny bowl of fruit, but a spread of fruit. It was just magical. And then I remember when. Oh, gosh, what was his name From Cosentino, where he talked about the Paco or the Valentin.

Casey: 00:12:15

Valentin.

Rainey: 00:12:16

Oh, my gosh. The most precious man from Cosentino. And he got up on the first day and he talked about the new products. And again, the love in that.

Because he was literally saying all of the things that I was thinking about their products, like some things that I would love to see. They haven't talked to me, obviously.

They've talked to all sorts of designers, and obviously they've done their homework but out of love, translucency or different characteristics of the materials. And you're sitting there looking at them on the screen, right? They have digital images.

And then all of a sudden, over to your right, smoke starts going up, and there's all this fanfare, and these doors open up, and we get to go in and actually touch and feel the new products.

Casey: 00:13:08

But it's like, unbelievable. It was unbelievable. I smoke. I thought somebody's vape was going off or something. I'm like, what's happening?

Rainey: 00:13:15

Somebody's on fire. And there's.

Casey: 00:13:17

I'm such a geek. So I have to be. I don't want to be in the front row, because that's, of course, for the. All of the Cosentino's crew.

And then Kelly, Carrie, Kelly, and all these amazing people. Then there's a spot where I feel a little bit too eager, so I'm the third one back, which is so.

Rainey: 00:13:29

Funny because I chose the third row too. And we, like, sat across the aisle from each other.

Casey: 00:13:34

And so we just sat.

But in that first day, Paco Cosentino, he is the founding father, or his father founded it, but he really has taken this and he shared his story, and it was amazing because they have headphones because of course, he's, you know, speaking Spanish.

Rainey: 00:13:49

Yeah.

Casey: 00:13:49

So he told his story, and it was so fun to hear. Like, he would speak, and then the translator would come in, and then the place would erupt with either like a. Ah.

Or a laughter because he is so gracious. And I mean, what he has done in his story, just his fervor, like three attempts at different products.

And most people would have said, absolutely not.

Rainey: 00:14:10

I'm out.

Casey: 00:14:11

I'm out. But, you know, he had his dream and he had. For his. For his father family, and then for his kid, you know, his. Then nuclear. It was special.

I love that.

Rainey: 00:14:22

The family story. So didn't you. Did you. Did you hear that theme? Sort of throughout that there were so many family businesses and it was celebrated.

And I think that's interesting because I think in today's age, family businesses, it's almost like, well, you haven't made it. You just have a little family business. And throughout that entire thing, it was celebrated.

Casey: 00:14:46

Yes.

Rainey: 00:14:47

Did you notice that?

Casey: 00:14:48

I. Yes. Because they. They make. I think it's such a. Like a thread through their quilt. They kind of bring the people that partners with. On this is truly.

That is the group that they're bringing in. It's very special. Like Kohler.

Rainey: 00:15:03

Yeah.

Casey: 00:15:03

They had lower color speak last year. And Brittany was there this year for Kohler. Just that family business. I mean you don't think of Kohler, but it is. But it's.

That's a family business too.

Rainey: 00:15:13

It is a family business.

Casey: 00:15:14

We have how many? 20 vendors that we loved that were all. They're family run. So you, you had a favorite and I'm curious.

Rainey: 00:15:27

So I loved Urban Bonfire. It is so outdoor kitchens. We live in Houston, Texas and we have some challenges with our, our climate. Right. Hot as hell and dusty and dirty.

And so we do these magazines.

Casey: 00:15:45

Please come.

Rainey: 00:15:45

No, come on. Next. Catch the next flight. But we all of these multimillion dollar house, you know, they want outdoor kitchens.

My experience with outdoor kitchens is that they're lovely to have, but they get so dirty and the sinks get crusty and then you don't want to open the stainless steel doors underneath because God only knows what's under there. And my experience, it becomes like a storage facility for pull toys or just crap for the backyard that you just want to shove in. Right.

And so I'm always like, oh, did we have to. Can we just. Is there a place where you would like to just pull out your grill or have your green egg and we'll just call it good.

But one of the nights to the organizational point, you looked at your app and you were to report to a certain restaurant. I think there was nine or 10 restaurants in this resort. Right.

So we were supposed to go to the Frieda restaurant at 7:15, we walk in and we're escorted to a table and Urban Bonfire is our host. So it's the two co owners of Urban Bonfire, Stefan and Ryan, Stephan and Ryan. And then Valentin from Cosentino happened to be at my table.

Casey: 00:17:00

What a table?

Rainey: 00:17:01

Oh, girl. We had a table. And there was I think three other designers at our table. They were sorted at the other end.

And so I didn't get to chat with them much, but we got into. How did you get into this? What's your story? Why do you get up in the morning? What's the latest book that you've read that was impactful?

I mean we had great conversations. But the thing about Urban Bonfire is that they do powder coated, custom measured and made outdoor kitchens that are also clad and decked in by cost.

Cosentino. They are custom made around whatever appliances you, whatever grill, whatever stove top, whatever you have. There are sinks that totally close up.

The faucet retracts down into the sink.

Casey: 00:17:52

And what I say on this, because we were looking in the showroom with where they open the doors and like this. Ah, there's this. And we were trying to figure it out because often, you know, the sink's up here, and what do you do? And the sink is down.

I mean, the faucet is down in the sink that comes up. You move it around and goes back down so you can put a cover on it. We were going crazy with it. These are the things that jazz us, right?

Rainey: 00:18:14

These are the things that make us.

Casey: 00:18:15

But that changed since last year's technology. Like, they're ever changing, right? They're like, oh, we heard this. So we're going to do this.

Rainey: 00:18:20

We're going to do this.

But the idea that I can have a project where I have a space for an outdoor kitchen, send the measurements, they custom design it around the appliances that my client wants, and they deliver it, and all it has to do is be put in place and the appliances installed in eight weeks.

Casey: 00:18:41

Like, who does that?

Rainey: 00:18:42

I'm gonna say that one more time.

Casey: 00:18:44

Eight weeks.

Rainey: 00:18:45

Not eight months, eight weeks. And I was like this. That was transformative for me because it is a space in my business that I don't embrace.

Casey: 00:18:55

Right. That's it. And what I loved. Oh, my gosh.

Ryan was saying when he spoke at the lunch before that dinner, and he spoke to, we're here, and we're all interior. You know, it's an interior, but think of that outside as that. You know, we talked about the fifth wall, but this is we.

That does tend to be an afterthought sometimes for designers because we're not sure what to do, who to spec, what, because it's such a.

Rainey: 00:19:19

Or it's not a favorite.

Casey: 00:19:20

So now they've given us the tools to be like, it's not our wheelhouse. Can you help us? And they will.

Rainey: 00:19:26

They will. And it's like I was sitting there thinking, I need to introduce you to this landscape architect.

I need for you to know this builder, because I feel like it's a solution and it makes it reframes the backyard space for me. It really did. So did you have a favorite?

Casey: 00:19:43

Oh, gosh, yes. And I mean, yes, a lot. This one, I really loved some of the tech.

There was a lot of technology that I thought was really interesting that is ever changing. And although that, you know, that is one example. The free power. Jake from Free Power.

Rainey: 00:20:00

Your life is about to be touched by free power.

Casey: 00:20:02

Oh, my gosh. And we got to see him again at a mastermind that. Oh, my gosh.

Rainey: 00:20:08

Cosentino.

Casey: 00:20:09

We're not getting paid by Cosentino. But they had. Patty interviewed him there. And that's where we first learned about it, like, four months ago.

I was so impressed by Jake that I sent his video to my kids and, like, look at what this young gentleman did. So he's created a technology after time and time again of waking up with an uncharged battery on his phone and being frustrated and all of that.

Rainey: 00:20:30

Because that hot spot on this.

Casey: 00:20:31

Because the hot spot on bedside tables that they say are hotspots, they're really not. So then you wake up and you're like, oh, for the love of all things. And how connected we need to be at all times. And what.

He even had statistics, which I, of course, will not remember because that's not my bag.

But the stress levels, the dopamine that goes up and down based on you being nervous about your phone and not charged is a really big psychological thing now for us.

So he created a technology that it is inserted in the fabricating portion into your slab, so your countertop, so you can have a huge space of it come in. Nightstands. He's got them where they're actually tabletop as well, but that one's a plug in. But just transforming how we do that.

So you've got an island, and everybody kind of wants to charge. There's one plug. And so now you've got. Everybody just puts their phones. It's just enough.

Rainey: 00:21:22

So the technology is, like, installed under the counter cap. And then it has little rectangles that light up. And you can have four phones there. As long as they're anywhere in the lighted zone. They're charging.

Casey: 00:21:34

They're charging.

Rainey: 00:21:35

So I'm about to put eight of them in a conference table at a client project. So that when people come in and they're around the conference table, they just lay their phones down and they're being.

Casey: 00:21:45

Charged, which is amazing, because people feel comfortable. They're not back there and you're not doing this and looking for your phone.

Rainey: 00:21:51

And the cords everywhere. And so he has got. He wasn't able to tell us all of the things, but I think they're gonna be in hotel nightstands. So we're gonna go in.

This is gonna be part of our normal lives. We're gonna see this light. We're gonna know it's a charging. It's a place to charge your phone.

They're gonna be in bars and hotels and in public places. We're gonna be putting them in homes. That's gonna be part of what we bring. Yeah, it's gonna be transformative.

Casey: 00:22:15

So Exciting. So that technology and just watching what is sued from that.

And he put them in our rooms at the hotel, and we were supposed to take a picture, you know, tag them. And it was so funny because I wanted to tag them, but my phone was on the charger. So that was like, how do I take a picture?

And then I realized how I am addicted and totally reliant on my phone for all things.

Rainey: 00:22:36

For all of the things.

Casey: 00:22:36

Because it has everything in it. So that was in it. Yeah. So I really liked that a lot. And then Lutron, which we've both talked about.

Rainey: 00:22:43

Lutron. So their experience, the breakout sessions. So one afternoon we had breakout sessions, and it was Heston, Mila and Lutron. And Mila's was kind of cool.

They did a table top decorating contest, and Tom Felicia was in my group.

Casey: 00:23:02

So he had your winning.

Rainey: 00:23:04

No, no, no, no. He was in my. So they divided us into three groups for us to round robin through the experiences.

So Tom Felicia was in my large group, but I wasn't broken down into his group for Tabletop. And let me just tell you, he was climbing over fences, getting greenery. You should have seen what he created.

I'm telling you, it could have been on the COVID of any magazine. Of any magazine. So the group that won in each round robin session got a Mila vacuum cleaner, which. How cool is that?

Casey: 00:23:37

It's amazing. But didn't you say so many people jumped their own ship to go to his. So now.

Rainey: 00:23:41

So now you brought up the scandal because, you know, I was a little butt hurt over this because Tom Felicia's group had. I'm not kidding you, like 17 designers. My group had six.

And so what happened was, I think everybody saw where he was and went to be in his group because you.

Casey: 00:23:58

Just want to be around him for so many reasons.

Rainey: 00:24:00

All the reasons.

Casey: 00:24:01

I mean, funny.

Rainey: 00:24:03

Yes.

Casey: 00:24:04

Talented, of course. We all know that. But just.

Rainey: 00:24:06

And real.

Casey: 00:24:06

Want to hear what comes out of that man's.

Rainey: 00:24:08

And real.

Casey: 00:24:08

He's hysterical.

Rainey: 00:24:09

Exactly.

Casey: 00:24:10

And, yeah. But he won for them. So.

Rainey: 00:24:12

Yeah. And everybody got. Well, there was other very talented designers on that team, too, I'm sure. I'm not taking anything away from them. I'm just saying.

Yeah. And so Mila had to give up. I don't know how many vacuum cleaners to do that.

Casey: 00:24:24

It's hysterical. Yeah, Ours was. Yeah. Turned almost into a. Not a bloodbath. But you put that many designers who run their own business. It's a tricky.

Everybody wanted to lead and nobody wanted to lead. Kind of Thing you're like. And we. We all looked at it and was like, that's the saddest table ever.

Rainey: 00:24:40

Yeah.

Casey: 00:24:40

Yeah. We should be vacuuming these other people's stuff with their new vacuum.

Rainey: 00:24:43

Here's what I did is I just kind of stood back and I was the cheerleader because I wasn't about to get in that scene. I just wasn't gonna do it.

Casey: 00:24:49

You're a smart woman. Yeah.

Rainey: 00:24:50

I was like, nah, not doing it. And then Heston, we had a great wine tast and charcuterie.

Casey: 00:24:57

Got to learn about how cool that. Yeah. That Helen and Stanley like how he named his company the He. He. Yeah. Always put your wife first. I love that. And they've got.

Yeah, their wines were fantastic. Like, that whole thing was beautiful.

Rainey: 00:25:15

And they're sending it. All of us that were attended. I think a case of. Of wine. Gl.

Casey: 00:25:19

Four bottles. I think we.

Rainey: 00:25:20

Was it. Four bottles. Whatever. I'm so thankful. And then I know that you loved and I love too, the Lutron experience.

Casey: 00:25:28

And I think Lutron is one of those brands that it's been around for very many years. I think my parents bought a house years ago that had a Lutron system in it, and nobody knew what. What to do with it. It's very.

It's so integrated that it's way above our pay grade in a lot of ways. If you're just a homeowner who buys this house, you don't know if this button, it will light up the entires house or take it all.

You know, there's just a lot of technology in it.

Rainey: 00:25:51

So I have to tell you, when I first heard that Lutron was doing something here is my first thought. Do not laugh. You're gonna laugh. I thought, how are they gonna make shades, like window shades, sexy for a break?

Casey: 00:26:07

So do you only see them as a. As a shade company?

Rainey: 00:26:11

Of course I know them as a lighting company, but that's where my brain went to.

Casey: 00:26:15

I don't go to that, but I.

Rainey: 00:26:16

Isn't that wild?

Casey: 00:26:17

But now I need to. Because they are. They're integrated like crazy.

Rainey: 00:26:21

They're windows.

Casey: 00:26:22

You're like, what are we gonna.

Rainey: 00:26:23

Are we just gonna put shades up and down? Is this what we're doing? And then we walk in and tell.

Casey: 00:26:28

I mean, so they've got it set up in this. The fact that they have to bring all this stuff to Mexico too.

Rainey: 00:26:34

I thought about that the whole time.

Casey: 00:26:35

I'm always the logistics. I'm like, how did you get this here? Which. The case of wine. Hearing how the wine from Heston got there was hysterical. Patty told it that. Jake, Jake.

Rainey: 00:26:45

It's all free power, Jake.

Casey: 00:26:46

Free power, Jake. Oh, my God.

Rainey: 00:26:48

Got the wine.

Casey: 00:26:49

Okay. Almost got arrested, but didn't get the wine. So another fabricator had to get it down. Good Patty story. But you go in and it's all cushions.

And the lighting is lovely, of course, because it's a lighting company. And they got the music in the sound bowl and they then take.

Walk us through a 15 minute process of taking the lights and they've only got lamps and really no overheads. Cause they couldn't. Cause it was just the hotel stuff. And they had what, 10 different pieces of art throughout.

And they had us watching that and then also meditating, just feeling what it felt like to go from sunlight from dusk to dawn, essentially with the light. Because there was a gentleman who spoke to the lighting, which was so fascinating.

And I'm blank on his name and I'll think of it, but he does lighting for stage. You know, stage lighting for all of these plays on Broadway.

Rainey: 00:27:38

On Broadway. He was fascinating.

Casey: 00:27:40

Fascinating. And after his talk, which was so.

Rainey: 00:27:45

Impactful, that panel was nuts with Young Hud.

Casey: 00:27:47

Yeah, it was incredible. Right. And so after that was the breakouts.

So then you go in and you felt what he was talking about in sort of that morning light versus the nighttime light and the fire light and how a lighting company has figured a way to bring these all into an app. She just had her phone and she was just doing this. And the whole climate changes over you.

Rainey: 00:28:09

It was the wash. I found myself wanting to close my eyes because it was a sound bath with the three performers. And they were amazing. They had the sound bowls.

And then when dawn was happening, you would hear a bird tweet and then you would hear rainfall and then you would. And the light. I have chills recounting it. And it inspired me because light is a huge part of design.

ng to care. But we often spec: 2700

We put everything on dimmer so you can adjust whatever mood. I learned just how wrong I am. I know, because really, they showed us 2,700 kelvin dimmed down to 1, 2, 3%. It's still 2,700 kelvin.

Casey: 00:29:09

Didn't change how that painting looked necessarily.

Rainey: 00:29:11

ly, really warm light, like a: 2000

Casey: 00:29:21

I don't know the number, the pinkish.

Rainey: 00:29:23

I don't either.

Casey: 00:29:24

Rose color that then everything which. Let's just talk about lighting and how important. I was talking about the hotel that it had lime green.

And I don't want to say much more than that except for this 52 year old face with a fluorescent bulb and lime green.

Rainey: 00:29:41

Not good.

Casey: 00:29:41

Do you remember the COVID of Insects in the City when she thought she was on the COVID and she was. It was 40 and fabulous question mark instead of 40 and fabulous. Like she thought I was the question mark, 40 and fabulous all weekend.

And I was like, Matt, I'm so sorry. Botox calling the dermatologist. You know all the things lighting is. So that was the one thing I was like you in. In these rooms. Please do.

Because especially after that, you don't even recognize how it affects you.

Rainey: 00:30:04

I'm never going to look at lighting the same again. After 25 years in the industry. It was so impactful.

Casey: 00:30:12

It was huge. And they made it to where you and I can do it, but there's obviously experts. We can't be the expert, but we can at least guide so.

Rainey: 00:30:21

And we can know we need it.

Casey: 00:30:23

Yes.

Rainey: 00:30:23

And that's a starting point.

Casey: 00:30:25

You know, our lighting, you know, vendors and stuff all have access to that stuff. But it makes me so excited for people who have those Lutron systems in their houses and you're not sure what to do.

Is this so antiquated that we need to, you know, and you just sort of re up the technology a little bit and you then have. You're wired for it, but then wiring for it ahead of time, which is.

Rainey: 00:30:45

Always wired and wiring. Yeah. So I found out that there's an experience that you can go to in Austin and I'm planning to do that. Would you want to go with me?

Maybe we should do a podcast from there.

Casey: 00:30:55

Oh my God. And we can wrap Four Hands in, which is another vendor. We weren't even going to talk about them, but we can't get.

Rainey: 00:31:01

The cocktail hour that Four Hands put on was just.

Casey: 00:31:04

It was so beautiful, y'all.

Rainey: 00:31:06

Everything.

Casey: 00:31:06

And I'm sorry I got to sit at their table when you were over there with Bonfire learning about wonderful books and we were dismantling our arrangements, taking them apart. I mean we were so.

Rainey: 00:31:16

We that poorly behaved. I'll bet your dinner time was later.

Casey: 00:31:21

No. Oh, this was at the. At the pit dinner with. Oh, oh, sorry, not pit. Danver and Studio M lining. Their dinner was so beautiful.

Rainey: 00:31:30

Was that a dinner or. I don't remember.

Casey: 00:31:33

That was the last night's dinner before we boogied our booties off.

Rainey: 00:31:36

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Casey: 00:31:37

So I was. I was at four hands table.

Rainey: 00:31:38

You were putting flowers in your nose.

Casey: 00:31:40

Not flowers, other things. I mean, we were. We were making necklaces. It was a whole thing. And poor Karisha Swanson, who. I'm so sorry.

She was at our table, but she was like, behave yourself. Yeah, you need an adult at every table.

Rainey: 00:31:53

And she was your adult.

Casey: 00:31:54

She was your assigned adult. But. But no forehand. So we'll make that an outing to Austin. Let's see. That'd be fun. Into Round Top maybe And love it.

Rainey: 00:32:03

That would be like a whole thing.

Casey: 00:32:04

Designers and do a whole.

Rainey: 00:32:06

A whole thing.

Casey: 00:32:07

Okay, pinch that anyways.

Rainey: 00:32:09

Brains running wild.

Casey: 00:32:10

Okay. So.

Rainey: 00:32:11

Yeah. Are there any other vendors that from Scenex that was just like something that you just took away or have we just touched on the big ones?

Casey: 00:32:19

Benjamin Moore, of course, is a company that we love and use and their paint is so fantastic. But they. The last three that I've been to have brought an A game that is just unbelievable. And Jose and Lauren from there, they just.

They up it each time, right? And so this time it was raining and she was just like, that's it. I'm not doing an outdoor thing in Mexico.

Cause the first year I went, it was hotter than all hell. But it worked perfect to what they had done.

They always bring in local, whether it's an artisan or somebody who's doing the yoga or doing the sound bowls or whatever. It's always people of that area. And so they did another one for us where we painted the medullas. Mandalas. Mandala. Mandala.

Rainey: 00:33:03

Mandalas.

Casey: 00:33:04

Mandala.

Rainey: 00:33:05

I don't know Mandala. If we said that wrong, please don't be mad at us.

Casey: 00:33:08

Yeah, we're so sorry. It's spelled M A and it's sounds M O. Mandala, but it really is just a way to take you out of your head a little bit.

And we were painting, so it brings you into your brain.

Rainey: 00:33:19

And we were sitting on the ground.

Casey: 00:33:20

We were sitting on the ground and raining was beautiful. And it was so beautiful. They had mats and they had everything there for us. And then they had the music and the rain.

First they started us with a meditation where we laid on our backs and you listened to the rain and then went. Came up from it.

Rainey: 00:33:38

The rain.

Casey: 00:33:38

The rain had stopped. It was magical.

Rainey: 00:33:41

I even again, back to the love and the expectation when we had to walk from the hotel lobby out to this tent for this painting thing and it was raining. They had this parade of white umbrellas that was so seamless, it was like.

I would have loved to have had a drone and have filmed that from the top because the umbrellas were coming back as people were pouring in, and it was just this stream of white umbrellas. And then we went to that tent and we had the guided meditation that.

Casey: 00:34:10

Nobody felt too precious. So nobody was really fussed about getting their hair wet or anything. It wasn't. But they just. You're right.

That quiet luxury, they just sort of took it on as their own. And there it was.

Rainey: 00:34:20

Handled it and you didn't miss a beat. So I sat down on my mat.

Casey: 00:34:24

That was grand Vilas, by the way.

Rainey: 00:34:26

Amazing. I sat down and started painting my. And it was. They had one right there on your mat. So they were like a yoga mat.

And then you had your setup of your own paints and your own brushes or your own brush and then water and your mandala. And I just started painting away. And somebody commented later that there were, I don't know, 150 designers under that tent.

And you could hear a pin drop. There was not a sound because. And we just had primary color paints, right? Red, blue, yellow, green, white or something.

And so, interestingly enough for me, I was feeling during the guided meditation, sort of this lavender purple sort of moment. I don't know where it came from. That sounds woo woo. And I'm not that woo woo.

But so I mixed the red and the blue, and then I started from the inside and I did sort of this ombre effect and added more white as it went out, and it turned out really beautiful. And then at the end, you lifted up the side of your mat and there was the package for your mandala. And it told you the meaning of yours.

And mine was family. And so my daughter Reagan, who works with us and is a degree designer, went on the trip with me too. And she had the same exact mandala.

They were all mixed up, right? And she had painted hers purple.

Casey: 00:35:50

Oh, my God, you're.

Rainey: 00:35:51

And it was like this moment. It was this. I mean, we. We had no idea until we saw each other at the end. And it was like, whoa. Anyway, again, quiet luxury. A moment set aside.

And I wouldn't give back one moment of C next, would you?

Casey: 00:36:09

No, no. And for. So their commitment to our industry, the vendors they bring in and their commitments I mean, there's names.

There are the big names, you know, Light Kohler, Hearst was there. And they come and. Oh, my gosh, the editor.

Rainey: 00:36:23

And you can just go up and talk to them.

Casey: 00:36:25

People you would never, never have access to. And they're just as gracious as can.

Rainey: 00:36:30

Be and so lovely.

Casey: 00:36:32

Like, everybody that's there, you. There's not a bad seat in the house at all. You want to touch and meet and hear about everyone.

Rainey: 00:36:40

That's exactly correct.

Casey: 00:36:41

You might be talking to somebody and you realize later, I'm embarrassed to say, the first year I went, I was sitting in the back and.

Because I was not sure, and the guy next to me as we were talking and whatever, and I didn't know it was Barclay Potera, like, because he's right there. And of course, I've seen him in every other thing. I've never sat next to him.

Rainey: 00:36:58

Right.

Casey: 00:36:58

Like, wait, what?

Rainey: 00:36:59

He was out of the magazine. You only recognize him on tv and.

Casey: 00:37:02

In the magazine, Mikhail Watch was there. I talked to m. Okay. This is even worse. I shouted him up waiting for the shuttle. Oh, my God, you're a gorgeous man. Like, how do you know? Look familiar?

Rainey: 00:37:14

Yeah.

Casey: 00:37:14

Yeah. And then they announce him. I'm like, oh, my God.

Rainey: 00:37:17

That's who you are.

Casey: 00:37:18

Are you a designer? And are you. Because there's all different industries there, right?

Rainey: 00:37:22

Yeah.

Casey: 00:37:23

He goes, yeah. You know, out of la, just no pretense. And it just. That's what it is, though.

Rainey: 00:37:29

Yeah.

Casey: 00:37:29

Because they. They just. Everybody wants the betterment of the. Our community.

Rainey: 00:37:34

Yeah.

Casey: 00:37:35

So nobody's an.

Rainey: 00:37:36

That's exactly what was.

Casey: 00:37:37

It was so command. And that's what you feel in evolution, like, really technology and how we can be more better. Better for the environment. That was huge.

And I know, you know, to the point of what you started with, which was when, you know, he was up there speaking about what they were doing now new with Cosentino. They're. They're so far ahead of the game, as far as they're green.

Rainey: 00:38:00

already developing for C next: 2026

Casey: 00:38:11

How do we know? Because we've gone exponentially in a year. In a year.

Rainey: 00:38:16

Right.

Casey: 00:38:16

Technology years, so.

Rainey: 00:38:18

And then I think the one other thing was. Was it Dr.

Leary with remedy and Kohler, he has done a partnership with Kohler, and they have an integrated ice bath now for your home, which just Mind blowing. The technology before that. And of course it's clad in. Decked in as it should be.

Casey: 00:38:38

I don't even think it should be clad in anything else. But.

Rainey: 00:38:40

Yeah, exactly. But I think that brought us back to one of the things that you and and that is sort of the focus of our industry that I felt at cnext.

Besides the love and the family commitment and also self taught designers who have very big stages. I found that to be super interesting.

And then also this evolution in the home and about the home of self care and wellness and what our home gyms look like and I think ice baths and red infrared therapy and there is a revolution going on in homes and I think we're in the next year it's going to be exploded. Exploded. It's just gonna explode.

Casey: 00:39:26

I'm so glad you brought up Dr. Leary because he was at the top of my list. And I'm so sorry Dr.

Lehrer because you know we hunted you down and tried to wrestle you to the ground for questions. He couldn't get away people.

And with, with all of the heavy hitters that were there and this is no shade on anybody but he was probably the most asked I would imagine.

I'd love to know person after the thing about his stuff because it was all about the wellness and how we integrate that into our lives and we're such a social being and how people are feeling less social than they've ever felt even though we've got all these connections. And so his story was so fantastic and fascinating how he's gotten to this opening these remedy clinic clinics. It's not.

Rainey: 00:40:09

Maybe not a clinic. That's not the right word. Experience.

Casey: 00:40:11

Not experience. We're just, we're sorry doctor. We'll be better next time.

Rainey: 00:40:14

That's right.

Casey: 00:40:15

In how people. He's created a social way for people to share their wellness.

You might go to the gym with a friend, but then you go get a drink after or you go home and be lonely and that's it. And so this is really a way to take care of yourself socially in an environment that's awesome.

Rainey: 00:40:30

There's no estheticians, there's no trainers, there's no all healthy. They have a bar but it's with drinks that are good for you.

Casey: 00:40:39

And what I thought was fascinating was the scent. The fact that you know our skin is a live organ.

So what we take through it and you know, autoimmunes have been on the rise since all these years and I, you know, my family's a lot of people in my family have them. And it really had me questioning things because.

And so when we're putting, you know, fabric on things, a chair that somebody's going to sit on or a towel. What towels are in people's houses. Babies are drying off and stuff. And maybe the towel was on sale and cheap.

But we really need to think about the detergent then that's being used because that's been coming through and I love that that was his focus. And then coming back now we're going to put sauna in a space that literally the homeowner past client were redoing their beautiful, beautiful home.

And there's this sort of. It's a large home and they, you know, built in desk area that nobody's going to use. And we thought, well, we'll just deal with this at another time.

Wait till you're in the house for a little longer, figure out what it could be a need for. And then after this it's going to be that you were totally inspired out and we're going to make it that wellness room.

Rainey: 00:41:44

Love it.

Casey: 00:41:45

And it's. I'm so flipping excited.

Rainey: 00:41:47

Super impactful. Yeah.

Casey: 00:41:49

He was talking to these.

Rainey: 00:41:50

Yeah. Is my.

And he was talking about at the remedy experience places that the scents and stuff that he pipes into them are actually life giving and good for you and they don't cause your hormones to spike or weird things. And. And just to bring that. That point around, it's fascinating.

Casey: 00:42:11

And that was one thing we're like, are you gonna. I think they're going to start selling it because he says it's pipe 3D and so that will be something we're doing in homes.

Rainey: 00:42:18

Yep.

Casey: 00:42:18

So when you're on in places and you're like, you know, you're smelling pine salt, which makes my head spin and fabuloso. But it's just, it's just toxins. And so those moments that you don't really think about.

Rainey: 00:42:31

We are now, but we really are.

Casey: 00:42:33

So I loved getting that brought into our stratosphere. But other than that, it was just powerhouse after powerhouse of information.

Rainey: 00:42:41

It was mind blowing.

Casey: 00:42:42

Oh my gosh. And then Bow team, which we cannot say enough about their end of the weekend party that they threw, which was.

Rainey: 00:42:49

I'd never heard of them before Casey. I don't know how I had not ever heard of them. Their cabinetry, they're out of Germany. Exquisite. I cannot wait.

Casey: 00:43:00

And like in Naomi and Eric, who it's. They're a couple of precious and they live in la. And then like Luke Is their. You know, their rep out of Chicago. He's in Chicago.

Rainey: 00:43:10

Amazing.

Casey: 00:43:10

And they're all over. And I feel the same way. I didn't know about them.

And now I can't wait to figure out ways to use them because it's modern and it's beautiful and fun, and they're so fun. And again, another family business. So it's just like that was just that common thread through the whole thing.

Rainey: 00:43:24

Yeah.

Casey: 00:43:25

And then you came back expired. Expired.

Rainey: 00:43:29

I hope I wasn't expired.

Casey: 00:43:31

Inspired. No, I was expired. You were inspired because I. You didn't stay out this late. No. Anyway, yeah, I wasn't the.

Rainey: 00:43:38

I wasn't the partier in the evenings, but when I got back to Houston, I had design projects on my desk that just had to be efforted. And I was putting together. I've been putting together since I returned from cnext, some of the most amazing things.

And it's just so impactful how trips like that can inspire you.

Casey: 00:43:56

Don't you think? Along that. And I know we're closing up, but I just.

We've got these projects, like you mentioned earlier episode that, you know, we're on these things for 18 months and you make all your specifications, you make all your designs, and that's a year and a half of technology that then you're putting old stuff in these houses. So as much as.

Rainey: 00:44:14

Or your evolution as a designer that's 18 months old of growth and things.

Casey: 00:44:17

You'Ve seen and want to train decisions. So. So on one end, you want it all buttoned up and tight and great for you, the client and the builder.

But the other side, there has to be some room for a little flexibility because otherwise you're not getting your designer's current. You most like profound like, aha. Moments of God. This would work great in your house. Oh, we've already got this. Why don't we just stick with it? Yeah.

So anyway, that's a really good point. So going to these things are so important. That's a very good point.

t's called a wedding from the: 1950

I think I bought three or four of her pieces, but it just exquisite. It just gives me something.

Rainey: 00:45:09

So I love the shadowing with the color, and it just makes you think. I love things that make you think.

Casey: 00:45:13

Yeah, Yeah. I got to know what they're talking about.

Rainey: 00:45:15

So another exciting thing for us is we have our first sponsor.

Casey: 00:45:20

This is gonna be Snaps for us.

Rainey: 00:45:23

It's vacation rental design. And they are a group that helps designers really have the buying power and access to some vendors that they normally wouldn't have.

They educate, they inspire. They're a community. Just a phenomenal, phenomenal group. And so I encourage you to check them out.

I know we have our commercial spots in all of our episodes.

Casey: 00:45:48

We just love them. And they are. They are designers as well.

But there's the niche part of it, which is so fun, is the vacation rental side, which I feel like, you know, people don't realize, but the whole industry and Bs are where people are staying a lot. So having that done so well is huge, and you don't think about it. So this place you're in. Right? So thank you so much, Vicky.

Rainey: 00:46:10

Thank you for sponsoring us.

Casey: 00:46:12

We're so honored.

Rainey: 00:46:13

And so if you want to send us a message, ask us anything about art, give us some topics that you'd like for us to talk about. Please message us@helloeframingdesign.com or you can follow.

Casey: 00:46:27

Me @rainierichardsoninteriors on Instagram and me @cassandrabrandinteriors on Instagram. Or you can email.

Rainey: 00:46:37

Yeah, email us, please. When you listen to our podcast, subscribe like us. Share us all of the things so that we can get into more people's homes and ears.

And thank you so much. And until next time, ask yourself if there's something in your life that you would like to reframe. Thank you.

Outro: 00:47:00

That's a wrap for this episode of Reframing the Art of Interior Design. We hope you had a blast and found some inspiration to bring your dream space to life. Feeling inspired to start your own home transformation?

Contact us@helloeframingdesign.com we want to help you make it happen. Don't forget to subscribe, share and leave a review. This show was edited and produced by Truth Work Media.

Until next time, remember, your space is your story. Make it beautiful.