Episode 1

Season Premiere: Reframing, The Art of Interior Design Podcast

Welcome to the season premiere of Reframing: The Art of Interior Design, the podcast where design gets real! Join Casey and Rainey—two powerhouse interior designers with a combined 50 years of experience—as they pull back the curtain on the wild, wonderful, and often messy world of the design industry. From late-night brainstorms with architects to juggling priorities with builders, they share the nitty-gritty of what it takes to bring dream spaces to life. 

Listen this week as they discuss how it feels to step into a client’s most sacred spaces and the responsibility of shaping their vision. 


Chapters

(00:12) Introduction to Design Discussions

(04:00) Behind the Scenes of Design

(12:00) Navigating Career Paths and Personal Growth

(17:41) Lessons from Experience

(22:44) Space Planning

(27:32) The Importance of Collaboration in Design

Let’s Connect!

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Email Us: Got feedback or a topic suggestion? Send it to hello@reframingdesign.com

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Use the hashtag #reframingpodcast on social media to share your thoughts or connect with other listeners!

Transcript
Casey:

Hi, I'm Casey.

Rainey:

And I'm Rainey.

Rainey:

Welcome to the Reframing Design podcast.

Rainey:

If you're a new designer, a seasoned designer, a homeowner, or a home enthusiast, you are in the right place.

Casey:

We are going to talk about all things design.

Casey:

Our stories, our opinions, our experiences.

Casey:

And we're probably going to chase a few rabbits down a few rabbit holes.

Casey:

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

Rainey:

Holy crap.

Rainey:

Casey, the day is here.

Casey:

Okay, we're here.

Casey:

We're doing it.

Casey:

We're really doing this.

Casey:

Oh, my God.

Casey:

What makes us think we can?

Rainey:

I don't know, but we're gonna nail this.

Rainey:

I'm.

Casey:

Cup of coffee.

Rainey:

Exactly.

Rainey:

You have coffee today?

Rainey:

I have tea.

Rainey:

Oh.

Casey:

Oh, that's true.

Casey:

That's a string.

Rainey:

That's what we're doing.

Rainey:

So let's start with a win.

Rainey:

What's your win today?

Casey:

Honestly, driving here first thing this morning and having it be so foggy and being in Houston, Texas, there's about four mornings a year that are that foggy.

Casey:

And it just took me back to my early living in San Diego, in San Francisco, where it was just so foggy.

Casey:

And you just.

Casey:

I don't know, there was just something mystical.

Casey:

And as I'm saying this, the sun is actually starting to come out, so it's kind of quite beautiful.

Rainey:

Oh, I love that.

Rainey:

So my win, as you know.

Rainey:

Cause you were so sweet to ask me this morning.

Rainey:

We had a three and a half hour design meeting with a client, and it's a 5,800 square foot house that we're helping to custom build in Colorado.

Rainey:

And we got approval on all of the interiors.

Casey:

Dude.

Rainey:

So that's like, kick ass.

Rainey:

Like, how often do we get 100% approval?

Rainey:

Approval?

Casey:

Very.

Casey:

Not 100 of the time.

Casey:

That's for damn sure.

Rainey:

That's for damn sure.

Casey:

Kind of why we're here talking.

Casey:

Because we want to sort of share those experiences.

Rainey:

Exactly.

Casey:

Maybe the knots.

Rainey:

And maybe the knots.

Casey:

Maybe the 2% approvals or how did you do it?

Casey:

That will be a curious one, too, the preparation that went into that.

Casey:

So that's beautiful.

Casey:

Love, love, love.

Rainey:

Okay, so, Casey, why did you decide to do a podcast?

Casey:

Because I feel like I just wanted to hang out with you more, and this was a guaranteed moment to be able to do that.

Casey:

But aside from that, we had some other stuff we were talking about doing, and this was sort of the natural progression to start getting into the vibe of our interior design business industry.

Casey:

I know we are not in business together, but we have a Lot of common familiarities.

Casey:

And what we realize is people aren't talking about a lot of the stuff that we talk about, that we talk about with our close design friends and we talk about in kind of behind the scenes opportunities.

Casey:

And so we thought this would be the way to do it, to share with other people who might be having those moments.

Rainey:

I had another very well known designer in town this weekend approach me and say, okay, I've seen the teasers about the podcast.

Rainey:

What's the real real.

Rainey:

And I said, well, here's the thing, you know, our.

Rainey:

The perception of what we do is so buttoned up and so perfect and so clean, but behind the scenes.

Rainey:

And he actually said, it's a shit show.

Rainey:

I was like, yes, what you just said, it's a shit show times 100.

Rainey:

And yeah, it's kind of like I say sometimes to our clients, it's like sausage being made.

Rainey:

It's not a pretty process.

Rainey:

Right.

Rainey:

And so our job is to keep as much of that from the homeowner as possible.

Rainey:

And they just get to see the beauty at the end.

Rainey:

So.

Casey:

But do you think our industry has benefited or not suffered, but kind of gone this other way because of HGTV and all of these other elements that really show a different side and not the side that we might see on the daily.

Casey:

Do you think that's impacted it or.

Rainey:

I think so.

Rainey:

I mean, what do you think?

Casey:

I think the homeowner or the end result, people don't quite understand budget and kind of that conversation.

Casey:

Because it doesn't show up on those shows or it depends.

Rainey:

And it's budget light.

Rainey:

Right.

Rainey:

It's not the real conversation.

Casey:

Yeah, that's a great way to see it.

Casey:

Budget light.

Casey:

Yeah.

Casey:

But we're like the duck up here, like looking all good and then the feet under the water, just panicking.

Casey:

Panic swimming.

Casey:

So that's kind of why we're doing it.

Rainey:

Yeah.

Rainey:

To let people really get a glimpse behind the scenes.

Rainey:

So I want to talk a little bit about you, Casey.

Rainey:

What?

Rainey:

What do you want?

Rainey:

Like, what do you want people to know about you?

Rainey:

Except for you're one of the most fun people I've ever been around in my whole life.

Casey:

Oh, my God.

Casey:

Well, I'd love them to think that that would be amazing if I just stopped there.

Casey:

If people I.

Casey:

That I.

Casey:

It's assume good intent.

Casey:

I just heard that recently and I liked it very much.

Casey:

For everything that's being said, done, or acted out as just assume good intent all the time from what's coming out my mouth because it doesn't always come out the prettiest way.

Casey:

And there's a lot of inappropriate stuff, probably.

Casey:

But I never intend to humiliate, you know, make it uncomfortable for anybody else.

Casey:

I want everybody to feel comfortable all the time.

Casey:

It's kind of a toxic trait.

Casey:

So, yeah, I guess just that.

Rainey:

I think also besides being a epic wife and wonderful mother to two grown sons, I think something else that I love about you and that you don't talk about is the fact that you're a philanthropist and you help people in underprivileged spaces or challenging spaces get a leg up.

Rainey:

And that's one of the things that I admire about you.

Rainey:

And so I was thinking about just recently how you invited our design friends to be part of something that you did at a retirement community or it was hospice care, maybe even you would call it.

Rainey:

So can you share a little bit about that?

Casey:

Yeah.

Casey:

For some reason I'm getting really emotional you bringing that up.

Casey:

I don't know why.

Casey:

Anyway, the level of dignity for me is really important, how people are moving through their days.

Casey:

And a hand up rather than a hand out has always kind of been the mode of transportation for my brain.

Casey:

So created something a few years ago that was just very grassroots.

Casey:

And now it's officially a 501C3, which I'm super, super excited about, called Polybrain.

Casey:

So I'm tickle pink.

Casey:

But that one was just to try to bring women.

Casey:

Single moms essentially is the kind of the focus.

Casey:

And immigrant women really struggle.

Casey:

So teaching them something in our industry that will benefit us.

Casey:

It's so sort of selfish, to be honest, because I feel like women on the job site is so important.

Casey:

They're detail oriented.

Rainey:

They're very rare, but amazing.

Casey:

So when you enter a job site and there's a woman there, it always just softens the whole M.O.

Casey:

just soft on the site.

Casey:

But you don't see it very often.

Casey:

So it was sort of a win win that there's retirement communities that people who have not a ton of money at the end of their life, which is so unfortunate that we don't treat them better, that they're living in places that are just undignified and they're in.

Rainey:

Those beds all day and in no way pretty.

Casey:

Oh my God, no way pretty.

Casey:

And their family, when they have to come visit.

Casey:

And that feels terrible when you go and visit your person and they're not in a nice space and you feel bad about that.

Casey:

And so bringing those two together so trained a group of women to paint at retirement community.

Casey:

And that was beautiful.

Casey:

And we had people pick their colors and they picked actually very youthful colors, which was an interesting psychological thing.

Casey:

And then you and Karen Black came in and zhuzhed those places up and a layer came and they helped so much.

Casey:

Taught tricks to some that I couldn't teach.

Casey:

Cause I am a woman, but I am not a detail oriented one.

Casey:

So I'm a horrible painter.

Casey:

But it was beautiful.

Casey:

And our community came out for it.

Casey:

And.

Rainey:

Yeah, so it was so great because I walked in and you were just covered in pain.

Rainey:

And it's like, this is what we're doing.

Rainey:

It was like, okay.

Casey:

I mean, it's.

Casey:

Yeah.

Casey:

So I don't know where I get off thinking women are detail or in the paint anyway, but it was beautiful.

Casey:

So.

Rainey:

Yeah, that's awesome.

Rainey:

And so I think there's two women that came out of that that actually have a career now and are painters.

Casey:

Is that right?

Rainey:

Yeah, they also wallpaper.

Casey:

And wallpaper.

Casey:

And one of them is an incredible baker.

Casey:

So she just baked a bunch of stuff for clients.

Casey:

And anyway, so, yeah, thank you.

Casey:

That was really nice.

Rainey:

That was awesome.

Casey:

So for you, the question goes back to you.

Rainey:

Okay.

Casey:

What do you want people to know about you after this?

Rainey:

I think one of the most.

Rainey:

Of course, I'm a mother and a wife and have grandchildren as well.

Rainey:

And I think one of the things that I want to convey through what we're doing is that when somebody invites us into their home, into their sacred space, and asks us to create spaces that actually will impact the way they live on a daily basis, which impacts everything that goes on that day in and out of the home, that.

Rainey:

That is like a huge privilege.

Rainey:

And we don't take that lightly.

Rainey:

It's like a big damn deal.

Rainey:

And one of the things that I say not only in our firm on a regular basis, but also when I'm on site to our contractors, is, is that for us, this is a job, right?

Rainey:

This is a project.

Rainey:

But for the homeowner, it's a dream.

Rainey:

And we have an awesome responsibility to protect that.

Rainey:

And so that also means when we're leaving job sites in the afternoon, that even though it is a construction project, that we leave it somewhat clean and respectable, that those things matter.

Rainey:

And so I think that I would want people to know that what I do in my professional space actually runs really deep.

Casey:

And I will piggyback on that to reiterate for people who don't know you or haven't come across you yet, that you live that to the M degree and you really make the rest of us want to be better in that way that there's not this frustration or whatever.

Casey:

You genuinely.

Casey:

You're not really one to kind of client bash or even industry bash so much is just like.

Casey:

I mean, you're honest, so let's be real on that.

Casey:

But you're really gracious about the gift that and the trust that your clients give you.

Casey:

And I think that shows in all that you do and from people around you.

Casey:

It's really respectful.

Rainey:

I appreciate that.

Casey:

Yeah, it's beautiful.

Rainey:

So there's something that I want to know.

Rainey:

I've never asked you this before.

Rainey:

So you're a designer, but if you weren't an interior designer, like, what career path would you have chosen?

Casey:

Oh, my gosh.

Casey:

Professional hair braider on the beach.

Casey:

That one, actually.

Rainey:

That didn't work out.

Casey:

That one didn't work out.

Casey:

I was only doing my own hair.

Casey:

I would love.

Casey:

Oh, God.

Casey:

Fashion.

Casey:

Fashion.

Casey:

I obviously.

Casey:

Big fan of.

Rainey:

If you could see her.

Casey:

Well, no, just.

Casey:

I realized that when I go back through all my sketchbooks from the last however many years, there's so many.

Casey:

There's either buildings or dresses.

Casey:

I used to do the scribble, but I've always done.

Casey:

You know, there's always a house or this couple dresses that I have got.

Casey:

So I.

Casey:

Yeah, I think that I.

Rainey:

Did see the other day when I was at your house, I saw your sketchbook, and I was like, holy cannoli.

Rainey:

I mean, you can, like, draw.

Rainey:

Draw.

Rainey:

I doodle.

Rainey:

Of course.

Rainey:

If I.

Rainey:

If somebody's going to talk to me about hard things, like, I don't know, like, engineering stuff, I have to doodle.

Rainey:

Like, I doodle, and I always start with the same, like, flower pattern that I've done since, like, eighth grade.

Rainey:

And then it kind of grows from there.

Rainey:

Well, the crazy things you draw.

Rainey:

Epic things.

Casey:

Your doodle, your flower doodle was exactly how my doodles start.

Casey:

Started, too.

Casey:

And it made me so happy to see because I'm like, oh, where is that?

Casey:

Because I'd almost make them like it was the same.

Casey:

They're like flowers, and then they stamp and then they.

Rainey:

Something else.

Casey:

And that gives me hope.

Rainey:

Maybe, like, 20 years from now, I, too, can draw a dress.

Rainey:

In my.

Rainey:

In my mid-70s, I'm going to be a dress girl.

Casey:

Oh, my God.

Casey:

You could.

Casey:

That's the beauty of now.

Casey:

You kind of can launch, right?

Casey:

Which is, I think, what's happened to our industry, too.

Casey:

A lot of people leave other industries and launch into ours.

Casey:

Which leads me to you, which Is if you could be anything, what would you be or what would you have done?

Rainey:

That's an easy one for me because I actually went to a magnet high school, the high School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice.

Rainey:

And I know it's such a diversion, right, from what you know, but.

Rainey:

And then my senior year, I placed second in the Dallas bar competition.

Rainey:

So Baylor.

Rainey:

I got a pre law scholarship to Baylor.

Casey:

And that's insane.

Casey:

I mean.

Rainey:

Right, Right.

Casey:

Big brain.

Casey:

That's a.

Rainey:

It's just the law brain, which has served me in other places sort of along the way.

Rainey:

But my husband at the time, four years older than me, and we started dating when I was 15 and he was 19.

Rainey:

And when I say dating, I mean, we, like, sat together in church and may have been able to hold hands.

Rainey:

That's as far as that went.

Rainey:

So when I told him I was going to Baylor, he panicked, and he was like, I really, really don't want you to do that.

Rainey:

I feel like you'll find somebody else.

Rainey:

And so I could have written Beyonce's song.

Rainey:

I said at the time, well, if you like it, then you need to put a ring on it.

Rainey:

And then I'll stay in Houston, Texas.

Rainey:

And so he did and I did.

Rainey:

And we're about to celebrate 35 years of marriage.

Rainey:

So I stayed in town.

Rainey:

But I say all that to say I really know that I would have been an attorney.

Rainey:

I think I would have been one of those angry, rabid attorneys.

Rainey:

So I think for everyone, this is like a much better career path for me.

Rainey:

And so.

Rainey:

And really, the thing about law that's so interesting is you have to kind of be creative.

Rainey:

Right.

Rainey:

With your words and your thought process.

Casey:

Thinking and all of this.

Casey:

And you're creating scenarios that either did or did not exist, but in order to make the case that you're trying to plead.

Rainey:

Right.

Casey:

Exactly.

Casey:

I mean, it's really interesting.

Rainey:

That's exactly correct.

Rainey:

And also, be good on the fly, which, you know, we have to be.

Casey:

But don't you think.

Casey:

Or how many people have you met in our industry that used to be lawyers or teachers?

Casey:

Or teachers?

Casey:

Which this summer, when you did your one week.

Casey:

Which is which.

Casey:

I do want to talk about that, too.

Casey:

But one of your people who was in your group was a lawyer and just really interested in this.

Casey:

So it's.

Rainey:

So she took a week off of work.

Rainey:

Yes, I do Project Design Week for one week every summer, and we invite aspiring designers to come and spend a week inside our firm to see what it's about.

Rainey:

And you are so Gracious to come and spend a day with us this summer and talk about your journey and just really, really, really cool.

Casey:

Well, no, but take another minute on that, because I think what that is and people who are going to hopefully listen and might be really interested in participating, especially here in Houston.

Casey:

But it's a rich thing that I don't know any other designer doing well.

Rainey:

I'm going to tell you what really motivated me to do that, and that is we ask kids to decide what they want to be when they're like, seven.

Rainey:

And I think that's the most ridiculous crap in the world.

Rainey:

Like, I cannot really.

Rainey:

Maybe more like 14.

Rainey:

But it's the same.

Rainey:

It's like their frontal lobes aren't developed.

Rainey:

They have no idea.

Rainey:

All they know about, even interior designers, is what they see on hgtv.

Rainey:

Right.

Rainey:

Which we didn't even have that growing up.

Rainey:

We didn't even know it was like, what's a design?

Rainey:

What is that?

Rainey:

What is that thing?

Rainey:

And so my idea was, is what if Different Industries did actually invite kiddos, high school students and early college kids to come spend a week actually seeing what you really do.

Rainey:

When I thought I wanted to be an attorney, my senior year, I worked at Baker and Botts law firm, and I got to see the real inside scoop about the hours and the disregard for holidays and some of those things.

Rainey:

And so it wasn't hard for me to decide maybe not to do that.

Casey:

Right.

Rainey:

I've had interior design kiddos come in for that week, and at the end, they're like, this is not what I want to do.

Rainey:

And that's just as powerful as this is what I want to do.

Rainey:

Right.

Rainey:

You don't spend all this time doing something you don't love.

Rainey:

Or they decide to become architects, or they decide that they want to do something in an ancillary industry, like become a vendor of different products.

Casey:

So there's so many avenues to go.

Casey:

But I just think it's so special that you do that and you take a week and you show them all that information and that people are.

Casey:

Yeah, it's really rewarding.

Rainey:

So I have a question for you.

Casey:

Okay.

Rainey:

What is a vendor right now that you're, like, super crazy about, that you're.

Rainey:

You're intent on using all the time?

Casey:

Oh, well, I think that one is.

Casey:

I mean, Cosentino, right?

Casey:

I think they are one that we can use most projects in some capacity all the time, and that I want to.

Casey:

Right.

Casey:

They're fun.

Casey:

They invite us to the most incredible opportunities to learn about their product.

Casey:

In such a smart way.

Casey:

So Spain trip, right?

Casey:

You've done.

Casey:

We did them separately.

Rainey:

Oh, that reminds.

Rainey:

I love Cosentino.

Rainey:

I mean, we use their countertop material in every project.

Casey:

Yeah, somewhere.

Rainey:

Somewhere, exactly.

Casey:

And their rep, who we both get and have is Camila, and she's fantastic.

Casey:

And all the way up from Eduardo and all the way down, you know, Patty, the whole team.

Casey:

The whole entire damn team.

Casey:

So it just makes you want to use it.

Casey:

And it's gorgeous, gorgeous material.

Casey:

So, yeah, I'm loving them and their stuff that's coming out.

Casey:

Fun putting it.

Rainey:

So that reminds me of another story that you shared with me that I think listeners might be interested in.

Rainey:

So I remember when you were heading to Cosentino, you in Spain, you had an interesting lesson that you shared that you learned in that journey.

Casey:

So, yeah, that was a fun one.

Casey:

So feeling all big for my britches, getting to fly to Spain of all, you know.

Casey:

Oh, my gosh.

Casey:

For a work trip, just.

Casey:

Yeah.

Casey:

Flying high and then get to the airport, probably.

Casey:

I think I was probably in the bathroom, to be honest with you, reading my emails before I jumped on the plane and get an email from a client kind of saying, yeah, that presentation left me feeling very uninspired and a little wah, wah.

Casey:

And talk about a kick in the.

Casey:

Mm.

Casey:

Mm.

Casey:

I felt so, like, gutted and angry and how dare she and all of that.

Casey:

And then you get on the plane.

Rainey:

Right.

Casey:

Wanted to shoes up and back and took a minute, a breath and then got on the plane and realized she was super freaking.

Casey:

Right.

Casey:

I had mailed that one in.

Casey:

I was in a rush to get out and get things going on this trip, and it wasn't a huge project and I really didn't take the care that it needed.

Casey:

I really was it.

Casey:

Yeah.

Casey:

I did not do what I should have.

Casey:

So when I landed and it was.

Casey:

I think I went through.

Casey:

Doesn't matter.

Casey:

But I landed at my next place and called her.

Casey:

And that's one of the things.

Rainey:

Oh, you picked up the phone.

Casey:

Picked up the phone.

Casey:

I could.

Casey:

That is so hard for me.

Casey:

And you have pushed me into that discomfort level of knowing, like, in such a good way, always pick up the phone.

Casey:

It's so much easier to send something back and it might not be well received.

Casey:

So picked up the phone and she was totally right and so explained.

Casey:

I will wow the pants off of you when I return.

Rainey:

And you did.

Casey:

I did.

Casey:

And it was something that now I look at my stuff three times over.

Rainey:

And say, is this what I want to put out there?

Casey:

Is this underwhelming at all?

Casey:

And if it is, and that's something like I tell my clients all the time, if it's not a love, we're not putting it in your house.

Casey:

So if you're just sort of simply settling because you're like, okay, I just want to be done with this fatigue we all get, but we're just gonna table that then, until we find the love.

Casey:

Because this is a luxury, and you need the love.

Casey:

Yeah.

Casey:

You don't have to have this done.

Rainey:

So, yeah, that's a good point.

Rainey:

Luxury.

Rainey:

I mean, we are not bread and water.

Rainey:

Right.

Rainey:

We are a luxury product.

Rainey:

And I think that's important, and I think that's something we should talk about in a whole podcast, is what that.

Casey:

Looks like for the end user especially.

Rainey:

Exactly.

Casey:

Cause I get the.

Casey:

When we get calls and we get that new client and they're nervous, they don't really know where to go with their questions.

Casey:

And I'm constantly letting people know, this is such a joy like this.

Casey:

Very few people get to build your house, remodel anything.

Casey:

It's a huge luxury, and it should be fun.

Casey:

You've made all this.

Casey:

You've worked hard for the money to do it, so enjoy it.

Casey:

And so that's our.

Rainey:

And if it's not fun, we're not doing it right.

Casey:

We're not doing it right.

Casey:

That's not usually something totally different then, because it's not their wheelhouse, but it's ours.

Casey:

And so we need to know how to make it enjoyable.

Rainey:

I think that reminds me of when we've been preparing to do this podcast.

Rainey:

Right.

Rainey:

We've had this team, and they talk about all these big words and all these things.

Rainey:

And you and I were sitting there on these zoom calls, and we're like, glazed over, and we're like side texting.

Rainey:

Oh, my God.

Rainey:

I don't even know what they're talking about.

Casey:

Doodling.

Rainey:

I know, doodling.

Rainey:

Right?

Rainey:

And then Holly on our marketing team, or Michael somebody, they're like, we've got you.

Rainey:

Don't worry about this.

Rainey:

We're professional in this space, and it allows us to ease up and enjoy the process again.

Rainey:

It's kind of been like the same journey that we provide for our clients.

Casey:

And I think that in and of itself has been such an eye opener.

Casey:

Right.

Casey:

Is we keep telling.

Casey:

Are hoping that our clients trust the process.

Casey:

And actually, what the hell does that mean?

Rainey:

What does it mean?

Casey:

Like, we need to communicate even what the process is and if.

Casey:

And so that's part of it.

Casey:

But we are living it now.

Casey:

We get to sit back.

Casey:

We get to have a team that really has us because they're good at what they do, and that's why we're here with them.

Rainey:

I think it was up to you and I.

Rainey:

We'd like, set up a phone on.

Casey:

Their phone, sitting there, and we'd be like this, and we'd be looking at ourselves, and it'd be really bad neck.

Casey:

Really bad neck.

Rainey:

Bad, bad neck days.

Rainey:

Yeah, that's true.

Rainey:

So is there anything else that you would like to ask me?

Casey:

Oh, my God, yeah.

Casey:

For days.

Casey:

What is your ideal?

Casey:

Not.

Casey:

Not client, but what do you love to do the most in this business?

Rainey:

Oh, you know.

Rainey:

You know, that's a really good question.

Rainey:

I just asked my hairdresser that the other day.

Rainey:

She was doing my hair, and I was like, so what do you like most?

Rainey:

The shampooing, the cutting, the coloring.

Rainey:

What's.

Rainey:

You know?

Rainey:

So it's funny that you asked and what she say?

Casey:

I'm just curious.

Rainey:

She actually said the coloring.

Rainey:

She's like a color expert.

Rainey:

And so she's like.

Rainey:

She's like.

Rainey:

Allows me to sort of be a chemist.

Rainey:

And I thought that was interesting.

Casey:

No, that was my specialist for years.

Casey:

And then I grew an allergy to it, which is really unfortunate.

Rainey:

Oh, I forgot you did hair.

Casey:

Anyway.

Casey:

Go on.

Casey:

But that's awesome.

Rainey:

That was her answer.

Rainey:

So I'm trying to decide what my answer is.

Rainey:

I have to say, and this is very early on in the process, right.

Rainey:

That is configuring spaces and doing space planning in such a way that it allows people to live exactly the life they want in their homes.

Rainey:

And those often look so different.

Rainey:

You know, a living room for one client, it might be.

Rainey:

All I care about is I have a recliner that is centered on the TV and that the TV isn't high.

Rainey:

That.

Rainey:

I mean, that's it.

Rainey:

That's like, you can do the rest, whatever you want.

Rainey:

And then for some clients, it's like, our family comes over on Friday nights, and there's 19 of us, and we want to be able to have 19 butts in the room comfortably.

Rainey:

So those two things look completely different, right?

Casey:

Yeah.

Rainey:

So that's what jazzes me.

Casey:

Yeah.

Casey:

So the space.

Rainey:

What about you?

Casey:

No, absolutely.

Casey:

Space.

Casey:

And as much I like.

Casey:

I love a new construction, don't get me wrong.

Casey:

But space planning, I feel like I get to use my brain in a whole different way.

Casey:

And in a way I love.

Casey:

Growing up, we didn't have a, you know, ton of doughearty Me.

Casey:

So my mom moved a lot.

Casey:

She was like, oh, my God.

Casey:

She was the epitome of the first flip Flipper, really.

Casey:

And so she would buy a place or rent a place or however we found it, and we'd knock down walls.

Casey:

We do all the things and make it better and then sell or give it back to the landlord at a reduced rate or whatever.

Casey:

She was really clever that way.

Casey:

So I love taking spaces and creating them in better ways.

Casey:

But it is like getting the client in that kitchen.

Casey:

Cause you have it on the plans, right?

Casey:

You've got it there.

Casey:

And then you walk them through and you're like, well, no, when you're cooking, who's doing what?

Casey:

What's your husband doing?

Casey:

Okay, did you just butt bunts doing that?

Casey:

That doesn't feel good.

Casey:

Oh, he's the one who washes.

Casey:

Oh, you're the one who this.

Casey:

And so you really let them walk it in a space that it's even built yet.

Casey:

But to get to know how they work.

Casey:

So it's the same thing.

Casey:

You just.

Casey:

It's not just designed to be beautiful, which is ultimately what you hope, but.

Casey:

But it's really how they live.

Rainey:

That's what makes us really designers, right?

Rainey:

Is.

Rainey:

Is the details.

Rainey:

That sort of detail.

Rainey:

I remember a client brought me plans one time.

Rainey:

I was a couple from Victoria and they used to own the Dr.

Rainey:

Pepper distributorship here in Texas, Which I was like, that is rad.

Rainey:

And they brought me these plans and they were so proud of them.

Rainey:

And there were a few things they were not finalized.

Rainey:

They didn't have construction drawings.

Rainey:

Right.

Rainey:

They were like, we think this is it.

Rainey:

What do you think?

Rainey:

And of course, I'm seeing it from an interior design standpoint, not from an architect or homeowner.

Rainey:

And so I knew enough from my beginning interview in that meeting that the husband was like, this is a Mediterranean style house and I'm going to have these luxurious rolled arm leather sofas in my living room.

Rainey:

And it's going to just be so amazing.

Rainey:

And the first thing my eyes landed on was the living space.

Rainey:

And I knew that the living space was tiny.

Rainey:

So you never want to like, poo poo somebody's plans that they've worked on for like two years.

Casey:

Take a minute, right?

Rainey:

Just like that.

Casey:

It's just like that feeling where you've seen it.

Casey:

You don't want to point a finger.

Rainey:

But you're like, I can't.

Casey:

I can't unsee it.

Rainey:

I can't.

Rainey:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Rainey:

And so I often say when clients roll out Their plans, there's like.

Rainey:

They hear angels in the background.

Rainey:

And you're like, oh.

Casey:

I tell my clients it's a birthing plan.

Casey:

Like, you go through, you're like, we're gonna have lavender and Sade in the background.

Casey:

And then when it happens, and you're like, give me Metallica and get out of my actual face.

Rainey:

Exactly.

Rainey:

This is not how this is going.

Casey:

That birthing plan was pretty, but it's on the side.

Casey:

And now we're doing this a whole nother way.

Rainey:

A different way.

Rainey:

Yeah.

Rainey:

And so I took my scale rule and put it on the plans, and I was like, okay, so because you have an island here and a fireplace here, a wood burning fireplace.

Rainey:

So we have codes and stuff here.

Rainey:

Your sofa is actually gonna be 60 inches long.

Rainey:

And that's a sofa that goes, like, 60 inches long, that goes in, like, a loft.

Rainey:

And so there will be no long leather rolled arms.

Rainey:

And he looked at that and looked at me.

Rainey:

Cause I think he was waiting for me to start laughing and go, jk.

Rainey:

And I was like, no, this is for real.

Rainey:

And so, long story short, he ended up adding 5ft onto that side of the house, across the whole house, which is no small thing.

Rainey:

That's a lot of money, number one, and a lot of replanting for the architect.

Rainey:

But he later told me that had that not happened, that he would have sued the architect and builder.

Rainey:

And so that's how powerful something like that is.

Rainey:

Right.

Casey:

So then that leads to that whole.

Casey:

When I'm sure you've had people ask multiple times, who do I hire first?

Casey:

The architect, the builder, or the designer?

Casey:

And I'm always like, yes, because you want us all together in the beginning, because we catch things.

Casey:

Not that anybody messed up anywhere, but what I'm looking for.

Casey:

The builder's not.

Casey:

He's seeing something else that he's in.

Casey:

The architect is seeing.

Casey:

So it's a talk about collaboration.

Casey:

That's the thing.

Rainey:

I feel like that might even be.

Casey:

Like, a whole podcast that is actually not.

Rainey:

Yeah, I feel like note to sell.

Rainey:

Because you just opened up something that is impossible to condense.

Rainey:

So well.

Rainey:

This has been so fantastic.

Rainey:

And so thank you so much for today.

Casey:

Oh, my God, I can't wait for.

Rainey:

The journey and for the use of.

Casey:

Your beautiful space too.

Casey:

I'm excited to come here and film every day.

Casey:

Or not every day.

Casey:

Can we do it every day?

Casey:

Let's do it.

Rainey:

Oh, my God, let's do it.

Rainey:

So until next time, be thinking, is there something in your life that you'd like to reframe.

Host:

That's a wrap for this episode of Reframing the Art of Interior Design.

Host:

We hope you had a blast and found some inspiration to bring your dream space to life.

Host:

Feeling inspired to start your own home transformation?

Host:

Contact us@helloeframingdesign.com we want to help you make it happen.

Host:

Don't forget to subscribe, Share and leave a Review this show was edited and produced by Truth Work Media.

Host:

Until next time, remember, your space is your story.

Host:

Make it beautiful.

Rainey:

Kind of want to get it right.

Casey:

Ready to start?

Casey:

Because I think that's what.

Rainey:

So the other day we thought we had to clap every time we started talking.

Rainey:

We're like little special kids just clapping over.

Rainey:

It's true.

Rainey:

Okay, so, okay, special kid.

Rainey:

A special kid.

Rainey:

Okay, we would love to.

Rainey:

We would love for me to be able to speak this morning.

Rainey:

Okay, look, if somebody told me I had to set this up and record or I would die and like six hours, I would just be like, I'm just gonna sit here, call the people I love.

Casey:

It's like an escape room.

Casey:

If you could follow the clues.

Rainey:

Yeah.

Rainey:

No, there's no chance, Zero possibility.

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