Light & Luxury: Creating Intentional Design Stories with Editor Lara Hallock

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. Hello.

Rainey: 00:01:00

Hello.

Casey: 00:01:01

Oh, my God. God, you really look pretty.

Rainey: 00:01:03

You look beautiful. This blue is your thing.

Casey: 00:01:07

Thank you. It was $22 at a rummage sale. I cannot even get over how happy it makes me to have it on. Well, that falls apart when I walk off the stairs.

Rainey: 00:01:16

It was worth 22 bucks. 22 bucks. I love that. Well, it is so good to be back in the studio. It has been a hot minute.

Casey: 00:01:24

It really has.

Rainey: 00:01:25

And a lot has happened in lives, especially yours, since we were last in studio, and.

Casey: 00:01:33

Yeah. And we've done really different and cool things together, which has been. I. Yeah. To stop and take a minute for those things. I mean, gratefulness.

Gratefulness. We got to go to New York. We got to film here with Terry and, like, the design. You were on a panel. I mean, and that's just in the last eight days.

Rainey: 00:01:54

Yeah.

Lara: 00:01:55

Shocking.

Rainey: 00:01:55

It has been kind of crazy. Has that only been one week since we were in New York?

Casey: 00:02:01

Well, yeah. Nine days. Ish. Yeah. Can you believe it? I mean, seriously, I was showing Matt some stuff from. Yeah.

That I went back through, and I was like, no, this is the calendar from when this was to now. Like, all this happened. This is what's happened. I love that. Anyway, so just sit back and enjoy.

Rainey: 00:02:18

We've been really lucky.

Casey: 00:02:19

What is your win?

Rainey: 00:02:20

So it took me a minute to think about my win, but while we were in New York, we finished. The team, Connor and Reagan, and the photography team finished a massive remodel. It was definitely north of the $1 million point. So it was a big one.

And we got down, let that settle. I know.

Casey: 00:02:42

I mean, I know that used to be everybody's imagine of a mansion to buy, so just in order to enormity of. That is crazy.

Rainey: 00:02:50

Exactly. So we were really scrambling. The client asked us to sort of move up the install date because her mother was coming to town. Totally get that. Right.

They were living in an Airbnb. They have twin boys in high school. And so we were like, okay, we will make a commitment to do that. So.

And I think I told you this when I talked to you on the phone. One day, there were 22 work trucks out front of that house. Every crew that I'm talking about, electricians, plumbers, millwork, painter.

The painter was painting walls around us, moving in furniture, which I've never done before and I don't recommend. And the appliances go in. And we had done this amazing countertop detail around the island.

Casey: 00:03:43

I saw pictures. I'm just saying.

Rainey: 00:03:46

Sick.

Casey: 00:03:46

I. Connor just killed it. It was able. You guys killed it. But I was like, Connor, what am I seeing?

Rainey: 00:03:53

Anyway, so we had to pivot on.

Casey: 00:03:54

It too, which was so insane.

Rainey: 00:03:55

We had to pivot. We wanted to do something else. But our countertop fabricator was like, that takes a special bit.

And you would actually have to cover the cost of that. And we were like, yes. So plan B. And so it still just rocks so hard.

And we had measured meticulously to make sure that everything was still going to go well. And we go to slide in the dishwash and it's a quarter of an inch too tall. Not a half an inch. One quarter of an inch.

Flooring was out under it, so there was no going further down the countertop. Anyway, the win is this.

That in case you ever need this to know this, there are ADA dishwashers that are one inch shorter than your standard dishwasher. And so Sub zero Wolf, they just pulled out all the stops and got us one of those from across the country. In three days.

We had a panel made and painted and Connor got in the appliance handle and we were able to have it there the morning that her mother showed up. Her mother showed up at 8pm at night. But that dishwasher was in and working. So that is my win.

Lara: 00:05:15

It was great.

Rainey: 00:05:16

And the client love loved the house, by the way.

Casey: 00:05:19

But that moment that you're like every expletive probably wanted to fly or probably did fly out your mouth, like.

Rainey: 00:05:29

Yeah.

Casey: 00:05:29

And those are the things that nobody.

Rainey: 00:05:32

No matter what we do with the most careful planning.

Casey: 00:05:35

Careful. And you just. There's those. Because there's just so many damn details.

Rainey: 00:05:38

There's something.

Casey: 00:05:39

All the.

Rainey: 00:05:40

All the gods. Yes.

Casey: 00:05:43

For Thermidor or Wolf Sub zero for that one.

Rainey: 00:05:46

Yeah. Yeah.

Casey: 00:05:49

That is okay.

Rainey: 00:05:50

So fantastic. And photos are so good. I'm so excited about it. We were. We've got to decide what to do with them, but we're very excited about that project.

So in other news, what is your win?

Casey: 00:06:04

So my win. My win is last night, my sweet Mattie, they had a retirement party for him.

Rainey: 00:06:14

Your husband.

Casey: 00:06:14

My husband. And he's worked for the Astros for 14 years since Jim bought the team and brought Matt over from Crayon Worldwide.

And so being on the field, watching all of these people who Matt's worked with for all these years and his whole team and then the, you know, sponsors of theirs. Oh, my God, I could not. I. On the way to work or in yesterday, one of. Oh, my God. One of my favorites, Keisha, she called me. She's like, okay.

So people are asking what they can get for Matt. And, you know, since you guys are. What can we do? I'm like, you know, whatever. I said, handwritten card. Man loves it that he wants for nothing.

She's like, okay. I said, well, how's everything going there? It's so cool. Like, everybody's.

All the girls are dressed up and they have even curled their hair and something about that. I started just. I was crying. I'm like, I. They curled their hair. She goes, they don't curl their. Like for baseball team.

I mean, they're all darling and beautiful, but that's not. It was just. Just a moment of, like, appreciation for how much they all cared for him. And then Jim gave a really cool speech and just touched on him.

And then the whole time in the. On the jumbotron were pictures from then they must have pulled some from my social. And so watching from the. When the boys were tiny and being on the.

It just.

Anyway, so my win was just pure appreciation and gratitude for, like, the love that our family got to feel yesterday and especially Maddie got to feel.

Rainey: 00:07:41

And were you so proud?

Casey: 00:07:44

Beaming, like, I can't. So that's my win.

Rainey: 00:07:49

That is amazing.

Casey: 00:07:51

Now he gets to.

He gets a little bit more time, and then the man doesn't have to worry about a dang thing except for where he's going to go get his cup of coffee here.

Rainey: 00:07:58

I love that. And I love that for him. I love that for you.

Casey: 00:08:01

It was sweet.

Rainey: 00:08:02

Really, really cool. I know there's been a lot of sacrifice over the years with him being at games, and there's just a lot about that.

And it's really a celebration for you, too, as a couple.

Casey: 00:08:14

Yeah, it was so sweet. It was very tender night and. Yeah.

Rainey: 00:08:18

You'll cherish it forever.

Casey: 00:08:20

I will. I'm so grateful. So that was.

Rainey: 00:08:23

So please love this about this piece.

Casey: 00:08:26

Of art, what I'm looking at.

Rainey: 00:08:27

So my husband and I were in Miami a few years ago, and we went to the graffiti museum. And if you're ever in the museum, I mean, in the Miami area, please go to the graffiti district. It is extraordinary.

And I learned to appreciate graffiti in a way that I hadn't before. But when I walked into the art gallery, I saw this piece of art, and it really stopped me in my tracks.

And then they proceeded to tell me the story behind it, and I absolutely had to have it. The thing that grabbed me was, this is an artist painting himself, doing what he loves most. And so the layers behind this were incredibly meaningful.

The train is in the picture because most graffiti artists start on trains, so it's kind of. Yes. The tagging them. That is how it starts. And then the colors are sort of appl. Play on the Costa Rican flag. I think it was Costa Rican.

If I got that wrong. Please do not. Yeah, we'll fact check. Fact check and put it in the show notes. And then the artist.

We are tracking down the artist's name, and that will be in the show notes. But I have loved this piece in my home. It is very incredibly meaningful to me, and I wanted to share it just because it is so unique.

And you may look at my. My photo gallery or at my personal style in my home and think, gosh, this piece of art is other. And that is exactly what art is. It's other.

Casey: 00:10:09

That's a perfect way to say it. I want to, like, what is he ready to paint? Like, that's what that. Paint that red splash up there. Like, it's just so.

And it looks like Eminem from the back. It's kind of a Cool, right? Yeah, it has that very. Yeah, it's fantastic. And I like the flags on there. And I don't know. I mean, I'm sure that's.

But it's just very on there. Yeah.

Rainey: 00:10:29

So it makes me. It makes me happy. Yeah.

And the other thing we learned about graffiti, which was really interesting, was, you know, I can never read what they've written.

Like, when you look at graffiti and there are words, they're clearly words and letters, and you might be able to make out one or two letters, but you're like, what in the heck does that say? And I learned that it is not for me. I am not the target audience. The target audience are other graffiti artists, and they can.

And that the stylizing of the letters is very, very personal and is almost like their calling card or their brand as an artist. So I learned so much about graffiti there. So, again, if you're ever in the area, please go.

Casey: 00:11:15

That is insane. But that makes sense. Like, your handwriting. Distinctive, right? I mean, everybody you look and you see.

So the fact that that's their signature, literally, on the thing. So. Wow, this is beautiful.

Rainey: 00:11:28

Thank you.

Casey: 00:11:29

And I love it.

Rainey: 00:11:30

Yeah, I love it, too. So about today's guest. Like, wait, what?

Casey: 00:11:35

Hence the expense of 20. No, this dress should have been $4,000 to. To warrant the.

Rainey: 00:11:41

The guest.

Casey: 00:11:43

Just. Just importance of this wonderful guest who I have, I will say I realized I had submitted something and she was so gracious.

It was not, but just the graciousness in which I have been wanting to meet in person for so long. So.

Rainey: 00:11:58

And here she is.

Casey: 00:11:59

And here she is.

Rainey: 00:12:00

So it's Ms. Laura Halleck. She is the editor of Lux. It has, like, a longer name. We'll have to ask her what it is, but for us, it's Lux Magazine. That's what we call it.

And a very highly regarded magazine in our industry that really highlights full home tours and all things interior design. And she is really, I think, is focused on our area of the United States. And so to have her here is just an incredible thing.

Casey: 00:12:37

It's insane. I mean, really. Right? And this is. This is the magazine. So many. So people know it, people want to be in it, people want to read it.

It tells all, and they do suffer big. You know, you can even have those little moments in there.

Rainey: 00:12:50

That's exactly correct.

Casey: 00:12:51

So I think it's a generous. Very generous.

Rainey: 00:12:54

It is a generous publication. That is a good way to say that. A generous publication. So, without further ado, let's bring her on.

Here we are with the lovely, lovely Laura Halleck from Lux magazine. So lucky to have her on.

Lara: 00:13:12

And.

Rainey: 00:13:14

I was kind of thinking about how to start this. And I was thinking, if you were on an elevator and somebody said, who are you? How would you answer that?

Lara: 00:13:23

I am a design editor and writer for Luxe Interiors and Design magazine. I cover all of Texas for the magazine, including Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Dallas, and kind of everywhere in between and beyond.

And I love Lux because we have all these separate regional editions where we really get to dive deep into the regional talent. But we also have a national platform, so we get to really celebrate everyone there.

And what else I love is that whenever I meet with the national team or the other regional editors, everyone wants to know what's going on in Texas, which.

Rainey: 00:14:01

Love that.

Casey: 00:14:02

Can we just hear that one more time?

Lara: 00:14:05

But there's just so much happening here. There's so much exciting, exciting design.

So, yeah, I mean, even people that are coming from New York or California is like, what are people making in Texas?

Rainey: 00:14:14

So.

Casey: 00:14:14

Oh, that just gave me chills because I I think. I think it is the unsung hero a little bit. And I think such beautiful things are happening. So that was really. To everybody who's designing in Texas.

Thank you, Lara, for sharing, like, a little something of that. Right.

Rainey: 00:14:29

Yeah. We have so many questions, so let's get started.

Casey: 00:14:32

Gosh. Thank you for being here first thing in the morning, too. Just realize that we got you and.

Rainey: 00:14:36

Look like this coming from a hotel. Tell after a day of events yesterday. I mean, please.

Casey: 00:14:42

I mean, yeah. So thank you so much for being here and you came in for Houston Design.

Lara: 00:14:48

Houston Design Week. Fabulous week. I had a panel yesterday. You were on a panel earlier the week. I got to speak with yesterday. Nadia Palacios, Lindsey Heron.

Casey: 00:15:00

Herod.

Lara: 00:15:01

Sorry, we have a Heron. And Austin and Catherine Olasky, which was just such a blast. Oh, my gosh.

Rainey: 00:15:10

So fun.

Lara: 00:15:10

What a group. I feel like I could have gone on forever. I mean, it went a little bit long anyway, because it's so funny.

I waited a little too long to dive into stone. I think we talked about a lot of, like, general, really insightful things.

But then the moment I dived into stone, I feel like we all just wanted to keep going and going and going.

Casey: 00:15:25

Really.

Lara: 00:15:26

I am so passionate about stone, too. So it was really fun to hear all of their perspectives on it.

Casey: 00:15:31

Okay. I love that.

Rainey: 00:15:33

That is so cool. And so how do you ever find yourself? Because we find ourselves here on the podcast. Like, we have no idea how long we've been recording.

And does it feel sometimes like it's been 10 minutes and it's actually been an hour and then vice versa?

Lara: 00:15:49

Oh, 100%. Yeah.

Rainey: 00:15:50

So you have to watch the time.

Lara: 00:15:51

I know. I try to keep an eye on my watch, but then, you know, you.

Casey: 00:15:54

It's hard to do this when you're asking questions or talking and I try to read other people's upside down. And so sometimes this brain and that doesn't come out.

Lara: 00:16:00

Oh, no, no, no. Yeah. Like, what am I seeing?

Casey: 00:16:04

But anyway, but we can go as long as we want.

Lara: 00:16:06

We all.

Rainey: 00:16:07

We can.

Casey: 00:16:08

Okay. So that was going to be a question if. If the homeowner had much say or any say in the process. I mean, obviously opening their home to the magazine.

But if they're being interviewed or if you guys just sort of keep it to the design, we leave it up to them.

Lara: 00:16:22

So, yeah, first, we always want to make sure that they are okay with having their project published. And we're huge on respecting their privacy or any type of concerns they have.

And also respecting the relationship that you guys have with the homeowners. So we want to continue that.

We want to harbor everything that we can, but we always give them the option to be interviewed or not, and also the option to be anonymous or named. So some people love to tell their whole story about their home and to be named. Some people are a little more private.

Some people just want to be completely out of the process altogether. And all of those options are fine by us.

Casey: 00:16:56

Do you guys photograph? I mean, I know designers when they go to you, but this we forgot.

I was just curious, do you go back in and re photograph because you might have want to see a different thing for that particular project, or do you just take the photos from the designer?

Lara: 00:17:12

That is a great question too. And I do feel like this is something that's been changing in the industry more and more.

I feel like it's the norm to just take the photography from the designers, and the designers will schedule their own shoots.

On occasion, we'll reshoot if it's like a really amazing home, and for some reason, it just feels like it was off or, you know, some people have to take photos in the wrong season, and it just like the light doesn't work or the exteriors. You want to get another shoot. But it's really rare at this point that we do.

I think since I came on to luxury, I think I've only had one project that we reshot.

Casey: 00:17:46

Oh, wow. Okay.

Lara: 00:17:48

And I would say that's something that's changing. Like earlier in the industry, I think that we would do more shoots.

I mean, the wonderful thing, obviously, for designers about controlling their own shoot.

Casey: 00:18:00

1.

Lara: 00:18:01

One thing that we love is it helps you guys. It helps us tell your story because the photos are being taken from your lens. It's not just us kind of enforcing what we think the highlights are.

And then obviously you can also use the photos for anything else, which is great.

Rainey: 00:18:16

I think that photography is elevated in our industry for me. I'm speaking for me.

Lara: 00:18:22

Totally agree.

Rainey: 00:18:23

Because of social media and websites and those sorts of things that you have to have. It's not just a point and shoot. And the styling and all those things are just incredibly important.

And so we're taking excellent photography, which then makes your job hopefully easier.

Lara: 00:18:40

Yeah, definitely.

Rainey: 00:18:41

And less expense for the magazine, let's be honest.

Lara: 00:18:44

Yeah. Which we definitely appreciate. And I mean, time to be honest, like scheduling out shoots. We're already on such a far timeline.

I've been telling if anyone wants to submit projects, please do. But we are so far booked out at this point that we're just kind of having to slow our roll a little bit, which I hate having to do that.

But if we get too far booked out, then I think it's a detriment to us, to the designers, to the designs themselves, because you want to be showing things that are fresh. So that's kind of wild. But yeah.

Casey: 00:19:12

And you guys are every. You're six. Six.

Lara: 00:19:16

We are six issues a year. Bi. Monthly.

Casey: 00:19:18

mean. I mean, are you guys in: 2027

Lara: 00:19:24

Or at this point, we are in September. October 26th.

Casey: 00:19:27

Oh, okay.

Lara: 00:19:28

So it's not too.

Casey: 00:19:29

But yeah. I mean. Yeah.

Lara: 00:19:31

Yeah.

Casey: 00:19:31

And a lot changes, as we know. Right?

Lara: 00:19:33

Yeah.

Casey: 00:19:33

And so that's so interesting. Okay, so.

Lara: 00:19:38

But yeah, photography, I would say.

I mean, one, it's funny, I agreed with you before you even got to your point, but I think that photography in general has been elevated so much over the past, like 10 years.

Casey: 00:19:48

Styling, you could just sort of go in and just z. And now there's not that. Like you just did a shoot that you styled your kus off, but off styling. I mean, and you don't even style anymore.

Rainey: 00:20:04

Like, you hire somebody worth every penny. It is incredibly important to me as a designer to have the work styled properly.

Lara: 00:20:13

Yeah.

Rainey: 00:20:14

And the wild thing is, is the times that we've gone major styling, the client hasn't moved one thing. They're like, whatever this costs, I'm paying for it. Don't move one thing.

Lara: 00:20:26

Yeah. That would be an extra benefit of getting your home.

Casey: 00:20:28

Yeah. I think that's huge though, because I don't think people recognize. Yeah. Because they don't understand.

You know, when you tell them how much that, you know, accessory investment could be, they're like, oh, no, no, no, we're good, whatever. And then you do the styling. And again, like she said, it's like, oh, God, Yeah.

We don't want to ever see those bookshelves without all those beauties in there. So it's. It so for you, when you walk into spaces, are you. I mean, you've been in this.

You've been a writer for all these years and love beautiful things. Because you said you started with food and wine.

Lara: 00:21:01

Started with food and wine, hospitality, high end hotel design, and kind of real estate globally. And then little more focused in Austin and then more focused in Texas. So, yes.

Casey: 00:21:14

Love beautiful things with just a little minute. Where else?

Rainey: 00:21:18

In Italy.

Lara: 00:21:19

Yeah.

Casey: 00:21:20

Yeah. So beauty is. I mean, it's all you have done.

Rainey: 00:21:25

So how do you decide if something is a trend or if it's a passing fad, or if it's something that's gonna become timeless. How do you decide that?

And I think this plays right into what you were talking about, about not taking projects too far out because what's going to be next?

Lara: 00:21:44

Yeah, that is so true. I mean, especially I think when it comes to things like color palettes, they change so much.

So I'd say any, like, color of the year, I don't really buy too much into typically also, because now, like every paint company has a color of the year. So I mean, most bold choices, like some can go in and out.

I would say one of the things that is interesting because I feel like this always becomes a trend or resonates with people and it's also kind of a timeless idea, is taking kind of a time honored tradition or a tradition that's dying out and reinvigorating it and using it in new ways or even using it in old ways again.

I mean, just plaster, even, like if you look at everything that's happening right now with plaster, I think that's one of those things that you could argue it's so popular. Well, I work with really high end houses, so I wouldn't say it's popular, but it's very desirable to have like those plaster touches and detailing.

And it adds such a personal touch. And it's also such a classic medium that's been around for millennia. So I don't think that's something that's going anywhere.

Even though it is obviously like kind of having a moment right now.

Casey: 00:22:55

Right. What about wallpaper?

Lara: 00:22:57

Wallpaper? I think, I don't think wallpaper is going anywhere. I think certain patterns will kind of come in and out, obviously.

And I love seeing how people are playing with the mediums for that too, like cloth wallpaper, velvet wallpaper, and I've seen leather wall treatments that are beautiful. So I think anything that's like really personalized will never really go out of style.

And again, like, if there's really quality beautiful materials, I don't think it's ever going to go out of style. Style. But yeah, I mean, we see so many trends. I think Instagram is so detrimental in that way. It's like trends just go like that.

And I think it's really important to kind of keep your eye on what you actually like and not just whatever what everyone's doing right now.

Casey: 00:23:40

y five or six years old circa: 2008

But for to what you're saying, and that's so fascinating because do you feel like it's speeding along the design in a faster cadence than even ever before? Because we're seeing it and exhausted by it.

Lara: 00:24:03

Yes.

Casey: 00:24:05

So fast. I don't think I gave it that much thought as far as just. Except for us being tired of seeing it. But what it will do to the actual design.

Lara: 00:24:11

Yeah, yeah.

Casey: 00:24:13

We're having to compensate constantly, which is making everybody have to be more creative and making things a little bit more special, which is cool as hell too. But things don't get to last as long.

Lara: 00:24:24

Yeah.

Casey: 00:24:24

Because I'm thinking like if you're September 26th, whose last gray kitchen got into.

Lara: 00:24:32

Right.

Casey: 00:24:32

You know, September 24th. You know what I mean? Like the summer before had been exploded.

Rainey: 00:24:37

And all of a sudden you're still getting those submissions.

Lara: 00:24:39

Great kitchen not getting gray kitchen.

Rainey: 00:24:41

Okay.

Lara: 00:24:42

I would think I've seen one in a while.

Casey: 00:24:43

We don't know when that last day is. It's like your kid's pacifier. The last day they use it is the last day. And we don't know when that is.

So can you or have you ever pulled a story because it's just no longer relevant?

Lara: 00:24:58

I don't think we have just out of no longer being relevant. And that's also like we really try to pick things that are gonna be a little more timeless. But I would say it at other publications.

The only thing that we've ever pulled is like if it's been a personality profile and the person has become problematic in some way and we're like, oh.

Casey: 00:25:22

Oh my gosh, that's so interesting.

Rainey: 00:25:24

It showed up in a report that is not lovely. Yeah, that's a PR thing.

Casey: 00:25:30

That's an off the mic.

Lara: 00:25:33

They're the only times. I mean. Yeah. Again, we really try to what I would say, say one thing that we do in terms of like market coverage or product coverage is we really.

That stuff. We don't plan as far out like the full home tours we do because those are our big features.

And so it takes a while to get them all planned and get all the high res photography and get them assigned and go through all the edits and fact check and layouts and blah, blah, blah.

But for things like product coverage and like anytime a market is coming up, then we really try to do that close as close closely to the deadline as possible because Those things do move a little more quickly too.

Casey: 00:26:06

That's so true.

Lara: 00:26:06

Obviously.

Rainey: 00:26:07

Is there a particular design mistake that you see often that makes you just want to grab a red pen and you find yourself giving that feedback over and over again?

Casey: 00:26:23

Yes.

Rainey: 00:26:24

Oh, damn.

Casey: 00:26:26

She literally, like, leapt out. You must go to YouTube to watch what she just did. She just, like, front center. Yes, I do.

Lara: 00:26:33

You're saying, let me. No, I mean, this seems like it should be obvious, and I think that's probably why it frustrates me so much.

But it's also such a big part of our lifestyle. TV is a big, big TV shot in the living room. You're not doing it. What are you gonna do?

If you're a designer, people are gonna want a big TV in their living room.

I think even if it's like digital art on there, it just, like, it immediately stands out and you're immediately like, ugh, I don't wanna show people this. I would love to see if anyone out there is listening who is looking for a design opportunity.

Just, like, more creative ways of covering up TVs in general. I've seen people do it with tapestries or actual artwork in different ways, and I think that's so beautiful. That's aside from photography.

But for photography, I would say if you can just photoshop it in. Photoshop it? A piece of art. It doesn't take that long and it makes the all the difference.

Casey: 00:27:28

Okay, that's a great tip though, because.

Rainey: 00:27:30

Yeah, that's what our photographer does. She will find a piece of art in the house and recommend it, and two assistants will hold it up and it gets photoshopped in. Yeah, that's smart.

Casey: 00:27:42

Okay, so the tv, that's interesting because we actually talked about what to do with that. Yeah.

Because of course, we all want to live and sit and watch our TV comfortably in those beautiful rooms, but we don't want to artwork in all these different ways, so.

Lara: 00:27:56

And especially because typically a living room for us would be like a big opening spread. And so it's like, we want that to be so elegant and striking to readers when it's just a big TV screen. It doesn't quite fit.

Rainey: 00:28:07

Do you have a big TV in your living room?

Lara: 00:28:10

I do not. So maybe I'm being a little haughty about it, but, I mean, it's.

Honestly, our babysitter probably hates us because we have, like, a computer monitor that we work at, and then on special occasions, we. What? You can like, hook it up to watch TV on that monitor.

Rainey: 00:28:24

So you are not a TV family.

Casey: 00:28:26

I'm not. I actually.

Lara: 00:28:27

I love tv. Don't get me wrong. I think that I have little kids and, like, whatever they're going to do, screen time, it's going to happen.

But if we have a big TV out, they're going to want to watch it all the time. I don't love the way it looks, like I said, in a room. And. Yeah.

I just think that if you're going to watch something, it could be, like, a little more of a special experience. But I also just don't have time these days, so I don't know, maybe once my kids are older and I have time to just.

Rainey: 00:28:56

You're gonna have the 85 inch.

Lara: 00:28:57

Yeah, yeah.

Casey: 00:28:58

No, but I get that when ours were young, I didn't love them being. Yeah. The screen. So I think that's fantastic.

Lara: 00:29:04

But I don't want to. I. I mean, TV's great. Don't get me wrong.

Casey: 00:29:07

Now we've got 18 in our house. I think.

Rainey: 00:29:09

I mean, you're not TV shaming.

Casey: 00:29:10

No TV shaming. They have done a lot.

Lara: 00:29:13

If you get a photograph.

Casey: 00:29:16

Got it. So are there design roles that you want to see broken? Like, are there things that you feel like everybody.

You know, we had the kitchen triangle forever or maybe that. But anything that you're sort of like, do we really need to keep going this route? Maybe we should try something new here.

Lara: 00:29:33

That's a great question. I mean, there are plenty of things. I mean, one just simple thing, I think, is symmetry.

And I think when things are asymmetrical, it's like, a little more visually interesting. And that's one thing that people could play with. I mean, I think there are a lot of rules that are being broken lately in really beautiful ways.

Again, like, different plays on wallpaper and patterns and colors that typically aren't seen. Dining rooms. Maybe we can rethink dining rooms a little bit. They seem a little antiquate. This is just kind of off the cuff.

And I know that some people have beautiful, formal dinners. And I love. I spoke with one designer who says that they dress up for dinner every night and they set the table, and I'm like, that's so romantic.

I love that you guys do that. That's really inspirational. Again, I have small kids, so maybe it's the thing.

Rainey: 00:30:19

I can't even get my clothes hung up that I wore. Like, I cannot even.

Casey: 00:30:24

You mean just dress? I can get dressed for dinner, but not dress up?

Rainey: 00:30:27

Yeah, like, dress up. There will be clothes on. Yeah. I mean, dressed is.

Casey: 00:30:33

That's that is so inspirational.

Rainey: 00:30:35

Is that inspirational?

Lara: 00:30:38

I see beautiful dining. I mean, I think it. Maybe it's aspirational.

Casey: 00:30:42

That would be the word, I think.

Lara: 00:30:43

Aspirational, yeah. And it's the same.

Like, I do think there are some dining rooms that are, like, the highlight of the home for me, especially, you know, I mean, gosh, design. Especially when it comes to lighting. I mean, you just see some of the most beautiful treatments in dining. I mean, and wall treatments as well.

But I don't know, like, how practical are they? Are we really using those spaces? Is there a better solution?

I don't know what the solution would be, but maybe there's some kind of play on that we could do sometime. Who knows?

Casey: 00:31:05

No, I think that is. We feel kind of try and talk about that. She just did something very interesting in a formal living. I did different. And so, yeah, just taking away.

That's what we're supposed to do.

Lara: 00:31:16

Yeah. It feels very much like we feel like we need a dining room, because that's what everyone before us.

Casey: 00:31:22

Right. And let's think about the other 360 days a year. You wouldn't be in that room except for walking through it and dusting it.

Rainey: 00:31:30

And I think Covid, we started thinking about square footage in a different way. It was like, how do we really live?

And I think a lot of people jerked out dining tables and put in second studies or places for their kids to be online to do school or those sorts of things. For sure.

Lara: 00:31:49

That's such a good point.

Rainey: 00:31:50

And they might not be as pretty, but function became the rule during that time. Right. And we've seen the advent of music rooms, listening rooms. That is, like, huge.

Casey: 00:32:04

Are you seeing a lot of that come up? Yeah, that in Austin, even so, because it's such a kind of a hip, you know, music.

Lara: 00:32:10

Yeah, yeah.

Casey: 00:32:11

Creeping over here. So I love that, though.

Rainey: 00:32:15

So between color lighting, furniture, and art, what do you think is the most powerful design element? And why?

Lara: 00:32:24

I was saying all of them together as a joke, but I do actually think, like, the sum is more important than the parts. I'm gonna say lighting, but I'm gonna.

Rainey: 00:32:33

Say light.

Lara: 00:32:35

Because I do like lighting. And the way that natural light filters in and the play on that for the space, I think those are probably the most impactful.

And then Walt, I mean, like, wall treatments, of course, you know, it's gonna change the entire tone of the room. Funnily enough, I feel like furniture is probably among the least important things.

Casey: 00:32:52

It's not funny, but it's so true. And the lighting part, we just.

We got to go to Lutron in New York, which I was mentioning, and there that experience and we got to see them in Mexico at Scenex and they did an experience that then led us down this rabbit hole of must know more. It's fascinating what you can do with lighting and the mood changes and all of that. So I love that lighting is such. Because it's pretty.

I mean the fixtures are gorgeous, but if you have the wrong bulbs, you don't even want to look up at the fixture sometimes. Right. So I think people are really recognizing what that can do. So. So the lighting in the space is what it does.

Rainey: 00:33:30

And I think in the health and wellness part of the industry as well, there's really a focus on how lighting and different circadian rhythms and stuff, how that impacts well being and your nervous system to function in life.

Casey: 00:33:44

Yeah, that's such a good point on that. So it's really so. I love that you touch on that because I don't think the very, very high end. Yes.

They're already contemplating, but I think people don't give enough credit to what you can do with just a good lighting plan in a space. So. True. That's really cool. Yeah. That's what you call out. Yeah.

Rainey: 00:34:02

And do you really notice under lit spaces in photography?

Lara: 00:34:05

Yes. You do, Very much. Honestly. I would say that's.

Even there have been issues with that where we've turned down projects because they were so under lit, which can. It can be difficult these days because there are so many more moody spaces.

Casey: 00:34:16

That's what I was gonna ask. So where's the.

Lara: 00:34:19

It's a thin line, you know.

But if it just gets to the point, especially doing print photography, if it gets to the point where it feels like it's going to feel muddy on the page, then it's just not going to work.

Rainey: 00:34:31

It's going to be a pass.

Lara: 00:34:31

Yeah.

Casey: 00:34:32

Do you know when you see it pretty quickly, this is not going to translate how this designer wanted this. Would you ever suggest them to go back and re photograph if a space is special or is it just not even. Is it just a pass?

Lara: 00:34:43

I would give the feedback about the photography, but I mean, one, if it's your creative vision and you want it to be moody, maybe it's not a fit for us. Maybe it's a fit for another magazine who has a different tone. Two, since I can't guarantee that we would take it if someone got a refotograph.

Casey: 00:35:01

Yeah.

Lara: 00:35:01

Photo sessions are so expensive. Like it's such an investment. I would feel absolutely awful. So I never try to make that recommendation because.

Casey: 00:35:07

But you will say this might have been darker than ours.

Lara: 00:35:10

Yeah. Moodier than we are. Exactly. Yeah. I mean, and sometimes it's something the photographer can fix, too. If it's either.

If it has to do with their editing, how they edit it when they.

After the shoot, if they wanted it to feel a little moodier or kind of in the opposite direction, if something feels a little, like, blown out and too bright, then sometimes that's something they can do on their end. But sometimes it's not possible. It's so cool.

Casey: 00:35:33

So what do you feel like? Is there a role that the story plays for you when you're choosing for looks?

Lara: 00:35:40

I would say so, yeah. I've been in writing and editing my entire career, so for me, like, a story is so important.

At the same time, it's such a visual magazine, and it's such a visual medium that typically, photos would be the number one decider. But I love a good story, and it certainly makes it more fun. But it's funny.

I mean, sometimes some of the best designs, there's not necessarily compelling narrative behind it. It's like there was great synchronicity between the designer and the homeowner, and you created something beautiful, and that's great.

It's their new house or what have you. But, yeah, no, I love a good story, though.

Rainey: 00:36:21

Me too. Me too.

So if your magazine can only do one special feature in a year and you had to decide between a trend forecast, a designer spotlight, or a full home tour, which would you choose and why?

Lara: 00:36:37

Oh, it's so hard. I feel like I want to cheat.

Rainey: 00:36:41

You wanted to have a baby.

Lara: 00:36:43

Yeah, exactly. I'm like, how can we fit this all into one feature? One big feature package designer torque. Right. Well, that's what I would love to do.

Like a. I think ideally, I would want to do a round. A designer roundup of some sort. If I could feature more than one designer.

Because I would hate if I could only have one feature and it's just one designer for the year. I would feel awful about that. I mean, there are so many talented people out there, but if I could. So I'm. I'm cheating a little bit, but I would.

I think I would do a designer roundup. Say, like, four designers. I would like to do more than that, but I'm.

I'm kind of pretending parameters here, and then I would want to spotlight some of their work so that we could, you know, give the background. Yeah. So kind of I'm kind of cheating and pulling in home tours a little bit there.

Rainey: 00:37:30

But I like that you're.

Casey: 00:37:32

Yeah. I think you just created something for your next launch. I mean, how fun would that be for so many people?

And because four at a time you could get to that number that you might want to see. Right.

Lara: 00:37:43

Like, and then you kind of get to show a few different perspectives. But I don't know, it's hard.

Casey: 00:37:48

But I think you guys do something similar when you're spotlighting, you know, when you have those. And I think people love to see that. Like, because some design might be completely maximal and somebody, you know, and all these different things.

And so it. It feeds everybody in that one issue or, you know, physical. I love that. Okay. So sort of piggybacking for you.

If you could just sort of do like a snap of the fingers and your space in your house, whether study or whatever your space is, maybe your Achilles heel space was just transformed without any work that you had to put in. What kind of vibe would you want? Era wise or style or do you have sort of a dream? Good question.

Lara: 00:38:29

Okay. Which room would I do? I would probably do the living room because it's egregious right now.

Casey: 00:38:35

Great word. But it does not have a big teeth in either.

Lara: 00:38:42

I think I'm all about layered. So I would want it to feel layered, kind of like earthy and organic and with wonderful light.

Rainey: 00:38:53

Obviously it would be really good to do like a design competition with your space. Like here it is now. I give the descriptors that you just did and then you're gonna pick one and that designer gets to do your space.

Lara: 00:39:05

I would love that.

Rainey: 00:39:06

Okay.

Casey: 00:39:07

Gosh. Like a. I mean, seriously.

Rainey: 00:39:09

Yeah.

Casey: 00:39:12

I'm trying to kips like a. Yeah.

Lara: 00:39:14

Why can't I say just turn my house into show house.

Casey: 00:39:16

There you go.

Lara: 00:39:19

Truly should for Halleck.

Rainey: 00:39:21

I mean, seriously.

Casey: 00:39:22

This just ends. Submit your project submit before it closes on January 1st. Oh my gosh. But you have to make no mess in her house and do not disrupt.

Rainey: 00:39:34

That's it.

Casey: 00:39:34

Those are the only parameters to happen overnight.

Lara: 00:39:37

Right.

Rainey: 00:39:39

Extreme home makeover. Anyway. Love it.

Casey: 00:39:43

We're just. We're just here to help you support your magazine. We're like, nevermind. We don't want to do this. Can we come to work with you every day?

Like, because you genuine what you do does so much for our industry. Obviously. But the people that we. You said aspiration. So what people?

When you're having a bad day and you're just sitting there and what's better to make lift a mood than a beautiful space to look at and stuff that you guys have. I mean, so it's just that. And I'm still. I'm a mag. I have not gone digital with anyone.

Rainey: 00:40:16

Magazine girl.

Casey: 00:40:16

I love the magazine. And so it's a gift, what you get to do every day to you, you know, the end of you for me. Oh, my gosh.

And, you know, not just us who get to be inspired by it ourselves or hopefully one day, you know, maybe dream of ourselves in one, but it's the other person who may never get to be in a house like that, let alone own one. So it's really special. So I love what you guys do.

Lara: 00:40:43

Yeah, it's like, it's a little bit of escapism, but it's also nice because we have one little detail that I don't know if anyone pays attention to in our captions. We always try to mention as many products as we can that are shown in a room.

So, you know, even if you can't and you're flipping through and you see a beautiful room, but you're like, well, I could get that layer, then maybe that's, you know, some way that you can add something to your life. And I, you know, I mean, the escapism of it is wonderful too and just kind of like inspirational, aspirational quality.

I love just being able to look at beautiful spaces all day and give people good news most of the time, you know, very thankful for that.

Rainey: 00:41:23

So Laura Halleck, the editor, but then there is Laura Halleck, who is the wife and the moment. And I'm curious to know, like, do you. What are your hobbies or your guilty pleasures? What. What would you want somebody to know?

Lara: 00:41:39

Tv.

Rainey: 00:41:41

Not a big TV in the living room.

Lara: 00:41:44

I love yoga. I've been doing yoga for. Since I was old enough to drive myself to a yoga studio.

And that's always been like a nice kind of source of relaxation and health for me. And then same for swimming. Both of mine are kind of fitness related, but that's also like, I don't know, I'm really passionate about swimming.

Weirdly, like, so what's your favorite stroke?

Casey: 00:42:11

Oh, my gosh.

Lara: 00:42:12

How can you even answer that? Like, if I'm swimming by myself, I'll typically do freestyle if I'm swimming laps.

But probably like, the happiest I am is if I'm like fully underwater in a outdoor swimming spot where I can like see fish and stuff. And then I'm just doing breaststroke, like 10ft deep. You know, it's like the dreamiest.

Casey: 00:42:31

And so when you're running swimming laps, do you. Do you do it? Do you listen to anything?

Lara: 00:42:35

I don't. And that's the one thing. I listen to things almost any other time. Like if I'm cleaning, if I'm taking a walk, if I'm running.

And I actually tried to get those like headphones that you can listen in water. And I found that it kind of ruined the experience for me a little bit.

Casey: 00:42:50

My girlfriend swims with those and I can't. But I just listened to a podcast yesterday, Brene Brown, who. Can we just stop? Give a quick.

And she was on Dan Harris's and she was talking about a calendar and how it just stresses her out. Cause every by the 30 minutes, right, it's all in and so.

But so swimming, it's staring at the blue line for as long as she can and nobody can get to her. And she's like, I have this fear sometimes that I'm gonna come up from a kick turn and my.

Somebody from my staff is going to be standing there like this and I'm going to have to deal with something because it was just because it's the one of the few places you genuinely. You can't have your phone in the pool.

Rainey: 00:43:27

Airplanes are that for me. I refuse to buy Wi Fi or be no 1. So people are like, oh, I'm afraid of flying. Or I hate flying.

I'm like, I love it because nobody can get to me and I may have on EarPods or something. Just so the person next to me does it doesn't talk to me because I don't want to talk to you. And I'm not. It's not being rude. I'm not precious. I just.

It is my sacred.

Lara: 00:43:50

It's your time.

Rainey: 00:43:51

It really is.

Lara: 00:43:53

I love that.

Casey: 00:43:53

Yeah.

Rainey: 00:43:54

30, 000ft above the Earth and I don't have to do this right now. So.

Casey: 00:43:58

Yeah. Yeah, that's a great point. Yeah, well, that's also.

Lara: 00:44:04

It's.

Casey: 00:44:06

But that's your thing.

Rainey: 00:44:06

So.

Casey: 00:44:07

I love the swimming.

Lara: 00:44:10

I'm sure I've had this conversation many times over the years, but just creatively talking about the importance of having those moments when you're not having all this input. I mean, that's when you actually are able to have creative ideas and sort through things in a way that you can't otherwise.

And we just constantly have stimulation in our world these days and things trying to steal our attention. So having those moments where you can actually sign out is so important.

Rainey: 00:44:36

It really is.

Casey: 00:44:37

And I would imagine, because I'm just picturing now you sitting in a cafe either in Italy or some great little coffee shop in New York back when you were there, that you would have had submissions or whatever, they were in your hands and with a pen or whatever that looked like. But now everything's coming to you digitally, so you have to be on your screen going through stuff. Do you keep it there? Do you print it and have it?

Or how do you. Because that would be really disturbing, distracting.

Lara: 00:45:01

I think I do a little of both. Yeah. It's funny how much that's changed. I'll typically do kind of all the initial work on the computer I have, actually.

It's funny, I've been asking people about when they switched from writing things in paper to writing fully on the computer. When I first started, I always wrote all of my articles on paper first, and then I would transcribe them.

But at some point I switched over to only using my computer. It must have been when I was in Italy, because I didn't have to.

I didn't need to carry things around with me all the time, or I, you know, I wanted to travel light, so I would just keep my computer. But if you guys remember when you started solely using your computer, feel free to chime in. But I always print.

I always print a copy of whatever I'm working on before. I feel like it's just a different proofreading experience and reading experience on paper.

And so that's always really important to me to do that as well.

Casey: 00:45:55

I like that.

Lara: 00:45:56

Yeah, but.

Casey: 00:45:57

And you're much younger, so you've probably had the access to the computer for longer.

Rainey: 00:46:02

I love the paper.

Casey: 00:46:03

I love paper. I feel bad for the trees, and I promise I will make it up another way. I swear my footprint that I'm leaving, but the paper, I love.

Yeah, that's interesting.

Lara: 00:46:14

So. But do you guys remember when you started?

Rainey: 00:46:18

I still don't.

Lara: 00:46:19

Do you? Well, what about designs? Do you guys.

Casey: 00:46:22

I sketch and do.

Rainey: 00:46:23

Yeah.

Casey: 00:46:23

t out to Boston for a race in: 2007

But I typed it and then printed it because my handwriting is. My mom says it's like hieroglyphics. Like, it's so hard to read.

But I just found it as we were going through all of our boxes, and it did something to me because it just explained those boys when they were, you know, three and one. And it did. I was so grateful for it. And so now I really want to go back to at least printing stuff off. Yeah, like and handwritten cards and all that.

But it was wild because it's all in my phone somewhere. I'm sure. But.

Lara: 00:47:09

Right, exactly. Like we store so much stuff on our phone. But when do you ever look back on it?

Casey: 00:47:13

inted. It's all just so maybe: 2007

Rainey: 00:47:21

I don't. I still don't. So. And I'm not a sketcher. I draw like a two year old on crack. It's bad. It is really bad.

Lara: 00:47:31

I don't even know.

Rainey: 00:47:33

Raccoon on crack is probably what I should say. But anyway. But when we design, we have. I am huge about having the actual textile samples and things that in my hand.

I refuse to do any of that from a computer screen. I just won't do it.

Lara: 00:47:46

Oh my gosh.

Rainey: 00:47:46

Textiles especially paint samples are everywhere.

And then we will print out like case goods and stuff and fold the papers and lay them out to look at it and then come back a day later and look at it. And things that looked lovely the day before that you were sure were it. You hate the next day. Like you cannot even believe that you picked that.

And then the editing part starts. Right, right. The push and pull. So that's the. That's my favorite. Yeah.

Casey: 00:48:14

But I think in that. And I love that you're saying that because then you visually again you can.

You can miss something if it's just in a PowerPoint or something presentation on your screen. Like did I see? And when you've got it all laid.

Rainey: 00:48:27

Out like that, the interesting thing is too is there's usually like this ugly thing that when you remove it all of a sudden it gives space and life to everything else and it's identifying sometimes what that thing is or sometimes when you pull what you think it is and then the whole thing dies and you put it back. You know, it's just interesting. And I just think design is so alive in a way. I don't know.

Casey: 00:48:53

I'd love to have like a camera behind, you know, because you don't want to know what's happening. But like as you guys are going through it just to see what you're seeing. Because I mean, that's the tricky part of our job.

Nobody knows what's in those ohs of yours. Right. So what you see.

Rainey: 00:49:05

Yeah, each one.

Casey: 00:49:06

Each one. But that. But that moment where you might take it out and everybody collectively is like, oh, that's it. That's the one. That was the.

Rainey: 00:49:13

That was the ugly one. Yeah. Dirty bird.

Casey: 00:49:17

Get the guy out of there. He does not belong. But, yeah, anyway. Okay, so what advice would you give a designer who wants to be in your beautiful magazine?

And maybe not yours, maybe another. Or just be in mine. Yes, be in yours. Just Greenwood photography and no TVs.

Lara: 00:49:34

But we can work on the TV.

Casey: 00:49:36

But what's the secret? Or not even secret. How do people do that? Because it is a, you know.

Lara: 00:49:41

Yeah, a blend spot. Yeah. I feel like it can be a little enigmatic if you haven't dived in yet, which, you know, just dive in for sure.

You know, getting projects photographed is huge. You know, as soon as you have a project that you're excited about.

Rainey: 00:49:58

Absolutely.

Lara: 00:49:59

I would. You know, investing in photography is big. I've. I think I've only talked to one designer whoever was really disappointed with a shoot.

But it's one of the most heartbreaking things that I could imagine is dishing, you know, however many thousands you're paying for a shoot, and then you're like, I can't use any of these photos. Like, you know, just go ahead and invest in someone that, you know, you're going to be happy with the work.

Casey: 00:50:18

Work.

Lara: 00:50:20

But for me, just submit. Submit projects or just email and, you know, any.

Any editor I've ever met is happy to get a coffee with a designer and learn about what's going on with them.

So I would say just reach out again, even if you don't have photography, just to kind of, like, check in, you know, talk about what each editor is looking for. Like I said, with Lux in particular, we really look at photography. We look for things like. I mean, styling is huge as well.

I would say invest in a stylist, because I've seen beautiful designs, but the room just feels too cold because it doesn't have that extra kind of layer of styling. We're always looking for innovative ideas, but, I mean, really, when it comes down to it, like, stylistically, we're pretty open.

I think sometimes if you go too far on the minimalist side or too far on the maximalist side, it can get a little hard to look at on the page. So that does make a difference.

Casey: 00:51:13

But.

Lara: 00:51:16

Really, we just like beautiful things.

Rainey: 00:51:17

So. What is your email address?

Lara: 00:51:19

Yes, actually, feel free to email me. My email address is. It's lhallockandoutdesign.com. if there's show notes here, we would love to Put it in there. I'm completely serious.

I want anyone to feel free to email me anytime. I love connecting with designers. I love connecting with both of you guys.

And we love spotlighting those, like, talented, mainstay designers that you already know about and that you've been following their work for years. I love getting the chance to produce their work because it's always stunning.

But what I feel happiest about is when I get to publish someone for the first time. And I think probably most people feel that way as well, so.

Casey: 00:51:58

And does it need full house or do you do vignettes or how or.

Lara: 00:52:01

That is also. That really does depend on the magazine, so. Oh, my other advice, which.

It's funny because it seems like this would be obvious, but I don't think many people think this way is literally, just look at. If there's a magazine you want to be in, just look at it. Look at. Get five different issues and see what the commonalities are.

See what photographers, they're using a great tip. Yeah. See what their approaches are.

Because, you know, there are departments that will repeat, like, I don't do this right now, but in a former magazine, I always had something on kitchens. Or we actually, we have a national thing that's just on kitchens.

So occasionally, if I get an outstanding kitchen, I'll pass it along and we might be able to produce it. But I. I will look at vignettes. Typically, we only do full home tours, but again, I'm like, just send it to me. Because you never know. Every.

Every magazine is a jigsaw puzzle of different pieces that come together, and you never know how different things are going to fit in. And maybe the vignette doesn't get picked up, but we say, oh, my gosh, she's doing beautiful things with color.

She's doing beautiful things with tile. Then later on, we have a tile story that's coming up and we know who to go to. So, you know, I love that.

Casey: 00:53:07

Yeah.

Lara: 00:53:08

Understand that it's not always going to work out, but don't hesitate to send.

Casey: 00:53:11

That's really cool.

Rainey: 00:53:12

I think that is a great place to wrap up our interview. You have been lovely and delightful and authentic and approachable and so generous with.

Casey: 00:53:22

All of your information, and it has.

Rainey: 00:53:25

Been a delight to interview you. And we, you know, we weren't super sure what to expect. This is our first time to sit down with you, and it has made my heart feel full.

Casey: 00:53:38

I know. And once these are off, I want to do so much more Q and A with you. But off the mic because there's just.

I just know there's just layers and layers and layers. So you have just. Yeah. Blown us away.

Rainey: 00:53:49

Our listeners are very lucky. So thank you so much.

Lara: 00:53:52

Thank you so much. I love what you guys are doing and I. You love. Really glad we got the chance to chat.

Casey: 00:53:56

So God is right on our calendar and we're excited. So thank you so much.

Rainey: 00:54:02

Holy.

Casey: 00:54:05

Hello.

Rainey: 00:54:05

Can't I me.

Casey: 00:54:08

No.

Rainey: 00:54:08

Right.

Casey: 00:54:08

What the heck was that? We just got to do the coolest interview. I almost, like got some popcorn kicked back and, like threw my shoes off just to listen to more.

Rainey: 00:54:16

I know she was one of those. And my gosh. The nuggets of information in the BTS and the cool things stop spinning.

Casey: 00:54:25

How many jobs are you already in your head thinking, I think this could be right for September. October. So November. December. There you go. November.

Rainey: 00:54:32

December. Here's what I'm. Here's what I'm thinking is.

And I have to give myself grace and forgiveness because until this past year we invested in good photography but not in great styling and great photography. And so I could just be. Beat myself up for some of the projects that we've had that we didn't do it. Just do them justice.

And so now we're moving forward and we have this killer work. But we're submitting so we're not posting it. And it's a weird. It's a weird place to be.

Casey: 00:55:10

It is a weird place to be. But I. And I think we are designers. So we think we can style and we can't. Turns out all the time.

Rainey: 00:55:21

Ish.

Casey: 00:55:21

We can. Ish. But we need.

Rainey: 00:55:23

Ish doesn't cut it.

Casey: 00:55:24

That. Ish doesn't cut it. And so there's a reason there are stylists.

Rainey: 00:55:29

Because the people who are getting published are not ishing it.

Casey: 00:55:32

They're not. They are going. They knew way before we did. And so I feel you on the money spent on photography. And I don't regret the pictures I've got. I love.

But nothing would be submittable.

Rainey: 00:55:45

Right.

Casey: 00:55:46

So that just means I have to. One more big badass. Full house. There you go. So I really. Yeah. So. But you have been just dipping our toe into it. Oh, girl.

You didn't dip more than that toe. I've seen your spaces.

Rainey: 00:55:58

Thank you.

Casey: 00:55:59

And I. I love.

Rainey: 00:56:00

So can I tell you a funny story?

Casey: 00:56:01

Please.

Rainey: 00:56:02

I couldn't say this when Laura was here because it's just kind of. I cannot. So we buy boxes of books or books by the foot. And sometimes we specify we want colors, you know, for a shoot or we want whatever.

And when we're loading them on shelves, right, we don't read the bindings. We just put them on shelves.

So I was minding my own business two days ago, and this last install that we did, the clients send this photo of the shelf, and this book says, how to talk to your kids about sex.

Casey: 00:56:44

Oh, so you bought.

Rainey: 00:56:45

Circled it. They circled it in gigantic red, and they were like.

Casey: 00:56:52

Okay, so you bought the box of banned book then. Oh, God.

Rainey: 00:56:58

Sorry. And so thank God. They are the loveliest, most hysterical clients. And so I picked up the phone, I put on my glasses, because I was like, what is this?

And I read it, and I was like, oh, dear God. So I picked up the phone and I called, and I said, oh, my God, Jason, is that one of Yalls books, or is that something that we put on your shelf?

He was laughing so hard, he couldn't even talk. And he said, so, no, you guys put it there. And I go, oh, we will grab that book off your shelf. And I'm sure it didn't cost anything.

And he said, you will not be taking that book back. That is our book, and it's staying exactly where it is. And so. But can you imagine?

And I thought to myself, oh, I should probably start reading bindings on books, because what if you, like, had some topic that was offensive to somebody?

Casey: 00:57:51

Right? I mean, super controversial.

Rainey: 00:57:53

Yes.

Casey: 00:57:53

Because I'm sure you've gone to places, house homes, where you are sitting as a guest, and you see a spine and you're like, I'm not sure what that means, but I don't know if I'm welcome here.

Rainey: 00:58:03

I mean, we just bought 60 linear feet for a project we're about to install in Colorado of books. And I can only imagine. And so it. So this tip just in to all the designers out there. Read the bindings on the book by the foot that you purchase.

Casey: 00:58:20

Oh, my God. Free advice for all y'. All. And do they have kids at the house? I'd be curious if they're gonna pull that thing off.

Rainey: 00:58:27

Teenage boys.

Casey: 00:58:27

Oh, this is the house. Yeah. Okay.

Rainey: 00:58:29

So.

Casey: 00:58:29

Okay. Even better. Yeah, they might. Might have that conversation already.

Rainey: 00:58:33

It was late. If they have not, probably just start that conversation.

So anyway, that just when we were talking about styling, I wanted to tell that story so bad, but she was just so lovely and so polite, so generous. I was like, I'm not. Just don't.

Casey: 00:58:48

Yeah.

Rainey: 00:58:48

Yeah. But I had to tell you, we'll take us.

Casey: 00:58:50

We'll Go down a notch on our side. Yeah, that was perfect. Well, I can't even thank you too, for today. And all the loveliness. All of the loveliness. What we get to do in here together.

Rainey: 00:59:04

Anytime I get to spend with you and get to spend it with you. Talking about what we both are passionate about. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Casey: 00:59:13

We're lucky. And our production team, which I always think of once we close the cameras. But thank you to you guys.

Rainey: 00:59:20

Thrive works. Badass. Badass.

Casey: 00:59:22

Michael, you make us.

Rainey: 00:59:24

Yeah.

Casey: 00:59:24

You guys do. And Seth. Yeah. So designer. Yeah.

Rainey: 00:59:28

Thank you.

Casey: 00:59:29

What? Vacation Designer Rentals. Thank you for your sponsorship.

Rainey: 00:59:33

Very important.

Casey: 00:59:34

Just to think it's a gratitude day.

Rainey: 00:59:36

It is.

Casey: 00:59:37

Gratitude.

Rainey: 00:59:37

Lots of gratitude. So if you would like to follow us, you can follow us on Instagram at reframingdesign and you can follow me at rainierichardsoninteriors.

Casey: 00:59:49

And I am Cassandra Brand Interiors.

And please, like share and follow and Please go to YouTube so you can see just Raini's gorgeous art and maybe some of the facial expressions throughout the interview.

Lara: 01:00:05

The giggles and the.

Casey: 01:00:07

Oh, my gosh, when she just up and center, she had stuff to say.

Rainey: 01:00:10

So the things that she does not want to see in photos. I'm going to need you to take notes.

Casey: 01:00:15

Yeah. So please Watch us on YouTube if you get a chance.

Rainey: 01:00:18

Submit your work. And I would love to think that maybe this podcast would inspire somebody to take that leap and that they would be published. And so.

Casey: 01:00:27

Oh, God, I just got a little chokey on that. Like, can you imagine somebody who just finally is like, you know what? This is it.

Rainey: 01:00:32

Screw it.

Casey: 01:00:33

I'm doing it.

Lara: 01:00:33

Screw it.

Casey: 01:00:33

eah. Okay. November, December: 2026

Rainey: 01:00:41

On that note, we will see you next time. Thank you so much. Bye.

Outro: 01:00:47

That's a wrap for this episode of the Art of Introduction 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.