All-In Design
"All-In Design" is IIDA Alabama's podcast that invites you into the dynamic world of commercial interior design. Immerse yourself in the artistry, innovation, and inspiration that shape the spaces where we work, collaborate, and create. Discover the latest trends, cutting-edge technologies, and timeless design principles that define the ever-evolving landscape of commercial interiors.
All-In Design
Episode #33 - Interview with Bella Rizzo
In this episode of All-In Design, we speak with Bella Rizzo with Christopher Architecture & Interiors. We discuss Bella's navigation of internships, moving from commercial design to residential design, which immediately exposes the hosts as not knowing a whole lot about the residential side of interior design. It was an eye opening episode for us and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
From a comfy sofa in the IIDA Alabama recording studio, this is All In Design. Hello and welcome to All In Design IDA Alabama's podcast. Thank you for listening. My name's Chad Moore here with my co-host Mark Griffo.
SPEAKER_01:Hey everybody.
SPEAKER_02:And Mark, if you will do the honors of introducing today's guest.
SPEAKER_01:I will, but before I do, I have a question. Have you ever listened to the podcast Smartless? Yes, I have. With Jason Bateman and Will... Arnett. Arnett and Sean Hayes. I have. So I've recently... Just Jack. Just what?
SPEAKER_02:Just Jack.
SPEAKER_01:Just Jack. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I recently discovered this podcast. and started listening to it. Really? Just now? Yeah, I know. I know. It's sad. But what I think is funny about it is that, and I'm kind of doing this right now, is that they will have guests on, right? And not everybody knows, not all the hosts, where the guests are. I
SPEAKER_02:know where you're going.
SPEAKER_01:And they'll just be talking about like their week for like five minutes. Yeah. And then they introduce the guests and the whole time the guest is like sitting there just like being quiet. Yeah. Like live. It's pretty great. So I'm not saying we should do that, but... Maybe one day. We can steal.
SPEAKER_02:But doesn't it list who's on their podcast?
SPEAKER_01:It does. It does on their podcast. It's really funny. The other two hosts don't know who's on the show. They don't know who's
SPEAKER_02:on. But if you're a listener and they're like being kind of cagey about it, you
SPEAKER_01:as a listener already know. Kind of like ours here. I mean, really. Yeah. I mean, I've been going on and people will already be like, we've already figured it out because it says on the graphic. So without further ado, now that I've wasted four minutes already, I am happy to introduce Bella Rizzo, who is a junior designer at Christopher Architecture and Interiors here in Birmingham. Welcome, Bella. Glad to have you.
SPEAKER_00:Awesome. I'm so glad to be here. Yeah, I've been wanting to, you know, be on this podcast and it hadn't worked out originally. So now I'm back. We've got a waiting list. Oh, yeah. It's so long. Right. I've been so excited. I just think that you finally came off the waiting list. Yeah, I know. And just what a cool opportunity to be able to just be an impact for younger designers and architects, architects who can just learn more about the industry. So I'll just tell a from the University of Alabama. And I'm from Birmingham, Alabama. I went to Briarwood Christian High School and came back to Birmingham. I loved it so much that I got the opportunity to stay at Christopher Architecture and Interiors. That was a joke, okay? Because I did not know if I wanted to come back to Birmingham, but the opportunity came.
SPEAKER_01:We assumed that, yeah,
SPEAKER_00:you might have been joking. Okay, okay. Well, now being on this side of town, if you're not from Birmingham listening... I just have fallen in love with it in a different way. Just being... downtown, go to restaurants. I feel like there's just more to do. I live in Crestline, but just learning downtown and just with all the design buildings around here. And I feel like all the firms are down here. So I just feel like I've learned it all over again. But I really enjoyed being back. But yeah, like Mark said, I'm a junior designer at Christopher Architecture and Interiors and honestly get to help on a lot of different things. There's nothing specific that I do every day, do each day that would set me apart from anyone else. But don't say that. We're going to drill down on what sets you apart from
SPEAKER_01:everybody else. Oh, gosh. This is very– I don't know what the word
SPEAKER_02:is. Welcome to All In Design. Here's another designer that's just like all the others.
SPEAKER_00:Every day, people ask me all the time, oh, my gosh, you get to work at Christopher. What do you do? Tell me what your days look like. And I'm like, every day looks different. But that is exactly what would be for me because– I am the type, I would not want to be at a desk eight to five, and some people are called to that, but I like to be a busy bee and just kind of be up and about and around town sometimes. We're at clients' houses or site visits, or I'm at my desk from time to time too. So yeah, I feel like it all kind of started when I was younger. My mom loves design. But she's not
SPEAKER_01:a designer.
SPEAKER_00:She's not a designer. It was her hobby. So she's a decorator. She enjoyed doing it on the side. She was the friend. Did she have
SPEAKER_02:a business or just help with
SPEAKER_00:people no she just found a love doing it in our home and honestly I can think back to all of her friends and being like can you come over and look at this area can you come over so
SPEAKER_02:she had she definitely had a flair for she did
SPEAKER_00:and she has funky taste she has some funky fun style and I feel like I have a little bit of that too so um yeah I feel like I just saw it at a young age and when I was deciding where I wanted to go to school I was gonna go to Auburn for like all of my senior year missed opportunity missed opportunity a lot of people think i went to auburn okay well i don't hate auburn auburn's great um but it's funny i was on my my third or fourth visit there in november and i just did not feel like it was where i was supposed to be i had gone with my parents and my whole high school was going there my whole friend group but i was like you know i want to do something different and was like let's go tour alabama and so we went my thanksgiving break right but you're
SPEAKER_02:you're from birmingham i'm from Birmingham. Right. And you know the dynamic and the politics. Yes. Because when I first moved to Birmingham,
SPEAKER_00:it's a big deal.
SPEAKER_02:That was the first question I was asked. Same, yeah. I went into a dealership and they're like, so, which is it? And I'm like, what are you talking about? And they're like, Auburn or Alabama. I was like, I went to Vandy? And they're like, oh, that's cute. But which one? Which one are you picking? And I was like, I don't know yet.
SPEAKER_01:That will
SPEAKER_00:determine the course of the rest of that conversation. And I
SPEAKER_01:love that it doesn't matter the age, because like you were out of college. We moved when I was in second grade. from Atlanta. And so I got that question, which I didn't understand. Are
SPEAKER_00:y'all Georgia fans? No, absolutely not. I had to ask that one. It's funny
SPEAKER_01:that you asked that, so now I'm going to have to tell this very quick story. So my dad went to Georgia Tech, and my mother went to Mercer. My mother was born and raised in Atlanta, and my dad moved there like middle school, high school, and then grew up there and did stay and went to Georgia Tech. Years later, when we moved to Birmingham in 1988... My father did not tell me this story until I was actually going to Auburn, that when they were moving from Atlanta to Birmingham, one of the things that my mother told my father was, I'm so happy that we can finally get away from this Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry. And I looked at my dad like dumbfounded, and I was like, what did you say to her? And he's like, I didn't have the heart to explain what she was about to get into with Auburn and Alabama. But no, I actually vehemently dislike Georgia. So
SPEAKER_00:I just said it out loud. It's no secret. I can agree with that one. So
SPEAKER_02:you were trying to decide where to go. You were looking at Auburn, really thought you're going, all your friends are going to Auburn and you go, no, I'm going to go to their bitter rival.
SPEAKER_00:And also too, I'm the youngest in my family. I didn't want to be super far from home. Not that Auburn is much further, but I just loved the drive from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham. And so toward it, my Thanksgiving break and just fell in love with it. And I am a pretty decisive person. And I remember being in one of the dorm rooms and I was like, dad, I'm going here. Like I'm going here. And I'm like, And that whole break, I did not shut up about it. I was like, that's where I'm going to go. And so it ended up being such. And
SPEAKER_02:you said you're the youngest. I am. Where did your siblings go?
SPEAKER_00:My siblings, my brother went to school in Florida and then my sister went to LSU. Okay. So we're kind of spread out. But my mom's whole side of the family is from Louisiana. So it was kind of a big deal with the LSU-Bama rivalry because that's a big two. That's
SPEAKER_02:a thing. Pretty much everyone is a rival to Alabama, it seems
SPEAKER_00:like. Honestly, everyone I tell, they're like, yeah, I don't like them either. So. but yeah they were like okay and they ended up loving it too my parents were like okay I really like this place more than I thought so decided to go to Alabama and when I was trying to decide on a major I was like okay my sister did fashion and I am I do love that it is a passion of mine still to this day I love fashion clothes makeup hair all the things um but didn't want to go to school for it um and then I also thought about doing hospitality management or event planning but my mom was like why don't you try interior design.
SPEAKER_02:Now, is this when you're still in like senior in high
SPEAKER_00:school or senior in high school? OK. All right. Yeah. So I kind of gone on my tour just like looking around, wondering every kind of college. I knew I didn't want to do medical. I'm not called to that. But yeah, she was like, why don't you try interior design? And I was like, okay. So I ended up meeting with the department and just wanted to hear and learn more about it. I did the same at Auburn and highly recommend doing that. Just like going and learning more about what their program looks like and just seeing the building because that's where you're going to be every day. So I did that. I didn't do any of this.
SPEAKER_02:I didn't know what I wanted to do. I just went and was like, I took the first two years I still didn't know what I wanted
SPEAKER_00:to do yeah and and I didn't know if it was going to be a good fit for me I just my mom loved it I grew up loving it and so I was like okay I'm going to try it I'm going to do it and I don't think there was even a time in the four years that I was like I want to give up there was a moment junior year junior year was difficult but overall it was a very enjoyable experience except no COVID COVID was hard that was my freshman year okay um you know, in March, they were like, okay, everyone's going home. So that was difficult to come back
SPEAKER_01:to. So you had been there for obviously a semester.
SPEAKER_00:Right, a full semester of normal. Right, spring break and then CF. Spring break, yes. And so going back home to Birmingham, finished out for that freshman year online, and then when we went back, still online that first semester. But that was the most difficult season of school, I will say, being online, because that was the year at Alabama we learned all of our, like, software assistant like cad and all the things so it's like really hard to learn something that's on the computer on the computer so just having to like translate that from a professor was difficult um but that's whenever i started finding my like interior design friend group and i highly recommend that to anyone i tell students that all the time just finding someone that you work well with and that you don't necessarily have to have the same style but just someone that works the same hours as you work, that you can bounce ideas off of. That's what I had a really good friend.
SPEAKER_01:Comfortable critiquing
SPEAKER_00:each other. Right, for sure. It was like the moment something was assigned, we were like, okay, we're going to do this, and this is how we're going to do it. And it just kind of helped us keep each other accountable, and it challenged both of us. So we honestly started becoming friends. Her name's Jackie. She's actually in Dallas. Hey, Jackie. I know, I'm going to get her to listen to this. She's in Dallas. But... We started becoming friends sophomore year, and we still text all the time. And
SPEAKER_02:this was all online at this point?
SPEAKER_00:This was online at this point, but me and her got to a point when we got closer, we would go to Starbucks or somewhere and just sit and watch it together and start doing it on someone else's computer and just trying to figure it out as our teacher would go. So that was probably the most difficult year, but I truly enjoyed the challenge. And I think for someone like me, I think back to high school and middle school and growing up just to speak on kind of what things looked like. I was never the best test taker and little did I know this was going to be a good major for me because it was a lot of projects. We barely had quizzes and tests except senior year. I did have to take a couple history of interiors, a drapery class. So it was more. How she said them. How well
SPEAKER_01:did you do on those tests or did you block it out from your memory?
SPEAKER_00:Another tip too, I became really good friends with my professors. So that helped me just be able to ask questions, say, okay, What does this mean? How do I need to do this? Hey, I hate
SPEAKER_02:this test.
SPEAKER_00:I need help. I need help. Right. And so that helped me a lot. But I was normally B's. B's on a lot of those tests because they were difficult too. There's no judgment here. This is a safe space. Well, it was difficult to where this one professor, he like, it's like A, B, C, and D were all the right answer. You know, it's like they all could work. So that definitely challenged me. But overall, I think that That's what definitely helped keep me going, was knowing that it's all project-based and just not procrastinating and staying on top of my work and just having a friend to do it with.
SPEAKER_02:It sounded like you were, based on your answers to some of our questions, you were pretty active with ASID, I guess,
SPEAKER_00:right? I was, and our student organization, IDSA. I was the social media chair, which was so fun. I got to do that senior year. I got involved probably the beginning of my junior year, which, looking back, back what a good year to just be involved because that's what helped me find my internship was just becoming friends with the older girls within my major who already had internships and were in the world that kind of helped introduce me into the world of design and just kind of what it looked like in Birmingham so
SPEAKER_01:you were essentially networking within
SPEAKER_00:your major I was yeah I smart I know I said this too in here but like really I went to everything I really tried just to learn and just see what am I going to do after college like what can I do and that is something that I feel like my program struggled with a little bit and I didn't I wouldn't have known unless I would have branched out myself was like all the different routes you could take right I learned at career fairs you know there's reps there's but it just took me till my junior or senior year to learn some of these things um so there's just so much you can do with design which I think is so cool and it's just evolving so
SPEAKER_01:well it's probably I would imagine it takes like junior year because you have to because you would have seen it a little bit and like the first time you see it you're like who are these people and why are they here and what's this firm and what's a dealership and then you start repeating visits and stuff like that so they keep coming back so maybe they're important right remember those faces yeah exactly I always tell students I was like get everybody's business card yeah reach out to them sure you know yeah If they don't respond, either you don't want to work there or don't ever respect their product. Yeah. Got
SPEAKER_00:to start
SPEAKER_01:somewhere.
SPEAKER_02:Exactly. So junior year, did you have an internship?
SPEAKER_00:I did. Yes, sir. It worked out kind of well. Wow. Yes, sir. Yeah. Ouch. Oh, God. Clients get mad at me all the time. They're like, stop. I'm like, I can't. It's just how I've been raised.
SPEAKER_02:I've got to say yes, sir. Ma'am, did you have an internship when
SPEAKER_00:you? Oh, God. No, that was going to make me feel better. Now I can. I'll stop. I'll stop. I'll be. more chill. Okay. But yes, I had an internship the summer after my junior year with Davis Architects here in Birmingham. And I had such a great experience. A girl that was a year above us, actually when I was a junior, she kind of helped open the door to that. She was like, you should intern for Davis. Go interview with Stephanie. And so I actually interviewed with them and a couple other firms. Because at that point, I thought I wanted to do commercial. I loved all the projects junior year. But was like, I'm gonna put in both feelers with both different types of firms so i also interviewed with a couple residential firms in town and then davis and then davis was my last interview i remember i did two in one day which i would not do that again it just worked out because i didn't want to drive two times i was like wow my brain and then switching it on and off and you gotta be on a commercial yeah it's like okay how do i like make my portfolio look more appealing to both of them um but i interviewed with davis and at the time my friend jackie was interviewing with them and And it's a funny story because I never wanted to be weird and like step on toes with both interviewing with the same person. And I remember telling her about it because she's actually from New York city. And she was like, I'm going to stay and live in Tuscaloosa and just drive to Birmingham for my internship. And so, um, I was like, that's awesome. And Sophia was like, you should intern for them to go, just go do an interview. But I was like, Jackie, would you be okay with that? Like, what are your
SPEAKER_01:thoughts? Did you stress that you were local? You're like, I'm just down the road. I
SPEAKER_00:know, because it was actually going to be easier for me, just because my parents are from here, and just being from here, I was just going to live at home that summer. And so she was like, no, oh my gosh, go for it, go. And so when I interviewed... I fell in love with it. I love Stephanie. It's funny. We like talked about Jackie, my interview. It was just very laid back. And that also brings me, it was funny. The power was actually out that day or the internet something. And that was the day I was like, I'm so glad I brought a paper copy of my portfolio because we just had to just, and it was, but I loved just how, you know, not only I like could adapt in that situation, but like Stephanie was so chill and like, it wasn't a super stiff, intense interview. And I feel like I learned that the more, you know, I had interviews was just, it's a conversation and it doesn't have to be that stressful, stressful. And so, um, interviewed with them and then I literally got in the car and about 10 minutes later, I got an email from Stephanie offering me and she offered Jackie. So I was going to say, you can't leave one. No. And they knew we're probably a package deal. Okay. So that was too tempting. So I ended up interning with Davis with Jackie and it was just the best. How fun was that? Getting to do that with a friend for your first internship to like to look back and be by my self just it's an older crew and like you're learning but just to have someone that like is in the same boat was
SPEAKER_01:nice we try to have more than one especially here in Birmingham larger location just because they can be buddies you know because they're going to be the things that you have to do that like either one you got to go deal with the finish library or just the things that you're going to do as a junior intern but it's just if you've got a buddy it's a different experience right yes yes
SPEAKER_00:it was it was a blessing
SPEAKER_02:okay and so you did that your junior year and then come I mean, now it's senior year. Did you have an internship then as well?
SPEAKER_00:Well, at the end of the junior year summer, it's funny. I was like a month in and I loved what I was getting help with. I just wasn't super passionate about it, even though I was learning so much. And it's funny, Jackie, too. She's so just she knows what she wants and she's decisive and just out. She's from New
SPEAKER_02:York.
SPEAKER_00:She was like, yeah, this is not what I want to do. She was like, I love the people in the place. But she was like, I can't do this. I thought we both we were like, we thought this is what we want to do. And I was like, just give it a chance. Just give it a summer. Let's get through the summer. And it's funny. I started just feeling like I think there's more for me or just something different for me. And I remember talking to my mom about it and being so bummed that I didn't love what I was doing in my internship, even though I was learning so much. Because I don't want to discredit that from Davis. Because Morgan and Stephanie, such mentors in my early part of interning and loved them so much. But yeah, I just was
SPEAKER_02:like- working on just wasn't
SPEAKER_00:calling. Just higher education and athletic facilities. It was cool when it was an Alabama one. I felt like just being all up in it. I go to Alabama and I get to work on Alabama.
SPEAKER_01:Well, sometimes it's of equal value knowing what you don't want to do than what you think you might want to do. I think maybe Audrey talked a bunch about just exposing yourself to as
SPEAKER_00:much of an opportunity as you can. I'm glad I took it and went with it and did that internship because I wonder if it would have taken me to where I am today. you know? And that's what my mom, she was like, Bella internships, that's what it's for is experience. It's okay. If you don't like it, it's not, you know, they say like your first job is your last. And it's so true. And so I went out of that internship being like, I loved it. Thank you so much. But just like, I want to try residential. And that was always, I think in the back of my head, just growing up with that around me being my mom. Um, but I had no experience.
SPEAKER_02:The curriculum at Alabama, do they lean one way or the other or is
SPEAKER_00:it it's heavy it's heavy commercial okay okay we did like a little bit of residential freshman year but then you're so new and you're not good and you don't know what you're doing and then you start doing it if you choose to do our second semester of senior year you get to pick okay and that's what you do your final project on so not much it's it's pretty much commercial so that's what I think makes all of us want to do a commercial internship because I feel like my whole class did a commercial internship that summer um but yeah so I was like I'm gonna try for a residential one and I didn't know what that was gonna look like going into my senior year I only had studio two days a week and so I was like I'm just gonna get into the year see how I like it and I was bored out of my mind with those three other days out of the week just even with my workload I felt like there was more and I could be doing something or I'm just very much like I can't sit around. Are you a
SPEAKER_01:busybody?
SPEAKER_00:I am. I am. And I just felt lazy and I didn't enjoy. I was in a sorority and I was also living in my sorority house. So it was I don't want to be in it all the time. I wanted to be out. And so that's whatever. I think it was mid-September. I was like, I'm going to reach out to some places in Birmingham. I don't even know if they do a part time internship, but could I come in two days, two days a week and learn? And so it's funny. I actually reached out I think before I started reaching out to the companies, I reached out to Lori Bailey. I don't know if y'all know her from Interface, but she's amazing.
SPEAKER_01:Sounds familiar, Lori
SPEAKER_02:Bailey? She's been on the podcast.
SPEAKER_01:Oh,
SPEAKER_00:my gosh. Okay, she's awesome. We
SPEAKER_01:know Lori very well,
SPEAKER_00:and we make fun of her a lot. Well, all credit to her. She is awesome because I remember— She doesn't know that, though, because she
SPEAKER_02:doesn't listen to the show. No, she doesn't, no.
SPEAKER_00:Come on.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, this is not sponsored by Interface, by the way. No, it's not. She doesn't listen. Interface is the worst.
SPEAKER_00:Stop. that is hilarious but I actually had texted her a little bit about it because they would say at these fairs and it's so true like ask your reps who's hiring because they are in with all the firms and now I get it like they know who's who and who needs someone and so
SPEAKER_01:you're literally telling the playbook that people tell students to do and they don't okay right not all of them obviously but yeah well
SPEAKER_02:it is funny because like the ones we've had on the podcast clearly they were successful in finding jobs because they're working and we're interviewing them but so they're in a job yeah but so we're getting the right answers right yeah you know versus having somebody I was like okay you don't work anywhere what did you do yeah yeah I did nothing
SPEAKER_01:well and then I knew I met you and Audrey at the IIDA student day right so again going back to that involvement in the industry so
SPEAKER_00:wouldn't have met right yeah but she I ended up calling her one day one afternoon because she had always said like reach out if you need a She knew I was at Davis that summer. And I was like, do you know any residential firms that are hiring that do this? And she was like, let me think. Let me look around. And I think I maybe mentioned Christopher to her or maybe she did. I can't recall. But it's funny. I knew about him in high school, but just never thought our paths would cross. I just a far dream. And I just never thought that it would be anything that I would be a part of. And so how
SPEAKER_02:are you familiar with them in high school?
SPEAKER_00:So. Chris's nephew went to high school with me. Okay. So that's how I knew of
SPEAKER_01:him. Dots connected.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. So I knew, but I didn't know him or much of it. I just knew his nephew. And so I was like, oh, that's cool. He has a company, like he has a firm. And of course I followed them on Instagram, but I just didn't know much about him. And then she was like, yeah, why don't like, she was like, let me, let me email them. Let me ask them for you. Whatever. I was like, okay. So I, she sent me up an interview or just gave me their information and they reached out And we're like, we'd love to have you in. And so I went in on one Friday and it was like I said about Davis, just so laid back and relaxing and just a conversation. I feel like the first 10 minutes was just about Birmingham. And one of my bosses actually went to Briarwood. So it was just like a small world. Um, and they're awesome. Whitney and Leanne, they're my two bosses still. Um, and they're just incredible. And so, um, I just asked him, I was like, do y'all do this? Do y'all need a part-time intern? I was like, I really don't even have to be paid. I was like, I just need to learn and just see what you guys do. And they were like, well, we've never had one, but let's do it. And so I was like, all right. So later that day, I got my offer letter to just be a part for two days. And so I was there. This is what
SPEAKER_01:semester, right?
SPEAKER_00:My first semester.
SPEAKER_01:Like you were still in school.
SPEAKER_00:I'm still in school. I'm like a month into my senior
SPEAKER_01:year. Yeah, that's right.
SPEAKER_02:And I want to change what I said. This is sponsored by Interface. That was nice of Lori. All credit to Lori. Yeah,
SPEAKER_01:it was nice. The check's in the mail, I think. It cost a lot to run this thing, obviously. Look at the setup we have.
SPEAKER_00:No, no.
SPEAKER_01:These are Dasani bottles of water. No, I love it. It's not out of the tap.
SPEAKER_00:But yes, she very much helped. kind of plant the seed and get the ball rolling with that. Um, and then it just began. So I was there Tuesday, Thursdays, my first semester, and then Monday, Wednesdays, my second semester. So it was just such a blessing to be a part and just learn so many things at once. I mean, it's funny because I was only there two days a week and after week one, I was like, this is what I want to do. Like, cool. Just, I feel like they put so much just time and energy into investing in me and growing me in such a short amount of time and just trusting me with so much. I mean, errands, don't get me wrong, but like helping with projects. I was like, I am not qualified to touch this or I don't, you know, I'm still learning. But just to take a chance on someone. Do you guys want coffee? I'll get coffee. Literally. That's what I expected. That was okay. I will be the Starbucks girl because I love that. But yeah, so that definitely is what, kind of helps. So then
SPEAKER_01:when you graduated, then you just basically rolled straight into full time? You just started
SPEAKER_02:showing up five days a
SPEAKER_01:week?
SPEAKER_02:No,
SPEAKER_00:actually it's a funny...
SPEAKER_01:They are paying you, right? A year and a half later,
SPEAKER_00:right?
SPEAKER_02:She's still an intern.
SPEAKER_00:It kind of was a crazy thing because it was in April I remember approaching Whitney. She tells the story all the time, so it's kind of my first time telling it and not her telling it. But in April I remember I just, I didn't want to be weird and had a just ask, do you guys have an opening? Like, is there a place for me here? Those type of conversations. And I remember one day kind of just like casually asking her, like, you know, do y'all have any opportunities? Like I would love to be a part. If y'all have any positions, like I've had such a great time interning here and learning from y'all, what would that look like? And she was like, as of right now, we don't have anything full time, but I know you said you wanted to take your summer. So why don't we like touch base after summer? And that was something that like, multiple people had given me advice on. And I'm so glad I did. It was like, take your summer if you can. And it was the best thing ever. I went to Europe for two weeks, like just the one time left in life before you started a big girl job. Don't ever
SPEAKER_01:say that left in life. You've got plenty of life left to do things. I still take trips. I still do fun things. And then I have a full-time job and I don't do anything but my
SPEAKER_00:full-time job. I got to have a vacation every once in a while. I would help. For sure. Change the scenery. But... Yeah, so summer went by, and I really wasn't stressed about it because I just still felt like the door was open there, and I had a peace about it, just loving them so much. But reached back out in August, and it was kind of a slow, just steady pace before we actually got to meet again. We just kept missing each other. She was so busy, and I get it, and I remember speaking on that at the panel, like not taking it personal, that like just– they're busy and they have a lot on their plate and it's not, you know, it has nothing to do with you and like your skillset. It's just, they have a lot going on or there isn't an opening. You know, I had to realize that even when I emailed, for internships January of my junior year, being so bummed or like, oh my gosh, my work is awful. They didn't answer me. And I remember people being like, Bella, it's because they're genuinely that busy or they just don't have an opening. And that just helped me so much. And that's the
SPEAKER_01:perfect time to toughen up.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, it helped me so much. Before even being there, it helped me to be like, it's okay. If it's going to work out, it's going to work out. If not, and I had...
SPEAKER_02:And on their list of priorities... that they've got to get done during the day. For sure.
SPEAKER_00:And now I get that being on the other side because there probably are some people I do put on, you know, and that was me at one point and that's okay. And she knew I was in such a place that just was waiting kind of on the right timing. So we ended up going to lunch, I guess it was in August, and kind of just talking through some options of where their openings were, whatever. And we have a store in Homewood. And so she was like, there might be an opportunity there and one of our designers actually started at the store too and then went over to the firm so I didn't know if that was going to be my path I just wanted to be there so I was like put me wherever and so that was a possibility but she was like I need to talk to Chris and we're just going to map some things out and so um a couple weeks later out of the blue she was like hey do you want to go to lunch with me Chris and Leanne and I was like sure and so it was after that lunch
SPEAKER_01:it's like Three top brass right there.
SPEAKER_00:I know. And it's funny, like just, just casual. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:You know,
SPEAKER_00:Chris is so busy with just so many things he has going on. Did you know
SPEAKER_02:something was up maybe with that group coming? Did you know all of them are coming?
SPEAKER_00:I want, well, I was like, okay, Chris is coming. I, I, this like, we're going to talk, talk. And I remember thinking, we're going to talk, talk. Yeah, exactly. Or when he had texted me before and was like, Hey, We're so excited to see you. Just be yourself. Like, don't limit yourself to being at the store or at the firm. Just be yourself and let's see where it goes. And I was so grateful, which I think that was... Were you
SPEAKER_01:nervous?
SPEAKER_00:I was nervous, but the more I remember we went to Patola and I'll never... It was just like... now that place is just like the interview place. I can't really go back. But, um, it was really, uh, it was
SPEAKER_01:like scarring.
SPEAKER_00:No, it was a casual line. For the people in
SPEAKER_01:Birmingham, people not in Birmingham, but Patola's a nice, it is
SPEAKER_00:a nice Italian restaurant. I want a couple weeks to go for my brother's birthday. So I need to be nice. And
SPEAKER_02:Rizzo is an Italian name.
SPEAKER_00:I know. I know. Yeah. I gotta, I gotta eat all my good Italian food with my last name. Um, but yeah, we met at Patola and honestly, I feel like a lot of the lunch it was me and Whitney and Leanne catching up and just talking and then he asked a lot of questions about me because I never really got the chance to get to know him well as an intern I was there two days a week he was traveling I was he was running essentially two
SPEAKER_01:companies
SPEAKER_00:I don't he has so many there's so many companies yeah he's got a lot going on he's a busy man but um yeah and so I just kind of was myself and just kind of told him about me myself and the things I loved during my internship and loved about his company and so um it was a good lunch and then I I think it was that Friday not good
SPEAKER_02:enough to ever go back
SPEAKER_00:yeah right I think it was that this podcast is not sponsored no I love this podcast I love this podcast um That Friday, it's funny, my mom knows Whitney, my boss. And so she had told my mom that they were going to hire me, but not to tell me. It was like going to be a surprise or just whatever. And so it was just like a random Friday at three. I got like an offer letter and it was at the firm. And so because I genuinely left the lunch being like, I don't know where I'm going to be. Like, I just hope it's somewhere here. Sure. So yeah, so that kind of started it. And I started October 17th or 18th of 2024.
SPEAKER_02:Right. So we got to the first question of how you got into industry. 2023, that's when I started. Sorry. Yeah, wow. Lots to talk about at the beginning. Yeah, no, that's great. Yeah. So now that you're in the industry, what was something that was the most surprising? Because I guess when you worked doing an intern, that's still different than practicing and being part of the firm. What was the biggest surprise?
SPEAKER_00:I feel like I learned it at Davis as well as Christopher. Just... you know, fresh out of school, how important collaboration is and teamwork. I did not realize, you know, I had my friend Jackie and we worked on our projects together, but when you're at a firm, it is all about a team. There is no I in team and you are just a small part of the big result. And that is something I learned at Davis and how big of a team player you have to be. And same at Christopher, it goes, you know, residential and commercial. And so just adapting and learning where I fit in that and knowing that I'm just going to listen and learn and take notes. But also, if I have an idea worth saying, I'm going to say it. that helped grow my confidence for sure. But yeah, I would say the teamwork collaboration and just how hand in hand you are with the architects and other designers on your team.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. So, so Christopher's store aside, tell people who are not familiar with Christopher, cause we've kind of beat around the bush a little bit, like residential, but like what talk, just talk a little bit about the firm and like what they do, the firm. Okay.
SPEAKER_00:So at the firm, we have residential and commercial. A lot of people don't know we have a commercial side. It's more high end boutique hospitality smaller based projects that's pretty new to the company but we're very residential heavy and so I think it's been we've been around for I think close to 20 years I want to say 18 or 19 years and Chris it was a one man thing for a while and then slowly he built his company and it's funny he always says you know he went to Auburn and graduated there with an architect degree but he um when he got back he actually didn't like practice for a couple years he just like felt called to ministry and so he did ministry for a couple years which I thought was so cool um and then he was like you know what I'm gonna get back into it so he did little projects and worked his way up which I loved um so yeah we do basically from the ground up projects, all in-house, architecture, design, procurement, down to like fluffing the pillow at the end of the day. Like I was at an install all week last week, and it's so cool to see just you're picking out the tile, the paint color, you're seeing it being framed to like literally putting the toilet paper on the
SPEAKER_01:library. Because these are high-end
SPEAKER_00:residential. Yes, high-end residential projects, and we're all over the U.S. at this point. People just find them on Instagram, which is so cool. Yeah, I was going to say, like a lot of it's social media. A lot of it, it is– Very social media plays a big part into our company, which I love.
SPEAKER_02:Who does the social media? Do you have a firm that does it for you or is
SPEAKER_00:it in-house as well? Caroline Thomas, she's incredible. She runs our social media and we also have a graphic designer, another girl that does marketing between the firm and the store.
SPEAKER_02:So did you like put your hand up like I did social media for the Alabama? Yeah. When you were at University of Alabama, you did the social media for the student?
UNKNOWN:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I feel like they knew about that, but it's funny. They haven't drug you into it? They haven't brought me into it. Now, they may, and I actually do enjoy it. I do some videos for our store sometimes just to highlight certain sofas or products that come in, which I do enjoy. But, yeah, so we're kind of all over the U.S. at this point. We have a lot at 30A, a lot at Lake Martin, a lot in Birmingham. But then we also have one wrapping up in San Francisco Bay Area of California. We had one finish up, I think it was the end of last year, in Rochester, New York. So it's been fun to see all these cool clients. And
SPEAKER_02:you're doing, like, everything. Everything.
SPEAKER_00:So, like, all the furniture. Right, all the furniture, finishes, paint. That's amazing. Kitchen, bath design. Yeah, so it's really fun. Where were you last week?
SPEAKER_01:We were
SPEAKER_00:in Huntsville. Okay. Yeah, it was our first install. big project that we've ever had in Huntsville. I didn't, I didn't know that my boss was telling me that. Um, and it was actually a renovation and, um, it was so cool to be a part of. It took about a year now that we're in 2025 and just such sweet clients and just such a fun project. Just, it was one of the first, it was the second one that I've been fully a part of being at Christopher. Um, so it was a full week. I felt like we were at summer camp, you know, we were all in an Airbnb together all week. And that was something I know I touched on in talking of you guys was just installs that's a big part of my job we have a lot of installs and they can be as small as a nursery or a full house and they're some of the most fun weeks because you are on your feet and you are getting your steps in but they're exhausting because you're moving someone in essentially for sure in every way shape and form right and so It gets really personal, but I enjoy it. I enjoy it. Do
SPEAKER_01:you travel a lot?
SPEAKER_00:We do, yeah. I haven't gone anywhere super far yet. The furthest I think I've gone is Nashville. Nashville, I've been to Atlanta, the lake. Auburn, Huntsville. Do they
SPEAKER_01:reserve the 30A trips?
SPEAKER_00:I'm not on any of the beach ones right now. I've not been able to go. Every time they go, I'm like, send me all the pictures and the beautiful things. They do it in a day. They drive in a day to those trips. It
SPEAKER_02:is fascinating to me. I'm commercial side and that's all I've known. I've not known residential side at all. You were talking about how it It's so personal. Whereas commercial, I think it's not as personal. If you're working with a client, they still take it personally. It's where they're going to work and where their employees are going to work. But it's not the bed they're sleeping in. It's not their
SPEAKER_01:kitchen. Their master closet
SPEAKER_02:and their bathroom. Their kitchen table where they're going to spend with their family and their kids and all that. I mean, how do you... How do you work with a client to really, I mean, define those pieces?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. I feel like it takes a team. Like I had said about teamwork, all of us designers pulling things out of the client little by little. And then also it's funny, my boss says this and it's so true. It's like some clients never leave. Like you're just going to be, they're going to be with you forever. Like just an ongoing process. Did
SPEAKER_01:he mean that as a good thing?
SPEAKER_00:Oh, it's a good thing. They're just like hovering over you. And it's, it's fun because then you get to help on different things. So vacation home of theirs if you've already done their home in Birmingham. That happens a lot. But that's what made me fall in love with residential from day one at being at Christopher was the client interaction. And I'm just such a social person. And that's something that we're so big on. You know, I just think about when we've had intern interview all the things is it's like your skill set is so important but so is your social skills like being able to talk to a client and like be confident in what you have to say and like how you present yourself and just how you can you know explain what you're trying to show them when it comes to a finish board or walking through a house and I've had times where they're like, okay, Bella, what do you think? And I'm like, me? Just being able to talk and just speak. Yeah,
SPEAKER_01:because
SPEAKER_00:that's why you're there. But I'm like, I'm young. You're looking at me. You know my name. Who is your
SPEAKER_01:most difficult client? I'm kidding. You don't have to answer that. They're all amazing. But it looks like you were about to. The Thompsons. The Thompsons are the worst. No, no. I just made up that name. Just to be clear, that was just the first thing that Chad said because there are the Thompsons of Birmingham. And we're not referring to that.
SPEAKER_00:Nope, no, no, no, no. The Smiths, the Smiths are the worst. There are some difficult ones or difficult moments with some, but it's always so cool to see. I can think back to this one we wrapped up this past week. The like walking out, leaving and just how thankful they are. That's what makes it all worth it. The hard work last week is it's like the thank you. I love it. Seeing it all just come into play within the home is so beautiful. And that's what just makes me love it. Is there, I
SPEAKER_02:mean, again, I think I'm just so focused on buying all the furniture that's going into their house. Do you ever get where a month, two months, three months goes by and they're like, hey, this table, it's not working for us or whatever, and you've got to select something else?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that happens all the time. Or sometimes during the install, they'll see it and be like, oh, I don't remember I picked that out. And we're like, okay, we'll just go back to the drawing board. Is this where the
SPEAKER_01:Christopher Collection store
SPEAKER_00:comes into play? a lot which has been such a big blessing just how cool of an opportunity to be able to have a company like that that has antiques that has gifts that will go grab for a client real quick that has styling accessories all the things and then sofas and all upholstered items but yeah we pull a lot from there because it's a lot of our look and a lot of what our clients come to us for is what the collection sells and so they really do go hand in hand with a lot of projects not every project but A good amount. Yeah, because
SPEAKER_01:this is interesting because you're the first, like, full-on residential designer that we talked to. Yeah,
SPEAKER_02:yeah, yeah. Okay. Congratulations.
SPEAKER_01:So, congratulations. Thank you. And no pressure. Okay. Oh, God. All the pressure. Well, because it's funny because when we talk to a lot of students, there are a lot of people that, you know, that... They come into interior design, whether they're thinking about it when they're younger in grade school or when they get to college, like, yeah, I want to be in residential. And then they get, to your point earlier, they get exposed to other different things, and then they end up going into hospitality or health care or commercial, and the shift changes. And so it's just interesting. I mean, there's plenty of residential interior designers out there.
SPEAKER_00:There are a lot in Birmingham. I didn't realize until moving. Yeah, there's a ton. back home and just being in the world that there's a lot of designers in town, which is great. I think they're all awesome.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. Who's responsible for curating what the collection is?
SPEAKER_00:Leanne also does that. She is over all of our product and procurement for the store and the firm. So she helps select things whenever we were talking about Round Top and High Point, all those things. She helps buy for us and for the store. So they actually just got back from Europe and sourcing antiques. So she gets to pick some really pretty, cool stuff from i think they were in paris and then some small little areas of italy so yeah you need to get on one of those trips i was gonna say is
SPEAKER_01:that anything you'd ever
SPEAKER_00:be interested in i would yes sign me up yeah i will go i love all that
SPEAKER_01:we'll give we'll give chris a call yes okay we were talking to bella i'll be yeah yeah
SPEAKER_02:yeah
SPEAKER_00:she's so good at what she does so yeah
SPEAKER_02:Well, one of the questions we had was, what advice do you have for individuals aspiring to become interior designers? And you gave, well, I guess actually what specific skills or qualities that you believe are crucial for success. And you kind of touched on it already, but social skills. Yeah. How would you recommend somebody improving their social skills?
SPEAKER_00:I think a lot of it is, like, we've talked about this at work, too. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Because some people are just naturally,
SPEAKER_00:they've
SPEAKER_02:got
SPEAKER_00:it. Right, right. But if you
SPEAKER_02:don't.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah. If
SPEAKER_02:you're more of an introvert.
SPEAKER_00:I think a lot of it, and I don't know how to, but just like how you present yourself and what you wear too is so important at where we work. Just with the type of clients that we work with, you have to look the part. And so that's a big aspect. And then also knowing your place. And when... You can speak up and say your, that was something that I still, and like, it's funny. I feel like it worked. They're like, Bella, I don't ever want to like overstep like my boundary or my position. And so I feel like I've definitely tried to just follow Whitney or Leanne's lead and then put my input in where I feel is best. And especially like, I think back to this past project, it was one of my, like my projects. And so I felt like I could have more of an opinion of, wait, this lamp doesn't look good right here. Let's move it. Because I helped kind of create Right, right. You know what I mean? Sure, yeah. But yeah, I would say just like presentation and... how you just carry yourself with confidence. Right. But not arrogant. I was going to say, I was going to say confidence. Not arrogant. Yeah. Confident is important.
SPEAKER_02:And that's, I mean, that's a tough, that's, it's a tough thing to learn. It is. It is. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. And I tell my kids, it's like, you know, the fake it till you make it. I mean, pretending to be confident makes you more confident. Yes. Yes. Yes. Even if you have no idea,
SPEAKER_00:like you're just like, nod your head. I said this, I remember on the panel and it's like, always bring a notebook. Like that is something that I, I feel like I've just naturally been the type to do. I don't know if it's my parents, how they write, just to be prepared for a meeting. But like Chris has been like, just have a notebook, have something to like take a picture of, to take notes of, because even if it's not your project and you somehow just got in on it, you're going to end up needing that information or someone's going to need that information. So just being ready and prepared.
SPEAKER_01:How many designers do y'all have at Christopher?
SPEAKER_00:God, we have about 10. We have 10 of us. Yeah. Are
SPEAKER_01:they specialized in different things?
SPEAKER_00:We have, so Bailey, she does commercial and then the rest of us, so nine of us are more residential. But that's something that I do love about Christopher too that I didn't get to touch on is like because we have a commercial side, I still am helping Bailey a little bit with some small things that I love to just get to like learn from her and what that looks like on some of these smaller projects. We're doing a little gym personal trainer thing project right now and like I was kind of the connection to the project and so she's letting me tag along and just kind of following her lead and just whatever you need but to have that is so cool to get to work and they want us to all the time they're like residential y'all go learn from collect or commercial commercial yeah and you've mentioned the
SPEAKER_01:team so you guys collaborate with the architects in terms of like space
SPEAKER_00:planning and all that for sure for sure which is so important the architects are great so it's been awesome
SPEAKER_02:are there particular types of projects that you gravitate towards? I mean, I know residential, but even within residential, there's all sorts of difference.
SPEAKER_00:Goodness. I would say because Working at Christopher, I feel like beforehand I thought the style was more traditional in storybook, character, lived in, and it is. But now that I'm here, I realize we have a lot of modern projects going on, a lot of clients that are wanting a more neutral, monochrome, minimalistic look, and I have become drawn to that. And I've also never was into antiques until working at Christopher. I didn't even really know what an antique was until being at the collection and knowing this is a St. Louis chest commode. I'm like, okay. Like we had someone come in, I've been helping at the store some and they're like, what part of France? No, what? And I'm like, I don't know. I'm going to have to research this. I'm going to have to learn. I'm going to have to learn. That is a whole nother side too of residential design is furniture that I'm still evolving and learning. And I do, I'm grateful Leanne. I help her a lot with it. That's another part of my job that I do do a lot of design, but I also am helping her with furnishing homes. So I love Learning all the brands, but I would say I do like a clean, modern look, but I do like a little bit of glitzy, funky, too. Right. From my mom, I guess. Right.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, is there certain areas of the house, like there's kitchen, there's bath, are you drawn one way or the other, or is it just kind of all of it's interesting?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I'm thinking... based off ones I've gotten to help with. I mean, kitchen. I feel like I just love, I love a keeping room or a family room, a great room.
SPEAKER_01:What's a keeping room?
SPEAKER_00:We just did one. And so it brought me back to home because we had growing up in my house, a keeping room and then like a living room. And this house had that too, where it's more of just like comfy, casual laid back furniture.
SPEAKER_01:So like a den.
SPEAKER_00:More of a den. More of a den. And their breakfast table and their kitchen is all in one room. If the house is
SPEAKER_02:fancier, it's a keeping room. For sure. Exactly. Yeah,
SPEAKER_00:the Griffo house growing up, it's the gym. You know, that's the grand moment.
SPEAKER_02:We have the living room and the family room. I
SPEAKER_00:also love a powder room. Those are just...
SPEAKER_01:So do Chad and I. Fast fact. I
SPEAKER_00:just love powders. That's where you can do the fun... jewelry, pretty, special pieces. That's where we like to do a wallpaper. It's not a huge space. That's where we want to do a detail on a stone. You're showing off how much you know about powder rooms. I don't know. I just love them. That's where you can pop a little.
SPEAKER_02:I've never been in a cavernous powder
SPEAKER_01:room. The bench and the three mirrors and the lights.
SPEAKER_00:All the things. Multiple lights. We're both trying to show how
SPEAKER_02:much we know about powder rooms. Erin, when
SPEAKER_01:we first started dating, she had a whole powder room she lived in a studio apartment yeah but she had a whole like powder room furniture set up i don't know what it would be called but it was like oh the vanity i guess is the word i'm looking for what was like i had the three mirrors and the bench and everything like that which
SPEAKER_00:is funny because she's yeah
SPEAKER_01:which is funny because she wears very little makeup
SPEAKER_00:yeah she just hey girls like to have that space for sure
SPEAKER_02:yeah
SPEAKER_00:i can agree
SPEAKER_02:all right well we are 50 minutes in it's flew by Dang, Bella. It's the social Italian in
SPEAKER_00:you. Oh, guys. I know. Seriously, could talk
SPEAKER_02:forever. So let's switch to rapid fire.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, goodness.
SPEAKER_02:Are you prepared for this? Do you know that this is coming? I don't really know. You've listened. Okay.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, but are y'all going to ask me this again? The episodes have gotten too long. I'm prepared as I can be. So if I just blurt out a really random thing, I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_01:Okay. All right, we'll start with some easy ones. Okay. Maybe. Describe yourself in three words.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's super easy.
SPEAKER_00:Okay. Intentional, generous, and...
SPEAKER_02:Intentional.
SPEAKER_00:I don't want to say fun because that's such fun. You
SPEAKER_01:don't want to say fun? Joyful. Joyful. Okay. Yeah, those are lovely answers. Why did you not want to say fun? I don't...
SPEAKER_00:Because it's basic. I don't know. I just didn't want to say. I wanted to speak more on my personality. Joy feels better. I wanted to give you guys more of a descriptive answer.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, yeah. What is something that you're sneaky good at that most people don't know about you? Sneaky good at. Yeah, like a hobby or a thing that you do that
SPEAKER_00:some people. Sneaky good at. Goodness, what am I sneaky good at? You
SPEAKER_02:make a grilled cheese sandwich that's amazing. Something.
UNKNOWN:Sneaky good at.
SPEAKER_00:I can make a good latte.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. Okay.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. I've got a, I mean, you've got
SPEAKER_02:a machine. I
SPEAKER_00:have a cool one now. I have a nice one and I have not mastered. So maybe this is going to be the next hobby of like latte art. Okay. Not master the look of that, but I can make it taste good. Yeah. Well, I think that's the most important. Yeah. Okay. But that's going to be, and so this is at your home. Like this is, yeah. Got an espresso. I'm learning.
SPEAKER_01:Okay. I'm learning. Nice. Are you a coffee snob? This is not a rapid fire. This is just a follow-up.
SPEAKER_00:I'm a coffee lover, but I feel like the more I've been drinking coffee throughout my life, I've become a little bit of a snob of just where I like and the taste I like.
SPEAKER_01:I think that saying things like that, like calling people snobs about anything, is just funny to me. Because it's really not being... I mean, you can have a snooty attitude, but it's really more... about education, right? So you know what tastes better just because you've had the things. But then people like to throw on the snob label. I hope I'm not. I have not gotten a snob vibe from you. What's the most unexpected source of design inspiration you've ever encountered?
SPEAKER_00:Oh, goodness. Design inspiration I've ever encountered.
SPEAKER_01:That was off, this is off my hard list. I jumped to the heart. I don't know if I've ever actually asked this question. I don't think you've asked this one before.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Encountered. Oh, goodness, this is hard.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. It's rapid fire questions, not answers.
SPEAKER_01:I know. Right?
SPEAKER_00:The answers, yeah. For sure. Yeah, exactly. It's on us
SPEAKER_01:to read them
SPEAKER_00:fast. Okay, we haven't, we, this is just like something that we have thrown around a lot at the office. The idea of doing a garage garage within i don't even know it was an ai picture so that's why i don't know if it can be done but within like water around it but putting the car because we have a client right now that is like in the exotic car industry business and having some sort of way to drive into a garage to where a bat cave around you is it's like batman fish okay yeah
SPEAKER_01:wow kind of right he goes to the
SPEAKER_00:waterfall and this is a project in dustin so we're going off water we're going he loves blue yeah okay so I don't know if that's a design inspiration, but it's something that we want to try to
SPEAKER_02:do.
SPEAKER_01:I have a little bit of a follow-up question. So this one doesn't count either. This is how I do this, Bella. Have you ever had a client that brings in an object or a photo or something that's very specific? That's like, I want my keeping room. Right. To be like this, or my man cave. I've got
SPEAKER_02:a bust of my grandmother that I want you to design this room around.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Has that ever happened? And if so, are you at liberty to say what's the most unique? We'll use unique. Unique's a nice word. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Well... First is a client who had a portrait of the husband's great-great-grandfather or something, and she doesn't even love it, but she's like, it has to be up somewhere in my house. So finding a place for that and the whole room being kind of centered off that piece. Number two is animal heads. That is a big part, and I'm learning that. My dad loves it, but now we have clients that– So many porcupines. Where am I going to put it? A
SPEAKER_02:porcupine that we had to mount to where someone isn't going to get stabbed. And it's just the head?
SPEAKER_00:And it's just the head. So putting that in. It's just the head of a porcupine? I mean, it's like. tilted off the mouth yeah
SPEAKER_01:no I get it but like a porcupine
SPEAKER_00:you gotta put it high enough to where they're not getting
SPEAKER_01:poked they're not I mean they're not small animals but I about
SPEAKER_00:was poking my eye out being in there it's in a safe gun room area and so and the
SPEAKER_01:head's like this big I'm making the baseball fist but then like you know you've got the quills it's just something like why not do the whole thing usually
SPEAKER_02:when you think of a head it's gonna be a larger animal yeah for sure right
SPEAKER_00:so I would say it's like a
SPEAKER_02:ferret head
SPEAKER_01:okay yeah no we've actually experienced we've had some of ourselves people that have gone to people's houses and they're like oh we're having our meeting in our basement which doesn't sound weird but then they go down there and it's like 40 wildebeest heads kind of thing and a giraffe
SPEAKER_02:we got an Airbnb it was like a cabin so my family went and we've got four kids and they had a couple deer in one of the bedrooms deer heads and my I think it was back maybe it was Ellie but one of the kids ran to the room behind to see if the rest of the animal was poking out. And I was like, oh, that would be hysterical. So just as an idea. Have the head on one side and then in the next room have the rest of the animal in the back.
SPEAKER_00:They scare me. I don't want to wake up to them looking
SPEAKER_02:at me. I just want to mount the rear end of the animal.
SPEAKER_01:Don't rephrase that sentence, Chad. In a man cave. Yeah, I do. All right, next question.
SPEAKER_02:I'm going to bleep that one out. I love it. Is it my turn? Yeah, I've asked you three questions. Okay. That was a terrible turn of phrase. You are gifted a pet alligator. What do you name it?
SPEAKER_00:Goodness. Sally Sue.
SPEAKER_02:Sally Sue. Sally Sue. Love it.
SPEAKER_00:I like that. If we ever get an alligator in
SPEAKER_01:the back of our
SPEAKER_00:yard, I'm going to name it Sally Sue. I don't even know if you said it was a girl, but it's going to be Sally Sue. It is now.
SPEAKER_01:Okay. If you weren't an interior designer, what would you be?
SPEAKER_00:Goodness.
SPEAKER_01:You could have described yourself in four words, and the fourth word could have been thoughtful. Because with each question, you're like, let me think
SPEAKER_00:about this. I know. I really want to give a good answer. I
SPEAKER_02:just said I was going to mount the rear end of the animal,
SPEAKER_01:so it doesn't really matter what you say. You can do whatever you want.
SPEAKER_00:I feel like it would be fun, two answers, but to work, like... skincare spa place. I think it'd be fun to work at a spa. Or I wanted to be a teacher when I was little. But then the older I got, I was like, I'm not called to being a teacher. So maybe in another lifetime being a teacher, my mom was a teacher. So I don't know, like kids. What
SPEAKER_01:did your mom teach?
SPEAKER_00:kindergarten.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Oh, that's a lot.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. I didn't last long. She didn't, she didn't love it.
SPEAKER_01:She
SPEAKER_02:was a teacher for one year. Yeah. What's your, uh, what's the been the most favorite vacation you've ever been on?
SPEAKER_00:I would have to say my graduation trip to Europe. Okay. Where'd you go? It was so fun. We went to Paris, Rome, Florence, Amalfi coast.
SPEAKER_01:Okay. Yeah. Nice. Nice. So you went to like Sorrento and did all
SPEAKER_00:that. It was stunning. The water, it's like, it really is that blue when you're, you just see it in magazines and videos and stunning.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. They die it, but they're going to be people who believe that. Yeah. Yeah. There are, um, People have been asking me, they're like, we're glad you brought the swear word question back. Who's saying that? People have told me that. I could say anything on this podcast. You know what people want? People have been asking for this. But you don't strike me as someone who swears.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I know.
SPEAKER_01:If you were to swear, what would you say? So you've never heard this question, but one of our questions that we've repeatedly asked is, what is your favorite non-swear swear word? Like if you were going to swear. If you're around those kindergartners. Children. Yeah. Instead of a swear word. So I think that we should reverse it. So if you were going to swear. No, I'm just kidding. You don't have to do that.
SPEAKER_02:But yeah, like say you... stub your toe or something bad happens but kids are well just
SPEAKER_00:oh okay sugar
SPEAKER_02:sugar sugar
SPEAKER_01:okay that's sweet no pun
SPEAKER_00:intended okay I learned that from Jackie actually in college because she was trying to not say we're really gonna have to get Jackie on the show she sounds amazing y'all would die she's hilarious because she was not trying to say another word so she was saying sugar
SPEAKER_02:okay
SPEAKER_01:Nice. Yeah, okay. And she's in Dallas?
SPEAKER_00:She's in Dallas now.
SPEAKER_01:Okay. We need to expand our demographic. She's
SPEAKER_00:from New York. She visits some. I'm going to get her down here. Okay.
SPEAKER_01:It'll be fine. Yeah, bring Jackie out. We'll have her on the show.
SPEAKER_00:She's a character.
SPEAKER_02:If all music was removed from the earth, except for one song, what song would you want it to be?
SPEAKER_00:Wow. Um... country music so country Morgan Wallen but I don't know if I'd want to hear it on repeat I was gonna
SPEAKER_01:say like I'm not like I don't I'm not a not a fan of Morgan Wallen but like I like really that's
SPEAKER_00:sweet home Alabama that's a basic answer but sweet home Alabama okay all right fair enough that's
SPEAKER_01:I mean that's that's a school there that's that's a good we haven't had a roll tide on this show in a long time yeah I meant to mention this earlier fast fact all in design podcast fast fact Stephanie Pope is our most listened to episode. Aww. Yeah, that's right. Yep, yep. So, way to go. I love it. Stephanie. Go, Stephanie. Okay, I've got one more. Okay. If you could visit any place in the world, I'm rewording this question. If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
SPEAKER_00:Africa.
SPEAKER_01:Where in Africa? Yeah, like anywhere?
SPEAKER_00:I just want to go on a safari. I don't know. Okay, this
SPEAKER_01:is the
SPEAKER_02:guy you need
SPEAKER_01:to talk to. We'll talk off air. That's where my wife and I went to Kenya for our honeymoon. Oh, my goodness.
SPEAKER_00:Stop. Okay, yeah. I could go on, though, but Chad would
SPEAKER_01:literally turn
SPEAKER_00:that thing off. I have not been, and I want to go because they did. It's now
SPEAKER_02:a three-hour podcast. Yeah, right? That's my answer after. The after show. All right, you have a free weekend and can spend it any way you choose. What would you do?
SPEAKER_00:Free weekend.
UNKNOWN:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Go to Africa.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. I would make it there in the weekend. God, I'm kind of torn between having like just a little staycation Birmingham weekend and just relaxing. That's basic. But going to the lake or the beach. Somewhere close so that I can enjoy the trip.
SPEAKER_02:Right.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. That's fair. I don't want to be too far. I'd say the lake or staycation.
SPEAKER_02:Nice. Okay. All right, well, I think that's all of our rapid fires. Normally, I have a close. I really haven't recently as much, but this is...
SPEAKER_01:You've been busy. There's a lot going on.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I was going to point this. So this will air May 15th, but we're recording this April 7th, which is ID's week, and I do a few things on the ID's, so I don't have a closing, but this was a great episode. Thank you so much for coming on. So much fun. I really enjoyed having you on. Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02:All right, thanks for listening. Awesome.
SPEAKER_01:See you.
UNKNOWN:Yeah.