Welcome to Life by Design with Paloma Contreras!

The Designer Society of America continues this digital series, Life by Design, which features in-depth conversations with designers and industry professionals. Today’s interviewee, Paloma Contreras, is an acclaimed designer based out of Houston, Texas.

Paloma's design aesthetic offers a contemporary interpretation of traditional style, leaning towards classic silhouettes and enduring pieces. Infused with a touch of glamor and a burst of color, her designs strike a harmonious balance between timeless elegance and a refreshing modernity. Paloma's interiors are a seamless blend of enduring sophistication, meticulous attention to detail, and a thoughtful consideration of the interplay between form and function, enriching the experience of a well-lived life.

Be sure to check out her new book, The New Classic Home: Modern Meets Traditional Style, and shop at Paloma & Co. Stay updated and learn more about her through her website and Instagram.

Find her book: https://a.co/d/8NUtXEU

Find her shop: https://shoppalomaandco.com

Find her website: https://www.palomacontreras.com

Find her instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palomacontr...

Welcome to Life by Design with Carl Dellatore!

The Designer Society of America continues this digital series called Life by Design, which features in-depth conversations with designers and industry professionals. Today’s interviewee, Carl Dellatore, is also starting a series with DSA’s monthly newsletter called “Some Thoughts On…” where he shares ideas, experiences and a different perspective on the interior design world. Carl Dellatore has more than three decades of experience in New York’s design industry. He has established his work in textile design, as a workroom owner, and as a leader in content development through his work in shelter publications. Dellatore has produced four books for Rizzoli New York, including best-sellers Interior Design Master Class and Garden Design Master Class. A fifth book is in the works!

To learn more about him, check out Carl’s consultancy and Instagram.

Welcome to LIFE BY DESIGN with Benni Frowein! Benni Frowein Schumacher CEO at F. Schumacher & Co. UK Designer Society of America has launched a new digital series called LIFE BY DESIGN that will feature in-depth conversations with designers and industry professionals, highlighting the unique missions and stories that make up the fabric of our DSA community. Benni (Benjamin) Frowein grew up in Hamburg, Germany. Already as a child, he loved helping his mother redecorate the house. Instead of following his passion, he moved to Madrid to study business administration. After graduating, he joined the Boston Consulting Group – the world’s largest strategy consulting firm. For almost a decade, he worked in Europe, South Africa, China, and Brazil on company transformations before he decided to finally follow his heart. In early 2016, he joined the famous American Design House, Schumacher as the President of the brand. Together with the team, he brought the 132-year-old company, Schumacher, to the 21st century by digitizing the customer experience and putting a strong emphasis on original designs. He now is CEO of Europe and the Middle East with the mission of expanding the iconic brand and bringing Schumacher back to it its original origin - where it all began in 1889.

Victor D'Angelo and Leah Check with PenEx VillaNOVA Insurance

Join us as we ask tough questions about insurance for interior designers and home stagers. 

If something goes wrong on a job and you experience a considerable loss, what would you do? What do you think you should do? Do you know who you should call first? Should subcontractors working on your projects carry workman’s comp?

This is when VillaNOVA Insurance Partners, which manages DSAinsure Insurance and Risk Management for the Designer Society of America (DSA) under the program name PenEx, comes into play. They cut out the middleman, saving you money and providing you direct access to a team who cares.

DSAinsure offers insurance for interior designers, stagers, kitchen designers and professional organizers. With nearly 20 years of experience, the PenEx team delivers, and DSAinsure is ready to step in and support your business.

“We have a whole risk management team that is staffed with lawyers, risk managers, and claims adjusters who do risk management,” says Victor D’Angelo, COO of VillaNOVA. “This means we create tools like service agreements and subcontractor agreements specifically for interior designers to keep them out of trouble and to make sure that they don’t get into situations where claims arise.”

Contact PenEx and complete a DSAinsure application online, or contact Leah Check at (877) 438-7369, ext. 226, or lcheck@novainsurancepartners.com. And we encourage you to compare coverage prices.

“There is so much to protect while carefully curating your clients' functional and aesthetic needs; having a team looking out for you and protecting your assets is essential,” says Natasha Younts, DSA Founder.

Enjoy this interview with the DSAinsure team, and hear answers to our questions during a Q&A with VillaNOVA’s COO!

Welcome to Life by Design with Noel Gatts!

The Designer Society of America, as well as Natalie Papier, Principal Designer at HOME EC., and Arthur Kade Kamelot Productions, interviewed Noel Gatts, HGTV's breakout star, on what's important to her as an interior designer and what are some of her goals.

Noel Gatts, Principal Designer, has had the opportunity to creatively serve a myriad of clients since launching her company, Beam & Bloom Interiors. In a short time, she has earned recognition and awards for service and design and is now a Designer/Host on HGTV with her buddy featured on Home Inspector Joe, Joe Mazza, in a new hour-long renovation show. For a bit of back story, Noel and her husband began their NYC adventure as touring singers and actors, but once their second, then a third child, came along, it was no longer the lifestyle for them. Fortunate to have the funds, the support and a healthy family, Noe’s family purchased their three-bedroom 1941 colonial fixer-upper in the lively and quaint Brookdale neighborhood of Bloomfield, New Jersey. Thus, the home design adventure began! The mission? To create “heart + home + harmony” for her clients and community.

To learn more about her style, check out Noel’s Instagram.

Welcome to Life by Design with Natalie Papier!

The Designer Society of America has launched a new digital series called Life by Design, which will feature in-depth conversations with designers and industry professionals, highlighting the unique missions and stories that make up the fabric of our DSA community.

Natalie Papier, Interior Designer, Founder of HOME EC

Natalie has a lifelong love of all things eclectic and colorful. Her childhood Victorian home instilled a deep appreciation for period charm and storied furniture. She firmly believes that homes should reflect the people who live in them, full of life, character and warmth.

Her early exposure to art has sharpened her keen eye for unique art and unconventional design. Natalie quickly built a reputation in the Chicago community for her unapologetically out-of-the-box designs. Now residing in Charlotte, North Carolina, her portfolio defies all things beige and cookie-cutter. Natalie's vow against bland and boring has taken shape in her many uses of colorful wallpaper, eclectic art and funky texture. Catch Natalie on her new show, Artfully Designed, featured on the Magnolia Network!

As an artist herself, Natalie supports local art. Much of her interior design centers around the character of art pieces in her community. She loves to collaborate with artists, designers and makers to add life to the spaces she designs. Her bold and playful designs are featured in Domino, Real Simple, HGTV Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Luxe Magazine and many others.

To learn more about her style, check out Natalie’s Instagram.