The iDesign Lab Podcast | Where Design, Business, and Culture Shape How We Live and Build

Send us Fan Mail A home is never just a backdrop. We’re joined by Mariana Santelli, a South Florida luxury real estate advisor with Douglas Elliman, to talk about how the spaces we choose can support the lives we’re trying to build. From moving from Brazil at 13 and learning English under pressure to developing a fierce sense of self-trust, Mariana shares what “intentional living” looks like when it’s real, practical, and tested. We also go deep on wellness and routine: her multi-year functi...

Send us Fan Mail A boutique can be profitable and still refuse the “scale at all costs” playbook. We’re joined by Rebecca D'Emic, one of the women behind Elegant Child, to unpack how a Boca Raton children’s boutique becomes a 20-year success story built on curation, customer experience, and community trust. Rebecca takes us back to the origin: a mom with an eye for fashion, weekends of garage-sale treasure hunting, and early storefront lessons that turn into a brand rooted in taste and prese...

Send us Fan Mail At some point in early parenthood, almost everyone hits the same wall: you’re doing everything you were told to do, and you still feel alone, exhausted, and behind. We wanted to talk about the kind of help that actually works in real life, especially when your family is far away and your budget is not built for endless “support” add-ons. We’re joined by Michelle Brown, founder of iHelp Moms and author of Ambitious as a Mother. Michelle shares her remarkable path from being a...

Send us Fan Mail Your home can look beautiful and still be part of the problem, unless you know what it’s made of. We’re joined by Whitney Walker, designer, entrepreneur, and author, for a candid look at sustainable interior design that goes way past “eco chic” and straight into the real-world details: VOCs, off-gassing finishes, toxic dyes, and why indoor air quality should shape every design decision we make. We talk about what Whitney learned by building products at scale, from hist...

Send us Fan Mail Your home is not the only thing you design. Today we get personal about the design that matters most to us: the life we build with our kids. Scott and Tiffany Woolley skip the guest chair and share a rare, real-time family moment: our oldest daughter turns 20 and begins college, and our three daughters release their first music single worldwide across streaming platforms. It is exciting, emotional, and also a clear example of how long-term creativity is built, not wished into...

Send us Fan Mail Drapery isn’t just fabric on a rod. It’s acoustics, light control, privacy, proportion, and that instant shift from “nice room” to “finished home.” We sit down with Leslie Excel, founder of Excel and Design Group, to unpack what’s really happening behind the scenes of custom window treatments and why the best designers treat their drapery team like true design partners. Leslie shares her path from working next door to a drapery workroom to building a nationally recognized fa...

Send us Fan Mail Art can be intimidating until someone finally explains the parts nobody says out loud: what collectors actually look for, how prices really move, and why the best art is often about an idea more than a “pretty picture.” We’re joined by Breck Kling, a fine art consultant and longtime collector, to talk about the real intersection of art, passion, interior design, and investment and how to approach it without getting lost in hype. We dig into Breck’s path from art history and ...

Send us Fan Mail AI is moving so fast that it’s hard to tell what’s hype, what’s helpful, and what’s genuinely risky. That’s why we brought in Eric Simons, a serial entrepreneur who helped pioneer affiliate marketing and has spent more than 25 years working with artificial intelligence and automation. He’s seen one world-changing wave up close already, and he believes the AI wave looks a lot like the early internet, only faster and more personal. We talk through the early days when “search” ...

Send us Fan Mail Support the show Learn more at: https://twinteriors.com/podcast/ https://scottwoolley.com

Send us Fan Mail Your next client might walk into a design meeting with a third voice: an AI chatbot. That’s where our conversation with Liza Hausman, VP of Industry Marketing at Houzz, gets real. With Houzz connecting more than 65 million homeowners and 3 million design professionals, Liza has a rare, front-row view into what’s changing in home remodeling, interior design, and construction and what still never changes. We talk about the new baseline homeowners expect: a clear renovation tim...

Send us Fan Mail You walk into a store for one thing and walk out with a bag full of extras. You are not alone, and you are not “bad at shopping.” Tiffany and Scott Woolley pull back the curtain on the retail design and consumer psychology that quietly shapes what ends up in your cart, from the moment you step inside to the moment you hit checkout. We talk about why most buying decisions are emotional first and logical second, and how smart merchandising turns “I’m just here for milk” into a...

Send us Fan Mail Some places feel “magical” the second you walk in, and it’s not because they got lucky. It’s because someone designed the experience on purpose. We’re Tiffany and Scott Woolley, and we’re unpacking the invisible decisions that shape how customers feel, what they remember, and why they come back. We explore customer experience design through brands that deliver it consistently: Disney, Apple, Chick-fil-A, and Ritz-Carlton. From Disney’s storytelling and anticipation to Apple’...

Send us Fan Mail A luxury brand is not built by taste alone. It is built by decisions you keep making when nobody is watching: how you handle setbacks, how tightly you protect quality, and how clearly you define your point of view. We’re joined by Eduardo Perez Sr, President and CEO of AHC Group and a driving force behind the global success of Adriana Hoyos Furnishings, to talk about what it really takes to scale a high-end furniture and interior design business across continents. Eduardo ta...

Send us Fan Mail Your mood might be getting edited by your surroundings every single day, and most of the time you never notice it happening. We’re Tiffany and Scott Woolley, and we’re digging into a deceptively simple question: can design make you happier? We talk through the moments everyone recognizes, like walking into a hotel lobby, coffee shop, or friend’s home and instantly feeling calm, welcomed, and like you want to stay. Then we break down what your brain is actually reacting to: l...

Send us Fan Mail They met at a park with their kids and walked away with that rare feeling that something big was about to happen. Barrett Widell and Christina Boschetti join us to share how that friendship became Widell Boschetti, a luxury interior design firm that grew fast, learned in public, and still refuses to chase trends just to make things easier. We get into the real mechanics behind high-end residential design: pivoting from kids events and nurseries into full-home interiors, buil...

Send us Fan Mail You know that moment when you walk into a coffee shop you have never visited and still feel like you can predict the chairs, the lights, the plants, and even the “selfie corner”? We are digging into that creeping sense of design déjà vu and asking the bigger question behind it: why are so many interiors, brands, and spaces starting to look the same, even when the design is genuinely good? We start with what we call the coffee shop test and the “Pinterest living room” effect,...

Send us Fan Mail Cake for dinner sounds like a joke until you live it. We talk with Keesha Scott, parenting coach, recovery advocate, and host of the Cake for Dinner podcast, about the nights when you are doing your best, your kid is melting down, and you still have to show up like everything is fine. Keesha shares the personal meaning behind the name and why moms are done with curated perfection and ready for honest motherhood. We get into the real mechanics of her journey: getting so...

Send us Fan Mail A luxury home is easy to admire and hard to execute, especially when you are the one signing the checks, choosing every finish, and then standing at the front door as the listing broker. We’re joined by Hillary Musser, a Palm Beach powerhouse who blends development, interior design, and real estate into one high-stakes craft, shaped by equal parts taste, timing, and grit. We trace Hillary’s path from early entrepreneurship and bold projects to the moment a Nantucket bu...

Send us Fan Mail We’re climbing the Arts charts, the downloads are growing fast, and we realized something: a lot of you know iDesign Lab, but you don’t really know us yet. So we’re stepping out from behind the guest chair to reintroduce ourselves and share how this design podcast came to life, why it’s evolving so quickly, and where we want to take it next. We talk about the origin story, from Tiffany’s years of learning through podcasts during long drives to project sites, to the moment we...

Send us Fan Mail Your brand might be doing the work, but your website and social presence may not be proving it. We’re joined by Blaire Brown, founder of Visionary Advantages, to talk about the moment “good enough” branding starts costing you leads, trust, and pricing power and what to do about it with a clear, modern brand strategy. From logos and brand guidelines to website redesign, copywriting, and content systems, Blaire shares how she helps established businesses look as powerful as the...

Send us Fan Mail Perfect rooms look great in photos, but do they feel good to live in? We’re seeing a real shift in interior design trends for 2026, and it’s all about creating homes that feel warmer, softer, and more human. Tiffany and Scott Woolley break down what’s changing, why it matters, and how you can bring these ideas into your own space without chasing a fleeting trend. We talk about “quiet color” and the move toward rich earth tones like terracotta, olive green, deep brown, ...

Send us Fan Mail Your space is doing something to you, whether you’ve named it or not. We sit down with Gala Magrina, an award-winning holistic interior designer and the host of Going Beyond Spaces, to talk about the hidden ways a room can support your clarity or quietly drain your energy. We get into the real mechanics of wellness interior design and design psychology: how ceiling height can nudge creativity or focus, why certain colors can overstimulate a home, and how sharp angles versus ...

Send us Fan Mail A beautiful house can still fail you on day one if there’s nowhere to put the trash can, nowhere to set the shampoo, and no plan for how you actually move through your morning. That’s where this conversation goes fast: past surface-level style and into the real mechanics of residential design that make a home feel effortless. We sit down with Jay Reinert, founder of J Reinert Architecture and a Forbes Top 200 residential architect, to talk about the uncommon advantage of bei...

Send us Fan Mail Your home can be beautiful and still quietly drain you. That tension is what we unpack with Annette Farha, an intuitive design coach and the author of Finding My Way Home, as we explore how interior design, breathwork, and simple Feng Shui-informed principles can shift the way you feel in your own space. We start with the foundation: getting out of your head and into your body. Annette explains why breathing is not a “nice extra” but the fastest way to get clear on what you ...

Send us Fan Mail Luxury interior design sounds out of reach for a lot of people, but the real gap is often simpler: most homeowners know what they like, they just don’t know how to put it together without wasting money. We sit down with Kristy Salewsky, founder of Crew Collective Design in San Diego, to talk about the practical side of luxury and how virtual interior design has become a streamlined, accessible way to get professional results. We dig into what online design services look like...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when two architects trade master plans for makeup counters and fragrance labs? We sit down with Bradley and Jonina Skaggs of Skaggs Creative to unpack how an agency born from architecture school, 3D CAD, and a NASA virtual tour evolved into a studio shaping some of beauty’s most memorable brands. From Estée Lauder to Diptyque and Charlotte Tilbury, they reveal the strategy behind packaging that feels inevitable and photography that turns a single object into a wo...

Send us Fan Mail Tired of being told to “stay in your lane”? We dig into why collaboration has become the smartest path to real growth, trust, and relevance—especially in design, but also in beauty, tech, and beyond. From powerhouse pairings like Visual Comfort with Kelly Wearstler to Four Hands with Amber Lewis, we break down how a partner’s aesthetic, audience, and credibility can elevate a product line without diluting the host brand. The result is not just buzz; it’s a durable story that ...

Send us Fan Mail What if the softest thing in your home was also the most ambitious? We sit down with Creative Director Louise Trafficanti to follow a thread from Dublin’s design studios to a humming Chicago factory, where Eastern Accents turns global textiles into everyday luxury—pillows, bedding, drapery, headboards, and custom pieces that actually ship on time. Louise shares how a visa lottery, grit, and a love for materials led her to a domestic workroom that still cuts and sews under on...

Send us Fan Mail A single glance across a yoga studio changed everything. Katia Rudnik saw a medallion bracelet, followed a quiet nudge, and uncovered a new medium, a message, and a patented idea that would shape Katia Designs into a purpose-driven jewelry brand people don’t just wear—they feel. We open with Katia’s journey from Soviet Moscow to Boston at sixteen, navigating a new language and a new life. Years later in Florida, after helping run medical spas and raising three daughters, she...

Send us Fan Mail What if a scholarship didn’t stop at a check, but stood with a student for four years? We sit down with Tim Snow to unpack how the George Snow Scholarship Fund blends financial aid with real-life support—laptops, care packages, emergency funds, mentors, and Monday motivation—to help first-gen and high-need students thrive from day one to graduation. We trace the journey from a family’s tribute to a hands-on nonprofit serving thousands, fueled by a generous Boca Raton communi...

Send us Fan Mail What if your home could lower your shoulders the moment you walk in? We sit down with interior designer and feng shui master teacher Lisa Morton to show how layout, color, and tiny daily rituals can soothe the nervous system, sharpen focus, and make everyday life feel lighter. Lisa takes us from her high-flying years designing private jets to the burnout that pushed her toward holistic design. She breaks down the real mechanics of feng shui—balancing yin and yang, working wi...

Send us Fan Mail Smiles don’t just happen—they’re designed. We sit down with Dr. Jackie Morocco, South Florida’s go-to orthodontist, to unpack how art, engineering, and hospitality come together to create confident, custom results. From the first tour that feels like a home welcome to the final reveal, every moment in her Delray Beach practice is intentional: clear communication, thoughtful flow, and a color story rooted in local history. It’s a masterclass in patient experience and brand bui...

Send us Fan Mail What if a backpack could carry more than your stuff—what if it could carry your story? We sit down with Stanley Cup champion and two-time Olympian Brett Hedican to unpack Hedie Gear, his modular bag company that turns memories into design with durable, Velcro-backed embroidered patches. From national parks and miniature country flags to NHL and collegiate licenses, Brett shows how identity, travel, and achievement can live on the outside of your bag, ready to spark conversati...

Send us Fan Mail A fabric mill, a poker-legend origin story, and a furniture factory that almost never sleeps—until a global shutdown forced the lights off. We invited Alex Schuford III, CEO of Century Furniture and the Rock House Farm Family of Brands, to share how a third-generation leader protects legacy without freezing it in amber. From buying Hancock & Moore and Hickory Chair to keeping nine North Carolina factories humming, Alex opens the playbook on brand autonomy, storytelling, a...

Send us Fan Mail What if the most powerful design choice isn’t “new,” but “true”? We sit with HGTV’s Flea Market Flip champion and Funcycled founder, Sarah Trop, to explore how story, sustainability, and craft can elevate everyday spaces without erasing their past. From turning a roll-top desk into a showstopping bar to flipping arched cabinet doors for a shaker look, Sarah shows why preserving good bones often beats a full gut—and how a smart “kitchen facelift” can save serious money while k...

Send us Fan Mail What if your home felt like a clear reflection of who you are—down to the curve of a chair and the rhythm of a hallway? We sit with designer Elaine Schneider, founder of Echo Environments, to unpack how a retail-architecture veteran who once designed Nordstrom’s flagship now crafts residential spaces that echo the lives inside them. The throughline is powerful and practical: a client-led vision board, five to seven guiding words, and a bulletproof process that protects every ...

Send us Fan Mail What if the best-looking thing on your patio was also the toughest and the most sustainable? We sit down with Lindsay Schleis, VP of Business Development at POLYWOOD, to trace how recycled HDPE becomes design-forward outdoor furniture that survives salt air, summer storms, and years of use—without sacrificing style or speed. Lindsay takes us from laser sorters and UV-stable pellets to CNC-milled “lumber” and an on-demand, just‑in‑time factory that ships most orders in 7–10 b...

Send us Fan Mail How does a moment of personal tragedy transform into a thriving 20-year fashion legacy? For Hadley Pollet, it began with a simple belt made from vintage trims wrapped around a buckle—a design that caught the eye of five strangers at a Boston brewery who all asked the same question: "Where did you get that belt?" That serendipitous moment sparked the beginning of an accessories brand built on the radical notion that fashion should be personal, not disposable. With no formal f...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the transformative power of proper lighting as we illuminate one of interior design's most overlooked yet impactful elements. Have you ever wondered why some spaces feel instantly inviting while others leave you feeling on edge? The secret might be hanging right above your head. We dive deep into the science of light temperature, revealing why professionals focus on Kelvins rather than watts. That harsh, headache-inducing light in your office? It's likely around 5,0...

Send us Fan Mail Renovating a home without falling into trend traps requires deliberate choices and a clear vision. Scott and I just purchased a mid-century modern house as an investment property, planning to renovate and sell it within six weeks. This process has sparked fascinating conversations about maintaining design integrity while creating broad appeal for unknown future owners. Walking through established neighborhoods reveals volumes about renovation history—you can immediately spot...

Send us Fan Mail Every renovation has the potential to be a beautiful journey or a costly nightmare, and the difference often comes down to how the project is managed from day one. In this eye-opening episode, we welcome Monika Zasada, founder of D-Mazing and a true renovation curator whose mission is transforming chaotic remodeling projects into organized, transparent, and even joyful experiences. Monika's fascinating journey from communist Poland (where she studied American literature) to ...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to build a thriving business that empowers interior designers at every stage of their projects? Maria Mendoza reveals the answer, drawing from her nearly four-decade journey through the design world. Starting with a foundation in architecture and interior design when drafting was still done by hand, Maria shares her fascinating evolution from custom furniture sales to running large-scale design projects in Venezuela. When political circumstances forced her ...

Send us Fan Mail Step into the fascinating world of high-end auctions with Jacob Codner, a fourth-generation art dealer and third-generation auctioneer who's transforming how we experience the buying and selling of precious objects. Jacob shares the remarkable journey that began in his childhood, holding antiques at his father's auction house and evolving into his current role as managing partner of Market Auctions Inc. What makes an auction house thrive in today's digital marketplace? Jacob...

Send us Fan Mail Support the show Learn more at: https://twinteriors.com/podcast/ https://scottwoolley.com

Send us Fan Mail Meet Anthony Caliendo—the unstoppable force behind Florida's #1 business brokerage and the living embodiment of pure determination. In this riveting conversation, Anthony reveals how he transformed from a poor Chicago kid with no father figure into a serial entrepreneur whose relentless drive has conquered multiple industries. Anthony's story isn't just inspiring—it's a masterclass in resilience. From washing dishes at 13 to managing prestigious health clubs at 18, he shares...

Send us Fan Mail When you think of design, your mind might jump to interiors, architecture, or fashion – but what about the intricate design of a symphony? In this captivating episode, we're joined by Peter Boyer, whose orchestral compositions have received over 800 performances worldwide and graced venues from Ellis Island to the coronation of King Charles III. Boyer reveals the fascinating journey from his teenage years as a Billy Joel enthusiast to becoming one of America's most performed...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever stopped to consider the canvas upon which your interior design story unfolds? While furniture and décor often steal the spotlight, it's the backgrounds—the walls, floors, and surfaces—that truly set the stage for your home's character. In this illuminating tidbit, Tiffany and Scott Woolley dive into the often-overlooked world of "coverings" against the backdrop of the prestigious Coverings show in Orlando. We reveal a startling statistic: 90% of American homes ...

Send us Fan Mail When a supermodel who graced over 500 magazine covers tells you she initially wanted to be a pharmacist, you know you're in for a fascinating story of life's unexpected turns. Kim Alexis joins us to share her remarkable journey from competitive swimmer to international modeling sensation to wellness advocate, revealing how each chapter of her life seamlessly connected to create a purpose-driven career that continues to evolve. Discovered at just 17 in her small hometown near...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered what life looks like for musicians behind the headliner spotlight? Meet Brent Look, a seasoned guitarist with 35+ years in the music industry who takes us on a journey through his remarkable career with surprising candor and enthusiasm. The conversation begins with Brent sharing how he transformed his early musical passion into a full-time career almost immediately – a rarity in the industry. While most young musicians juggle day jobs, Brent was already opening...

Send us Fan Mail Remember when your grandmother could identify every face in those faded photographs from decades past? Those stories, those connections to your ancestry, are vanishing with each passing generation. That's where Hale Shoa comes in - founder of Picturely, a photo organization studio transforming chaotic collections into searchable digital archives that tell your family's unique story. Hale's journey began as a passion project while working in advertising, evolving into a sophi...