From the Tap - A KBB Podcast

A rendering doesn't show what's behind the wall. The tradespeople who build your designs see it every day, and Andrew Risinger of Dallas-based Kitchen, Bath and Home thinks you should, too. His point is direct: The better you understand the field, the better your designs work for installers, clients and your business. Photo credit: Ken Vaughn Media

Designer, builder and contractor Lidia Valdivia, founder of Minnesota-based Moonstone Design and Build, shares life and career lessons on balancing the realities of construction with the fine points of aesthetics.

On the latest episode of the KBB From the Tap podcast, Scottsdale, Ariz., designer Jaque Bethke breaks down how she translates that resort sensation into residential kitchens and baths. She spent more than two decades in hospitality at Wynn Resorts, and her approach starts long before anyone picks a finish.

Ali Faulkner, founder of AEF Interiors in Newport Beach, Cal., built her design studio into a seven-figure firm. One of the industry's most candid voices on the business of design, she shares her experience overcoming common blind spots that can hamper a firm's growth.

 During our recent “From the Tap” podcast, Amy Peltier of San Marino, Calif-based Peltier Interiors discusses how projects can hold up to kids, pets and second phases of life. Photo credit: Becca Batista

Designer Andrea Goldman talks about how to create homes that respond to everyday life but can also evolve with a client's changing needs when major shifts occur.

Long before Britany Simon specified countertops and cabinetry, she mixed fabrics, played with silhouette and paired found pieces with current trends. Fashion gave her a fast place to test ideas. For the founder of Britany Simon Design House in Scottsdale, Ariz., that instinct never left. It simply moved into the home. Photo credit: Rachel Solomon

Beth Dotolo and Carolina Gentry, co-founders of Pulp Design Studios, explain how they steer clients beyond “safe” choices — including how they build trust, when to push, when to pull back, and the strategies they use to help clients feel confident making bolder design moves. Photo: Cody Ulrich

KBB editor Chelsie Butler sits down with the founder of Atlanta-based Jones Design Associates, Jeremy Jones, who has worked on luxury hotels, multifamily projects, restaurants and residential spaces since 2000. His take is candid: Ego defends good decisions, but it can’t run unchecked.

Jen Dean, principal designer and the creative force behind Jede Interiors, a full-service interior design studio in Utah, talks about building a boutique design firm and the realities and rewards of growing an authentic, story-driven business in today’s design landscape.