I Hear Design: the i+s podcast

We spend so much of our workday looking down at screens and documents that we rarely consider what's happening above us. But could the ceiling—what designers sometimes call the "fifth wall"—play a greater role in how we think, focus, and feel? In this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen welcomes Ike Lowry, design principal at Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, to explore the relationship between ceiling design, cognitive performance, and workplace well-being. Drawing on research into the "cathedral effect" and environmental psychology, Ike explains how ceiling height, lighting, acoustics, and visual complexity can help support different modes of thinking and provide opportunities for cognitive recovery. Through real-world projects for Boston Consulting Group, Jewelers Mutual, and Dollar Shave Club, he shares strategies for using overhead design to improve wayfinding, create a greater sense of openness, and support neuroinclusive environments. The conversation also explores practical, budget-conscious interventions and why designing for how people feel in a space may be just as important as designing for what they need to accomplish.

In behavioral healthcare environments, design plays an important role in creating spaces that feel safe, calming, and supportive of healing. But how can designers introduce the restorative qualities of nature while meeting strict safety, durability, and maintenance requirements? In this ICYMI episode of I Hear Design, we revisit an article by Amy Sweeting that examines how biophilic design strategies can enhance the behavioral health experience. From nature-inspired murals and soothing color palettes to low-stimulation environments and intuitive wayfinding, the article explores practical ways to bring the benefits of nature indoors. Discover how thoughtful design decisions can help reduce stress, provide positive distractions, and create more welcoming environments for patients, caregivers, and staff. Read the original article: https://www.iands.design/holistic-interior-design/biophilic-design/article/55391595/bringing-nature-into-behavioral-health-design

How can designers distinguish a fleeting design trend from a deeper movement that will shape products, specifications, and commercial interiors for years to come? In this episode of Product Talk, host Lauren Brant explores what gives a design trend staying power with Ashley Banbury, Color Marketing Manager, Global Architectural Marketing at Sherwin-Williams, and Nicole Lashae Hall, founder and CEO of Thrive In Design and host of the Thrive In Design Podcast. The conversation begins with Celery, Sherwin-Williams and HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams’ unified 2027 Color of the Year, and expands into a broader discussion about the cultural forces influencing commercial design. From wellness and biophilic design to natural materials, personalization, and product storytelling, the guests examine how emerging ideas move beyond aesthetics to influence the products designers choose and specify. Listeners will also learn how to evaluate trends through a more strategic lens, recognizing the difference between what captures attention and what delivers lasting value. The discussion explores how manufacturers can build trust with the design community, why meaningful product support matters, and how designers can incorporate current influences without compromising a project’s long-term relevance. For interior designers, architects, and product specifiers, the takeaway is clear: successful specification isn’t simply about knowing what’s trending. It’s about understanding why a trend matters, how it serves a project, and whether its underlying value will endure. Listen to Product Talk from interiors+sources for insights into the products, ideas, and innovations shaping commercial and contract design.

With so many sustainability certifications, ecolabels, and material disclosures available today, why is it still so difficult for architects and designers to compare products and make informed specifications? In this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen welcomes back Natalie Hartkopf, co-founder and CEO of Hightower and a board member of both IIDA and BIFMA, to explore the industry's complicated sustainability landscape and the effort to establish a more consistent approach to evaluating materials. At the center of their conversation is the Common Materials Framework (CMF), an initiative designed to organize existing certifications and sustainability information into five areas of impact: human health, climate health, ecosystem health, circular economy, and social health and equity. Hartkopf shares her perspective on the challenges facing designers and manufacturers, including the differences between transparency and sustainability performance, the burden of overlapping reporting requirements, and the practical trade-offs involved in material selection. The conversation also examines how industry organizations can help align standards, why better data management matters, and how AI could reshape the way designers research and specify products. For architects, interior designers, and specifiers looking to make more informed material choices without getting lost in the complexities of sustainability reporting, this episode offers a thoughtful look at where the industry is making progress and what still needs to change. Plus, Natalie shares an exclusive announcement about a major new partnership that will help shape Hightower's next chapter.

What if the greatest value of design isn't what we see, but how it changes the way people experience the world? For Cheryl S. Durst, executive vice president and CEO of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), design has the power to create opportunity, foster belonging, and improve lives. In this ICYMI audio edition of an interiors+sources feature by Carrie Meadows, Durst reflects on the profession's responsibility to make design more accessible, develop a deeper understanding of human behavior, and demonstrate its influence well beyond aesthetics. Recognized as one of the Changemakers featured at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, Durst draws on her personal experiences and decades of industry leadership to explore why designers should see themselves as advocates for positive change. She also considers what empathy requires in practice, why human understanding remains essential in an AI-driven world, and how the profession can better articulate both the financial and emotional value of design. From education and healthcare to workplaces and public spaces, this episode offers a thoughtful reminder of the influence designers have—and the opportunities that come with it. Read the original article: Design as Power: Cheryl Durst on What the Profession Can Do Article by Carrie Meadows, interiors+sources. Presented as part of the I Hear Design ICYMI series.

What does “commercial grade” really mean when a piece of furniture lands in a hotel lobby, guest room, or restaurant? In this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen talks with Hayley Pernsteiner, Director of Hospitality at Empire & Co., about the gap between product specifications and real-world performance. Drawing on her experience across design and procurement, Pernsteiner explains what ANSI/BIFMA standards can—and can’t—tell designers about durability, why hospitality environments create unique performance challenges, and how brand standards can sometimes complicate the equation. The conversation also explores why procurement partners should be involved earlier in the specification process, how the convergence of workplace and hospitality is expanding product choices, and why lifecycle may be one of the most meaningful ways to think about sustainability in hospitality FF&E. For designers and specification writers, the takeaway is simple but important: ask more questions, choose partners carefully, and look beyond the specification sheet to understand how a product is actually going to perform.

Inclusive school design has traditionally focused on creating learning environments that accommodate the varied needs of students. But what about the educators who spend their working lives in those same spaces? In this ICYMI episode of I Hear Design, we revisit an interiors+sources article exploring new research from Corgan and the ASID Foundation that examines how school environments affect educators with disabilities, chronic illnesses, sensory sensitivities, and other conditions. The findings challenge designers to think about accessibility in a broader way—not simply whether someone can use a space, but how much physical and cognitive effort that space requires throughout the day. From storage and circulation to acoustics, flexibility, and restorative spaces, the research offers practical strategies for creating environments that better support educators of all abilities. The lesson extends well beyond schools, too. Truly inclusive design begins by asking who may be missing from the design conversation.

New doesn't always mean innovative. This episode of Product Talk explores how designers and specifiers can look beyond the “innovative” label to understand what a product actually changes. Lauren Brant examines examples that expand the function of familiar products, improve performance and material health, respond to human needs, introduce new creative perspectives, and integrate technology into the built environment. The result is a broader view of innovation as something that can happen through technology, refinement, application, design, and cultural storytelling. Companies mentioned: Kvadrat Acoustics Foster + Partners Designtex Shaw Contract KI HBF Textiles Momentum Cisco

Artificial intelligence is quickly moving beyond image generation and into the everyday workflows of interior designers and architecture firms. But as AI becomes more capable, designers are also confronting questions about accuracy, privacy, intellectual property, creativity, sustainability, and how much trust to place in AI-generated information. In this episode of I Hear Design, host Robert Nieminen draws on recent interiors+sources reporting to explore how firms are using AI for visualization, research, data analysis, storytelling, knowledge management, and other design tasks. He also examines what industry leaders are learning about the technology’s limitations, why AI literacy involves more than writing better prompts, and how designers can experiment without losing sight of the people and places their work ultimately serves. The episode includes insights from Gensler, Mattoboard, Spectorgroup, Design Appy, ASID, and other voices examining how artificial intelligence is reshaping design practice.

Technical knowledge and creativity are essential to becoming a successful interior designer, but another skill can determine whether a great idea gains traction: communication. In this ICYMI episode of I Hear Design, we revisit an article by Rachel Robinson, Creative Director and Design Principal at Ted Moudis Associates and Co-Chair of IIDA NY’s In-Studio Committee, examining why firms are placing greater emphasis on communication training for emerging designers. From explaining the “why” behind design decisions to presenting confidently in front of clients and translating creative concepts into business value, Robinson explores how storytelling, mentorship, practice, and structured training can help junior designers become stronger collaborators—and prepare them for future leadership roles.