Beyond the Design

Cray Bauxmont-Flynn
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  • DESIGN
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Step into the captivating world of design with Beyond the Design. Unveiling the untold stories and shedding light on the real heroes shaping the industry, this podcast goes beyond the glamour to explore the journeys, experiences, and profound insights of visionary leaders. Each episode ignites a sense of curiosity, delving into the intersection of living in a creative atmosphere and tackling the industry's most pressing issues. Prepare to be inspired as we engage with today's foremost practitioners, including renowned designers, architects, manufacturers, emerging brands, and influential tastemakers. Their wisdom will quench your thirst for design and empower you to forge connections and embrace transformative ideas. From the realms of architecture, interior design, furniture, and urban planning to the intricacies of creativity and visionary perspectives, Beyond the Design covers an expansive range of topics. As a devoted design enthusiast, you'll find a treasure trove of inspiration here. Join us as we pull back the curtain and hear firsthand from the trailblazers of the design industry. Discover their thoughts on the ever-evolving landscape of creativity, emerging trends, sustainability, and their own personal narratives. Get ready to embark on a journey of profound insights and positive disruption in the world of design.

  1. 2D AGO

    From HGTV to High-End Design: The Evolution of Britany Simon

    Britany Simon’s path to interior design was paved early on, influenced by her father’s career as a residential developer. As a child, she was constantly building and decorating homes for her Legos and Polly Pockets, showing clear signs of her future career. Though she briefly considered architecture and fashion in high school, she ultimately returned to her primary passion of interior design. Her early professional years were spent on the construction side of residential development, where she assisted clients in picking finishes for new builds. However, she found herself yearning for more creative fulfillment, as she rarely saw these projects through to completion. This desire led her to audition for HGTV’s Design Star on a whim, a move that proved to be her "first big break". Appearing on television was a pivotal moment that transformed her business. After the show aired, she began receiving calls from clients she didn't know, allowing her to transition from working with friends and family to taking her company to a professional level. Since 2004, she has built a career defined by transformation and a deep love for textiles and creativity.

    36 min

  2. MAY 1

    Jamie Drake: 40 Years of Bold Color, Philanthropy, and Iconic Design

    Jamie Drake describes his aesthetic in a single sentence as "urbane, sophisticated, energetic, visually intriguing, and always has a touch of wit". His professional philosophy is driven by a balance between his creative and entrepreneurial sides, ensuring he remains a "chameleon" who can adapt to changing trends—from the vibrant, saturated colors he was first known for to the more neutral, gray palettes favored by clients in the last decade. Tactically, Jamie designs rooms to include "visual exclamation points". He believes that when entering a space, your eye should immediately land on a strong, bold, or tall piece at the far end. From there, the composition should guide the eye to discover additional interesting elements throughout the room, creating an experiential narrative. He emphasizes that spaces need "room to breathe," and he carefully guides clients in selecting art with composition and balance in mind. This process extends beyond interiors and into product design for furniture, lighting, and carpets. Jamie explains that while product design is simpler in focus—creating a single object—it comes with unique manufacturing limitations and high setup costs compared to interior decoration. Whether he is designing a bathroom faucet for THG or a sprawling oceanfront property, his work is guided by core principles of scale, texture, and program.

    50 min

  3. APR 24

    Paloma Contreras: Modern Art, Traditional Foundations, and the Business of Design

    Paloma Contreras did not begin her professional life in a design studio; instead, she spent four and a half years teaching foreign languages at the high school level. Her transition into the creative world was sparked by a deep-seated love for culture, art, and architecture, which eventually led her to start a design blog in 2007. Originally intended as a creative outlet and a way to document decorating her first home on a budget, the blog served as her "entree" into the design world as it gained unexpected traction. Despite her success, Contreras candidly discusses the "imposter syndrome" she felt for years because she did not attend design school. She reflects on her childhood bedroom—a product of the 1980s filled with wicker and Laura Ashley bedding—as an early, unrecognized influence on her path. Her story is one of evolution, showing how professional skills from one field, such as teaching, can translate effectively into running a successful interior design firm. Today, Paloma is a celebrated designer with two books, a retail store, and multiple product lines. Looking back, she believes her younger self would be proud of her accomplishments and the courage it took to follow a creative path. This version of the show notes highlights the grit and passion required to pivot from a stable career into the competitive world of interior design.

    30 min

  4. APR 17

    Patrick Cunningham: Design Build Diaries

    Patrick Cunningham always keeps a sketchpad within reach. Not because a client asked — because the ideas don’t wait. The co-founder of C & C Partners has spent four decades translating the personalities, dreams, and budgets of Southern California’s most discerning homeowners into architecture that feels inevitable. In this conversation, Patrick walks us through what that actually looks like: pools cantilevered off sheer cliffs, underground tunnels connecting guest houses to main residences, and a glass cube engineered to float beside an Antoine Predock landmark in Manhattan Beach. He talks about learning to read a client — whether they’re a fireplace-and-a-book person or a home theater and rooftop infinity pool person — and then finding the architecture that fits that life. He also opens up about what drives him: a sketchpad always within reach, a library full of architecture books, and a biannual tour of high-end custom homes across the country with a network of elite design-build peers. With nearly 30 projects currently on the board spanning seven distinct architectural styles, this episode is a masterclass in creative range without creative compromise. If this episode gave you something to think about, leave us a rating — it’s the single best way to help another architecture lover find the show. Follow the show so you never miss a conversation like this one. Patrick Cunningham is the co-founder and principal architect of CNC Partners, a fully integrated design-build firm based in Southern California. Since co-founding the firm with his brother Michael in 1987, Patrick has led the design of some of the region's most distinctive custom homes — from cliffside estates in Beverly Hills and Pacific Palisades to award-worthy reimaginings of architectural landmarks in Manhattan Beach and beyond. A lifelong student of architecture, Patrick trained alongside builders from the start, believing that great design and skilled construction are inseparable. Today, CNC Partners operates with 22 professionals and has nearly 30 active projects on the board — spanning Scandinavian, modern French, mountain modern, Japanese-Craftsman, and European styles. Patrick's daughter Brianna and his nephew have recently joined the firm as part-owners, ensuring the next chapter of CNC Partners stays in the family.

    34 min

  5. APR 10

    The Blueberry Jones Journey: Passion, Personality, and Playful Spaces

    Lindsie Davis, the creative force behind Blueberry Jones Design, joins the show to share her unique journey from a background in art and textile studies to becoming one of Austin’s top interior designers. She details how her early education in fashion design and printmaking at Texas Tech provided a foundation for her current work, particularly in the way she layers colors and patterns. Lindsie credits her grandmother, an avid decorator and antique collector, for instilling a natural appreciation for rich, cultured environments that eventually led her to this career path. The conversation dives into the entrepreneurial leap Lindsie took to start her own firm, spurred by a "what do you have to lose" push from her husband. She explains the sentimental origin of her company's name—Blueberry being her daughter’s nickname—and discusses the first project that truly felt like a reflection of her own style: the home she built and designed from the ground up. This personal connection to design remains at the heart of her firm, where she aims to create spaces that are both refined and deeply personal. Lindsie also sheds light on her specific design philosophy, which balances playfulness with restraint. She emphasizes the importance of curation over time, arguing that a home should never feel like a showroom but rather an evolving collection of items that spark joy. Looking toward the future, she reveals exciting new ventures, including a boutique guest experience in Wimberley, Texas, and her continued commitment to helping clients embrace bold, joyful design.

    39 min

  6. APR 3

    Client-Focused, Designer-Led: The Partnership Behind Light and Dwell

    In this episode of Beyond the Design, we sit down with Light and Dwell founder Aymee Kuhlman and design principal Katie Cunningham—two creative powerhouses who believe a home should be more than a backdrop. They share how a farm childhood in Oregon, grandmothers who collected antiques, and a mother who painted murals in the eighties quietly shaped their design eyes and set them on a path toward interiors that feel deeply personal and lived in. From early guinea-pig projects for friends to full-scale renovations, Aymee and Katie trace how curiosity and courage slowly turned a side passion into a nationally recognized studio. Together, Aymee and Katie unpack their client-focused, designer-led philosophy and what it really takes to translate a family’s stories, habits, and hopes into spaces they can grow old in. They explain why they’re just as interested in how a room will be used on an ordinary Tuesday as how it will photograph, and why they intentionally break certain “design rules” to make homes truly livable. You will hear how they educate clients in the age of Pinterest and fast furniture, set realistic expectations around timelines, and use intuition and trust-building as some of their strongest design tools. We also go behind the scenes of some of Light and Dwell’s most memorable projects—from a sprawling compound in Mexico to a cozy lake house in Montana and a Victorian in New York—and talk about what it means to be named one of Architectural Digest’s New American Voices. Aymee and Katie get candid about running a remote boutique studio, balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, and the legacy they hope to leave in the homes they touch. If you’ve ever wondered what it really means to design a home that holds your whole life—highs, lows, and everything in between—this conversation will stay with you long after you listen.

    1h 9m

  7. MAR 27

    Designing a Life, Not Just a Home with Stephanie Martin

    In this episode of Beyond the Design, we sit down with Calgary-based interior designer Stephanie Martin, founder of Stephanie Martin Interior Design, to explore how she built a career around creating deeply personal, timeless homes that truly reflect the people who live in them. From a childhood spent wandering show homes, hunting at garage sales, and redesigning her bedroom every year, Stephanie always had an instinct for spaces—even if she didn’t initially see it as a viable career path. She shares how a detour into business school and a plan to follow her parents into law unexpectedly redirected her toward design when an art history elective lit her up in a way nothing else did. With her family’s encouragement, she switched programs, found her fit in design school, and graduated straight into a brutal recession in Calgary that left almost no traditional jobs available. Instead of waiting for the perfect opportunity, Stephanie created one—pounding the pavement with homemade flyers, door knocking, and offering consultations through a furniture store to slowly build her portfolio, reputation, and confidence. In this conversation, she reflects on those scrappy early days and how they shaped the resilient, client-centered practice she leads today.

    47 min

  8. MAR 20

    Designing for Life's Seasons: Brad Ramsey on Creating Homes That Grow with You

    Brad Ramsey has built a remarkable career defined by integrity, creativity, and an uncompromising eye for detail. From his roots in Georgia to becoming one of Nashville's most sought-after interior designers, Brad shares how his artistic background and early wanderings through construction sites shaped his instinctual design philosophy. Starting his firm in 2013 from his basement and growing it into a boutique team of highly skilled creatives, Brad discusses the pivotal moments—from his first solo project to hiring his first employee—that taught him the true meaning of commitment and quality. In this episode, Brad reveals his core design philosophy: "Listen with intent and design with intuition." He explains how this approach requires more than hearing clients—it demands truly listening, asking poignant questions, and absorbing their lifestyle and personality before moving into the design process. Featured in House Beautiful's 2024 Emerging Designers and recently named to the Lux Gold List of 2026, Brad discusses how Nashville's growth and vibrant design culture have elevated not just his work, but the entire industry. His projects, which span two to three years, combine his signature aesthetic of elegance and comfort—proving that beautiful design doesn't require endless budgets, just thoughtfulness and intention. Brad emphasizes the importance of leading with kindness, both within his team and with clients, builders, and industry partners. He believes that design's future lies not in replacing human connection with technology, but in using smart tools to enhance personalized, human-centered work. As Nashville continues to evolve into a major design hub, Brad's approach to collaborative, client-inspired design serves as a model for the industry. He's creating spaces that are more than beautiful—they're healing environments where people can find peace and comfort amidst life's chaos.

    54 min
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About

Step into the captivating world of design with Beyond the Design. Unveiling the untold stories and shedding light on the real heroes shaping the industry, this podcast goes beyond the glamour to explore the journeys, experiences, and profound insights of visionary leaders. Each episode ignites a sense of curiosity, delving into the intersection of living in a creative atmosphere and tackling the industry's most pressing issues. Prepare to be inspired as we engage with today's foremost practitioners, including renowned designers, architects, manufacturers, emerging brands, and influential tastemakers. Their wisdom will quench your thirst for design and empower you to forge connections and embrace transformative ideas. From the realms of architecture, interior design, furniture, and urban planning to the intricacies of creativity and visionary perspectives, Beyond the Design covers an expansive range of topics. As a devoted design enthusiast, you'll find a treasure trove of inspiration here. Join us as we pull back the curtain and hear firsthand from the trailblazers of the design industry. Discover their thoughts on the ever-evolving landscape of creativity, emerging trends, sustainability, and their own personal narratives. Get ready to embark on a journey of profound insights and positive disruption in the world of design.

Information

  • Creator
    Cray Bauxmont-Flynn
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    108
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Cray Bauxmont-Flynn
  • Show Website
    Beyond the Design

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