Talk Design

Adrian Ramsay

Each week join your host, award winning designer Adrian Ramsay for a step into the expansive world of design, architecture and more. Adrian sits down with some of the big names and those who are lesser known from across the international design world to find out what makes them tick, what they strive for and what unites us, in the universal quest to create something simple, functional and beautiful. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. From the Stage to the Sanctuary: Designing with Movement and Emotion

    1 DAY AGO

    From the Stage to the Sanctuary: Designing with Movement and Emotion

    In this episode of the Talk Design podcast, host Adrian Ramsey sits down with Cray Beauxmont-Flynn, the creative force behind the Los Angeles-based interior design firm, Beauxmont. Cray shares his incredibly unique origin story, tracing his path from growing up in the South to traveling the globe as a professional dancer performing alongside legends like Celine Dion, Cher, and Ricky Martin. He discusses how his background in dance and fashion profoundly shapes his approach to interior design today. Just as a choreographer understands movement across a stage, Cray understands the flow and rhythm of a room. Adrian and Cray dive into the "Beauxmont" signature style: a highly curated, layered look that feels collected over time rather than bought straight off a showroom floor. Cray reveals his secrets for "high-low" design, mixing expensive anchor pieces with affordable vintage or catalog finds to create a space that is both accessible and deeply emotional. They also explore the importance of designing for all five senses, including the often-overlooked element of scent, and how lighting and music can completely alter the mood of a home. Finally, Cray shares his own personal sanctuary—a master bath and dressing space designed for ultimate decompression and restoration. Key Topics Covered: A Dancer's Perspective: How a career in professional dance and fashion tailoring translates into an eye for spatial flow, texture, and room choreography.The "Collected" Aesthetic: Moving away from the "model home" look to create spaces that feel layered, lived-in, and full of personal history.Mastering High-Low Design: Cray's practical advice for mixing high-end investment pieces with budget-friendly finds (like blending a custom sofa with a Crate & Barrel side table).Designing for the 5 Senses: Why interior design is about more than just visuals. Learn how scent, lighting, and sound establish the true emotional resonance of a room.The Emotional Floor Plan: Cray walks us through his personal sanctuary—a hybrid closet, bathroom, and lounge area where he decompresses after a long day in Los Angeles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1hr 37min
  2. The Inheritable House: Designing for Life, Love, and Legacy with Greg Tankersley

    8 APR

    The Inheritable House: Designing for Life, Love, and Legacy with Greg Tankersley

    In this episode of the Talk Design podcast, host Adrian Ramsey sits down with Greg Tankersley, a partner at the acclaimed architectural firm McAlpine. Greg shares his unlikely journey from growing up on a working farm in Alabama to becoming a highly sought-after residential architect who creates deeply personal, story-driven homes. Greg discusses the profound psychology behind designing a custom home, comparing the client-architect relationship to a marriage that requires trust, intuition, and humility. He explains why he prefers to create "inheritable houses" built with classic materials that patina gracefully over time, rather than chasing the latest design trends or building "big, fat, lazy houses." Adrian and Greg also explore the emotional weight and healing power of architecture. Greg shares touching stories from his career, from designing a calming "Xanax of a house" for a high-stress finance executive, to crafting a highly specific, asymmetrical sanctuary for a brilliant mathematician, and guiding a young widow through the healing process of building a home. Key Topics Covered: An Unlikely Path: Greg’s journey from a humble farming background to architecture.The "Speed Dating" Phase: Why choosing the right clients is like a marriage, and why observing table manners can tell you everything you need to know.The Inheritable House: Moving away from trends to design homes that age gracefully and tell a story.Architecture as Psychology: How to deeply understand clients to create spaces that serve their unique mental and emotional needs.Healing Spaces: The profound story of designing a home for a widow and how architecture can serve as a powerful tool for grief and healing.Dropping the Ego: Why the best architects act as playwrights and scenic designers, setting the stage for their clients' lives without letting their own egos get in the way. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2h 33m
  3. Taming the Subconscious: Lessons from Horsemanship and Bestselling Author Mike Roberts

    25 MAR

    Taming the Subconscious: Lessons from Horsemanship and Bestselling Author Mike Roberts

    In this episode of the Talk Design podcast, host Adrian Ramsey sits down with Mike Roberts, the author, real estate investor, and podcast host widely known as The Converse Cowboy. Mike shares his origin story, detailing his journey from growing up playing baseball in North Louisiana to working in pharmaceutical sales. Inspired by foundational texts like Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich and Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad, Mike fundamentally shifted his mindset away from the traditional "factory worker" conditioning of going to school and getting a standard job. Instead, he built a real estate portfolio that eventually allowed him to walk away from his corporate career. The conversation takes a deep dive into Mike's newly released Amazon #1 bestselling book, Perspective as a Verb. Originally planned as a daily entry book with 365 quotes, Mike details the rigorous editing process with Scribe Publishing that helped distill the work down to 101 powerful illustrations and personal reflections. He explains how the book serves as his own journal and philosophical guide, born out of a dark period following a divorce. Adrian and Mike also explore Mike's passion for the performance horse world. Mike shares a profound analogy from his book, comparing the untrained subconscious mind to a young, unbroken colt, and the conscious mind to the rider who must use consistency and awareness to guide it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min
  4. Building it Right: Water Management & The Science Behind the Aesthetics

    11 FEB

    Building it Right: Water Management & The Science Behind the Aesthetics

    In this episode, we welcome a globally recognized builder and building science expert to bridge the gap between architectural beauty and rigorous construction durability. With decades of experience and a massive online following for his construction expertise, our guest takes us on a deep dive into high-performance homes. The conversation centers around a prestigious local Homes Tour, using specific projects as case studies to discuss durability, detailing, and the "nerdy" side of construction that keeps a home standing for generations. In this episode, we cover: The "Golf Umbrella" Theory: Why deep roof overhangs are the single best insurance policy for a home’s longevity, and how they protect even older brick facades from water intrusion. The Personal Rebuild: Our guest takes us inside the construction of his own personal home. He explains his use of "Monopoly Framing" (where sheathing runs straight up to the roof deck for a perfect air seal) and why he installed a vented "over-roof" to manage the heat. Architect-Driven Details: A look at the construction reality behind stunning design features, such as flush baseboards, hidden doors, and the challenges of parapet walls that require an "envelope engineer" to waterproof correctly. Wabi-Sabi Construction: Embracing the "coolness of imperfection" in board-formed concrete and how to hide structural ties for a seamless finish. The Business of Building: Why the traditional "bid-build" model is broken and why engaging a builder for Pre-Construction Services during the schematic phase is the only way to align a client’s budget with their dream. Market Realities: A professional perspective on construction inflation and why, despite rising costs, waiting to build rarely saves money. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1hr 23min
  5. Conscious Home Design: Elevating Your Space Beyond Shelter

    4 FEB

    Conscious Home Design: Elevating Your Space Beyond Shelter

    In this episode, the conversation dives deep into the profound connection between our physical environment and our personal well-being. Moving beyond the "wow factor" of aesthetic style, the discussion centres on Conscious Home Design—a philosophy that treats the home as a powerful tool for personal development and a direct reflection of one’s truest self. The dialogue explores how to move past merely accommodating a client to truly hearing their needs. By layering architectural precision with emotional intelligence, the discussion highlights how a home can be organised to support the activities that foster human excellence, from creative expression to physical vitality. This episode explores the vital importance of ensuring beautiful designs are grounded in reality and budget from the outset to maintain the joy of the building journey. By applying Maslow’s hierarchy to the floor plan, the conversation illustrates how a home can serve more than just basic shelter by dedicating specific zones to inner growth, wellness, and the quality of our connections—giving, receiving, and reciprocal. Listeners will discover how to identify and remove "friction points" in a layout to create a daily boost in efficiency and mood that compounds over decades. From strategically placing activities according to the sun’s path via the "sunny window effect" to creating physical touchstones that allow for a conscious mental shift into a space of sanctuary, this episode challenges you to view your four walls through a new lens. It is a masterclass in sensitive, user-centric design that organises space to nourish the soul and facilitate a richer, more authentic life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1hr 53min

About

Each week join your host, award winning designer Adrian Ramsay for a step into the expansive world of design, architecture and more. Adrian sits down with some of the big names and those who are lesser known from across the international design world to find out what makes them tick, what they strive for and what unites us, in the universal quest to create something simple, functional and beautiful. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.