Tag Archives: The Fireside Chat

Jules Wilson | Modern Design Rooted in History

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With 26 years of experience in the design industry, Jules Wilson is nationally recognized as a designer who delivers tailored spaces that enhance and elevate the user experience. After earning her BFA in interior design from the Design Institute of San Diego, Jules studied at the prestigious Lorenzo Di Medici in Florence, Italy and continued to travel extensively throughout Europe, finding inspiration in fine art history and architecture, editorial photography, high fashion and classic films. She is influenced by the greats and conceptualizes designs in a way that will similarly stand the test of time. 

After founding her eponymous design studio in 2005, Jules has quickly become an expert that developers, owners and brands trust to create timeless, meaningful and memorable guest experiences, nationwide.

In this Fireside Chat™, Jules shares her story of growing up in Rockford, Illinois, playing with Lego and already designing her dream home from a very young age. She shares about her time in Florence, Italy and how this deeply influenced her design philosophy. She discusses her design process, and how she likes to immerse herself in the local life and culture to create spaces that blend in with the community in which they’re built. When she’s not designing her next project, you can find Jules restoring her midcentury home, designed by Frederick Liebhardt, apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright. She discusses her design plans for the home, which include indoor and outdoor spaces that integrate seamlessly with one another. 

This Fireside Chat™ is hosted by Ryan Bloom, co-founder and president of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed this conversation and love hearing about great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit www.urbanbonfire.com.

Jules Wilson Design – https://www.juleswilsondesign.com/  

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Paul McClean | Highlighting the Outdoors through Luxurious Modern Architecture

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Paul McClean trained as an architect in Ireland, and founded McClean Design in 2000 after working for award-winning architectural practices in London, Dublin, Sydney and Southern California. McClean Design is one of the leading contemporary residential design firms in the Los Angeles area. The firm’s projects reflect an interest in modern living and a desire to connect their clients to the beauty of the surrounding natural environment. The incorporation of water, an emphasis on texture and natural materials, and the elimination of the barrier between indoors and outdoors are hallmarks of McClean’s designs. 

Paul has become the go-to architect for celebrity clientele such as Beyoncé, Jay Z, and Calvin Klein. He is also the architect behind “The One” in Bel Air, one of the most expensive homes ever built. Although based in Southern California, the firm’s work can be seen throughout the Western United States, Canada, England and Thailand.

In this episode of The Fireside Chat™, Paul shares his journey with us, and how his passion for drawing homes began from a very young age. He elaborates on his firm’s design process, and how he keeps an open mind when aligning with his clients’ vision for their dream home. He discusses strategies he uses to maximize the feeling of expanse and openness in his designs, in spaces both large and small. Although merging the indoors and outdoors has been at the heart of McClean’s work from the beginning, he shares some of the shifts he’s noticed in how his clients are prioritizing outdoor space.

This episode of The Fireside Chat™ podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, co-founder and president of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit www.urbanbonfire.com.

McClean Design – https://www.mccleandesign.com/ 

#UrbanBonfire #YourKitchenOutdoors #McCleanDesign

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John Colaneri | A Pro’s Insights Into the World of Construction and Design

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John Colaneri is a designer, developer, TV personality, children’s book author, health and fitness advocate, and principal of the design and build firm Lilyshea Development LLC, based in New Jersey.

John has been transforming homes into life-changing spaces for homeowners across the US, with his cousin Anthony Carrino, on their multiple hit HGTV shows, such as Kitchen Cousins, Cousins on Call, Cousins Undercover or America’s Most Desperate Kitchens. You also may have seen him on one of his appearances on The Rachael Ray Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. His latest endeavors are now with the Ellen DeGeneres Digital team in launching original shows. In 2019, John launched his own development company, Lilyshea Development LLC, focusing on high end residential design and custom spec homes that he is developing and designing in the New Jersey area. 

John’s journey has seen him build an extraordinary professional acumen along the way. In this episode of The Fireside Chat™ podcast, John provides insight on what he’s learned from his years working in construction and on HGTV and how he has put these learnings to use in his own firm today. He discusses the importance of authenticity and staying true to himself on television, and how this has been a guiding principle for him. He explains the importance of merging indoor and outdoor design from the very beginning of the planning phase to create cohesive spaces for his clients. He shares details about one of his most recent projects in New Jersey, featuring an Urban Bonfire kitchen, and how he integrated indoor design elements into the outdoor space. 

This episode of The Fireside Chat™ podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit www.urbanbonfire.com.

John Colaneri – https://www.johncolaneri.com/
The Franklin Lakes Project – https://www.johncolaneri.com/designbuild 

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Wade Weissmann | An Architect’s Blueprint for the Creation of Lively and Experimental Spaces

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As the founder and principal of Wade Weissmann Architecture, Wade has spent the last twenty-five years designing classically inspired estates of many genres around the world. His firm’s work has been highly praised for its fine attention to craftsmanship and design detail, and for lending homeowners a feeling of resort living, right at home. On all projects, Wade believes wholeheartedly that a collaborative approach to design always yields the greatest results. Wade Weissmann Architecture has a central office in Wade’s hometown of Milwaukee, as well as offices on the East and West Coasts to best service projects throughout the United States and beyond.

In this episode of The Fireside Chat™ podcast, Wade shares what drives him and his firm and how the outdoors has been a guiding principle in his work throughout much of his career. He discusses the core value of environmental stewardship and what it means to create healthy spaces that are built to last. Wade doesn’t shy away from sharing the nitty gritty behind a project, and he discusses how this dynamic approach to architecture is at the heart of his work. Finally, he elaborates on crafting indoor and outdoor spaces that serve as platforms for rich experiences and treasured memories that help tell the story of the homes’ inhabitants.

This episode of The Fireside Chat podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit www.urbanbonfire.com.

Wade Weissmann Architecture – https://wadeweissmannarchitecture.com/


#UrbanBonfire #YourKitchenOutdoors #WadeWeissmannArchitecture

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John McClain | A Journey Through Design with a Complete Design Professional, Inside and Out

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Born into a family of talented craftsmen and home builders, John McClain spent his childhood immersed in the world of design and construction. As a teenager, he converted his parents’ garage into a living suite, and later bought and remodelled his first home at the age of 20. Before long, John began remodelling and designing home after home, combining his family’s trade with his natural aesthetic ability. Shortly after his career launch, John appeared on HGTV; and through this experience, his personality and design perspective were visible to a larger audience, and he was soon designing homes across the country. 

 

Today, John is a speaker, writer, entrepreneur, and principal designer of the award-winning firm, John McClain Design, with offices in Los Angeles, California and Orlando, Florida. John’s work has been featured in numerous publications including Elle Décor and Traditional Home; and John is a contributor to outlets such as Martha Stewart Living, Interior Design magazine, Apartment Therapy, the Wall Street Journal, and most recently Us Weekly magazine. John and his team pride themselves on establishing a partnership with their clients to bring their vision to life with expertise, knowledge, transparency and authenticity.

In this episode of The Fireside Chat™ podcast, John shares his journey of making a career out of his passion for design. He sheds light on the process behind designing his own collection of products, John McClain Home, and the challenges presented by the commercialization of a product line. He discusses the rise in demand for outdoor spaces and in turn, how this has prompted him and his team to embrace the outdoors, and position themselves as an all-inclusive design firm, rather than limiting themselves to the interior.

This episode of The Fireside Chat™ podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit www.urbanbonfire.com.

John McClain Design – https://www.johnmcclaindesign.com/

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Michael McGowan, KAA Design Group | The Dynamic and Ever-Changing Playing field of the Landscape Architect

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This week on The Fireside Chat™ podcast, we’re thrilled to welcome Michael McGowan, Landscape Architect and Associate of the KAA Design Group, a Los Angeles-based design studio dedicated to advancing the California lifestyle through contemporary architecture for over 30 years.

Michael McGowan joined KAA in 2011, and has been overseeing the design and implementation of a broad range of custom residential, commercial and institutional landscapes. In addition to his design work on numerous estate residential landscapes, some of Michael’s notable projects include: The Eastern Columbia Building, TreePeople Center for Community Forestry, Santa Monica Village and One Santa Fe.

In this conversation, Michael shares how his connection with nature started in his early childhood in Maryland, and how this informed his career choice many years later. He discusses the fundamental shift he is witnessing in client requests and trends as it relates to the outdoors, and how he articulates ideas into plans, and eventually creates ever-evolving outdoor spaces for his clients.

The Fireside Chat™ podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe on Apple podcasts, Spotify or Google podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit https://urbanbonfire.com.

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Brian David Roberts | This Seattle-Based Functional Designer’s Unique Philosophy to Space Planning

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Brian David Roberts was determined to become an architect from the age of 12. But after a year of studying architecture at university he realized it was not what he thought it was. He transferred to the field of Industrial Design, specializing in Furniture and Product Design at Brigham Young University in Utah, where he was designing for use and creating products that, when utilized, delighted the end user.

A few years later, while working for a design firm on the east coast, a mentor introduced him to space planning, functional design and proper consulting… and this is where he found his true calling. Brian morphed his love of space and structure, which originally led him to architecture, into an unprecedented design process and philosophy that profoundly improves the lives of his clients within their homes.

In this episode of The Fireside Chat™ podcast, Brian shares his journey from architecture to space planning, and what it’s like to live, work and design in the Pacific Northwest with his life and business partner, Virginia. He discusses his wonderfully unique and inventive philosophy on space planning and functional design, and his approach to incorporating lighting into the homes he designs, both indoors and out. Finally, he elaborates on the kitchen as the modern family room, and what this entails for proper space planning.

The Fireside Chat™ podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit https://urbanbonfire.com.

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Melissa Gerstle | Designing Dream-Worthy Outdoor Spaces to Change the Way We Live and Connect

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This week on The Fireside Chat™ Podcast, we’re thrilled to share Ryan Bloom’s conversation with landscape designer Melissa Gerstle, live from the gardens of the Kips Bay Dallas Show House.

Trained as a landscape architect and inspired by the restorative properties of nature, Melissa’s design approach is based on the principle that a beautiful and functional outdoor space can change the way we live and connect. Her passion for creating peaceful and visually inspiring gardens stems from her belief that exquisite outdoor spaces that foster connections and conversations is essential to allowing us to perform in all other parts of our lives. Her landscape design studio, based in Dallas, and serving clients across the country, offers a full range of design services, from landscape consulting and planting designs, to full-scale outdoor living environments, including pools, fountains, fire features and furnishings.

Melissa shared her unconventional journey to landscape design, and what it means to work in the ever-changing playing field of nature. She described her unique approach to design, specifically as it relates to the current context of the pandemic, as the backyard becomes our sanctuary. She discussed the Kips Bay Dallas Show House, where she alongside 26 of the nation’s top designers have come together to reimagine Texas-style in one beautiful home. She spoke with Ryan Bloom from the “Magari Garden,” which she designed. Inspired by the Italian word magari, meaning a strong wish or desire, Melissa designed the grounds to showcase all that is possible and dream-worthy in an outdoor space.

The Fireside Chat™ podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit https://urbanbonfire.com.
Melissa Gerstle Design – https://www.melissagerstledesign.com/
#UrbanBonfire #YourKitchenOutdoors #MelissaGerstle #LandscapeArchitecture #KipsBayDallas

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Ashley Moore | Finding Inspiration and Crafting Design as Big as The Great State of Texas

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Ashley Moore always had a love for interior design, but it wasn’t until that spark reignited later in her life that she realized she could turn her passion into a career. After retiring from teaching to raise her family, Ashley remodeled her own home. Inspired by her mother’s ability to create warm and welcoming spaces, Ashley dreamed of creating a home for her own family just like the one she had grown up in. Not long after, friends and family started reaching out for advice with their own projects and remodels, and Ashley quickly realized that design was her true calling. Moore House Interiors was founded in 2015, and Ashley and her team have since worked on an array of projects, varying in size and scale in the Greater Houston area, Texas Hill Country, and beyond. Ashley is known and beloved for her signature take on the modern farmhouse style, which integrates a mix of vintage and new, high and low pieces, with a focus on timeless over trend.

In this episode of the Fireside Chat™, Ashley Moore shares her story of growing up in Texas and how design was a creative outlet throughout her childhood. She expresses her commitment to creating well-loved, intentional spaces for real life, where family and friends are always welcome, while striking the perfect balance between comfort and style. Finally, she shares her thoughts on the pandemic’s impact on the design industry, and her vision for the future of indoor and outdoor design.

The Fireside Chat™ podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit https://urbanbonfire.com.
Moore House Interiors – https://www.moorehouseinteriors.com/
#UrbanBonfire #YourKitchenOutdoors #MooreHouseInteriors #Design #Texas #ModernFarmhouse

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Felipe Londono | This Miami Based Company Brings Glam to Outdoor Living in True South Florida Style

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With over 15 years of experience and nearly 3000 completed outdoor projects in South Florida, Luxapatio is one of the leaders in the outdoor living and entertaining industry. Following the footsteps of iconic brands like Restoration Hardware, their impressive 35,000 square feet indoor/outdoor showroom in Miami, Florida is an immersive outdoor living experience where retail meets lifestyle. The showroom is a true testament to their belief that today’s customer still wants to see, touch and feel products in order to visualize their own outdoor living space. Luxapatio’s experts take tremendous pride in their work and are passionate about activating outdoor spaces that bring family and friends together and help create lasting memories.

Ryan Bloom had the pleasure of speaking with Felipe Londono, Director of Sales and Marketing at Luxapatio. Felipe shared Luxapatio’s refreshing philosophy on the outdoors and the importance of a rich retail experience for the customer. He explained how he focuses on design, functionality and usage of the space when working with his clients. He shared the story of how his parents, his brother and him have grown Luxapatio since 2005 from a 2000 square foot warehouse into one of the finest outdoor showrooms with stunning merchandising, incredible products and unparalleled expertise.
This episode of The Fireside Chat™ podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit https://urbanbonfire.com.
Luxapatio – https://www.luxapatio.com/
#UrbanBonfire #YourKitchenOutdoors #Luxapatio #OutdoorKitchen #Miami #Florida

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Domos Coliving | Building Communities for the Way People Live in the 21st Century

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Daniel Alexander co-founded Domos Coliving with one goal in mind: build high quality, affordable housing into the housing supply within the country’s urban and economic cores, and thereby breathe new life into under-served communities. The development firm has a proven track record of reimagining residential housing, with Daniel Alexander’s and co-founder Derrick Barber’s combined experience of over 30 years, investments in over 10,000+ units owned and managed to-date, and management of a $550M+ portfolio. At the core of Domos’ vision is the concept of co-living, where community living areas such as kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms and outdoor spaces are shared by tenants, thereby adapting community-living to today’s modern urban environments.

Richard Loring is the Director of Design and Construction at Domos, and is an award-winning developer with a longstanding history of working with many of the most forward-thinking architecture firms. Today, Loring leads the latest Los Angeles Domos project in Hancock Park. This project involves the reconfiguration of a classic 1930s building at 410 North Rossmore to bring it to current city codes and invigorate living spaces, while preserving the building’s authentic exterior. The plans include the addition of at least three new floors to the building, including co-living suites.

In this episode of The Fireside Chat™ podcast, Ryan Bloom spoke with Daniel Alexander and Richard Loring about their philosophy on new mixed use multi-family real estate projects and the need for space and experiences that go around them, especially in the context of their latest project in Hancock Park, Los Angeles. They discussed the new opportunities for creative outdoor space activation offered by co-living. Finally, they touched on how the pandemic has shown different ways of living, working and interacting professionally.
This episode of The Fireside Chat™ podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit https://urbanbonfire.com.
Domos Coliving – https://domoscoliving.com/
410 North Rossmore Project – https://www.410rossmore.com/

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Anthony Carrino | Spreading The Love and Passion for Design Through Authentic Storytelling

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Anthony Carrino is a designer, real estate developer, photographer and TV personality with over 20 years experience in the design industry. You may already know him from his HGTV days, including Kitchen Cousins with John Colaneri, or his latest TV endeavour, The Build Up, in partnership with Ellen DeGeneres.

In this episode of The Fireside Chat™, Anthony tells us about starting his own web development company as a student at Babson College. After he graduated, Anthony and his father opened and operated a boutique design and development firm, focusing on the revitalization and adaptive reuse of architecturally significant, underutilized buildings within the urban core of Jersey City and Hoboken, NJ.
During his years on HGTV he realized there was a massive disconnect between homeowners’ expectations and the reality of construction and home renovation in the real world. This is when his new project TheBuild.tv was born, an engaging and raw digital series focused on educating and giving homeowners real, actionable information so they can make their renovations a reality. The show’s first season follows the renovation of a historic firehouse into Anthony’s home in Jersey City, NJ, and the second season, currently in progress, features the renovation of a 1965 farmhouse in the Catskills.
We loved this fun, real and authentic conversation about Anthony Carrino’s unique journey, his undeniable passion for what he does and his amazing vision for the future of building and real estate.
Find out more about TheBuild.tv at www.thebuild.tv. Watch the Firehouse Project Roof Deck episode where Anthony installs his Urban Bonfire kitchen here: https://youtu.be/dj6PCfMU-4w
This episode of The Fireside Chat™ podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit www.urbanbonfire.com.

#UrbanBonfire #YourKitchenOutdoors #AnthonyCarrino #TheBuildtv #LoveTheProcess

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Sandra Vlock | An Architect Turned Artist, Transforming Outdoor Environments into Extraordinary Experiences

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As an architect of contemporary architectural design now working as an artist, Sandra Vlock’s focus is to engage people in a shared experience; capturing an authentic sense of place, context and narrative. Sandra Vlock views the integration of Fine Art and Architectural Elements as a natural evolution of that vision; one that enables her to design evocative steel sculptures that inspire memorable experiences and create unique environments for social gathering, quiet reflection, and visual delight.

Each piece by Studio Vlock is made of repurposed objects and sustainable materials and tells a story—real or imagined—that is inspired by nature and shared experience.
We spoke with Sandra about her shift from contemporary architecture to art and her artistic process of using metals, flames, texture, light and shadow to create meaningful pieces for her clients across North America. We discussed our shared love of fire and flames and their power to bring people together and our common passion for transforming outdoor environments into a canvas for extraordinary experiences and memories.
This episode of the Fireside Chat™ podcast is hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you enjoyed it and love great design as much as we do, please subscribe. Follow us on Instagram @UrbanBonfire or join the conversation on Linked In. To find out more, please visit urbanbonfire.com.

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Douglas Burdge | The Future of Functional Outdoor Living Spaces

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Douglas W. Burdge AIA and his team of designers are recognized for their diverse architectural styles, including Spanish Mediterranean, Traditional, “Rustic-Modern” and cutting-edge Contemporary, from Malibu to Sun Valley to Los Cabos, Mexico. Burdge has become the preeminent architect of Malibu, having designed and built over 300 projects in the region, for notable clients including entertainment moguls, and Fortune 500 CEOs. Sophisticated homebuyers commission BAA, knowing that working with BAA will result in a distinctive coastal home that reflects their individual personality. 

We spoke with Douglas about his design philosophy, the growing trend of merging indoor and outdoor design and what makes Malibu the perfect backdrop for creativity and design. We touched on the work he’s done around the California wildfires, which led him to co-found Buhaus, a container home concept where luxury and utility intersect to create beautiful and functional living spaces with a small footprint.

We hope you enjoy this first episode of the Fireside Chat podcast, hosted by Ryan Bloom, Co-Founder and President of Urban Bonfire. If you love design as much as we do, please subscribe. Join the conversation on Instagram and Linked In @UrbanBonfire. To find out more, visit urbanbonfire.com.

#Architecture #YourKitchenOutdoors #UrbanBonfire #Malibu #Buhaus

 

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The Fireside Chat | Preview | A Podcast About Creating Memorable Outdoor Living and Entertaining Spaces

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This is The Fireside Chat, a podcast presented by Urban Bonfire and hosted by Urban Bonfire co-founder and president, Ryan Bloom. The show was created to share amazing and wonderful design being produced across North America and beyond.

Ryan Bloom and Stefan Marchant started Urban Bonfire in 2013 with one simple idea and a question, the kitchen has always been the heart of the home so, why isn’t Your Kitchen Outdoors® treated the same way? They set out to provide beautiful, luxury kitchens that can be customized to fit any outdoor space, architectural style or design.

Every episode of The Fireside Chat will showcase design luminaries with a fresh approach to designing and activating outdoor spaces. You will hear from guests like Allison Pickart, Douglas Burdge, and Michelle Lisac. These are just a few of the incredibly talented creatives you will hear on every episode of The Fireside Chat hosted by Urban Bonfire co-founder and president, Ryan Bloom. Thank you for listening to this special podcast preview. I would like to invite you to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss a single episode of the show. You can also join the conversation on Instagram and Linkedin @UrbanBonfire and find us online Urban Bonfire dot com.

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