In this special episode, we’re flipping the mic! Interior design student Lynn Salbato from Mesa College joins me for a candid Q&A that started as a school assignment—and turned into one of my favorite conversations about business, balance, and building a career in design.

We cover everything from how I landed my first client (hi, Thumbtack!) to what I really wish someone told me before starting my own firm. Lynn brings the smart questions—and I’m sharing it all: the messy parts, the wins, and why community and mentorship (hello, ASID!) have mattered most along the way.

Whether you’re a student, emerging designer, or just curious what happens behind the scenes of a boutique design studio, this episode is full of real talk and real tools.

👂 What you’ll hear in this episode:

1. How I made the leap from showrooms to solo designer
2. My philosophy on pricing, flat fees, and charging what you’re worth
3. A business mistake I made recently—and what it taught me
4. Why having a mentor (or becoming one) changes everything
5. The role ASID San Diego has played in my career—and how to get involved now

✨ “If you’re not being invited to the table—make your own table.”

About Lynn Salbato:

Lynn Salbato is currently completing her Certificate in Interior Design at San Diego Mesa College, a path inspired by a lifelong love for the visual world and a desire to create evocative atmospheres. Working alongside her husband, she focuses on Interior Design for Masterworks Construction Co. and serves as a Realtor with Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty, helping homeowners recognize the potential in a property and translate that vision into reality.

When she isn’t focusing on her design work, Lynn is a volunteer for the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s annual Open House (OH!) event and an active member of Toastmasters International. She leverages this multi-faceted expertise to help her clients navigate the entire process of purchasing, designing, and bringing their projects to life.

Stay Connected:

1. Sign Up for Our Newsletter
2. ASID San Diego Website
3. LinkedIn
4. Follow us on Instagram
5. Ask your question, share a topic of interest or be our guest here.
6. Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss upcoming episodes
7. Share this podcast with a fellow designer in your community
8. Questions, sponsorship or feed back: rachel@tigerveil.com

Hosted by Rachel Larraine Crawford, ASID Allied

Happy New Year, design community! In this solo episode, Rachel kicks off 2026 with a fresh (and grounding) perspective on what’s actually worth paying attention to—beyond the “what’s in / what’s out” lists flooding your feed every January.

You’ll hear the trends showing up in meaningful ways this year, a handful of unexpected aesthetic shifts worth watching, and the timeless design truths that never go out of style. Rachel also shares ASID San Diego chapter updates, how to get involved as a member or sponsor, and a simple design prompt to carry into the new year.

Chapter Updates + Save the Date

Rachel opens with gratitude for ASID San Diego members, volunteers, and industry partners who helped make the chapter’s programming, events, and collaborations possible.

Sponsorship opportunities for 2026 are still available.

If you or your company want to support programming, education, or outreach, reach out to ASID San Diego’s president: president@CASD.ASID.org

January 21 (third Wednesday of the month) at Visions Museum of Textile Art (Liberty Station)

Topic: Custom Window Treatments — a frequently overlooked design element with major aesthetic impact and profit potential. Rachel teases a conversation on elevating projects through custom solutions, client relationships, motorization/tech, and where craftsmanship still matters in the age of AI.

To RSVP / attend: membership@CASD.ASID.org (Membership Chair: Kendra)

What’s Trending in 2026 (The Meaningful Shifts)

Rachel breaks down the trends designers are already noticing—and why they matter beyond surface style.

1) Earthy + Moody Color Palettes

• A continued move away from gray/white toward sun-washed clay, moss green, dusty rose and other grounded hues.
• At the same time: a resurgence of deep forest green, inky navy, charcoal, oxblood, even black-on-black for cocoon-like, luxe spaces.
• Takeaway: These palettes aren’t loud—they’re emotionally intelligent, creating sanctuary and depth.

2) Texture-Forward, Sensory Materials

Luxury is shifting from “shiny” to tactile: plaster, brushed limestone, honed stone, character woods, coarse linen, chunky textiles.

Takeaway: Designers are specifying for the body as much as the eye—helping clients feel more grounded in a post-digital world.

3) Reimagined Nostalgia

Not literal replicas—more like memory translated: curved cabinetry, fluted glass, low-slung seating, subtle checkerboard, with nods to the 70s and 90s (without going full theme).

Takeaway: Nostalgia becomes a doorway to storytelling and comfort.

4) Wellness as the Baseline

Wellness is no longer an add-on. Expect more:

• Circadian lighting
• Acoustic zoning
• Air quality upgrades
• Low-VOC / non-toxic materials
• Nature integration (plants, water, natural light)
• Takeaway: Clients are asking how a space feels, supports stress levels, sleep, and energy—not just how it looks.

5) Personalization Over “Perfect”

The catalog-perfect interior is giving way to homes with soul: handmade pieces, layered art, heirlooms, mixed metals/woods, story-driven choices.

Takeaway: Meaning beats status. Local makers and artist collaborations become a standout value-add.

Unexpected Trends Worth Watching

Rachel shares a few emerging shifts that may not be on the usual “top 10” lists.

• Bold aesthetic fusion (playful, cross-cultural, eclectic “attitude” aesthetics seen on platforms like Pinterest)
• Wallpaper in unexpected places (ceilings, cabinets, closets, mural-scale, textured coverings, narrative prints as

What if instead of winging it into 2026, you actually carved out time to design your business—and your life—with clarity, calm, and creative purpose?

In this solo episode, I’m walking you through the exact process I use to plan my year—not just for projects and profits, but for alignment. This isn’t a rigid goal-setting workshop or a “new year, new you” kind of vibe. It’s a cozy, journal-in-hand moment to reflect on what worked (and what didn’t) in 2025, dream into what’s possible for 2026, and make a plan that feels like you.

Whether you're on a walk, between site visits, or curled up on the couch, this is your permission slip to slow down, zoom out, and reconnect with your vision as an independent designer.

In This Episode, You’ll Journal Through:

1. Your favorite design moments (and the ones that made you want to quit)
2. What actually brought in revenue—and what drained your energy
3. How to design your calendar around your life (not the other way around)
4. A vision for 2026 that feels exciting and sustainable
5. Who you need to become to lead your business with more ease

Here’s a Little Homework (the fun kind!):

1. Print a blank 2026 calendar
2. Pour some tea, or coffee
3. Hit pause after each prompt to journal it out
4. Use this session as your personal planning retreat

You deserve a business that supports your life—not one that consumes it.

Let this episode be your starting point. And hey, if you love it or have your own rituals for planning the year ahead, send me a message rachel@tigerveil.com . I’d truly love to hear what you’re dreaming up for 2026.

Stay Connected:

1. Sign Up for Our Newsletter
2. ASID San Diego Website
3. LinkedIn
4. Follow us on Instagram
5. Ask your question, share a topic of interest or be our guest here.
6. Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss upcoming episodes
7. Share this podcast with a fellow designer in your community
8. Questions, sponsorship or feed back: sandiegoasid@gmail.com

In this student-focused episode of the Interior Design San Diego podcast, we sit down with Ximena Harmer, a sales manager and active ASID San Diego industry partner, to talk about what it really looks like to build a career on the sales side of the design world. Ximena shares how she found her way into the industry, what designers actually look for in product reps, and how students and emerging professionals can start building relationships now that will support them for years to come.

If you’ve ever wondered how industry partners fit into the design ecosystem—or how to show up confidently at your next ASID event—this conversation is for you.

With over 12 years of experience in the Kitchen and Bath industry, Ximena Harmer has developed a true passion for cabinetry and carpentry. Specializing in custom designs, she’s worked on high-profile projects, including national media campaigns with major home improvement networks. Ximena has found her perfect role as a Sales Manager at the Home Depot Design Center, where she leads a team of product partners to help builders and designers bring their clients’ dream spaces to life. Whether it's finding the perfect product for the project or providing expert guidance, Ximena combines her deep industry knowledge with a personal commitment to making every renovation project a success.

• What a Sales Manager Actually Does in the Design World
• How Ximena supports designers, firms, and projects—and why strong relationships between designers and reps are so important.
• How Students Can Confidently Connect with Industry Partners
• Practical tips for reaching out on LinkedIn, following up after events, and starting conversations even if you feel “too new” to the industry.
• Making the Most of ASID San Diego Events
• Why showing up—whether it’s a monthly meeting or the holiday party—can be a game changer for your network and career growth.
• Balancing Career, Community, and Home Life
• Ximena shares how being a parent influences the way she chooses events, manages her time, and gives herself permission to be present where she is.
• Networking for Introverts (and Real People)
• Simple, doable ways to connect that don’t require being “on” all the time or knowing everyone in the room.

Ximena invites listeners to connect and continue the conversation:

• www.linkedin.com/in/ximena-harmer

About our Student Host, Theresa Staine:

From an early age, I knew I was destined for a creative path. As a child, I loved sketching and painting landscapes, and that early love for art naturally grew into a passion for design.

My journey into interior architecture has been one of both risk and reward. Before entering the design world, I spent a decade in New York City building a successful career as a buyer for major retailers. While that experience strengthened my business sense and attention to detail, I always felt a creative pull that couldn’t be ignored. Returning to my artistic roots, I decided to pursue my master’s degree in Interior Architecture at the Academy of Art University, where I’ve found a true sense of purpose.

I’m deeply passionate about using design to support healthy urbanism, community development and sustainability. I enjoy creating spaces that inspire connection, encourage movement, and foster well-being. As an active individual who values a healthy lifestyle, I believe thoughtful design can profoundly influence the way we live, work, and thrive.

Continuing to learn and grow in this field excites me every day. My goal is to combine my creative vision, design education, and business background to make a lasting impact...

In this solo episode of Interior Design San Diego, host and designer Rachel Larraine Crawford speaks directly to the ASID San Diego community about what is unfolding in the chapter and what it really means to build a brand that feels as good as your best designed space.

Rachel opens with exciting chapter announcements for the year ahead including travel, study, and community events then guides you into a heartfelt conversation about brand, intuition, and identity as a designer. She also shares details about her live workshop, Designing From The Inside Out Build Your Brand With Soul Style And Intuition, happening this evening at Pacific Sales in San Diego.

This episode is a gentle warm up for the workshop and a powerful reflection on whether your brand truly feels like you.

In this episode you will hear

• Current ASID San Diego updates and opportunities for involvement in twenty twenty six

• Details about upcoming chapter programming including education, travel, and celebrations

• Why your brand is more than a logo, color palette, or social grid

• How branding functions as an energetic imprint that people feel when they experience your work

• Rachel's personal story of shifting from a safe generic brand to one that reflects her moody magnetic spiritual style

• Three reflection questions to help you reconnect with your design identity and values

• An invitation to craft a brand that feels like your favorite outfit and your favorite room at the same time

• What to expect from the Designing From The Inside Out workshop and who it is perfect for

Reflection prompts from the episode

You may want to journal on these questions after you listen

• When someone walks into a space you designed and it is working perfectly, how do you want them to feel in their body

• When someone works with you as a client, what do you want to be known for beyond the deliverables

• What parts of you have you been hiding or toning down in your brand

Events and links mentioned

ASID San Diego Big Holiday Bash

Wednesday December 17 at 5pm

Location MSI Surfaces Miramar Road San Diego

Note Tickets must be purchased in advance there are no tickets at the door

• ASID member health insurance program: Open enrollment for the twenty twenty six plan year runs from November 1 through December 15

Design Gems trip to Milan - April 19 through April 25 2026

Includes Salone del Mobile marble quarries in Carrara time in Florence and exclusive workshop visits

Tickets here

Workshop Designing From The Inside Out Build Your Brand With Soul, Style And Intuition

Thursday December 4 2025 at 5:30pm

Location Pacific Sales San Diego

Registration link

Stay Connected:

• Want to get involved? Email our Admin Arnaz: Administrator@casd.asid.org
• Sign Up for Our Newsletter
• ASID San Diego Website
• LinkedIn
• Follow us on

In this episode of Interior Design San Diego, host Rachel Larraine Crawford sits down with hospitality designer, educator, and ASID leader Shannon Rice to explore how design can literally change the trajectory of a family’s life.

Shannon shares her journey from 20-year-old receptionist at a flooring company to hospitality-focused designer, business owner, long-time instructor at Design Institute, and past president of ASID San Diego. From there, the conversation dives into the heart work: Humble Design—a nonprofit that fully furnishes homes for individuals and families emerging from homelessness.

You’ll hear how ASID San Diego partnered with Humble Design, why thoughtfully designed spaces help break the cycle of homelessness, and the many tangible ways designers, students, and industry partners can get involved.

• Shannon’s winding path into interior design, from cocktail waitress and receptionist to hospitality designer and firm owner
• What it’s really like to work in hospitality, franchise hotels, and property improvement plans (PIPs)
• How teaching at Design Institute fuels Shannon’s love of mentoring emerging designers
• Shannon’s ASID journey—from student member to president, and now Humble Design liaison
• The origin story of Humble Design and why furnished homes dramatically reduce the rate of families returning to homelessness
• Rachel’s personal connection to housing insecurity and why this work feels so tender and urgent
• What happens on a Day of Joy install—from warehouse prep to the “welcome home” reveal
• The emotional impact of kids seeing their very first bed and a space made just for them
• How ASID designers can leverage projects to support Humble through furniture donations and more
• Volunteer warehouse days, student involvement, and upcoming donation drives in San Diego and North County
• Simple ways to support Humble at ASID’s annual holiday party and beyond

• Design truly impacts lives. A thoughtfully furnished home isn’t just “pretty”—it can be the difference between a family maintaining housing or slipping back into homelessness.
• Humble Design is changing the cycle. Families who receive Humble’s services almost never return to homelessness, in part because they finally have a space that feels safe, dignified, and worth fighting for.
• Community over competition in action. ASID San Diego’s partnership with Humble shows what happens when designers, students, and industry partners rally around a shared cause.
• Designers have unique leverage. We’re already inside clients’ homes and job sites—redirecting gently-used furnishings to Humble is a powerful, practical way to give back.
• There’s a place for everyone. From warehouse volunteering and student internships to donation drives and fundraisers, there are meaningful roles for designers at every stage of their career.

• Redirect client furnishings to Humble instead of sending them to landfill
• ASID designers can request free pick-ups for qualifying donations via Humble’s website
• Join quarterly warehouse volunteer days through ASID San Diego sign-ups
• Support Day of Joy installs and annual fundraisers (like the bathroom refresh package)
• Students can seek out Humble-adjacent internships or volunteer hours through SDSU, DI, Mesa, Palomar & more
• Bring a gift card (Target, Walmart, TJ Maxx, etc.) to the ASID holiday party to help cover critical “one-off” items like cribs and baby...

In this special Student Edition episode, we’re passing the mic to Anna Wright, a junior at San Diego State University and student rep on the ASID San Diego board. Anna shares her journey from STEM to design and opens up a real, relatable conversation with fellow student and ASID committee member Theresa Staine —who brings a unique blend of business savvy and design passion to the table.

Theresa spent a decade thriving as a fashion buyer in New York City before answering the call of her creative roots. Now, she’s deep in her master’s studies at the Academy of Art University, combining an artist’s eye with a heart for sustainable, human-centered spaces.

Together, Anna and Theresa dig into:

• 🎒 What it’s really like navigating the jump from undergrad to post-grad
• ✨ How to find (and trust) your design voice
• 💼 Leveraging past careers to fuel your design future
• 🛠️ The challenges and rewards of grad school in interior architecture
• 🌿 Designing with purpose: community, wellness, and sustainability

Whether you’re a student wondering what’s next or a professional curious about the next generation of designers, this episode is full of heart, honesty, and inspiration.

About Anna:

Anna Wright (she/her) is a junior at San Diego State University studying Interior Architecture and minoring in Engineering. She is originally from Scranton, Pennsylvania. She’s been part of the ASID San Diego community since her freshman year and now serves on the student representative board.

About Theresa:

From an early age, I knew I was destined for a creative path. As a child, I loved sketching and painting landscapes, and that early love for art naturally grew into a passion for design.

My journey into interior architecture has been one of both risk and reward. Before entering the design world, I spent a decade in New York City building a successful career as a buyer for major retailers. While that experience strengthened my business sense and attention to detail, I always felt a creative pull that couldn’t be ignored. Returning to my artistic roots, I decided to pursue my master’s degree in Interior Architecture at the Academy of Art University, where I’ve found a true sense of purpose.

I’m deeply passionate about using design to support healthy urbanism, community development and sustainability. I enjoy creating spaces that inspire connection, encourage movement, and foster well-being. As an active individual who values a healthy lifestyle, I believe thoughtful design can profoundly influence the way we live, work, and thrive.

Continuing to learn and grow in this field excites me every day. My goal is to combine my creative vision, design education, and business background to make a lasting impact through meaningful, human-centered design.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresamstaine/

instagram.com/Theresastaine

Stay Connected:

• Sign Up for Our Newsletter
• ASID San Diego Website
• LinkedIn
• Follow us on Instagram
• Ask your question, share a topic of interest or be our guest here.
• Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss upcoming episodes
• Share this podcast with a...

In this episode of Interior Design San Diego, host Rachel Crawford sits down with Kristy Kropat, the incoming President‑Elect of the ASID San Diego Chapter, to explore her journey, design philosophy, and her vision for the chapter.

Key Topics Covered:

• Kristy’s unconventional path into interior design: from a decade as a software and embedded systems engineer to retraining at the Design Institute of San Diego and starting her own studio.
• How her technical/engineering background informs her design process — especially problem solving, usability, organization.
• Founding her design firm in San Diego in 2008; moving the business to San Francisco in 2014, then relocating to Berlin and building an international practice.
• Expanding her services: emphasizing lighting design and integrating her engineering + interior design expertise. Her current master’s thesis topic: Advancing Quality of Light in California Homes.
• Discussion of residential versus commercial design, and why Kristy values residential for its personal connection to clients.
• Insights into her lighting design philosophy — the role of color temperature, color rendering (CRI, TM‑30), layering light, the importance of proper lighting in realizing design.
• Her decision to say “yes” to the board role for ASID: giving back, supporting the chapter, helping bridge student/professional gaps.
• What her upcoming year as President‑Elect looks like: supporting the President, focusing on student involvement, launching new programs, lighting‑focused chapter meeting coming up on November 19 at Blackwell Lighting & Home in Encinitas.
• Ways for listeners (designers, students, industry partners) to connect with her and the chapter.

Takeaways for Listeners:

• A reminder that career paths in design can be non‑linear — technical skills and creative interests can combine powerfully.
• The often‑underestimated role of lighting in interior design — not just aesthetics but usability, quality, and outcome.
• The value of professional community (like ASID) in supporting designers, especially emerging ones.
• Encouragement for students and young professionals: how to engage, network, and transition into the profession.
• Practical event opportunities: upcoming ASID San Diego events, programs and how to plug in.

Kristy Kropat is an interior designer, lighting designer, engineer, and entrepreneur. She founded her boutique design studio 18 years ago in San Diego, designing award-winning residential and commercial projects throughout California and Germany. With a background that blends creative and technical expertise, she combines analytical problem-solving and design thinking to create beautiful, functional, sustainable and inclusive spaces. Kristy’s designs have been featured in over 28 national and international publications including Better Homes and Gardens, Wall Street Journal, Atomic Ranch, Cooking Light, Houzz Germany and more. Kristy was the off camera designer for A&E’s reality design show “Fix This Kitchen” and was the featured interior designer in California Closet’s TV commercial.

Having lived in San Francisco and Berlin, she brings an international perspective to her designs. After spending 11 years abroad, she has returned to her native San Diego, where she is currently serving as President-Elect of the San Diego Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers and a judge for San Diego Magazine’s Home + Design Awards 2026.

• Connect with Kristy Kropat: Kristy@kristykropatdesign.com

Stay Connected: