I Hear Design: the i+s podcast

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 standar...

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 il...

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. T...

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, h...

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...

In the third and final episode of the Future Ready by Design series, host Robert Nieminen concludes his conversation with Mark Bryan, chief research and strategy officer at IIDA, about the provocative ideas emerging from IIDA’s Certified Design Futurist program and Futures Readiness Index.

Following Part 1’s focus on Prove It and Part 2’s focus on Feel It, this epi...

What can the world’s largest design fair tell us about where interior design is headed? In this ICYMI episode of the I Hear Design podcast, we revisit the trends and innovations that stood out at Salone del Mobile.Milano 2026 based on an article published by interiors+sources.

The show reflected an industry increasingly focused on longevity, material integrity, sustainability,...

In Part 2 of the Future Ready by Design series, host Robert Nieminen continues his conversation with Mark Bryan, chief research and strategy officer at IIDA, about the ideas emerging from IIDA’s Certified Design Futurist program and Futures Readiness Index.

Following Part 1’s discussion of proof, accountability, and outcomes-based design, this episode shifts into the theme Feel It: how the built environment supports the...

Lighting can do more than illuminate a space—it can influence how people see, feel, focus, interact, and respond to the passage of time.

In this episode of Product Talk, Lauren Brant talks with Robert Soler, founder and chief scientist of BIOS Lighting, about what wellness-focused lighting actually means and what designers should consider when specifying it. They discuss circadian lighting, daylight integration, individual di...

In this In Case You Missed It episode of the I Hear Design podcast, we revisit an article from interiors+sources that explores how Hendrick designed Synovus Place, a 122,000-square-foot downtown Columbus, Georgia, headquarters, around community, change, and employee experience. The project brought several locations together under one roof while using workplace strategy, change management, interior design, and environ...

In the first episode of a three-part I Hear Design series titled, "Future Ready by Design," host Robert Nieminen speaks with Mark Bryan, chief research and strategy officer at IIDA, about the organization’s Certified Design Futurist program and Futures Readiness Index.

Part 1, Prove It, explores how the built environment industry is being asked to move beyond beautiful finishe...

In this In Case You Missed It episode of the I Hear Design podcast, we revisit an article from interiors+sources that explores how airport design is evolving in 2026 as modernization takes precedence over building entirely new terminals. Today’s airport projects are balancing operational performance with a more thoughtful passenger experience, incorporating hospitality-inspired lounges and seating, im...

Colleges and universities are under pressure to prove their value as they navigate enrollment challenges, affordability concerns, student retention, and changing expectations around the campus experience. In this episode of the I Hear Design podcast, host Robert Nieminen speaks with Martin Kimmel, founding principal and chief creative officer of Kimmel Architecture, about how the physical campus can help institutions clarify who th...

Sound influences every space we design, yet acoustics are often treated as an afterthought. In this episode of Product Talk, Lauren Brant sits down with Dr. Robert MacMeccan, President of Turf Design, to explore why acoustics should be considered one of the foundational elements of architecture and interior design—not simply a finishing touch. Together they discuss evidence-based design, neuroinclusive environments, workplace...

The language of sustainable materials is getting more complicated. Terms like bio-based, bio-sourced, bio-attributed, and USDA BioPreferred® are increasingly common in product literature, but they don’t necessarily mean the same thing—or provide the same level of verification.

In this ICYMI episode of I Hear Design, we revisit an interiors+sources article that breaks dow...

What does it really take to build a healthy design practice today? On this episode of I Hear Design, Robert Nieminen speaks with David Shove-Brown, co-founder and partner at Washington, D.C.-based architecture and design firm //3877, about the systems, values, and leadership habits that help firms stay resilient over time.

Their conversation explores how culture, accountability, transparency, and mentorship...

When should interior architects join a project team? According to this article, the answer is simple: at the very beginning.

In this In Case You Missed It episode of I Hear Design, we revisit an interiors+sources feature exploring why interior architects should be involved from the earliest planning stages rather than after key architectural decisions have already been made. The ...

In the third and final installment of the Foundations of Community series, I Hear Design host Robert Nieminen speaks with Joshua Zinder, managing partner of JZA+D and co-founder of Landau | Zinder Architecture, about the evolving role of worship spaces in contemporary community life.

Zinder shares how growing up in a Percival Goodman-designed synagogue helped shape both his faith an...

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, Product Talk explores the enduring impact of American manufacturing on commercial design. Lauren Brant sits down with Joseph Namyst of Davis Furniture and Casey Baxter of HBF + HBF Textiles to discuss craftsmanship, domestic manufacturing, sustainability, and the partnerships shaping the future of American-made furniture and textiles. Discover how heritage and innovation continue to defi...