Last week I had the absolute pleasure of joining a panel discussion called Coffee & Conversation, hosted by The Scout Guide and Allie Felix at OE Studio in Tampa, the space directly to the right of Oxford Exchange on West Grand Central Avenue. I'm still feeling grateful to have been included, and honestly the best part of the morning wasn't talking about my own work at all. It was sitting alongside three talented fellow panelists and getting to hear their stories and the experiences that have shaped how they each show up in this community.

I was joined by Tara Gibson, owner of Gibson's on Central and principal designer of Tara Gibson Interiors; Joe Human, principal designer and owner of Designs by Human; and Ciara Vitaioli, designer at Canopy Builders. There's something energizing about being in a room full of people who care deeply about good design and about doing right by the place they live. The whole conversation was built to leave the audience both inspired and with takeaways they could actually put to work, and I left feeling that way too.

Since a few people have asked me to share more about what we talked about, here are the questions I was asked and the things that have stayed with me since.

What is it like to design ultra-luxury spaces like yachts?

One of the first questions was about working on custom private yachts, and what it's like to design a space where every single inch matters and expectations are at the highest level. The truth is, yachting came into my world almost by chance about two years ago, and I've loved it ever since. What surprised me most is how naturally the details from the yachting world translate back into interior design. Living and working in New York for ten years, and now running projects there from Florida, trained me to operate at a very high level of detail. In a city like New York every inch counts, which is exactly why we do so much custom work. That same philosophy shows up in our residential projects, where most walls are adorned with something, whether it's millwork or a beautiful wall covering. Nothing is left as an afterthought.

How do you mentor and collaborate with other creatives in Tampa Bay?

I was also asked how I've opened doors for other creatives here in Tampa Bay. For me, so much of it comes down to stretching our local trades by introducing them to techniques and details they may not have seen before, and educating along the way. I won't pretend it's always smooth. We get pushback sometimes when we set a difficult task in front of someone. But the ones who lean in and get excited to learn end up genuinely proud of what they've made, and that pride is everything. The same goes for our own small team. Bringing back unique finds and exposing our people, both here and in Indonesia, to new ideas and elements keeps everyone growing, and it makes our work better.

A favorite project close to my heart

When the conversation turned to favorite projects, I had to talk about a home on Longboat Key that I just wrapped. It was a four year labor of love, full of one of a kind details, and I'm thrilled to share that it will be featured in Luxe this fall. One of my favorite parts of that project was an ongoing collaboration with a metal shop in Sarasota. Over those four years we worked together on so many custom metal details, and that kind of long term creative partnership is exactly what makes a project special.

What does it mean to be a steward of the Tampa Bay community?

We also talked about what it really means to be a steward of Tampa Bay, and how to move beyond simply shopping local toward truly championing the businesses around us. Being an educator is one of the great loves of my life within the design space, and so much of that is helping our team understand the construction side of things. A lot of designers overlook the fact that there's almost always a real build process behind a beautiful space, and getting involved in that process makes all the difference.

Local hidden gems worth knowing about

When I'm looking for something unique, I always point people toward the Warehouse Arts District in St. Pete. We shop there constantly to find one of a kind local art, and it's such a good reminder of why local matters.

One small shift you can make this week

The closing question asked what someone could do this week if they wanted to live more intentionally through design. My answer is simple. Take the more generic, less meaningful pieces in your home and swap them out for something that actually means something, like a find from your travels or a piece from one of these wonderful local shops. Those objects carry so much more meaning, and they translate into a far more thoughtful, beautifully designed space.

Thank you again to The Scout Guide and Allie Felix for putting together such a special morning, and to Tara, Joe, and Ciara for the conversation. I can't wait to see what we all build next.

Coffee & Conversation panel was held at OE Studio, 411 West Grand Central Avenue in Tampa, located directly to the right of Oxford Exchange.

The panel hosts of Coffee & Conversation was hosted by The Scout Guide and Allie Felix.

The panelists featured Tara Gibson of Gibson's on Central and Tara Gibson Interiors, Joe Human of Designs by Human, and Ciara Vitaioli of Canopy Builders.

What were the main takeaways? Design with intention, support and educate local trades and businesses, and swap generic pieces in your home for meaningful ones you've collected through travel or from local makers.

The scout guide tampa & St Pete, A Morning of Coffee & Conversation on design