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connectingals · 4 years

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Welcome to Connecting ALS. On this episode of Connecting ALS, Mike and Jeremy talk to Dr. Lauren Tabor Gray, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, a clinical researcher and speech pathologist and co-director of the Phil Smith Neuroscience Institute in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Dr. Gray discusses the increasing use of telehealth to treat patients in a time of extreme social distancing brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. She also gives insight on providing clinical care for people dealing with the onset of speaking and swallowing challenges as their disease progresses, and an update on clinical research.

To learn more about recent changes to Medicare rules expanding access to telehealth, check out https://alsadotorg.wordpress.com/2020/03/20/medicare-coverage-for-telehealth-visits-expanded-during-covid-19-pandemic/

You can also learn more about access to telemedicine at http://www.alsa.org/assets/pdfs/association-weekly-docs/medicare-telemedicine_factsheet.pdf

To better understand swallowing challenges and managing nutrition read http://www.alsa.org/assets/pdfs/living-with-als-manuals/lwals_08_2017.pdf

This episode was produced by Garrett Tiedemann and is brought to you by The ALS Association’s national office and the Association’s Minnesota/North Dakota/South Dakota Chapter.

Transcript:

Lauren Tabor Gray: Ultimately the goal is whatever the patient wants.

Mike Stephenson (in-studio): Hello and welcome to Connecting ALS. I am one of your hosts, Mike Stephenson. I am thrilled as always to be joined by my cohost on the East Coast, Jeremy Holden. Jeremy, set the scene for me in your neighborhood and city. Is it quiet? Are people doing the right thing and adhering to CDC guidelines about social distancing and the like?

Jeremy Holden (in-studio): Yeah, I say for the most part. It's noticeably quiet. If I go out to walk the dogs, there are fewer people on the walking path, but you know, people are doing the, the porch socialization, you know, waving to neighbors, I see some sidewalk to porch conversations happening. So I think people are being creative and finding ways to engage with their neighbors. But certainly I'm seeing people adhering to best practices as described by the CDC. What are you seeing?

Mike Stephenson: Yeah, the same, the same here in Minnesota. The weather is warming up a little bit and people are anxious I think to get outdoors. But everyone wants to be cognizant of those guidelines and be respectful and, and try and keep everyone safe. Yeah, a lot of kind of distance walking and distance socializing and hopefully that's working. And we've been trying here on connecting ALS to keep our listeners up to speed on the COVID-19 pandemic from an ALS specific lens. So we've been discussing various tie-in topics and for this week's episode we want to connect with someone in a clinical setting as a ALS clinics all around the country are facing changes as you might expect, trying to limit exposure for their patients. And we had the good fortune of speaking with Lauren Tabor Gray from the Phil Smith ALS Clinic at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. And Jeremy, Lauren had some excellent insight into not only what her clinic is experiencing at the moment, but some of the things that they're corresponding with their patients on.

Jeremy Holden: She did and you know we heard last week when we talked to Kathleen Sheehan at The ALS Association about some changes to access that telehealth and I, you know, I was struck by Lauren kind of digging into the way that,their clinic down there is, is dealing with and really trying to lean into the telehealth options in these times of extreme social distancing. And really it's not hard to imagine that this becomes a pivotal moment in the adoption of telehealth. We'll hear from Lauren in a moment about the ways that they are incorporating that into their patient outreach.

Mike Stephenson: Yeah, it was very interesting to hear and it's possible that a lot will change in the coming weeks across the nation, across the world and telehealth is going to be a big part of health care probably moving forward and certainly for the time that we're living with the pandemic and we should say that this conversation with Lauren Tabor Gray was recorded on Tuesday, March 24th so anything that she's going to speak to regarding her clinic's adjustments was coming from that period of time. We just want to let you know that, but let's take a listen to what Dr. Lauren Tabor Gray had to say.

Mike Stephenson:

We are joined today by Lauren Tabor Gray, the co-director of the Phil Smith ALS Clinic at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Lauren, thanks so much for being with us on Connecting ALS today.

Lauren Tabor Gray: Of course. Happy to join. Thank you for having me.

Jeremy Holden: Lauren, can you just tell us a little bit about your background and your role over the Phil Smith Center and a little bit about what you do?

Lauren Tabor Gray: Sure. So I've been doing research in ALS for about 10 years now. I started at the university of South Florida with Dr. Emily Plowman, who was my Ph.D mentor at the University of Florida as well. I did my Ph.D at the University of Florida with Dr. Plowman and predominantly did ALS research and speech and swallowing disorders, which is kind of my niche of research and clinical care as well. In 2018 I moved down to Fort Lauderdale and was very fortunate enough to coincide my arrival in Fort Lauderdale with the opening of the Phil Smith Neuroscience Institute. So the story of our clinic is, is actually a really good one. Phil Smith was an ALS patient at Massachusetts General Hospital and he was a very fortunate man, was very successful, and had a jet that he took to and from the Mass General ALS clinic.

Lauren Tabor Gray: And he didn't like that there wasn't a good kind of multidisciplinary clinic in his community. So he made a very gracious donation to Holy Cross Hospital, which created the Phil Smith Neuroscience Institute and subsequently the Phil Smith ALS Clinic. So here we are, three kind of short years later. I'm currently the co-director of the ALS clinic with Dr. Eduardo Locatelli, who is one of our neurologists. And currently my time is 50% clinical and 50% research. So it really works out to be a dream job for me because I have a hand in both pots, which is something I've, I've always wanted.

Mike Stephenson: That's great. And I think that's something that not a lot of clinicians are able to balance well, and it's, it's so cool that you are kind of splitting your time in that way. And I do, we want to ask you about your research a little bit later on in this conversation, but we're going to start where we're going to start because given the state of the world and the ongoing pandemic, it's hard not to begin any conversation with that topic. Can you, Lauren just tell us what's happening at your hospital right now in Florida and how your clinic is adjusting?

Lauren Tabor Gray: Sure. So the neuroscience Institute where our clinic is housed is connected to Holy Cross Hospital. So our hospital is transitioning to COVID floors versus standard of care floors and keeping them completely separate at this time. And all of the surrounding outpatient facilities that are really on hospital campus are now being turned into coronavirus treatment centers. So we have fever clinics and places where people can go to be screened and subsequently tested and treated. And that's all kind of in transition at this point in time. Right now we're from an ALS clinic standpoint, we're transitioning to 100% telehealth. You know, this virus targets the respiratory system. And that's really not something our patients can tolerate because in the event that they do get a respiratory illness, you know, it's uh, the primary cause of mortality is respiratory insufficiency. So that would really be a huge, a huge blow to their system. So we're working on establishing all of our telehealth protocols and how to do diagnostics and evaluation over the phone.

Jeremy Holden: So Lauren, what does that look like? I mean, walk me through as someone who's never been a party to a tele \health session, what, what does that actually look like?

Lauren Tabor Gray: So my experience with telehealth kind of started when I was at the University of South Florida in Tampa. They, when patients got to very advanced stages of the disease, we would do some sort of HIPAA compliance software, do FaceTime visits with the patient in their home. The respiratory therapist would go out to the home, do the vitals, get the vital capacity, and then we would basically pass around an iPad and do a FaceTime visit with each one of the multidisciplinary care professionals in order to do it as good a visit as we could from a symptom management standpoint. Now that we're in this coronavirus kind of unchartered territory, people are limited in their ability to go into the home with these high risk patients. So a lot of our home health companies are no longer doing in person visits with these patients. So right now, you know, our team and our patients have been incredibly flexible during this time, which I really appreciate.

Lauren Tabor Gray: But as you guys know, this is a rapidly progressive disease. And in our clinics specifically, we're really dependent on objective measures. So vital capacity, their peak call flow, speaking rate, lingual pressure, and each time the patient comes into the clinic in person, we graphically plot these measures online and then we track and trend each individual's disease progression as they come back into the clinic. So with them being just via FaceTime or via Zoom conference call. We're limited in that from a telehealth standpoint. But you know with the advances in technology, we're really fortunate to have these audio visual conferencing abilities. So I will let you know on that we're doing the best we can here in this transition.

Mike Stephenson: Yeah, I think that's all that anyone can ask. And hearing what you said about having to do some of those objective measures and those physical tests obviously aren't going to translate particularly well to a telehealth setting. Is there anything in particular that you think still works well close to what you're getting in person in a clinic via telehealth?

Lauren Tabor Gray: So interestingly the Northeastern ALS consortium is a conference that we go to every year. It's one of the biggest ALS conferences in the country and a few researchers at Massachusetts General including Dr. James Barry has been working on a iPhone or some sort of smartphone application where we can take these measurements over the phone in order to use as research outcome measures. And one of the things that they found works pretty well is speaking rate. So how quickly the person is speaking, and there's been a lot of research into this being a very sensitive measure to track changes in bulbar function, so speech and swallowing. So we can definitely use that, this as an opportunity to continue to do measures like that. But you know, kind of limited here from an objective standpoint.

Mike Stephenson: Right. That makes sense.

Jeremy Holden: What are you hearing from the patients that you're having the sessions with? Anything in particular that you're hearing related to the pandemic or just in general about the telehealth process?

Lauren Tabor Gray: Overall I think our patients have been, they've expressed a lot of gratitude to our clinic for trying to continue services. And despite all of this, you know, they know they're not the only patients, but they are our focus in the ALS clinic obviously. So they just want to be reassured that they can still get services in the home, that they can still get the medical equipment that they need. So a lot of patients have reached out with kind of just like, Hey, here's my list of questions. And then we put them on for a conference call and we've just addressed them one by one. So it might be forcing some people to be a little bit more proactive in fear that they're not going to be able to get the services they need, which can be the silver lining I suppose. But.

Mike Stephenson: Yeah, and as you said earlier, because we're all adjusting, I think it's going to take some time and for both the clinics and the families living with ALS to kind of figure out the right sort of rhythm of care and we're all learning as we go. So it's good to hear that the transition thus far for you in your clinic is going about as smoothly as it could given where we're at.

Lauren Tabor Gray: Yeah.

Mike Stephenson: Aside from just adhering to general best practices around social distancing and hygiene, with everything happening with COVID-19 are there additional specific precautions that you're telling families living with ALS, that they should be aware of?

Lauren Tabor Gray: Not anything additional. I just think we're reiterating everything the CDC and the World Health Organization have sent out in their informatics, particularly because one of the primary symptoms, the shortness of breath and respiratory distress, you know, just really staying at home, definitely not traveling, which has been an unfortunate message to relay because a lot of these patients do have trips planned with their families and you know, with the limited amount of time, it's hard to tell them to cancel those things. But with their best interests in mind, it really is just complying with all the recommendations as as strictly as possible.

Jeremy Holden: Now you also mentioned at the top that you spend a good amount of time on the clinical research side of things. What can you tell us about the research that you do?

Lauren Tabor Gray: Yes, definitely. So the is is a cornerstone of our program. That was one of the things that was written into the donation that we would facilitate as much research as possible in a disease where the treatment options are, are so limited. So right now I have a multisite ALS Association clinical management grant with Dr. Emily Plowman at the University of Florida. So our grant is investigating the impact of a medication called Nuedexta on bulbar -- so speech and swallowing -- function and physiology. And Nuedexta is a, a medication known to most of the ALS world. It was originally prescribed to treat pseudo bulbar affect because sometimes they have, you know, excessive laughing or crying emotions that are kind of incongruent with how they're really feeling and it's a wonderful medication for that. It treats it very well. But when we initially prescribed it in this particular population, a lot of the patients would come back and anecdotally report that the medication they felt improved their speech or improved their swallowing.

So we wrote a grant to The ALS Association, and we were fortunate enough to get that at the end of 2018 so now we're using objective measures of speech and swallowing to really look at the physiologic impact of the medication to see if it's really seeing the improvements that patients are reporting. And our ALS clinic specifically is also a site for the Healey Platform Trial, which is going to be really exciting and is set to start here pretty quickly. And then we just have a few sponsored studies from companies like Orion and Biohaven that are really popular in our space. So just trying to create some treatment options in a place where we don't have a lot of efficacious things to prescribe or behavioral interventions to implement.

Jeremy Holden: And we can share some information about the Healey Platform trial in the show notes. I know everybody is very excited about getting that off the ground and running. You mentioned swallowing. Are there misconceptions that are common folks need to know about the impact of ALS on the swallowing process?

Lauren Tabor Gray: Yeah, I think from a patient standpoint, the number one thing I get in clinic is the fear that this particular function will change overnight. You know, swallowing is an incredibly complex process. Much like breathing, swallowing requires 26 paired muscles and five cranial nerves. You know, and I always like to say they read these statistics that can be really alarming. Like at some point in the disease process, 85% of the population, the ALS population will develop some impairment in speech and swallowing, which is, you know, a good statistic to know. But really that may mean that you get through three years of the disease and you really don't have these impairments if it started in your arms and legs. So we take it one step at a time because it varies tremendously from patient to patient.

And I just like to provide a lot of education. You know, it might be difficult to chew, it might be difficult to move food around in your mouth or transport it from the front to the back. But you know, there are things that we can do to make sure that you can continue to enjoy the foods that you're eating. And I also like to destigmatize the feeding tube concept. You know, if things get really hard, maybe we take 50% through the feeding tube and 50% by mouth. You know, there are things that we can do to make sure you always have a safety net and that you're still enjoying what you're eating.

Mike Stephenson: Thanks for that insight really into the swallowing process and some of those misconceptions that folks may have and how they're addressed by you and your clinic and through your research. I want to ask you about feeding tubes because that's a topic that many families living with ALS have concerns about and fears about, understandably. And a lot of those living with ALS will eventually have to consider a feeding tube as an option. How do you approach that conversation and the difficulties that come with it in a clinical setting?

Lauren Tabor Gray: So ideally we start seeing patients at the time of diagnosis or maybe a little bit thereafter. So you get to know them really well and you develop relationships with them and it gives you an opportunity to understand how they like to receive information. So some patients like to know everything. They talk about, they inquire about things, they inquire about feeding tubes, about noninvasive volume ventilation or a cough assist. And it's, it's almost an easier way to go about it because everything's just already been discussed by the time it's needed. But then there are patients who really are averse to things like machines and tubes. And in that case I just think it's really important to say ultimately this is 100% your decision. It is just my job to make sure you have all of the accurate information. And that means you know, feeding tubes are placed for a couple of different reasons.

One, the more obvious is of course your swallowing is very impaired and if you continue to have food go down the wrong way or aspiration, then this could lead to a respiratory infection, which is something we really want to avoid. So if we get the feeding tube placed, it can help supplement your oral intake and avoid those negative consequences, which will ultimately cause the disease to hasten. And another not so commonly known reason that feeding tubes get placed as respiratory capacity. So in order to undergo the procedure, you have to have a certain amount of, you know, reserve in your system. You can't be really compromised when it comes to a respiratory standpoint because of the anesthesia and just the recovery in general. So that's something that not a lot of people consider. And I just think it's important to give the information in a very honest and upfront way, include the person and the decision. Don't just say you need to get a feeding tube now. And you know, education along the way, it's just, it's crucial. You know, the weight loss, the decline in the BMI, the perfect storm that kind of evolves throughout the disease with the combination of weight loss and hypermetabolism, you know, it's education is goes so far when considering these things,

Mike Stephenson: I have heard other clinicians echo that, that the education is such a key piece. And the earlier on you can start that education you can at least increase individuals and families levels with comfort around talking about it. And having that information is so important to them because it's the not knowing that causes a lot of anxiety. So the sooner you can get that in front of them, the easier it'll be to have those conversations at least.

Lauren Tabor Gray: Definitely.

Jeremy Holden: And with that in mind, you mentioned some of the weight maintenance, BMI, hypermetabolism issues. Talk about that a little bit and the importance of trying to maintain proper nutrition while living with ALS.

Lauren Tabor Gray: Yes, and this is something that myself and our dietician and I think that kind of dynamic, the SLP and the dietician across all multidisciplinary clinics work very closely to try to prevent this at all costs, particularly in patients who are thin to begin with. You know, so much of ALS management is managing the symptoms and we don't have a lot to offer when it comes to treatment options. But one thing that we do know about the disease is that rapid weight loss or a rapid decline in BMI is associated with progression of the disease. So that's a powerful piece of knowledge considering that Riluzole is currently the best medication that we have and it improves survival by 89 days. You know, it's something that we can really hang onto when we can have a treatment effect through nutrition alone. So weight loss is a very slippery slope.

Lauren Tabor Gray: We do our best to prophylactically educate and you know, explain exactly what's going on in the body. Your appetite may be impacted, which is a contributor to weight loss, but just underlying in the disease, a lot of patients present with hypermetabolism so they have a higher resting metabolic rate. They're going to need more calories to maintain their weight and nutrition than you or I would need. And you combine that with someone who is having difficulty swallowing or is anxious or stressed out about the disease in general and don't want to eat. And that just is a, it creates the perfect storm. And Emily Plowman wrote a great article about this for patients and back in like 2014 around the ice bucket challenge that really nicely kind of laid this all out. But we always try to keep in mind, you know that education early on in the disease is going to be the best method to getting everyone on the same page.

Mike Stephenson: Related to nutrition and weight maintenance. I want to ask you about meal time. I've spoken to some individuals living with ALS that have relayed how losing some of the meal time traditions were particularly tough for them. Maybe it's because they aren't eating in the same way that they once were or because their communication has been impacted by their disease progression, but they not being able to sit with their family or friends and have a meal in the same way they once did is understandably tough. What advice, if any, do you have for folks in that spot about trying to maintain those traditions?

Lauren Tabor Gray: Yeah, I mean this is really a devastating aspect of the disease. You have your patients come in and you know some people, some people eat to survive, they are indifferent about food, but then you have your patients who come in and they tell you like, I live to eat. Like I love, I love everything about it. I love the social aspect. I love sitting around the table communicating and when you have a disease that robs you of those two things from a quality of life standpoint, I mean it's just, it's really detrimental. So I always keep that in mind as a clinician. You know, if if we do an instrumental swallowing evaluation and they're dysphagic to the point where some things are unsafe, it's a little inefficient. I'm willing to sacrifice a little bit of safety and efficiency from a swallowing standpoint if it means that I can preserve their quality of life to a certain extent.

Lauren Tabor Gray: So sometimes you just lay all the information to the patient out on the table and say, but these are the five things that we can do. The five strategies that you can use to make it a little bit safer. And you know, in order to preserve the quality of life that you do have, because you've identified this as something that's really important to you, we're just going to have to sacrifice a little bit of whatever it is, safety or efficiency or it's going to take you longer. Or you might have to supplement with peg tube feedings, but ultimately the goal is whatever the patient wants.

Jeremy Holden: Thank you so much Lauren Tabor Gray. It was really great to talk to you and get some perspective on both what's happening on the clinical side during the pandemic and how your uh, and your colleagues are adjusting to this scenario and also some more information on nutrition and swallowing and how to cope with some of those related losses for someone living with ALS. It's valuable insight. Thank you for your time today.

Lauren Tabor Gray: Thanks for having me.

Jeremy Holden: Thank you again to Lauren Tabor Gray at the Phil Smith Neuroscience Institute for that illuminating conversation, again, recorded on March 24th and as we've mentioned in recent weeks, we have a great slate of stories lined up to tell you, but in these times with a developing story around the COVID-19 pandemic, we are going to be committed first and foremost to bringing you the latest information on that important story.

Mike Stephenson: That's right. Much more to come, but that is all that we have for you on this episode of Connecting ALS. Be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or AT connectingals.org and you can find us on social, on Facebook and Twitter as well. This episode was produced by Garrett Tiedemann of the Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Chapter of The ALS Association. Thank you all for listening and we'll connect with you again soon.

#ALS Association #endals #telehealth #clinical research #clinical trials #clinical care #covidー19 #covid19 #florida

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dentalrecordsmusic · 4 years

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Show Review: Sled Fest - A Double Whammy Review

Review Part One ft. Emo Trash

By Robin and Jer

So picture this: you’re one of two 20-something music nerds from nowhere, Connecticut and you’re lugging about 20 pounds of audio equipment in a backpack on a plane to go spend a weekend in the basement of a suburban home in Chicago (a city you’ve never been to before) for a crazy, over the top, killer house show festival (which you have only attended maybe 2 house shows before this.) Great, now you know how myself (Robin) and my cohost Jer were feeling as we braced ourselves for day one of Sled Fest!! A chaotic mix of anxiety, excitement, and caffeine led us to the Panda Palace, and thanks to the wonderful people running Sled and all the amazing bands who played, any nerves melted away as the night drifted into pure, unbridled enjoyment. Anyway, let’s tell you about the very bands that made sled fest so memorable.

Dogma Soup kicked Sled Fest off with a bang. Their chaotic energy shined through in the small basement full of string lights. They filled the room with an energy that immediately got everybody on board for what was going to be a crazy night. You could tell how much of a blast they were having up there and it was truly infectious. By the time they ripped through their last song, there was an unmistakable sense that a bar had been set, every band playing was going to have to BRING IT.

KEEP READING BELOW THE CUT

Mango Tree left me stunned. It’s as simple as that. The way their songs wormed their way into your ear with their soothing yet unbelievably catchy melodies made it impossible to look away. We all just watched in awe as two people with captured the entire room, and made it feel like a life-defining moment. It was a beautiful experience full of sing-a-longs, storytelling, dancing, and the true DIY experience: losing your mind having fun in a basement surrounded by people you truly connect with.

Poncho Villa’s Skull brought a raw and intimate energy to the dimly lit, crowded basement, and they managed this using only a cajon and a well-weathered Spanish nylon. From catchy melodies and anthemic choruses that had members of the crowd singing along to slower, more personal songs of loss and family, the sibling duo had a unique flair and salsa-fueled rhythm that stood out and caught people’s attention.

Marmalade brought the vibes hard. They came out and slowed things down for everyone, without losing any of the passion that had driven the day. Putting on a killer performance, they flowed with their songs and filled the multi-colored basement with sweet riffs and gorgeous melodies. You couldn’t help but get lost in it.

Tunnel Songs played one of the most hectic sets at Sled Fest. Dom immediately brought his trademarked chaos, playing in a full Santa suit, and the crowd was ready. As they started ripping through their songs the pit immediately opened up as people from all over the room flooded to the center screaming lyrics back at each other. The entire room reacted to Tunnel Songs, from the stage where people were spilling over from the pit onto the band members, to the stairs where people came down dancing their way to the pit with giant smiles on their faces. People had come ready for Tunnel Songs, and Tunnel Songs was ready for them.

Equipment played one of the tightest DIY sets I have seen in recent memory. It perfectly showcased their chaotic sound and the entire basement went wild for “Wet Mulch.” Energy spread throughout the crowd as they played; chaotic, feral energy, and the only solution was to go absolutely wild. They played with such confidence and energy and passion that you could easily just get lost in the energy. A truly phenomenal set by a truly phenomenal band.

Vermont brought the bangers and the Sled Fest crowd definitely responded in kind. Their songs conjured up the last energy remaining in a sweaty basement after a packed day and made magic with it. The set had chill energy that allowed everyone to hang back and recover while at the same time inviting anyone to lose their mind one last time before the night was over. Plenty went with the latter, and we left everything we had left in that pit.

Robin and Jer brought a skateboard to Chicago cause they thought it was Shred Fest?? Find out more about their ridiculous hot takes and garbage music tastes over on their show, Emo Trash (Spotify/Apple Music/wherever!) and hit us up on Twitter. Also emotrash.net is our HQ.

Review Part Two ft. Ari Jindracek of DRM

Words by Ari Jindracek

As a newer member of the DIY scene, Sled Fest on Saturday, December 14th was the first house show I had ever been to. (I couldn’t go to the first half-day of the festival due to previously-scheduled appointments, so I will not be speaking to the bands that played December 13th except to say that I know full well that I missed out because the lineup was amazing.) At first, I didn’t know anyone and felt deeply out of place, because it seemed like everyone knew someone else except for me; however, part of my problem was the whole “sitting in a corner, making sure my camera settings were right” thing I was doing. As the night went on, I made some Show Friends and had the absolute time of my life, both during the quick musical sets and during the periods in between, when people would just sit on the floor in clumps or hang out in the garage and, according to Twitter, drink hot dog water for fun.

Bailey Minzenburger kicked off the set with a friendly vibe, chatting with the audience throughout the set like it was any old rehearsal; most of the day’s bands would have a similar conversational attitude. The music was slow, fuzzy, and peaceful, like a blanket in the cold afternoon. Guitarist Georgia contributed a lot to the effects, pulling out a slide to make shivery tones on and off, and Bailey, the namesake of the band, ranged from whispers to howls over the course of the set. The rhythm section, bassist Niko and drummer Jack, kept the sound rock-steady, laying a foundation for an impressive array of songs.

Half Kidding, or 60% of Half Kidding, weren’t on the bill, but when the scheduled band didn’t make it, they stepped up to the plate with borrowed instruments for a bite-sized three-song set, because, well, DIY. It speaks to how tight-knit the scene is that not only was most of the band in attendance, they were ready to play at a moment’s notice. The sound was obviously sparse, since the band’s drummer was not in attendance, but vocalists Madison and Kate’s voices blended smoothly and beautiful, and their songs were groovy and fun.

No Momentum held court for the first really heavy moment of the day, including an attempted circle pit (it dissolved pretty much instantly, which is a crying shame). Their music was crunchy with feedback and fun to listen to, which means that I’m looking forward to looking them up in my free time and hearing that unreleased album they were selling out of in the merch room.

Thank You, I’m Sorry bandleader Colleen kicked off one of the band’s songs by saying “Who’s ready to get fucking sad?” and no one could have made a more apropos remark about the band. I actually did reach the verge of tears during “Menthol Flavored Oatmeal”, though, this far removed from the show, I don’t quite remember which lines got me there. If I got emotional over a song I could hardly comprehend, just imagine what kind of things Thank You, I’m Sorry can make you feel if you really sit down and tune in.

Mush's set had a real convivial energy, as they performed with smiles and joked with each other between songs. Frontman Erik looked like he was having fun during the whole set, and the vibes leaked out into the crowd. Their music felt very mid-2000s in its tone, bouncy songs that got people dancing like it was hard to stand still.

Teamonade as a band are deeply skilled: Ryan and TJ on drums and bass respectively made for a solid rhythm section that gave guitarist Osi plenty of time to show off with stunning vocals. The band played several songs that they described as “jostlers” that were impossible to ignore; “Sadder Than U” caught my attention for how fun it was to learn and immediately sing along with. Watching Teamonade felt like the most radical kind of party you could ever feel lucky to get invited to.

Biitchseat, apparently, screeched up to the gig with twenty or so minutes to spare before their set, and I’m thankful they arrived in time. Dual guitarists Kris and Talor traded off vocal duty on singing about some of the most specific tiny joys of life, like finding friends in line for the women’s bathroom, naming bees, and loving the people you choose to spend your life with.

“Folk-goth” act Winnebago Vacation brought very soothing music into a sometimes-too-loud show, giving everyone a moment to breathe. Their sound at times made me imagine sitting in a pine forest at dusk; if you imagine that too, it was about as peaceful to stand there, swaying in time. Quiet guitar and ethereal vocals twirled around each other like campfire smoke in the late afternoon air, completing the audio-visual illusion.

World’s Greatest Dad brought a hard edge back to Sled Fest, and they made damn sure of that by stopping before the end of one of their songs so vocalist Maddie could warn people that a pit was about to open up and everyone had best be ready. (My expensive camera and I appreciated that warning.) The band seemed like they were constantly moving, and at one point, they all turned toward the middle of the stage to smile at each other to grin, clearly having the time of their lives rocking our worlds.

The effect-heavy sound of Mess made the Panda Palace basement feel like it was echoing even though it was too crowded to hear reverberation. The wash of sound felt smooth, like a really good piece of chocolate tastes, and washed over the room like a ray of sun. I hesitated to call Mess’s set peaceful, though, because I was so tuned in the whole time, trying to drink up every last note of their music in all its layers.

Elton John Cena, featuring Erik from Mush, felt like a band on the punkier side of pop-punk with the sharpest corners sanded down. Singer Avery’s voice is immediately recognizable no matter her project and brings a distinct sound into the band’s work. Their edge was undeniable, with guitars that bit and a high-octane Guided By Voices cover that got everyone moving to the grooving rhythms.

Arcadia Grey’s set was plagued with technical difficulties, but they may have been the highest-powered band of the night. They barely stopped moving around, creating a moshing set for the crowd and themselves. Vocalists Cori and Nate swapped duty amongst themselves and had stage presence that was almost too good for a chilly basement. Their songs are fun and ear-shredding, and if they’re playing to sold-out, adoring crowds in a few years, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Plans swung into their set with an upbeat force, constantly volleyed up into the air by drummer Sebastian’s skillful work. They were also the only band of the night to really get serious with the crowd mid-set when vocalist Cody stopped to talk about mental health and suicide to a group of people; while a lot of artists sang about mental illness, hearing a mid-set speech about it is different, and I appreciated the moment to talk about the realities of life outside of the string-light-lit basement.

Niiice screamed their way into the home stretch of Sled Fest with a musical fervor that turned toe-tapping rhythms into mosh-pit energy. The guitar and bass roared, ragged-edged in the way good punk bands can be and drummer Sage, also of Thank You, I’m Sorry, seemed to pour himself entirely into his kit, powering the set like a colossal motor.

Savvy readers will know that I had the pleasure of knowing about Mover Shaker in advance of this gig, and, if all the people singing along are any indication, a lot of people were there with me. The band started off their set with their most peaceful song and ended with a pit that took up half the basement when they pulled out the one song in the set that wasn't from their newest album. From disco to screamo and from laughing over stage banter to the verge of tears over flawless lyrics, Mover Shaker's set was an emotional roller coaster and I'm thankful they let me get on board.

Sled Fest had everything I wanted it to have and more: fun people, amazing music, a dog, hysterical overheard jokes, and, most of all, an environment where I was able to feel like part of something. I was able to talk, face to face, with artists who were about to go on stage and melt my brain and make me love every second. I felt at home in the Panda Palace and in the DIY scene of the day, memes and all, and I hope that some of us meet again at the next show at the next house and mosh together like a family.

Ari Jindracek hasn’t been on a sled since probably 2012. You can maybe see more of Ari’s blurry cryptic photographs of bands on Twitter.

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#ari jindracek #sled fest #chicago #emo trash #live review

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juliandmouton30 · 5 years

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Designhounds KBIS at Las Vegas 2019: Meet the team

We are proud to announce another first for KBIS 2019 in Las Vegas, the inaugural #DesignhoundsKBIS tour replaces our beloved BlogTour since the world of social and digital media has changed and we realize that KBIS deserves to be covered from different angles via blogs but also via Instagram and other important social media platforms. You’ll meet our group of bloggers and design influencers below and we would love for you to follow their individual platforms and #designhoundsKBIS . To join all we do with #designhounds simply follow and use that hashtag as well and we’ll keep you updated on all the things that make us go WOOF, year-round.

Chanda Seymour Design (CSD) is a full-service interior design studio, providing timeless and functional environments for today’s lifestyle. Chanda Seymour is a California native, and an interior designer with over twenty years of experience. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design, and is certified by both the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ) and the California Council for Interior Design Certification (CCIDC). Chanda founded CSD in 2003 after working with award-winning architecture firms in Boston and San Francisco, on projects as diverse as university, biotechnology, medical, retail, and residential spaces. Founded on the belief that successful design is not only beautiful, but also functional, CSD is dedicated to providing innovative solutions that are efficient, safe and aesthetically pleasing. Each new project is a collaborative journey with the client to provide spaces that meet their needs and exceed their expectations.

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Veronica Solomon is an award-winning interior designer whose work has been featured in numerous publications including The ASID Texas Gulf Coast Chapter magazine, Houston House & Home magazine, Katy magazine, and national blogs such as Apartment Therapy. She has been named as one of The Top Ten Emerging Designers To Watch By Black Interior Designers Network. She has established herself as one of West Houston’s most highly acclaimed interior designers and lifestyle experts. She has created unique and memorable interiors for a wide variety of residential, homebuilding and commercial clients over her 11 year career as the CEO and Principal Designer of Casa Vilora Interiors. She is the region’s only designer who practices the art of creating luxurious and fresh, yet practical interiors for a busy family to live in and enjoy. Veronica provides her clients with distinctive, cutting-edge furnishings that are not readily available at retail stores. She travels across the nation to major furnishings markets to obtain the most unique and innovative furniture and accessories, while keeping up-to-date on the latest trends. Veronica is a mother of two amazing children and a feisty chiweenie named Rufus. Her Jamaican heritage of staying grounded, hard-working and dedicated to her craft, not only shows in some of her colorful interiors, but allows her to service her clients with an intentional system of satisfaction by design. She is a mentor to young designers and design students about to embark on entrepreneurship in the design industry. Veronica is actively involved in local charitable organizations such as The Houston Furniture Bank D.I.V.A.S., and founded The Solomon Project Pregnancy Help Ministry that provides a beautiful and comfortable space for a deserving young mom to bring her baby home to nurse and nurture.

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Patricia Hoyna, founder of Studio Hoyna is an intuitive designer and artist with a simple mission to create unique homes that make sense for the people who live in them. With a background in Fine Arts (MA hons) Patricia approaches design with passion and curiosity for all things beautiful and understanding of modern day living. Working creatively and collaboratively Hoyna’s style blends several key values that have little to do with fashion: understated elegance, contemporary character, tactile and visual comfort. Each project is approached with emphasis on unique identity of their clients.

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Hello! I’m Michelle Gage! I am a Philadelphia suburbs-based interior designer. I fell in love with interior design at an early age. My trusty Lisa Frank notebook was always at my side, full of floor plan sketches and decor ideas. I opened it up at every house I entered. Whether you wanted it or not, I was always there to offer a friendly floor plan fix.As years passed, that passion stuck with me and ultimately led me to study at Virginia Tech, where I received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interior Design. Upon graduation, I moved to Philadelphia to work as a home merchant at Anthropologie HQ, buying everything from art and antiques to lighting and decorative textiles. I’ve worked with wonderful partners from all over the globe, buying antiques from French dealers and producing lighting with Asian vendors.Fast forward a few years to where I am now – creating magical spaces that are a true reflection of you, your family and your lifestyle. My work has been featured by Domino, Design Sponge, Apartment Therapy, HGTV Magazine – just to name a few. Currently, my husband, rescue pups and I reside right outside of the City of Brotherly Love, where we are busy renovating our forever home. When I’m not designing, you can find me at flea markets, thrift stores and estate sales. I’m always on the hunt for a glorious vintage find. I seek out the best markets while traveling. I’ve shopped The Paris Flea Market, The Brimfield Antique Market and The Rose Bowl. Many of the one of a kind goodies I find are available through The Early Bird Vintage on Chairish. I take joy in creating homes that appear curated over time, combining the things you love with my artful eye. Every space I create is a true collaboration of visions.

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Jana Donohoe is the founder and principal interior Designer of Jana Donohoe Designs. Known for her signature design aesthetic of “casually tailored living”, Jana specializes in blending luxury and practicality to deliver sophisticated living that stands up to the rigors of everyday life. She is skilled at pushing creative boundaries in ways that both respect and redefine timeless design aesthetics.The result is a twist on the traditional style with a modern edge that, while visually impressive, remains comfortable, highly functional, and above all else livable. A consummate design professional, Jana is a member of ASID. When Jana is not designing interiors she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, baking and enjoying all things chocolate and coffee.

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Megan Bachmann Interiors specializes in full service residential interior design. A former fashion buyer turned interior designer, Megan loves creating beautiful and functional spaces. Megan Bachmann Interiors is located in Burlingame, in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Shavonda Gardner is the Designer, Blogger, and Social Media Influencer behind the Interior Design and Lifestyle blog, SG Style. After serving in the military she discovered her love of design and thus began her pursuit into interiors. She is passionate about small space living and believes that just because you live small it doesn’t mean you can’t have big bold style. She believes every space needs something black and something a bit unexpected, but ultimately she believes that spaces should bring joy to those who inhabit them. Everyone is different and our homes should be a reflection of those who live in them.

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Since 2000, Tamara Stephenson has been busy creating beautiful interiors for clients. She has fine-tuned her aesthetic, which refer to as”sophisticated cottage.” Since graduating from both Castleton University then Parsons School of Design, she has worked as a residential interior designer, author of popular design and lifestyle blog, Nest by Tamara, and more recently as creative director/co-owner of textile and wallpaper company, root cellar designs. Tamara’s interiors are a medley of modern furnishings, accessories and eclectic art which she combines with antiques and vintage finds, and they are layered yet well edited to reflect the client’s personality. As a well known expert in the industry, Tamara is regularly invited to speak at design industry events about interior design, entertaining and the international design markets. In spring 2015, Tamara joined forces with long-time friend and fashion designer, Susan Young to create home collection company Root Cellar Designs LLC. Currently, they have eight fabric and four wallpaper collections which are sold exclusively to the design trade in several showrooms around the country with ready-made pillows, table linens and fashion accessories sold in exclusive home shops around the country.

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Rachel Moriarty is a leading home style expert, best selling author, speaker, brand ambassador, product designer and cohost of the popular Design+Style podcast. Recently, named one of “2018 Most Influential People” in Real Estate Staging, Rachel is also an award-winning designer with more than 13 years of experience redesigning the houses, vacation and investment homes of successful professionals in and around San Diego County and nationwide via her online services. Her work as a photo stylist has been published in home furnishing catalogs and industry and shelter magazines. A treasure huntress since the age of 12, her specialty is elevating spaces by incorporating her clients family heirlooms and is known for her use of playful patterns, bold strokes of color and serious style. Rachel’s current projects include a new tile line with Elegant Mosaics, the design and launch of The Design Network’s new eDesign platform and the renovation of three homes for a new HGTV series scheduled to launch in early 2019.

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Angela Todd, Principal. I am a live wire full of creativity, passion, drive, and enthusiasm. I never felt like I chose interior design as a career; I felt it was revealed to me. It is exactly what I am supposed to do.I love beautiful spaces, interesting stories, history, and architecture. I approach interior design more in how spaces feel, rather than what one can define in a formula. A great interior to me is about weaving a story into the fabric of the design. We may not realize it, but for most of us the life experiences we have, coupled with our personality, give someone like me a distinct vision of a beautifully finished interior.I am a bit of an irreverent soul. I live to juxtapose raw with refined, as well as sophistication with spontaneity. I like to use color and pattern to set a mood in a space which tells visitors something subtle about my clients. At our core, we believe our job is creating memorable backdrops that tell the story of fascinating and intricate lives. I work and reside on the east side of Portland near Mount Tabor in a 1916 foursquare with great bones, a story, and a heart. I am lovingly restoring her to glory. In my free time, I love to entertain, enjoy music, laugh, and travel to places with soul and profound histories.

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Susan M. Jamieson, ASID is the founder of Bridget Beari Designs, Inc. where she works primarily on high-end residential interior design projects in Virginia as well cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Florida and internationally in Costa Rica and Mexico. Her work has been featured in national and local magazine such as Traditional Home, Southern Living, Virginia Living, Rhome, Washington Post and Richmond Magazine. Susan’s projects have also been featured on HGTV and TLC. Her daily blog Bridget Beari gives interior design and lifestyle tips as well as insights into her design business and travels. Susan is a regular in giving advise for the local newspapers and magazines. Her design philosophy is simple: “ Good design comes from the ability to visualize the potential in every space.” Follow Susan here: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest .

Award-winning Baton Rouge-based interior designer and blogger Arianne Bellizaire bases her distinctive aesthetic on creating just the right amount of tension between clean and fresh, and bold and colorful.On her popular blog, Inspired to Style, Arianne connects with design enthusiasts and industry peers, sharing decorating tips, curating design inspiration, and reporting on the latest design trends, as well as offering a behind-the-scenes look at her own latest design projects.With bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communications and a decade-long career in PR prior to launching her design firm in 2013, Arianne is a seasoned pro at bringing the topic of interior design to life in her own content, at industry speaking engagements, and in a litany of collaborative efforts with top brands and influencers. Among Arianne’s many awards and achievements in her design career, she has been named a High Point Market Authority Style Spotter (2015), Perlick Ambassador of Cool (2017), Villeroy & Boch Color Challenge Winner (2017), Modenus Blog Tour invitee (2016 & 2019), and Modenus DesignHound (Spain and London 2016, Surfaces 2018).Her blog is a two-time nominee for the Amara Interior Blog Awards (2016, 2017) and is currently listed as one of the Modenus Top 100 Influential Blogs.Her work and expertise have been featured in Rue Daily, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Editor-At-Large, and USA Today.

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Wendy Woloshchuk is the principal designer and owner of Details Full Service Interiors, based in Monson, Massachusetts. She works with clients both regionally and across the country. Her scope of work ranges from full kitchen and bathroom renovations to accessorizing a living Wendy believes in creating comfortable, personalized, and memorable spaces for busy clients who want to make the most of their time and resources. Her work has been featured in several print and online publications. She is the author of numerous interior design guides. Additionally, she shares her practical design and decorating advice on The Daily Details – her daily live show on the Details Facebook page.Wendy started Details Full Service Interiors, a Western Massachusetts interior design company, over 10 years ago after completing design school. She stays current by attending multiple industry events annually.

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At Julie Schuster Design Studio, the focus is on creating spaces that nurture and support the people that live in them. Our specialty is uniting both the physical as well as the emotional well-being of your environment. Our holistic style does this collaboratively with each and every client by taking the time to “coax” out the desires and vision that each of us has for the spaces we all want to live in. The results are “invigorating interior spaces for people to live and function in.” Julie is a contributing writer, published in Designers Today and Kitchen & Bath Business, as well as serving on the Editorial Advisory Board for Kitchen & Bath Business. She is currently a Brand Ambassador for Robern Cabinetry, as well. Julie is a nationally sought speaker on the subjects of Interior Design and Feng Shui, as well as Universal Design and Multigenerational Designing. Julie holds a BS in Business, as well as a degree in Interior Design from New York School for Interior Design. She is a Red Ribbon Certified Feng Shui Practitioner with The International Feng Shui Guild. Additionally, she holds the certification of “Certified Living in Place Professional (CLIPP); who’s focus is on environments safe and accessible to those with physical limitations.

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From seaside homes to luxury condominiums in Boston’s Back Bay, award-winning interior designer Pamela Copeman is noted for her posh panache and timeless designs that unite classic style with a modern, often colorful twist.With over 20 years of experience designing exceptional living spaces for a variety of clients, Pamela prides herself on keeping up with the latest and greatest products and trends in interior design. By working collaboratively with clients, Pamela ensures that each space she designs is a true reflection of the people who live in it.Pamela has been recognized by her peers in the design world, national publications, as well as locally. Pamela is the recipient of multiple design awards including a 2014 Design Excellence Award from ASID New England. She has also been featured in South Shore Living magazine, The Boston Globe, and Traditional Home. Pamela authors Posh Palettes, an Interior Design and Art blog and has been part of several prestigious design blogging panels including Modenus’ BlogTour of Venice and Milan and Brizo’s “Blogger 19”. Additionally, Pamela is an accomplished oil painter and mixed media artist. Her art work is showcased locally at La Petite Maison in downtown Hingham as well as local art festivals. Describing her artistic style as classic, colorful, eclectic and loose, Pamela paints with a designer’s eye and a firm belief that inspiration is everywhere.

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Stephanie believes that your house should reflect who you are and the way you want to live. Her passion is creating spaces that are beautiful and inviting, while functioning effortlessly in your day to day life. By listening to her clients, she creates a personalized vision for each and every space and then works in collaboration with tradespeople to execute the final design. Whether your style is traditional, modern, or a little bit of both, Stephanie will work with you to create a fresh, timeless interior that speaks to you. S Squared Interiors specializes in turn-key interior design, including space-planning, renovations, and new construction in both residential and commercial applications. Stephanie graduated from Meredith College with a BS in Interior Design and is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers. In 2007, she realized a professional goal by becoming an NCIDQ certified Interior Designer. When she’s not working with clients, she enjoys spending time with her husband, eleven-year-old twins and two dogs.

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Anna Gibson is an AKBD certified kitchen and bathroom designer. Hailing from Israel, she has been based in Reston for the past 18 years. Growing up with a civil engineer dad, Anna is no stranger to hard hats and construction sites. With over 15 years of her own hands-on experience in residential construction, coupled with a natural ability for design and architecture, Anna provides a wealth of knowledge and creativity to her customers. Keeping up with her international upbringing Anna loves to travel around the world to collect new ideas that help inspire her design work. Anna works across the full spectrum of projects ranging from multi-unit condominiums to multi-million dollar custom homes. Anna’s biggest passion is kitchens as she strives to create spaces that enhance her clients’ lifestyles. Anna recently won the Blue Ribbon award from NVBIA for best features in new custom construction in Northern Virginia, her kitchens are featured in Home and Design Magazine, she has been selected as a featured speaker as part of the “Voices of the Industry” at the 2018 KBIS Conference and she continues to grow with the industry to provide the best for her clients.

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Laurel Bern is an award-winning interior designer and blogger from Bronxville, New York. Through her popular blog, Laurel Home, she has drawn a large following due to her candid style of writing, useful information and warm community of readers.Laurel’s interior design work has been featured in national as well as Westchester County, New York shelter magazines. She is known for a having a young-traditional aesthetic and is one to buck many of the current trends unless, they happen to be classic favorites.For two years running for 2018-2019, she has come in first place out of some 200 design bloggers/social media influencers nominated for Modenus/Design Hounds Influencer of the Year. In addition to her design work and blogging, Laurel has authored four helpful online interior design guides, for professionals and design enthusiasts alike.

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Michele Alfano Design LLC is a collaborative design studio located in Hudson Valley, NY. With formal architecture training and experience, Michele Alfano brings a distinctive bold and modern architectural approach to interiors, furniture and product design. Alfano refers to her design style as “a tailored emotional intelligence,”- Livable Modern spaces that are both eye-catching, highly functional and inspire well-being. It’s her disciplined yet edgy detailing which brings spaces to life by beckoning its users to touch, to emote and to challenge them to think. Alfano has received plenty of attention from brands, publications and media for her work. She was selected for the DXV Design Panel 2017 to re-imagine the modern movement; the bathroom design was featured in such publications as the New York Times T Style, Luxe, Interior Design, Elle Decor, Vanity Fair, Metropolitan Home, Metropolis, and Architectural Digest. Michele received accolades from the 2017 BLANCO by Design contest and been an invited speaker on design panels at KBIS and Wanted Design. She has received honors in the industry, including KBDN Top Innovators 2018 in the Kitchen and Bath industry, the 21st Interiors Award for Best Public Space, and has appeared on BlogTalkRadio. In her design blog MOD Design Guru, Alfano’s modern voice explores new innovations in the industry and investigates how lifestyles evolve alongside design trends. MOD Design has been recognized by the JDR Industry Awards and the Modenus Top 100 Interior Design Blogs and Influencers, and Alfano has been invited to travel and write for brands such as Tile of Spain, Miele, Mr. Steam, Brizo, Zephyr, DXV, Du Verre, the NKBA, Modenus, and Axor. Michele feels strongly about the importance of giving back and has, since 2012, participated both as a designer, steering committee member and Brand Ambassador for DIFFA’s Picnic by Design and Dining by Design.

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Jill Seidner is a Los Angeles based Interior Designer specializing in commercial & residential interior design. She is active in the design community & also the original Los Angeles blogger for the Material Girls Blog, in addition to her own blog and social media following. She is an alumni of two Blog Tours, London and NYC as well as co-hosting a design walking tour for a past Blog Tour LA group.

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Jennifer Moreau’s early passion for the arts has led her to a 10+ year career in Interior Design that has become second nature. Drawing inspiration from her clients’ lives and the home’s surroundings, while creating a gorgeous and liveable environment has become her signature as the principal at Moreau Designs. She believes it really is how you feel in a space that matters, whether it’s comforting, inspiring or grounding, your home should be your haven. She is always striving to become more connected to client’s needs and creating the lifestyle the client desires even if they don’t know it initially. Jennifer keeps active in her community through public art and charity events and has made appearances on CTLive, Connecticut’s premier lifestyle tv show. Supporting local and global artisan’s is a platform and practice in her designs near and dear to her heart. You can find her blog at www.moreaudesigns.com where her humor is obvious, she likes to keep it real online and in person.

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Mitzi Beach A.S.I.D. C.A.P.S. is an award-winning Interior Designer, Author, and Baby Boomer Marketing & Lifestyle Specialist. Mitzi, armed with 30 years experience and a masters degree in interior design, she is one of the Design Hounds top 100 influencers 2018, selected as a member of the prestigious Style Spotters High Point market in North Carolina, as well as High Point Market Design Bloggers Tour, quoted in The Wall Street Journal as an expert in the emerging Aging in Place (AIP) trend. Along with designers across America, her home is featured in the 2018 “Christmas by Design” book.

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I started my career as a graphic designer, gaining a solid grounding in all elements of design including colour, proportion, shape and size. After having been a stay-at-home-Mom for 19 years, I went back to school to become a certified Interior Decorator. I launched my initial business in 2009 to provide Interior Decorator and Design Consultant services in the Ottawa area. I quickly realized that the elements of design I had been taught as a graphic artist, seamlessly translated to Interior Design and Interior Decorating.My personal interest in small space design has become an integral part of my business. I experienced downsizing first hand moving from a large family country home, to a smaller city home, then finally to a new condo build in the heart of downtown Ottawa.I love designing smaller spaces as they require attention to design detail while also mastering the practical matters of function and form. However, smaller spaces, out of necessity need to be well edited to ensure you are still surrounded by the things you love, regardless of design trends.I have been published in Style at Home, Ottawa at Home Magazine, Ottawa Magazine, and The Ottawa Citizen. I have been honoured with an award from the Canadian Decorators’ Association (CDECA). My passion for working with colour led me to become certified as a True Colour Expert/TCE through colour guru Maria Killam’s excellent colour courses.“I am passionate about helping clients enjoy an organized, curated and functional life filled with beauty and a touch of luxury. ”

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Lauren Pearson Rivera has passionately pursued Interior Design interest since a young age. Her lifelong dedication to design and her artistic talent is used to provide comprehensive and personalized design services. Her time spent studying and traveling throughout Europe has instilled in her a diverse foundation in design concepts, inspiration and practices. Lauren graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Interior Design.

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from Julian Mouton Updates https://www.modenus.com/blog/interiordesign/designhounds-kbis-to-vegas-2019

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