100th Episode with your host Michael Kourosh
On this Episode of Design Santa Barbara we celebrate our 100th Episode. Joining us for this festivities are a few of our past guest. We have had these guest on our show through out all 10 seasons. An award wining design show promoting local interior designers.
Laura Welby
Laura Welby, Certified Interior Designer, is now retired after being the instructor. From Interior design program at Santa Barbara City College. She has loved being a full time instructor at the college for the last 25 years. Was also chair of the Drafting/CAD Department for the first 16 years. Welby brought the credit Interior Design Program back to the college in 2000. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona. After graduation worked in local architectural and engineering offices for seven years. Then had her own residential design business for eight years, remodeling and designing client’s homes as well as her own. Though teaching full time she continues to do consulting in interior design, specializing in kitchen design.
Designer Maraya Droney
Raised by the beach in Malibu, California, Maraya was exposed to design and architecture at an early age by her parents. Her Dutch parents were creative by nature, her mother a talented watercolor painter, and her father earned his doctorate in aeronautical engineering, and was also a gifted artist.
Today, Maraya is an accomplished interior designer based in Ojai, California, graduating from California University of Santa Barbara’s Interior Design program in 1992. With numerous upscale clients throughout the corporate, entertainment and music industry, she draws much of her design inspiration from her travels around the world, including Europe, Asia and Central America. She has also explored much of the United States, and found interesting ideas from the various regions and lifestyles. When not working, Maraya looks forward to continued traveling experiences to study architecture and interiors.
Marayas Design
Maraya’s designs focus on interiors as a place to relax, for families and friends to gather their energies together, as well as to receive inspiration. However, she enjoys designing in a variety of styles. She says, “Any particular style can become true art and outstanding design. The key is to listen to your client and find out what really moves them emotionally. Once you understand that, you can turn their preferences into any style: from an inspiring, beautiful estate to an outrageous, cutting-edge penthouse or peaceful, simple retreat to relax and enjoy.”
A member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and a California Certified Interior Designer (CID), Maraya is undeniably an amazingly creative designer. However, her personal philosophy is what sets her apart. “In the end, what is important are relationships,” she says. “The relationship to people, the earth, and animals That you treat them all with respect, and try to understand their point of view. My goal is to use my passion for imagining, designing and building with my clients to help them create a private space in this fast paced world”.
Maraya has completed many projects in various locals such as: Ojai, Ventura, Westlake, Santa Barbara and Montecito, Santa Ynez, Newport Beach- Balboa Island, Palm Springs, Mammoth, Tahoe, Malibu, and many other locations. Many of her projects have been featured in various publications.
visit www.maraya.com
Designer Susan Shand
Susan Shand has taken her design experience in the magazine, advertising and product design businesses into Interior Design Consulting. Working with a select client base, she offers her services of interior design, co- contracting, and re-energizing the old into the new.
“I feel that where we live, work and play are essential to our well being” The space that we surround ourselves with is as critical as water and air . “Our environment is meant to be enjoyed and to make us happy ”explains Susan “ If it’s not, then it’s time for a makeover”
Susans Magazine Fashion
Formally co Founder and CEO of TESS ( skincare line with Sephora and QVC, Sold in 2009 ) Marketing Editor of a National Fashion Magazine, TEEN and Partner and Creative Director of the international marketing firm, TSG with clients such as Absolut Vodka, Max Factor, Adidas , Evian, and others, Shand has helped design everything from magazine fashion pages to lipstick containers. Her work has appeared in magazines such as Architectural Digest, Elle, Harpers Bazaar, GQ and Vogue.
“Home interiors are like any other design challenge. They just take up more space.”
Her homes are an expression of her life. Creative, calming, soft, yet sexy and vital. “Spaces you can live, love and play in”.
“Everyone has an expression of who they are.” I believe their home should embody that same expression.” “Rooms have different needs so every new project is a collaboration of the needs of that client.” “I’m a people pleaser so I don’t rest until everyone is happy.”
Her work includes projects as large as new home builds from start to finish to simple re-dos of bathrooms, bedrooms, painting, reupholstery, and furniture consultation and shopping explorations.
visit susanshanddesign.com
Executive director of Unity Shoppe, Tom Reed
What Originally brought you to Santa Barbara? Reed traveled as a musician and would go around talking to people about what they found meaningful and what life is all about. After loosing two houses to major disasters it got him out of the business world and he started re-valuating life.
In 2000, Reed came down to Santa Barbara and came across the unity Shoppe. Which he felt it was a perfect extension of what that purpose was because it is helping a lot of people the right way.
Owners of Mission Villa, Dana Newquist and Andrea Eltinge Newquist
Dana Newquist is a historian, philanthropist, alzheimer’s as well as a dementia care specialist. Dana and his wife ars Owners & Administrators of Mission Villa in Santa Barbara.
Mission Villa is an assisted living facility specialized in dementia and memory care. Founded in 2000, Mission Villa was from it’s inception designed as a dementia care facility. With the help of countless experts we designed the facility to provide safety, security, and above all else comfort and well-being for each of our residents. Because it was custom built for dementia residents, all the modern features known to be advantageous for this population have been incorporated. Mission Villa retains the feel of a family home, where each of our fourteen residents enjoys a suite decorated with warm antiques and cherished family heirlooms. in conclusion,Nestled in beautiful downtown Santa Barbara, residents enjoy all the comforts of a home-like atmosphere, staffed by kind and caring professionals dedicated to providing the highest quality of life possible.
A native of Chicago, Dana studied business at Riverside City College in California and Northeastern University in Boston. Dana served the U.S. in the Army Medical Corps. Furthermore, his association with President Ronald Reagan led him to dedicate his first dementia facility, Alzheimer’s Four Seasons, to President Reagan in 1996. Actively Involved in serving his community, Dana serves on the Boards of the Alzheimers’s Association, Sansum Diabetes Research Institute, Montecito Fire Protection District, and the Murphy Auto Museum. In addition, He’s an American Red Cross instructor and president of the Antique Automobile Club of America, Santa Barbara Region.
Designer Leesa Wilson Goldmuntz and Associates
Leesa has been obsessed with houses and their contents since she was a child. On a visit to a friend’s house as an eight year old. She couldn’t stop staring at the family portrait over the fireplace and thinking that it was hanging too high. Furthermore, she was right, as she came to find out later, in a History of Design class.
As a result, Leesa has lived and worked in six cities and on two continents. Blending successful backgrounds in fashion design and buying and residential property development. In addition, she brings not only a critical eye to her work but a respect for the bottom line. Design and Art History instruction in London at the Inch bald School of Design. In addition, The British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum solidified her transition from the world of fashion to that of interiors.
“The end result of any collaboration should be a client who feels at home in a space that captures their vision but is so much more than they alone could have imagined and accomplished.”
visit mhedesigns.com
Santa Barbara City College
In past episodes we have had a great pleasure of inviting students from Santa Barbara City College Interior Design Program.
Program Description
Interior design focuses on the creation of interior environments that are both functional and pleasing. The field offers a variety of employment opportunities with interior design and architectural firms, kitchen and bath design studios, as well as with interior materials and furniture stores. A combination of education, work experience. In addition, Passing the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam is required for interior design professionals.
Furthermore, the Santa Barbara City College Interior Design Program, offered within the Drafting CAD Department. Provides comprehensive training for entry-level interior design positions. In conclusion, It is a vocational program, not a transfer program. Certificated, professionally experienced instructors teach all courses.
All furniture from the program is available at:
SANTA BARBARA DESIGN CENTER
410 Olive St., Santa Barbara, CA • 805-962-8555 • www.santabarbaradc.com
Rugs & Textiles Available at RUGS & MORE
