[00:00:11] Speaker A: Welcome back to the Interior Collective podcast. In today's episode, we're thrilled to be joined by Lydia Geisel Holmes, editor at Domino Magazine. Lydia has been a key figure on the editorial team at Domino since 2017, starting as an editorial intern and working her way up to overseeing the magazine's home and renovation stories. From stunning home tours to transformative before and afters and creative DIY projects Based in New York City, Lydia has not only interviewed design icons like Leanne Ford, Nate Burkus, and Brigid Romanek, but she's also a seasoned pro at curating Domino's weekly Reno newsletter and covering the latest in design news. In this episode, we'll dive deep into the world of design media as Lydia shares invaluable advice on how interior designers can get their work published. We'll explore what Domino looks for in a project from professional photography to compelling storytelling, and Lydia will offer three key tips on how to make your submission stand out. We'll also discuss the importance of building relationships with editors and the critical role that product links play or don't play in Home Tour articles. Whether you're a seasoned designer or just starting out, Lydia's insights will provide the roadmap to getting your work noticed and and publish.
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[00:02:08] Speaker A: Hello Lydia and welcome to the show. You just told me this is not only your first podcast, but it's your first interview and I sort of feel like a creative genius for like thinking of it because how has this not happened already?
[00:02:23] Speaker C: I don't know, but I'm very excited to be the one on the other side. I've interviewed you multiple times and yeah I'm really excited for a little nervous but honestly excited.
[00:02:35] Speaker A: Don't be nervous. Our listeners are like the best in the whole world and we never get anything but nice comments so don't worry. A funny personal backstory connection that we actually just discovered maybe last year, but one of my husband's very best college Friends is married to your cousin, and after knowing them for 10 plus years, I just can't believe we ever didn't put that together.
[00:03:02] Speaker C: Yeah, I think I just saw you tagged or posted a photo on a football, like in a tailgate together, and I was like, what? Yeah, yeah, really funny.
[00:03:13] Speaker A: So funny. And I was like, thanks, Ashley, for never bringing that up. That would have been helpful to. Well, I'm so glad. Excited to get to interview you and get a better understanding of getting your work published in a very digital world these days and what feels like super saturated because everybody's Covid projects have wrapped up and there's so much work out there. So we'll go ahead and dig in, but let's kind of get a baseline so that people can understand where you're coming from and just what your incredible expertise is. So, Lydia, can you share a bit about your career journey and how you became the home editor at Domino?
[00:03:47] Speaker C: Yeah, I definitely can, so. Well, I can first tell you that I never thought I'd end up at a design magazine. When I was in college, I studied communications and art history at Wake Forest, thinking I would probably end up doing PR or more likely working in communications or marketing for a museum. And then the summer before my senior year, I interned for the digital team at Modern Luxury, which is like Hampton's Magazine, Philadelphia style, Austin way. I was writing a lot about, like, food and celebrities, but I loved digital editorial. I loved the pace of it. So that was like the first nugget. And then I had always just been a fan of Domino, like as a reader when I was decorating my dorm room in college and thinking about my future apartment. So I just kind of kept checking in to see if they had internships available this summer after I graduated, and one popped up.
And yeah, so I started at Domino as an intern, and for about nine months, I commuted to New York City Monday through Friday, commuted from Pennsylvania to New York City to hours each way, which I do not recommend recommend, but you have to do what you have to do. And I was an intern for about a year, and then I became an editorial assistant, and then I became an editorial associate.
And then I just. I love the work. I loved the team. I loved the types of stories that we were sharing. And so I stayed and I kept moving up. And then I've been the home editor since 2022.
[00:05:40] Speaker A: Wow. When you were an intern and kind of those steps in between, had you always been writing about home or had you been writing about other departments? Because I feel like Domino is Now super, super home focused. But back in the day it was a little bit more broad lifestyle.
[00:05:59] Speaker C: Yeah, I dabbled a little bit. You're right. Like when I first started, I mean we were covering everything from beauty, food, travel, weddings. I never really got into the beauty and travel too much. So it was mostly home that I was working on always. Although when we had our weddings, weddings features, like, I loved writing those stories. I thought they were so fun to talk to couples I don't know. I thought they were really inspiring. So I did dabble a little bit in that, but I was mostly home focused pretty much always.
[00:06:36] Speaker A: And talk to me about the evolution of like your actual day to day role. Was it always digital? Did you work in print? Is it a combo of both?
[00:06:47] Speaker C: Yeah, well, in the very beginning my job was primarily writing like what we call news stories on the site. So like really short, like little things about, you know, new collection launches or a celebrity posted something on Instagram about their home. So that was predominantly what I was doing when I first started. And then over the years you sort of like work your way up to those larger features.
So when we still had our quarterly print issues at the time, I started working on some print assignments and ultimately I got to write the last. For our last issue, I wrote the COVID story which was oh Joy. Joy chose a space at her guest house that we had on the COVID and. And then eventually my job also like evolved to managing and overseeing our freelance writers and top editing other people's work. But I was always mostly on the digital team. When we had print, it was very much two different teams at Domino and I would really just like pick up an assignment here or there.
[00:07:56] Speaker A: Yeah, so that has been. Since when did you start that internship? One year or what year?
[00:08:04] Speaker C: 2017.
[00:08:06] Speaker A: Okay. So it's been a long haul. I'm so interested. You just mentioned you like managing your freelance writers. And then I'm sure that there's probably staff writers under you. How. How big is your support team on. On average? I realize that it probably shifts.
[00:08:25] Speaker C: Great question. Where these days we're actually a very small team, which I don't think a lot of people realize. There's. I haven't actually counted everyone, but I. The Domino staff is around like nine or 10 people. And then in terms of in house full time editors, there's three of us. There's our digital director, there's our managing editor, and then there's myself. So actually there's no one currently under me. So we rely a lot on freelance writers and contributors right now, which is really interesting. And I think it's just happening across publishing, just like smaller in house teams. But yeah, I've seen it, you know, ebb and flow.
[00:09:07] Speaker A: Wow. I'll circle back around because I'm interested to hear about contributing writers and if someone listening would love to write for you, I'll add that in at the end. But let's focus on getting published and what interior designers can be doing to do so. And I'm just interested in your insights as to, like, tips and tricks and just kind of the trends as you're seeing as. As the industry evolves.
So what initially draws your eye to a project submission from an interior designer? Like, what are like the baseline things that you're like, this is what I'm looking for.
[00:09:42] Speaker C: Um, well, so the first thing my eyes sort of scam for when I get a pitch in my inbox is the photo link Dropbox Google Drive. We transfer whatever it is. Actually, before I even read someone's email, that's the first place I go because I want to see what the space looks like first. And really what I'm looking for is a space that brings new or exciting design ideas to the table for us and a space that looks lived in and loved. And so as I look through, like, say it's a whole house, I start to figure out, okay, would this make sense for a full home tour feature for us? Or is it just a kitchen renovation or an outdoor story? Or maybe it's a tippy piece about small space living based on the strongest moments in there. So that's really the first thing I do.
[00:10:46] Speaker A: Is it helpful that we put that link like literally at after our greeting to you? It's like front and center because, like, you'll get back to read it if you feel like there's even potential.
[00:10:57] Speaker C: I think so, yeah. I think making it bolded or obvious in some ways, I think is really helpful. Some people will also embed like a few hero shots as well, like in the body of the email itself. And that's really helpful.
[00:11:17] Speaker A: We had talked about this on the episode with Kelly from Rue and she's. I just want to remind people because even on the Interior Collective, we get. We get a lot of submissions for home tours on our very little site. And so many times people don't have their share settings set accurately and it's like, not. The link is not viewable unless you log into an account or it's like still private access. And I cannot stress enough how quickly we just move on from there. Luckily, I do have an editor on staff who's much more patient and kind than me and will always follow up and say, hey, I don't think you have the right shared access, but I can't imagine how many pitches you're getting. And so to have to do those extra steps, steps and legwork, just to be able to see the images because it wasn't set up correctly, I'm sure can be possibly detrimental to the feasibility of you wanting to pick it up.
[00:12:12] Speaker C: Absolutely. Like, I'm moving quickly, and the way I work through my. Through pitches, I. I go through them in batches. So if anyone listening is like, why haven't. Hasn't Lydia gotten back to me? It's because I. Every other week or so, I go through things, like, all at once, and I'm moving quickly through a lot of pitches. And if you're right, like, if I can't open that folder really quickly or I need to request access, like, maybe I'll shoot you a note, or maybe I'll just wait until you kind of realize what's happened and follow up. Um, but, yeah, it can definitely slow things down. I will say another thing I really don't like, we transfer. The links always expire on me. I'm. The amount of times I've sent an email like, sorry, like, took me a while to get here. Like, can you please reshare the we transfer link? It's, like, painful. So I love a Dropbox.
[00:13:08] Speaker A: Dropbox is great. We're big Google subscribers here. It makes it easy. You just want to make sure that those share settings are correct. Okay, I have a million questions to get through, Lydia, but you did just mention that you're looking for something. You're looking for spaces that feel lived in and well loved. I'd love if you could expand on that, because I feel as though interior designers are doing their big install. They're moving everything, and everything is, like, picture perfect. And I hear that those were the words you describe what you're looking for. And it feels like there's a little bit of a discrepancy in between what we are capturing and what we feel like we're styling and. And what it is you're looking for. So talk to me about what makes a space feel lived in and styled in a way that would evoke that type of emotion.
[00:13:59] Speaker C: Yeah, it's so hard to pinpoint. I think one layer of it is just the design itself. Like, I think for a space to really stand out, it. It has to be very clearly, like, authentic versus designing. For the masses. I think that's when faces start to feel cold, when you've seen the same thing a lot or it just doesn't feel personal. Right. So like I've. I see a lot of beautiful homes, but a lot of beautiful homes that all look alike. So I really love it when it's clear that people have put the blinders on a bit and maybe they've chosen a really unusual countertop material which can be. Which means it's probably very specific to them and their personality. And that's where like that lived in ness kind of comes through. And then the extra layer is how a space is styled, the objects and furniture in it. Can I see your books and your record collection and you know, this really cool vintage table where you've got family photos or something. It's like all the layers and some of that should just be there organically and then some of it can be maybe added bits and pieces when a photo shoot is happening and you have a stylist there to like really being bring a space to life. But I think a lot of it is just like the bones of the house and the core like design, it's itself.
[00:15:40] Speaker A: This has my brain tinkering. So, you know, we're shooting projects as it's installed where it literally hasn't been lived in yet. Is there a world when we're like, if Domino's the dream and we'll get into why. I feel very strongly that Domino is the dream publication and just like how it's truly been life changing for me.
But is there. Is there an argument to maybe it's worth coming in and if it's the right client, obviously it's dependent on the client to come in and shoot after they've been there for six months after there has been some lived in and there are those personal items. I know it gets tricky when you're trying to wrap up a project and you need the portfolio work and you want to get it on socials. But to tell these stories that are. That are standing out amongst the competition. Is that a potential thought process?
[00:16:35] Speaker C: I think so. I think that if you have the time, if you can spare that time, that seems like a great solution. Or you're so close, you're just. As you're designing a space, you're working so closely with your clients and they're so heavily involved that their treasure, little treasures around the house are going to show through. Because it's clearly not someone who's just thrown a bunch of money at a designer and made their Space look like a catalog. I think some people do that, and that's just not really the work that we're looking to share. Um, so I think it's just like, making sure there's, like, that harmony with the designer and the home homeowner probably all the way through a project. That's how it ends up looking and feeling lived in, like, right off the bat.
But I think that's also an interesting idea of, like, setting it aside, letting people, like, really sit on that new sofa, maybe move a few things around and coming back and then photographing it. Then I can't imagine that it would hurt.
[00:17:45] Speaker A: Is there always an angle you're looking for that tells the homeowner story? Is there an angle that can be designer focus for a Domino article?
[00:17:57] Speaker C: Yes. And actually, more recently, we've been experimenting with this by having a few different home tour formats for a really long time.
It was very important to us, and it still is a priority to really tell the homeowner's story through our home tour features. That's why you'll see a lot of portraits on Domino. I. If I can, I always interview a homeowner and a designer and architect and contractor, whoever wants or needs to be interviewed.
But I know there are a lot of cases where we get really beautiful projects and we only have access to the designer. And so we're playing around with a few different home tour formats on our site, where when we just talk to a designer, for instance, it's a little more Q and A. It's that way we get really, the tips and the ideas and the products, and people have really something, like, tangible to walk away with. I think that's a really interesting way we're approaching some of those home tours now. Then we have, you know, if we do talk to a homeowner who is, like, super involved and very voicey, or maybe they just designed their entire house themselves, we have them really, like, comment on every single photo and tell us what's going on in each frame.
And then we have a more standard home tour format where it's, you know, very written through and it's more of like a traditional story where we're, you know, quoting people here and there. So I think we're. We continue to experiment with that balance because I know there are a lot of amazing projects out there and the homeowners want to stay completely anonymous and not do an interview. So, yeah, it's interesting. And we've continued to kind of work around that.
[00:19:50] Speaker A: Amazing.
Before we get into super specifics with getting published. I'm just wondering if you have any thoughts off the top of your head that are mistakes or missteps that designers might be making when they're submitting a project.
[00:20:06] Speaker C: Yes, I have a lot of thoughts.
Great on this. The lights. The lights are the biggest problem. Do not leave lamps or overheads on in your photos. I find it to be quite distracting and it can take away from any, like, beautiful natural light that's entering a frame. And I find that it actually can make a house look like it's more meant to be on Zillow and not editorial. Same with perspective. Like, if you're using a wide angle lens, it can look a bit real estate Y. So that's a big problem that I occasionally come across, and it makes a project like an automatic pass for us. And then another mistake to avoid is over styling. I like to think that a space should look like someone lives there, like we were talking about, but not like they just left the room. You know, like, not like there's a loaf of bread on the countertop and it's cut in half and a lemon is rolling off the island. Or in the bedroom, there's a pair of high heels and one of them is, like, slightly tipped over, like you just stepped out of them. It can look a little contrived. And same thing with florals. I am by no means the floral expert on our team, but I think generally less is more because I've seen some super dramatic arrangements and spaces where that's all your eye goes to and then you miss the actual design. So the styling should really add to the space but not take away from the design.
And it is a balance. And that's why there are professional interior stylists out there who are amazing at that.
[00:22:05] Speaker A: Fantastic. Curious about the lighting. I know that lights off is an absolute rule. I do feel like, as trends in interior photography go moodier, there's now every once in a while, like, a mini lamp on a coffee table that's emitting a small glow. Are you saying, as a general rule, always turn every single thing off, or are there ever exceptions to that rule?
[00:22:31] Speaker C: I think there are definitely exceptions. I'll have to go back through some recent stories to see if we really had that. But no, I think especially as, yeah, spaces are getting moodier, people are experimenting with, like, darker colors. Sometimes you. You want to have that moment. So I think there are probably a few exceptions to the rule, but I would just always say try to lean on natural light as best you can, depending on when you shoot in a day or what the lighting is in the room. Like the natural lighting in a room. You can create dramatic shadows in that moodiness and you can get that from the natural light. So I would start there and then if you need a little lamp moment, maybe capture it. But overall, if you're going to send like a whole like, you know, folder of imagery, make sure there's at least a mix of lights on and lights off. If you're going to experiment, let's talk.
[00:23:32] Speaker A: About that folder of imagery and what's being sent to you. As a designer is preparing for their shoot and preparing, they know they want to pitch it, what are some essential elements they should include? Like you need it to have kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living water. And then also what percentage of images should be vertical versus horizontal?
I know that it depends, especially in the digital world on social. We always want vertical, but I know sometimes the home tours are more landscape. So what is it that you're looking for?
[00:24:03] Speaker C: Yeah, great question, I think.
And the first part of your question in terms of should there be every room?
Generally, yes, if you want us to consider the project for a home tour, we won't do a home tour feature without just the key rooms that a reader would expect when they, when they click into a tour. So if there's a bedroom missing and a bathroom missing and it's really just kitchen, living, dining room, powder, bathroom, it's not going to be satisfying for the reader to feel like a tour. So then that's when we'll often just do like a single room before and after or maybe spin it into like a super tippy story about paint or something. But if you want it to be like a really in depth home tour feature, capturing every room I think is essential. And I know some designers don't do that because maybe they didn't design every room in a house.
So I guess I would just think about that as you're there for the photo shoot. Like, do you want to maybe capture the guest bedroom? Even though you didn't really work on it for that project, Maybe it's still worth capturing just to have that full story be told.
And then with the photos themselves, I like to see it all, like more is more. I like to see a lot of pulled back shots which end up being a lot of horizontal. So for sure, horizontal, a nice mix of horizontal images are very helpful because in photos, unlike video, it's harder to understand how rooms connect. So the more you can show the way spaces transition into other spaces or you see a hallway in the background that's helpful for both myself and the readers to understand, but a mix of verticals is just as important. Both pulled back and some details are nice to have, but I will say we don't really put detail shots in stories a lot, mostly because we just have limited screen space. And the times that I will put a close up detail in, it's usually when it's something super unique like a quirky radiator cover rather than say a coffee book. A coffee table book. So and then other nice to haves that I often ask for are before photos.
Really great to have, especially if that's the route we decide to take for our story. I also think layouts can be really nice to have, especially if a space has dramatically changed or it's hard to tell how a house flows from the photos and then info wise in a submission I like the basics, you know, who, what, where, why?
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[00:29:37] Speaker C: That kind of thing.
[00:29:38] Speaker A: When you say the basics, let's dig into that a little bit more because I know we're trying to sell you on an interesting story and like, oh, this is such a unique project and sometimes it's like, who, what, where? Doesn't tell that. How verbose can our submissions be before you're like, this is too much. I needed to pull out the story myself.
[00:30:05] Speaker C: Storytelling is a very important part in a submission.
I would say share two to three key anecdotes or takeaways from the project, and that I wouldn't necessarily get by looking at the photos. I think that's the most important part of writing out a pitch. I don't need you to describe that. It's a mid century house with this that skews a bit scandi and the color palette is blues and greens. I can probably see that in the photos. I want to be able to know the information, you know, like, what were the really interesting challenges that you faced? Or why did you make certain decisions? Things that I can't get at all by looking at the photos because that's ultimately what I'm going to bring when I go to our team pitch meeting and I pitch this to the other editors at Domino. So yeah, I would focus on two to three key anecdotes or lessons and I would edit it to. To a certain point. If you write paragraphs on paragraphs on paragraphs, just know that it's probably going to take me a bit longer to read through all of that and get back to you. Um, so I would present the information that feels the most interesting and then leave more to be uncovered in a potential interview.
[00:31:36] Speaker A: Are like bullet points okay? Or is that too brief?
[00:31:39] Speaker C: No, I love bullet points. I feel like it helps visually in an email. Some things are bolded and some things are bullet pointed versus like really dense paragraphs. So I totally am here for like listing things out.
[00:31:56] Speaker A: Okay. In full transparency. Do you have a preference or maybe subconscious bias to submissions coming directly from a designer from versus through a PR representative or vice versa?
[00:32:12] Speaker C: I do not have a preference. I think both work. It Truly does not matter to me.
I get both. I have plenty of PR contacts that I stay in touch with. I hear from designers all the time directly. I even get direct pitches from homeowners who have interesting spaces that they want to share. I think reaching out directly as a designer can be very beneficial when we do end up working with you on a story.
And I have additional questions after our interview, and I need to shoot a few of them over to you super fast.
That can be really helpful for me so I don't have to, like, go through another person and wait for that email to reach their inbox. Like, I like to have the direct line. So for that reason, that can be super helpful. But there are so many great PR people in the design space who are really on top of pitching, letting us know where we stand with image rights. They prepare documents with all the product credit. They know which projects will probably work best for which outlets. Like, they just know really well and know us really well and know what we've said yes to in the past. So that's where that can be super helpful. But both work. I'm happy to hear honestly from everyone.
[00:33:35] Speaker A: What do you think is the best way for designers to begin building relationships with editors like yourself? Like, how if someone's not ready to invest in a publicist and they're like, I can do this on my own. And we'll actually get into the story of really how I first got connected with Domino, and it was pre Caroline Pinkston, who now does our pr. But how can you start to formulate those relationships? And I think it's so important, important that you start to formulate those relationships before you need an editor, before you have something to pitch. Talk us through how we can be your friend.
[00:34:08] Speaker C: Yeah, well, I want to be your friend too, because I think designers are so cool. Honestly, Instagram is such a great tool. Like, I am private on Instagram, but I accept requests from designers who. Plenty of them then DM me and they want to connect over email. I'm. I think that's honestly a great route.
If you're ever in New York City, where I live, or a town where there's an editor that you. You want to connect with. Like, reach out for coffee. I love to get FaceTime. I would say the majority of meetings that I take these days are those meetings, coffees, lunches, drinks with designers who happen to be in town for a few days.
But I'm also always happy to connect on a zoom call where we just chat about your background, what projects you've been working on.
I'll just pick your brain on like a bunch of random things, like on design. Because one question that I asked in a super casual conversation could lead to a story. For instance, I met a designer at her studio once and she was giving me a tour around and she mentioned how the countertops in her office's kitchenette were from this website called stone trash.com and I'm like, oh my God, that's amazing. This whole site dedicated to like scrap and salvaged stones and slabs. And then a few months later, we did a whole story with her and I interviewed her about how she shops for scrap stones, what she looks for, and that was something I was never planning on. So just sparking a conversation in real life or on Instagram, I think is a great first step.
[00:36:01] Speaker A: I have been reading Domino forever and truly. Being published in Domino online hugely, dramatically increased my visibility and truly transformed my brand's trajectory. And like, I'm getting emotional even thinking about it because I'm just still so grateful to you for that kitchen tour at a our old house. And we've had the privilege of having multiple articles since then, but that was definitely, I feel like what put us on a map is from like a visual representation standpoint.
Can you share any behind the scenes insights as to what makes a Domino home tour special and unique compared to all other publications and sites, magazines? Because I do feel, I'll be honest, your newsletter is probably the only newsletter I actually click through. Truly.
[00:36:58] Speaker C: Well, I love to hear that. I also love to hear that that first story we did with you, like, felt so impactful because I often don't really know what happens to you after we do a story other than the fact that you keep doing more design work and we keep working with you. But beyond that, I'm not, you know, I, I'm not always in tune with, like, how your audience, your own audience grows after we publish something. So that's just like the coolest thing to hear and that's really what we want for, you know, all the designers and people out there that we admire. But what makes a home tour Domino? Is a very hard question to answer, but I'll try to answer it. We cover lots of different types of homes on Domino. All different styles, all different sizes, all different locations. I get that question a lot. Some people who are maybe learning about us, you know, don't know if we cover, if we'll cover a house in Australia, like, absolutely, South Africa. I have a designer that I've connected with who sent who's in Kazakhstan, who sends me a lot of her projects. So we cover all different types of places. But I always like to say that we really focus on spaces that are the perfect balance between attainable and aspirational. And I what that looks like is, like, maybe there's a beautiful custom sofa next to a floor lamp from Sara home next to an heirloom side table that you revamped with a fresh paint color.
Also very core to a Domino home tour are the homeowners, like, we've been talking about, who lives there? What's their story? How do the objects in the space speak to them? And like I said, that doesn't always mean we have to speak with the homeowner, although we do make it a priority. And I will talk to people and interview them even if they don't want to have their name mentioned. But even if I'm just talking to the designer, I really like to learn about their client and how that influence their direction. And then the last thing, like, I would say, like, OG Domino is very known for leaning into pattern and color, which we still love today. And color doesn't mean, like, an all pink kitchen. It could be a whole home that's completely white, but that's still a very strong perspective on color. So that feels very, like, core to the brand. And we get very excited when we see spaces like that.
[00:39:48] Speaker A: How do you find a marriage if there is a marriage between your personal style and your editing style through Domino's lens?
[00:39:59] Speaker C: Really hard and really confusing. I think it, you know, just over. It takes a really long time, like seven years. And I still have to check myself sometimes. Like, am I not liking the space? Because I just wouldn't do that in my own home. But I.
Through all the stories that we've published, we try to look at it through our reader's lens and understanding what they really like to see. They love to see interesting paint ideas. They love to see art. They love to see bookshelves. They love to see Ikea kitchens that are hacked in a certain way. They love to see lush exteriors, but they love all different styles. So that's a little bit harder. But it is a tough balance. But you really do have to take yourself out of it.
And it actually really just makes decorating my own space a lot harder because I am exposed to so much, so many different types of homes that I like. I have no idea what I'm gonna do with, like, a house one day, because I'll want one room to be, like, super cottagey and another one to be like really sleek and minimal and it'll probably be really confusing for everyone. But yeah, I, I, I think it's just like going back time and again to like, what have our readers enjoyed in the past and trying to do right by them and like, serve them more inspiration.
[00:41:34] Speaker A: Speaking of readers, do you as an editor read all of the comments on your articles or is it kind of like an influencer on social media that's like, maybe I just don't even go there.
[00:41:52] Speaker C: I do not go there unless it is brought to my attention that something is factually incorrect in a story or there's a different type of problem with a link or something like that. Our digital director is really great at, you know, staying on top of all that social flag something to me. But yeah, we do have comments on our site and on social and, you know, I'm just trying, I'm, I'm writing so many stories that once I've kind of put something out there, I also have to move on to the next thing. So I try not to get bogged down if someone doesn't like a space that we shared. If anything, I, you know, I mean, so many of our readers leave lovely positive comments and just, just, you know, tell us that they love that sofa. Thought this was a really smart storage idea, but when the occasional person leaves a negative comment, my first thought is, you know, I just don't want a homeowner or designer to see it or feel, take it personally.
[00:42:57] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:42:57] Speaker C: Because I know that design is so personal and you know, how you have your home isn't how I would have my home, but I can still appreciate it.
But not everyone is like, it gets that. So they'll share, share their thoughts. I, I'm sure, you know, just being more like on social, I feel like that's where people get to be the loudest. So no, I ignore it. And I always tell myself that if people really, really need to get in touch with me about strong feelings they had about a story, they'll find a way to email me.
[00:43:34] Speaker A: I was I to further explain how I feel like that, that first domino story, like, really, it changed my life. It definitely was one of those things where it's like the good and the bad. I was shocked how engaged your audience is. Like, there are so many comments on the actual article that you just don't see online anymore. You just don't see platforms that get that kind of community engagement. And there were so many. It was the, the tour was my old kitchen and there were so many comments about How I must not cook in it. And I do all these things. And other people thought that it was brilliant and et cetera, et cetera. But that tour led to probably 12 or 13 paid brand collaborations. I mean, it got picked up by another, like, seven different news platforms. It really blew up. And for those who are potentially getting something published in Domino, or really like to. I just think that Domino is so special and unique in this community. They've built of people who truly care about design and truly care about function and truly care about how people live in their space. And I just got to experience. Experience that firsthand. And the first couple of things I got all fired up about, and then I was like, but wait, look at all the opportunity that those conversations brought. And it also allowed me to look at my own space in a way that I hadn't before as well.
[00:45:08] Speaker C: Yeah. I also think it's important to keep in mind that the people who come across this story, and they love it, they're not. Most of them are not actually commenting. It's really like the people who want to share their own opinion or thoughts, good or bad, are going down in the comments section and typing and getting in conversations with people. But the vast majority of people, like, will see something they love, enjoy it, and then move on. So you don't really get to hear from those people until it turns into few really amazing opportunities like the ones that you just referenced. So I would love designers we might work with in the future to, like, keep that in mind. Don't take it personally. The Internet can be a weird place. Um, but. But yeah, it.
[00:46:00] Speaker A: It's a. It's exciting to watch people talk about your projects.
[00:46:03] Speaker C: It.
[00:46:03] Speaker A: It's ex. It's exciting. And again, I'm forever grateful for that experience.
You mentioned that you would have a different style room in every room of your house. I'm just wondering, are there any recurring themes?
Hate the buzzword trends, but things you're seeing in projects come through that you've actually gotten really excited to publish lately.
[00:46:29] Speaker C: Yeah, I do. I just. From seeing projects alone, you can tell what trends are happening. And I know the word is weird, like you just mentioned, because I feel like it's tied up in waste. Almost like it, you know, fast fashion, like that kind of thing. But I always like to remind people, because we do cover a lot of trends, that it's really like a pick your own adventure. You know, when we're sharing a new a story about this new sofa style that's trending, it's for the people out there who are in the trenches of trying to buy a new sofa, and they don't know what style to go with, and we're presenting them with, like, a new and exciting option. Take it or leave it. I don't want people to constantly replace all of their throw pillows and all of their throw blankets every fall. That's definitely not the idea behind covering design trends or how we approach it, but it is just like a pick your own adventure. Here's what's happening. Here's what's new at your favorite retailers. So I did just want to, like, mention that, because it can be feel like a scary word, but I think it's totally awesome to embrace trends as long as you're always mixing them with old things and other things that, like, are just your own. And I think trends can be really cool that way.
[00:47:59] Speaker A: I love the way you explain that, because I've always found the more I know about something, the more interesting it is to me. And so when we're reading editorial coverage about scallops or block print wallpaper or any of those things, I am now able to focus on that one thing to allow me to gain more interest in it. And whether that's. I actually love this so much, I'd love to incorporate it in some small way in my home or now I know that that's not for me. I think it's actually like an educational tool of helping you understand design and not have limitless choices.
[00:48:38] Speaker C: Yeah, exactly. And I think trends can often trickle down from really expensive spaces and places and designers. And a way that we approach it a lot is like, here's how to get this, like, really cool new look that's happening for less. I think covering trends also can make something accessible that's not always accessible. But to go back to your question, I'm always seeing new things, new themes that excite me.
But gosh, like, right now, like, to specifically with, like, design elements that I'm seeing a lot of are, like, a lot of dark brown, red, purple paint colors. I feel like a lot of the big paint brands actually just did their 2025 color of the year announcements that are very in line with that. But I've been seeing a lot of people lean into, I think, colors that maybe were, like, kind of seen as off putting before and, like, really experimenting with, like, cool tones like that on, like, cabinetry and kitchens.
Like, another thing is color drenching. I feel like that's like the it word right now where people cover their ceilings and their walls and their trim all in the same paint color. I love that. I think it's really neat to see that in a project. I feel like art deco is having a big comeback. A lot of linen, linen sofas, linen curtains, flowy linen coverlets. So those are just some like designing things that I'm seeing like a lot of in projects that I think are very cool and Then also like 2 non design specific trends that I'm seeing more of that I really like touching on in stories are multi generational households and designing for aging in place I think we're seeing. I'm just getting more projects that where that's a big part of the space's story and I find that so fascinating. And our readers have really been loving stories centered around those things.
[00:50:55] Speaker A: I love those themes. Those do feel fresh and new and also incredibly relevant. My parents have a lake house that's their primary residence when they're here in Texas. We just sold our lake house and we're figuring out how can we both utilize their house together. And it just feels very special to be able to create a space that you can spend more quality time with the people that you love. Because we have just found you can live 10, 15 minutes down the street from someone, but it's going to be an hour dinner once every week, maybe every other week. But when you can actually just sit around a house and have all that in between time, that's when things feel really special. So. Okay, I have a few rapid fire questions before I let you go. Lydia. Should your, should designers be providing exact product links in their submissions? Is that something that you will follow up on and is that a deal breaker if they refuse to give them to you?
[00:51:55] Speaker C: I do not necessarily need a product credit list right away in a pitch at all. It is something that I will follow up on if we move forward with a home tour feature all of our home tours underneath the photos, we'll have a list of any. Anything that's kind of shoppable in the featured in the image.
I, I don't know if it's a deal breaker. It hasn't become one yet. Very rarely, I think maybe only once or twice can I think of a scenario where someone was unwilling to share their products rightfully so because they felt that, you know, the, the items that they chose were very, you know, part of why their clients hired them. I don't come across that very often though, so. But no, I don't think it would be a be a deal breaker. I think I would just ask you a lot of questions about how to get the look elsewhere.
[00:52:50] Speaker A: Perfect. Okay, talk to me about exclusivity.
How do you feel about designers promoting the same project across multiple platforms? Can we do it if we're pitch a totally different type of story, what are sort of the options within that?
[00:53:07] Speaker C: Exclusivity is really important to us. I think it is to a lot of brands. So we will not feature a project on a larger scale like a home tour if it has been covered by a competitor publication.
So meaning there are exceptions. We are typically open to covering a project if it's been featured abroad or by a super local design magazine where the readers wouldn't cross over.
There are some cases where if a space has been featured by a competitor and there is a very totally different angle, we can take with like a, you know, say someone else covered the whole home tour, but we could do a bedroom before and after. We might do that. But exclusive exclusivity is a big one for us. So definitely really important to keep in mind. I will also say I've had a few scenarios where I've been pitched a project by a designer.
We've, we've said yes to it. We're so excited to run it. And then they, a few weeks in they let me know that their photographer was pitching it out to a different magazine and now they're running it and they didn't know that, you know, they were also pitching it and then we have to drop the story because we lose it. So I would also say if you are have a photographer and a stylist or an architect who are also pitching the same project out, just make sure you're all aligned on where you want that exclusive to fall.
[00:54:42] Speaker A: Got it. And after it's run in Domino and six months later someone wants to focus in on the backsplash. Is that okay? Or like once you've signed to Domino, you are signed for Life.
[00:54:53] Speaker C: Absolutely not. Signed for Life. I would generally recommend a month would be a nice thing. But we actually don't have a hard and fast rule once. We just want to be the first to publish it and share it and promote it. After that. You are more than welcome to share it with other publications that want to feature the whole home or do a smaller story.
Absolutely fine with us. It's more just about getting to the space first.
[00:55:23] Speaker A: Okay, next one. As we wrap up, I'm sure you are flooded with submissions daily. You already said that you batch batch review and it's every couple of one to two weeks. Are you ever seeking out new talent or work elsewhere or is just like your submission bank so deep that you just pull from that exclusively?
[00:55:43] Speaker C: Yes, I do get a lot of emails. Also, I didn't mention because the pitchesomino.com email goes directly into my inbox. So if you ever want to reach me there too, that's where it'll be. But no, we surprisingly, we don't have a really intense backlog, I would say we are typically only slated out maybe two months in advance. So I am always actively looking for submissions for the near future. So very happy to say we are not slating things out like six months and you have to sit around and wait that long. I love to get things out the door and on the site and out in the world.
[00:56:22] Speaker A: How many articles a day or week are you pushing out?
[00:56:28] Speaker C: I would say let me actually open my calendar right now.
Basically one every day. Every week. I would say I have seven to eight stories that I am pushing out. That includes stories that I've written myself and stories that I've assigned to other writers. And I'm editing and building them on the site. So, yeah, it's. It's a lot.
[00:56:57] Speaker A: Final question for you, Lydia. As home editor, you have been editor for both digital and print in your career. Do you have any insight to benefits of each? Is print always more valuable to an interior designer? I have so many thoughts on this, and probably unconventional ones, but I'm just wondering, as you kind of have gotten to see and experience both, what. What should someone's goals really be?
[00:57:26] Speaker C: It was interesting. Like when I first started at Domino, I felt the difference between digital and print features weighed more heavily on designers and print was more premium.
Digital is for everything else. I don't really feel that anymore. I think it's pretty clear to most people, at least most designers I interact with, that online is where the eyeballs are. It's how things can be easily shared. On social. We are able to hyperlink your Instagram, your website, the photographer's website. People can book market, it can go in a newsletter. I think a lot of designers see the value there. And for a lot of people who now realize we don't have print, maybe they just aren't sending us the projects. Some projects they would if we still had an offered print. But I don't hear it a lot from people. So I am really curious what you think or if you agree with me.
[00:58:30] Speaker A: Yeah, I completely agree in the sense that to me, digital is evergreen. And I think that Domino does a really great job, particularly in that new newsletter where you guys do recycle content from a year, even two years ago and you keep it very relevant. Once that print magazine has gone out, whether it's monthly, a quarterly publication, or even just twice a year, once it's off the shelves, it's, you're just relying on it being seen by someone who may or may not have archived it in their collection.
We work with interior designers at Edeco Studio and Quinn made all the time on their content and kind of help steer them to where I think the price project would be the best fit. Like I mentioned, we work with Caroline Pinkston pr and that's really what her focus is and she'll help designers find the right placement. But I have personally seen our clients get published in amazing print magazines and it was such a feather in their cap and it was such a feeling of achievement. But then when we talk to them six months or years later, they're like, I didn't get a single call. But then they get put in one online feature on Domino where maybe it was just talking about a powder bath. I think that's something that's special about digital as well, is that it often can be one specific room and it doesn't always have to be the whole home tour that got them way more work. And so when you are evaluating and looking at your projects to decide, hey, where am I going to pitch this? I would really recommend pick. If you haven't had print before, pick the print that you think is a great fit. Pitch there and if they don't respond or come back to you in that two to three week timeline, like really, I think you're going to be honestly so much more. Your return on your time and investment with digital is actually going to be much higher. So it's just something to think about as you're considering where you want to start pitching.
[01:00:29] Speaker C: Yeah, and I absolutely get the desire to have the physical thing in your hands and flip through it. I, I love going to all my all Domino magazines and flipping through them. It is a different feeling. But once you get beyond that and if your goal is really to get out there more. I absolutely agree. Come to digital, come to digital.
[01:00:56] Speaker A: Okay, so lastly, what advice would you give emerging designers who are eager to see their work published and are just starting out? For instance, they haven't gotten to do a whole home reno, they haven't done a new build yet. What is a way that they could be creative to start having some content to present to you?
[01:01:17] Speaker C: Well, my first piece of advice would be it is never too early to reach out, even if you don't have a full project to share, maybe there will be an opportunity for me to tap you as an expert, per quote. Or maybe you will have one room that makes for a great before and after. I think the first thing that I always ask designers who don't have a huge portfolio is what does your house look like? Like, is there something we can do there even if it's not ready to be photographed? Is it? We do a story with you about the desk that you've had for 15 years from target and you love it. And we do kind of like a product review, like expert driven story there. So as long as you have ideas and you have a passion for design, I don't think it's ever too early to reach out and start with a casual conversation and maybe share some ideas that you think would be really fun for a story and go from there.
[01:02:21] Speaker A: Well, Lydia, this was so fun. That was the fastest hour interview I think I've ever done. Thank you so much. You aced it. You totally nailed your first interview. So bravo.
[01:02:32] Speaker C: Thank you. I'm ready to come back whenever you. Whenever you want me.
[01:02:36] Speaker A: Well, thank you so much. We will chat soon and I can't wait to just keep reading your work because it really brings me such immense joy to see what you cover.
[01:02:46] Speaker C: Thank you.
[01:02:48] Speaker A: We will talk soon.
[01:02:49] Speaker C: Bye.
[01:02:54] Speaker B: For more in depth analysis of this interview, including exclusive downloads, examples and more, don't forget to subscribe to the Interior Collective on Patreon. We are building an amazing private community of interior designers and industry experts open to candid conversations and answering questions. Join us on Patreon in the show notes
[email protected] the Interior Collection thank you so, so much for tuning into this episode. Producing this show has truly been the honor of my career and I cannot believe I get to have these conversations. The biggest thank you to you, our listeners. Your sweet notes, DMs and reviews mean so much to us as we work to keep our show free and always accessible. Until next time, I'm Anastasia Casey and this is the Interior Collective, a podcast for the business of beautiful living.
