Cheryl Stauffer, CEO of Crimson Design, is an award-winning interior designer of residential and commercial spaces. Her work is vibrant and adventurous, bringing an international flare full of culture and beauty to any space. For the past 20 years, through Crimson Design, she had been sharing her gift by bringing vivid energy to personal and social spaces throughout the Midwest.

Cheryl’s talents were not realized at a young age and came to life as she found her calling. Raised by missionary parents, Stauffer spent her early childhood in the jungles of South America, in a life completely void of color. As she grew up and discovered her talent and passion for design, Stauffer infused amazing combinations of color with an international flair into all her work.

Based in Columbus, Ohio, Crimson Design has been commissioned by developers since 2013 to design the most modern community living spaces, restaurants, bars, and areas of the city that are young, professional, and attracting talent from across the globe. Her most recent designs include Lux 23, a new luxury suite multi-living complex, and the Whisky Lounge in Columbus.

Cheryl recently spoke to Haute Residence about where she finds her inspiration and what sets Crimson Design apart in an industry full of unique talent.

Photo Courtesy of Crimson Design / Submission

Stauffer, who grew up in the untamed jungles of Paraguay, South America, was raised by Mennonite missionaries who dedicated much of their lives to helping others. “Living among the locals and indigenous Indians shaped how I look at the world,” Stauffer told us.

“It also curated my love of cultures, which has given me a different viewpoint of spirituality and made my world much larger. I was instilled with a strong faith and acceptance of people from all walks of life and I’ve carried those values into my adult life through my artistic work, philanthropic efforts, and of course, my family.”

Stauffer’s most recent work, Luxe 23, has received a tremendous amount of attention. The 113 luxury suite apartment complex located in the heart of Short North (Columbus, Ohio) has a rooftop terrace and a refined social venue known as The Whiskey Lounge.

“Our design goal was to create an experience to transport guests into another world,” Stauffer says. “The inspiration started with Pierre Frey fabric that represented caftans collected at a bazaar as colorful as Ikats. The starting point in the design was the use of color, custom brass light fixtures, mosaic tiles, and custom-designed wood cabinetry. The rooftop terrace displays chandeliers from Italy.”

Stauffer describes this as a “one-of-a-kind” piece that serves as a local landmark, creating curiosity and making for memorable Instagram moments.

Haute Design: What was the biggest challenge with Luxe 23?

Cheryl Stauffer: The design challenge was to translate and marry the developer’s vision along with the restauranteur’s vision for a seamless design of the lobby, The Whiskey Lounge, and throughout the five-story complex.

To give a new spin on modern imagery, we created unique art with a Renaissance vibe which was graffitied, with a collection of modern and old pieces comprising the art and furniture. Additionally, there is a 12-foot sculpture of a woman from the waist down, which was designed by our team and manufactured by a local company.

Within the weeks of its opening, Luxe 23 was a success for the developer and at 100 percent occupancy.

HD: Where do you pull your inspiration from today? How do you keep your designs unique / fresh / vibrant?

CS: Most of my inspiration comes from my travels and experience with other cultures. From the vibrant colors and patterns of the Massai tribe in Africa to the refined architecture in Europe, I see art and inspiration everywhere I go.

My goal is to make the typically unseen beauty, seen by people in the spaces I create. I love being able to make a difference in the lives of our clients and transform how they view and experience their spaces. The art of interior design can have an emotional and spiritual effect, and I enjoy creating something beautiful for each client to appreciate. This industry is full of makers and creatives who think outside of the box and bring ideas to life; the people and their ideas are what makes interior design so magical!

HD: Let’s talk about some of your philanthropic work, specifically with the orphanage in Thailand you are building and designing.

CS: My husband, Luis, and I have a heart for adoption. Luis was adopted from Guatemala and we have an adopted daughter, sparking our interest in having a bigger impact with children. We worked with Asia’s Hope, which provides residential housing and a family-care environment for orphaned children in Thailand, Cambodia, and India.

The project, which started in 2019, couldn’t have been done without the help of our clients and vendors, allowing us to raise $250,000 over the course of 6 months to build the home. Now, it houses 20 children with ages ranging from 2 to 16. Most of the children in the orphanage are from a hill tribe, and now have access to a safe, nurturing environment and education while staying true to their culture.

HD: Do you feel comfortable talking about your work in Columbus, designing a home for victims of human trafficking?

CS: Unfortunately, Ohio is one of the top 10 states for human trafficking, with a clean and constant need to address the issue.

We first became involved with the Rehab’s Hope project to spread awareness and bring comfort to victims. When the organization’s founder started an effort to transform a 32-bed facility into a home to transition women who are victims of trafficking and start new lives, I took the lead to gather the design community and get involved.

We enlisted the help of eight other designers, along with Value City Furniture to turn this facility into a home. We wanted this place to feel safe, warm, and comforting. We put our collective skills to work, mixing both old and new pieces to bring the rooms to life through soft colors and textures. We are excited about this project and are expecting a December 2021 completion date. 

HD: What does ‘success’ mean for you in today’s interior design industry?

CS: Success in many industries is based upon relationships, which also holds true in design. Building and maintaining long-term relationships with clients, subcontractors, and vendors is critical to long-term success. There are many layers and details to each piece of a project, as it is a complex industry. For this reason, knowing how to navigate the many working pieces and streamlining processes to increase efficiency has always, and will always need continuous improvement.

Another key to achieving success is surrounding yourself with a strong team. I have worked hard to recruit a team of thought leaders with amazing talent that are committed to the Crimson vision.

HD: What advice would you give to incoming designers, perhaps Millennial/Gen-Z targeted, on how to get started and succeed?

CS: To get to the top, you have to start at the bottom. You have to be willing to take leaps beyond just interior design - which means getting out from behind the computer and going to your sites, seeing the whole process from start to finish, and actively participating.

Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and get dirty. Some leaders I look to for inspiration that embody these values include Joni Vanderslice of J. Banks Design Group and Kit Kemp of Firmdale Hotels and Kit Kemp Design Studio.

To learn more about Crimson Design and Cheryl Stauffer’s work, CLICK HERE.

Be sure to follow Crimson Design on Instagram, @crimsondesigngroup.

Written in partnership with Ascend

The post Award Winning Designer Cheryl Stauffer Draws Inspiration From Her Childhood, Infusing The World Around Her With Color Through ‘Crimson Design’ appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Chris Stuart, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Candace Adams, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England/NY/Westchester Properties, Mary Lee Blaylock, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, and Ron Shuffield, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Properties were hosted live on Zoom by Haute Living's April Donelson.

Watch the webinar below.

Highlights quotes from today's webinar:

Chris Stuart: "One of the things that we really want to impress upon our agents is that they are not alone. They're surrounded by leaders and team members throughout our global network that are very eager and enthusiastic to help support their growth. We always want them to really feel and experience that, and be a living part of our value proposition... We have tried to distill what we're focused on in that regard into three areas three buckets: inspiration, information, and instruction... To operate with longevity means that you're playing the long game and you don't need to be so encumbered by trying to win and find shortcuts every single day be committed to the journey, not the destination. And those things are served our organization, very, very well... Our number one and pretty much sole criteria is, can we find operators, CEOs, and owners that are representative of the quality, the experience, the integrity, the leadership chops has demonstrated by the three great CEOs here on this panel. If we find that person, wherever they might be around the world, we want them to be affiliated with our brand."

Candace Adams: "The one thing that stood out to me in this four-month period was the resilience and stamina of our sales associates and how they pivoted so quickly, and were able to really conduct their business within all the restraints that were put forth for them in the CDC protocols, etc. We had a really huge January and February; momentum was fabulous. They were very, very busy with selling real estate and all of a sudden that stopped and they pivoted and took their energy into community effort right away... Our team in California is very nimble. We feel really well taken care of and and and have access to these tools that are just digital in nature and virtual that we just rolled right into it. So we were very lucky to have that and we continue to expand on those. And I think that's the new norm.

Mary Lee Blaylock: "For us in Southern California, which I think might very well be the case in certain other luxury markets across the United States, it's about affordability and availability. We have a shortage of inventory occurring, and that has not been a new phenomenon, but an ongoing one. Then you add a pandemic to it and it's a little bit of a new mix. The affordability remains an issue for an average first-time homebuyer. When homes in that affordable range come on the market, there are multiple offers going on... One of the biggest tools that I have found, and that all of, I think, the family of companies have found into the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Network, is simply that there's a common collaboration that happens. When you want to try something or experience something, it's very open for communication and communication. It enhances all that we are trying to accomplish on a local level and brings it national and internationally in scope."

Ron Shuffield: "In our particular market, the eastern coastline of the United States, is becoming closer and closer to each other. We refer to Miami now as the sixth borough of New York because we have so many connections with the New York market. Candace and I share a lot of referrals back and forth with our associates and managers... We set up a whole new website during this period, and still existing today, called EWMopenhouses.com, and basically, it's a complementary site to our main website... The fact that we have a big you know 50,000 base agent base across the globe is really helped us tremendously because we've been talking with a lot of those people more than we ever have before... New blood is a big part of our business. I've had many Zoom conferences with associates interested in joining our company in the last four months, and new people are here working with us today that joined us during (this period)."

Sign up for upcoming webinars by Haute Residence:

Wednesday, July 1st at 4PM EST /1PM PST

Passion and Function Design Panel with Baxter Miami

A special design panel with luxury bespoke Italian furniture atelier, Baxter Miami, and learn about the brand's passion, innovation and timeless pieces. REGISTER.

Tuesday, July 7th at 5PM EST / 2PM PST

The Estates at Acqualina President of Sales Michael Goldstein will offer the tools to help you sell, and he will show why The Estates at Acqualina provides what the world is looking for, given today's current situation. REGISTER.

Watch previous webinars by Haute Residence at dev.hauteresidence.com.

Top: Mary Lee Blaylock, Candace Adams. Bottom: Chris Stuart, Ron Shuffield

The post Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices CEO Panel Joins Haute Residence For Exclusive Webinar appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Louis Birdman, Shahab S. Karmely, Edgardo Defortuna, Daniel Kodsi, Gil Dezer, Eric Fordin, Ricardo Tabet, Marcelo Kingston

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

The panelists spoke extensively about the past, present and future of development growth in Miami, South Florida, on national, and international levels. Their developments in Miami have generated worldwide headlines and were rightfully highlighted in their answers. As well-known names in the real estate and development community, they were the perfect start to the full day's worth of panels at the Summit.

Gil Dezer, Kamal Hotchandani, Sebastian Tettamanti

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Residences by Armani/Casa developer Gil Dezer, President of Dezer Development remarked on the boom that the real estate industry in Miami is experiencing. "(To) people trying to time the market and be financial analysts, stop," he said. "If you think it's expensive now, just wait, because it's not going to get any cheaper," answering about why people should buy properties now.

Shahab S. Karmely speaking at "Titans of Miami" panel

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Shahab S. Karmely, Founder of KAR Properties LLC and a staple in the development world of Miami having developed marvels like One River Point, once again participated in the exclusive panel at Haute Residence's annual real estate summit.

Daniel Kodsi speaking at "Titans of Miami" panel

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Daniel Kodsi, CEO of Royal Palm Companies, spoke about PARAMOUNT Miami Worldcenter, a project that is taking downtown Miami and South Florida by storm as the most amenitized building in the U.S., situated 90 feet above the ground. "When we started talking about it, we said 'let's do one great building. It has got to survive probably through a couple of markets from the day you launch it to the day you finish it,'" he said, helping to grasp the longevity of time and "developments" that can happen throughout the building of a project the size of PARAMOUNT.

Louis Birdman speaking at "Titans of Miami" panel

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Louis Birdman echoed that and added, "Miami is a relative bargain compared to other global cities". The South Florida cosmopolitan city has attracted hundreds, if not thousands, of residents from high-profile areas like New York. As co-developer of the recently-completed One Thousand Museum by Zaha Hadid Architects, designed by the architecture genius, he said, "We wanted someone that had no preconception about Miami" as he remembered how Hadid ended up as the one for the job.

Ricardo Tabet speaking at "Titans of Miami" panel

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Ricardo Tabet, Co-founder and CEO of Optimum Development USA was present less than a week since the groundbreaking ceremony of Monaco Yacht Club & Residences, the boutique luxury residential building that will house its own marina in the MiMo district of Miami Beach.

Edgardo Defortuna speaking at "Titans of Miami" panel

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Co-founder and CEO of Fortune International Group and Miami expert Edgardo Defortuna said, "Miami attracts the best crowds of everyone throughout the world," as he spoke fondly of the Magic City and its surroundings, where he has been responsible for billions of dollars in real estate transactions.

Eric Fordin speaking at "Titans of Miami" panel

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Eric Fordin, Vice President at The Related Group, joined Haute Residence's real estate summit for the first time. Fordin oversees land acquisition, partnership agreements, development budget creation, project fiscal responsibility at Related, which he joined in 2004.

Marcelo Kingston speaking at "Titans of Miami" panel

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Marcelo Kingston, Managing Partner of Multiplan Real Estate Asset Management (REAM) said, "The connectivity to the beach, to the boardwalk and the natural landscape of Miami will make your life at 57 Ocean unique and special," as he described the highly-anticipated project's, which recently hosted a special dinner for the Haute Living Dallas issue featuring NFL Hall of Famer Troy Aikman during Super Bowl week.

Moderator Alex Vidal with "Titans of Miami" panelists

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

President of RelatedISG International Realty Alex Vidal served as Moderator for the panel, asking questions of the Titans that produced answers which engaged and did not let go of the audience for over an hour. A successful start to the real estate summit that was just getting started.

The post Insightful Developer Panel Started Haute Residence 2020 Luxury Miami Real Estate Summit appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.