Luxury Living with Debrae Little

Wesley Knight 0:00
This is a Kun V studios original program. The content of this program does not reflect the views or opinions of 91.5 jazz and more the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education. The

Debrae Little 0:49
Derek, hello. This is Debra little with luxury and living with Debre, where we discuss all things that have to do with interior design. Our guest today is Derek Campbell, and he's a manufacturer sales rep, and he's been doing this for 10 plus years. And let me tell you, he has an amazing, colorful personality and dress, and actually he's wearing a mermaid suit today. I'd call it purple, and it's reflected. It's actually

Derek Campbell 1:19
a merman suit today. Oh, me, oh, I'm sorry. Oh, okay,

Debrae Little 1:23
all right, I appreciate that you'll get a chance to get a peek at this amazing outfit later today on Instagram at

Derek Campbell 1:33
Derek soup, D, E, R, E, k, s, o, u, p.

Debrae Little 1:37
Well, thank you for that. Thank you for bringing the sunshine to our day. I mean, it's like so glaring, it's blinding me. I hope I can stay focused on today's show, but Derek is going to tell us about a little bit about what he does as a manufacturer's rep, and we'll start with that great

Derek Campbell 1:55
well, yes, so again, been in the industry for a long time. I've lived in the Las Vegas area, coming up on 35 years. And my my specialty has always been dealing with interior designers, hospitality designers, and then what we call residential retail designers. And so I've always tried to find brands that cater towards that type of clientele. So the stuff that's innovative, fashion forward, fresh new and obviously something that's super good quality and very durable.

Debrae Little 2:23
Well, I appreciate that so and that thinking, then are we looking at furniture and lighting?

Derek Campbell 2:30
Yeah, yeah. So I am what's called a multi line sales rep. So I have different brands that I represent, and I've always kind of gone after furniture lighting, and then what we call accessory or decor items.

Debrae Little 2:42
Decor items are my favorite. That's, yeah, it is. It's a finishing touch. As we all say that we like to think that it is the jewelry or the of the home, correct. Yeah, correct. So one of my questions to you is, since you're deeply engaged in all things furniture and lighting and decor accessories. What are the three top trends this year?

Derek Campbell 3:08
Organic, obviously, is huge. It's been that way since COVID. So that's one of those things where people are trying to find outdoor items, outdoor trends, nature at its finest, and bring that inside their house. So organic is very popular. Also, we've seen a trend in jewel tones in the different colors. So we've seen some rusts, some greens, kind of those fun burnt orange mustard, orange yellow stuff like that. That 70s vibes, 80s, early 80s vibes are coming back. So that's kind of what I see right now. In terms of current trends I

Debrae Little 3:42
see, so you're saying that we will see that in in terms of, like a sofa or a chair, those kind of things, when you say that you're seeing those trend colors, Yeah, correct. Okay, yes. Well, that's interesting. I like all of those. I have a client, a lot of clients as an interior design I have a lot of clients who are asking for the biophilic design, and I think that what, what the offerings that you have kind of lead right into that particular category, what clients are looking for. Now, can you share a few products that are making waves in outdoor design?

Derek Campbell 4:15
For sure, I've got so again, I represent multiple companies, but I've got a super high end outdoor, indoor, outdoor furniture company called Kenneth kaboom play. And I have the spin chair, and it is absolutely a cool, gorgeous design. And what is making it super popular right now is not only just the design, but the materials that it's made out of. So we are actually using carbon fiber in this chair. So that's exactly what they're using in space engineering right now, and supercars. It's that same material. So it's super lightweight and very durable, almost indestructible. Well,

Debrae Little 4:50
you know what? Educate me a little bit more on carbon fibers. I mean, where do they they come from? What does that actually mean? Is it something that is recycled material? What do you mean by carbon fibers? I'm not sure what that yes,

Derek Campbell 5:02
you know, I'm not 100% unsure and actually, how it is manufactured and made it. But again, it is one of those materials that you are seeing that was revolutionized and modernized more with cars. When race cars were trying to become more lighter and faster. This was a material that was found to work that, again, takes away a lot of weight with but still holds that structure and durability. So

Debrae Little 5:26
the spin chair that you just mentioned, does it swivel?

Derek Campbell 5:30
It does not swivel. It is a stationary chair. So why the name spin chair? Because of the design element. So all of the designs that Kenneth comes up with very organic and whimsical, and he's taking the inspiration that he got and putting it into that design. So this has a spin look to it, I

Debrae Little 5:51
see. So this particular chair could be used in, is it only indoor

Derek Campbell 5:56
or outdoor? No. So technically, this chair would have a universal use.

Debrae Little 5:59
Oh, great. So that leads me into what you think in terms of what would be the item if you were to describe the perfect outdoor living situation for a client, and what were those? What would those components be, or what elements immediately come to mind in the mix of putting together this wonderful like, say, seating area or conversation area?

Derek Campbell 6:22
To me, one of the keenest right now in outdoor living is an outdoor kitchen. Actually, for years, we've always used the indoor dining, the indoor island as a gathering spot. Right when somebody comes over, we're eating a meal. The island is where everybody kind of gathers. So the outdoor fireplace, fire setup kitchen is kind of that same thing where you can create that same esthetic that used to have indoors, but now it's outdoors, and people can gather around and eat,

Debrae Little 6:53
I see, so it sounds as if, well, it sounds like there's a second island. Correct. Nourse, correct, basically,

Derek Campbell 7:02
right. I don't need to go back inside and just keep it outside, yeah, which, which is very

Debrae Little 7:05
beneficial. It saves time. And, you know, less, I'm sorry if you I'm certain if you have a sink out there and and your new outdoor kitchen, that cleanups will be easier and all of that at the same time. Correct? Okay, that that makes sense. What are some of the must have features to elevate an outdoor area from, say, ordinary to extraordinary, with with the exception of the island, which you mentioned,

Derek Campbell 7:35
I think it comes down to comfortable seating. That's one of those things that obviously is going to elevate the the esthetic is one of those where it needs to be an inviting space, but also one that you can actually stay into that. I think that would probably be the best one outside of the kitchen. So

Debrae Little 7:52
if it's going to be something that's comfortable and transitions well to outdoors, are we saying thinking that maybe it's going to be a particular fabrication, and this particular sofa or piece that that makes it so that it's plush and enduring for the you know, we live in Vegas, you know, the sun is very brutal here. So what would that particular sofa be made out of? I mean, the manufacturer, you may know what kind of fabric they're using, or do you want to share that with us? Yeah,

Derek Campbell 8:22
correct, for sure it is. It's one of those things. Years ago, furniture designers would have to figure out what fabric could be used and then design a furniture piece to go with it. Right now, it's been so innovative. We've got major companies such as like a Sunbrella that maybe a lot of people know that name. It's been so innovative in terms of the materials and the fabrics that they've been able to come out with for outdoor use that now makes it easier for furniture designers to design pieces first and then find a fabrication, a fabric, a plush fabric, like you're talking about, that works on their application,

Debrae Little 9:00
I see So that leads me to the actual manufacturing, say, of the sofa. Are you seeing things still made from metal, and I'm assuming that would be heat tempered, or are they using more natural agreement, agreement, ingredients or products, since we that's where we started, like teak, or what, what's, the rage now? What's the material that most of these furniture pieces are being made out of these days? It's

Derek Campbell 9:25
definitely organic. It's definitely strong and popular in terms of the look and the actual physical material. You definitely still see some powder coated aluminum out there. That's one of the strong ones. Teak, like you brought up, is probably the most popular in the outdoor wood species for its longevity. It's one of those that it can be can turn very brittle. It's one of those woods that does need moisture. So if you do have tea products, especially here in our desert environment, it's one of those that you do have to get away. You have to get some moisture on it, or it will dry. It will crack. But again, you're seeing that the top. Up in companies are getting very innovative and finding different materials, like that spin chair we talked about with the carbon fiber, where this wasn't a normal material used in furniture years ago, but now we're finding that it works outdoors and it can be used into furniture. Well,

Debrae Little 10:14
that's good to know, I mean, because with living here in Las Vegas, we'd like to do inside, outside living. We'd like during the summer to take take it outdoors and enjoy it and have it just be just as comfortable as it is in the indoors. So that's good to know, even

Derek Campbell 10:29
on that too, you've got rattan is another big medium that I'm thinking about right now. Used to be huge back in the 60s and 70s, and it's kind of making a comeback right now, wicker and rattan, but it's one of those that that gets eaten up in our Las Vegas heat, for sure. But again, I'm seeing a lot of that stuff trending back into style for indoor furniture. So that's where you can find some of these pieces that work indoors when the party's happening. That's something you can drag outside, take outside, use for the outdoor party, and then take it back inside. But it's one of those for sure. The heat in Vegas and the rain, whatever, eventually will degrade those types of materials.

Debrae Little 11:05
So is there anything that you've seen that's outdated, that it's no longer plausible? And you know, you walk into say, if you have the opportunity to walk with one of your designers into a client's home and they want you to advise them, and you look out and you're like, Oh, my God, this has got to go. Is there anything that in your mind that you would think that's definitely did it did not meet the time. Meet the times isn't in line with what we're currently doing.

Derek Campbell 11:36
Yeah, you know, it's like, I'm a child of the 80s. I grew up, was born and raised in the 80s, and you know, the old fold up chairs, right? The fold up loungers that would collapse on you, and the plastic, whatever that was trading that went through those, obviously, that stuff is outdated in trash. But really, when it comes down to outdoor design and styles and trends, if you don't like it, it's it's not in trend. So that's what I tell people, don't worry about the trends. Find what you like and then go with it. It's going to last, whatever you pick at that time, if you like it, it's going to be one of those that you're going to enjoy for years to come. And I wouldn't worry

Debrae Little 12:12
about it. Well, I appreciate that, because that's not the advice I give to my clients, or I wouldn't have work. I try to update them and carry them forward. I mean, some of them obviously buy pieces that will, you know, last the test of time, but some of the things are kind of questionable in my mind that hang around. But you know what? They're also the possibility of having them sprayed and made another color too. You know, I do things like that to extend the life of a piece of furniture that I think needs to be retired. That's funny. What role does landscaping play in creating a luxurious outdoor living experience?

Derek Campbell 12:54
Landscaping is huge, right? You're getting into an outdoor space. You're creating furniture situation of sitting, if the environment isn't right, it's why do you want to be there, right? So I kind of look at it as, kind of like an artist perspective is, it's the framing, it's the the the extra color that was added to that canvas. But that's actually what is framing out your outdoor design. And so you're going to use those different colors, different mediums to make it a complete picture.

Debrae Little 13:23
I see, so does, having said that, and I'm going to bring this, bring our temperature, and I heat up again. Do you see that sometimes people in putting together their outdoor spaces? Maybe forget about umbrellas, perhaps. Or, you know, those will play into your landscape as well. I mean, and are you? Is that something that you represent? You represent companies that offer the gigantic, big umbrellas?

Derek Campbell 13:54
Yes, those are definitely out there. I've had, I've had one company in the past that have just done regular telescopic umbrellas, but that's definitely one that you can find. But another key one here in our desert heat is getting pergolas, some type of structure, right? That'll kind of put it out there and kind of break up that sun a little bit. You could even get some nice plush fabrics, outdoor fabrics, that you can weave through those that, again, will temper down that sun, direct sunlight and kind of keep that space a little cooler. Well,

Debrae Little 14:24
I know everybody's looking for that, because pretty soon, I mean, spring is right around the corner, and then next there's summer. So what are some of the common pitfalls that you've encountered, or people encounter when they're designing space? What are the things that they should not do or should avoid

Derek Campbell 14:42
waiting too long. Oh, so it's one of those things I tell people, especially in an outdoor environment, right, that you've got to plan ahead for that, ordering that product and getting it here, one of my things I like to tell my customers is that your bikini body isn't made. In June, right? You want that bikini body? You're not starting in June,

Debrae Little 15:05
right? No, you start in January. That's

Derek Campbell 15:08
exactly 100% that's exactly what retail stores do in the furniture space, is they are actually ordering their product in December and January for the summer season, so they are ready for it. And you should be doing the same. You should be looking into that product early, while the snow is still on the ground in your environment, whatever it is, you should be looking into that so,

Debrae Little 15:27
in other words, we're not, we're not going to experience any back orders.

Derek Campbell 15:32
It's one of those. You wait too late, then it's going to be next summer before you can enjoy that furniture.

Debrae Little 15:36
Oh no. Well, I'm going to take that advice and push a little bit more since I'm currently working on a backyard project. Yeah. What materials do you recommend for outdoor furniture that combines luxury and durability? Maybe we talked about this a little bit, though. You talked about maybe the iron products that you still see, that are there? You see some of the natural materials? Well, let's just, let's jump to specific colors or palettes that that that trend toward luxury and outdoor environments. What are we seeing in terms of the color palettes this season?

Derek Campbell 16:14
Well, you definitely, in general, you want to stick with natural tones. Okay, some more, some neutrals, find something with some Luxe finishes on it, so it's easy on the eye, and those don't trend out over time in terms of furniture, just overall furniture color trends. Blue is a color that has never trended out, so that's always a safe one to use that color anywhere. But of course, obviously outdoors helps us remind us of water the sky. So blue is always a safe bet, too.

Debrae Little 16:44
So then that would be, I could do a blue wicker, like sectional, or maybe my cushions are blue and my neutral sectional, that kind of thing, right, correct. And then I guess I could pick that up in the area rug or the outdoor rug, yeah, correct, to create a nice, even balance of color, yeah, all right. What advice do you have for maximizing small outdoor spaces without compromising on luxury?

Derek Campbell 17:14
There is a trend going on right now where outdoor space is small, with maybe a pool in the backyard of getting a retractable cover that you can actually stand on. So that is something that you can find. If that is your type of situation. I've always told my designers to find impactful pieces. So don't worry about trying to fill the space with a whole bunch of product. Find a couple pieces that are going to magnify what you're trying to do and make that space work. Don't over complicate it.

Debrae Little 17:44
Well that I appreciate that, but that leads to me to the question of all of the condominium dwellers that are here, yeah, and they are working with a small balcony and space, what would would you say, would be key for them, if they're trying to create a seating area, if you will, in a small safe space. What would be the, let's say, what would be the three items that you think would be absolutely necessary to have a cozy place to sit outside and maybe enjoy a an iced tea or a lemonade, you know, providing that they do have coverage in our hats on right?

Derek Campbell 18:23
I think again, it comes down to getting to making that space as much like an indoor space as possible. So you kind of brought up, you know, a rug. I would definitely find a good performance rug that you could put down with some seating and some type of side table, Martini table, to place a drink down, but it's one of those where it just, you've got to find a place to sit and relax. And, you know, in some of those tight situations, and might just be one chair, two chairs, but it always kind of comes down to buying quality too, right? We talk about as interior designers, and that you want to, we want to get away from the disposable furniture aspect, right? That's that's kind of been the trend for years, is who can make it cheaper? And an outdoor furniture that is not ideal, you you're going to find outdoor furniture is going to be a little bit more pricier than your indoor furniture, and that's for a reason, because it has to sustain that outdoor temperatures, outdoor sunlight, and if you're not buying the right product, it's just going to go right in the garbage. Yeah,

Debrae Little 19:22
that would have been a waste of money for sure time and energy. What? Okay, how about you share some tips for creating, well, I think you actually did that. Some tips for creating a cozy atmosphere that feels inviting. You talked about we touched on outdoor kitchens a little bit. But what would you think that enhances the value of an outdoor kitchen? You a client has one there? What's missing?

Derek Campbell 19:55
A pizza oven? I will tell you. So like, you know me, I love I love barbecuing. So I'm the, I'm a steak and potato kind of guy. I've always loved the meats. So the grill is my focal point. That would be my key investment. But I can tell you that I have some great family memories of being outdoor, in a different environment, where somebody had an outdoor pizza oven, and it was, create your own pizza, make your own pizza, cook your own pizza kind of thing, and it was one of those things that we still talk about to this day. So that's that's something that you can invest in if you don't have that, add that to your space. Okay?

Debrae Little 20:30
Well, we talked, we haven't talked much about lighting, so let's pivot to that in terms of outdoor spaces. Are there products that you currently are vendors you represent that offer outdoor lighting,

Derek Campbell 20:47
yes? So like, yeah, definitely. Lighting is one of those that even gets a little bit tougher in terms of more Designer Friendly, right? We see the kind of industrial outdoor stuff that's everywhere. My again, my Kenneth kaboom kaboom play line is coming out with more outdoor furniture. This outdoor lighting, excuse me, this year, but lighting is very critical. So that's one of those things that we obviously see before we even get to the outdoor space. Is the light? What light are we attracted to? What's, in that sense, is going to enact in us? So that should be key for sure. I mean, we see as human beings, we'll drive hours and hours away from city lights just to get outdoors and see the star lights right so we're drawn towards light. We've got to make sure it's the right light in those situations, so that it's warm and inviting.

Debrae Little 21:37
So do you think that it would be a combination of different type of lighting elements to that space, whether it's lights that we string upon a pergola, or is it more I've seen, I've seen a lot of the lit globes that seem to be really nice around the pool area are Maybe there's some type of lighting that you would suggest for over an eating area as an example that would be sustainable. And, you know, and work for a setting like that where people are trying to hopefully eat and stay cool. Is there such a thing? Yeah,

Derek Campbell 22:16
so, I mean, definitely, kind of talked about there's portable lanterns, ground lanterns that you can put out and bring back inside when when not in use, that can gives a nice ambient glow and a nice warm, inviting state to it. Then a lot of innovations in just table portable lamps. Again, I've got another company called zodex that that was a big introduction just last month, where we came out with a whole line of portable table lamps that all hold a charge. So it's one of those where you can use that out. And they're outdoor friendly, anyways, but it's one of those you can take outside, no cord, nothing needed, use it for the light that it's needed, and then take it back inside when you're done.

Debrae Little 22:54
That's something that I've actually been on my shopping list. Was trying to find outdoor light. I'm also trying to find something that actually has a remote for those clients who want to charge it, but they don't want to turn have the pain of turning it on and off. If there's if there's a remote, let me know after the broadcast, because I am looking for something like that for an outdoor backyard that I'm working at on on how does seasonal changing affect outdoor design? I know that this past year when the Super Bowl rolled around, it wasn't that cold, if I'm not mistaken, it was kind of a nice day. And if you're set up and you have your big screen television and your covered patio or uncovered what, what would you what would you see? What would be, well, I wouldn't say, what would you see, some of the furniture that you've discussed already. Would that be appropriate for this this time of year, because I have that two questions. One is, what works during Super Bowl season, say, January or February? I think it was in February. Yeah. And then what happens with furniture throughout the year? What do we do with it? Okay,

Derek Campbell 24:16
so main advice, any obviously, that depends on your esthetic, right, and where you're living at your environment. So we we have here in Las Vegas, we have almost year round outdoor living where you don't get that in the Midwest. But what I tell my people is, regardless of what area, what temperature setting you're in, remove any seat cushions if you're not in use. If you can take those inside, take those inside, and also invest in good quality tarp covers. So that's one of those things. Just cover that furniture up. Kind of a key example is the cars that we drive every day, right? They're designed for outdoor use, but they look a lot better if they're stored in a garage than on the street.

Debrae Little 24:56
That's true. That's true. They get very dirty. You. And everything else they're exposed to, all the elements. So that's definitely something that an advice that I do give my clients, and try to stress that, but I tell you, have quite a few that just leave it out there. Yeah, it works. But it works for me because then next year I can just redo the question, yeah, and that's that's

Derek Campbell 25:19
true too, going back to buying the quality pieces, right? If you buy a good frame, you spent money on a good product, you know, the core of the item, the cushions can be refabricated, recovered at minimal costs, and you're now destroying the entire piece or starting over, right, which

Debrae Little 25:33
is nice for them, expands the longevity. Yeah, correct. Are there any eco friendly trends in the luxury outdoor market, that that are particularly interesting. Well, kind

Derek Campbell 25:44
of like you talked about at the beginning of the conversation here, the biophilia, you know, that's the human tendency to connect with nature and other outdoor living items. And so that movement has been huge since COVID. And so that trend is not going away. That is helping with our mental awareness, our mental strength, and even expanding people's lifespans. So that's one that I would tell people to invest in and make as much of the outdoor life as possible that you can do. Yeah, you're

Debrae Little 26:14
telling them to make take advantage of their life, actually their life and their lifestyle, correct? We're all hoping to extend that in these days, that times that we live in. What piece of advice would you give to someone looking to create their dream outdoor oasis? There's no budget.

Derek Campbell 26:36
My designers love the no budget. Yeah,

Debrae Little 26:37
right. That's what's funny. Is a joke, yeah, that's

Derek Campbell 26:42
right, right? But literally, take your time. It's one of those, you know, this is a big investment for most people. Take your time. Don't rush it. I always say to and end user consumers, is that to get a trained and certified interior designer involved, it's one of those things where I say people you don't know what you don't know, so hire somebody that does know to make it less expensive.

Debrae Little 27:08
Yeah, I appreciate it. That's good advice. Well, I'm going to say thank you Derek for being such an excellent guest today, and thank our listening audience for listening to luxury living with Debray, we appreciate your support here at K u n v, share with us your friends and family and have them listen at K u n v, K u n v, 91.5 every third Sunday morning at 930 morning until next month. This is Debre little with luxury living. Dave, wishing you well. Thanks for having me. You're welcome. Thank you.