We’re designing Seattle’s first office building to housing conversion since the pandemic. Read more…
Design Goggles is a podcast about design, hosted by Charles Fadem and Rachel Simrell Scott of Board & Vellum.

Design Goggles

Tune into Board & Vellum’s inaugural podcast on B&V Radio.

Hosts Charles Fadem and Rachel Simrell Scott talk about the evolution of the world around us through the lens of design. Architecture, interior design, graphic design, fashion, art, tech, UX and more — no corner of the design world is off-limits as we invite guests to share with us how design informs their work, life, and the spaces they inhabit.

Charles Fadem Charles Fadem
Rachel Simrell Scott Rachel Simrell Scott

Looking Back

with Rachel Scott & Charles Fadem of Design Goggles

To celebrate 50 episodes, Rachel & Charles look back at Design Goggles’ origins and how it evolved from a chat about design in Seattle into a chat about design in all sorts of places and spaces.

Episode 050
March 27, 2020
58:26
Tune in.

Gridiron to the Gallery

with former NFL receiver D’Andre Goodwin of ZJ Group

Guest D’Andre Goodwin chats with Charles and Rachel about how some of Seattle’s iconic murals come to be, including the ever-changing mural at Nuemo’s.

Episode 049
February 25, 2020
37:27
Tune in.

We Don’t Need No Education

with Jeff Sandler of Mahlum & UW Architecture

Guest Jeff Sandler chats with Charles and Rachel about changes in architectural education and what it‘s like to teach while practicing architecture.

Episode 048
February 5, 2020
41:02
Tune in.

Values Driven Design

with Tara Clark of Believe Love Unite

Guest Tara Clark chats with Charles and Rachel about how the “In this house, we believe...” signs ubiquitous in progressive Seattle came to be, and how they turned into a global movement.

Episode 047
January 22, 2020
49:24
Tune in.

Downtown Lowdown

with Don Blakeney of the Downtown Seattle Association

Guest Don Blakeney chats with Charles and Rachel about the past, present, and future of downtown Seattle and how architects, designers, planners, developers, and communities can shape cities for the better.

Episode 046
January 7, 2020
01:05:20
Tune in.

The Cybertruck Moment

with Charles Fadem and Rachel Scott of Board & Vellum

Charles and Rachel chat about Tesla’s polarizing Cybertruck, the misadventures of its launch, and what it means for the design world — cars, trucks, or otherwise.

Episode 045
December 17, 2019
48:03
Tune in.

Experimental Design

with Scott Crawford of LMNts

Guest Scott Crawford chats with Charles and Rachel about how technological advances like 3D rendering technology, 3D printers, CNC Routers, and inexpensive recycled materials, are changing the world of architecture.

Episode 044
December 3, 2019
59:03
Tune in.

Coffee’s On Us

with Kala Wolfe of Onda Origins Coffee

Guest Kala Wolfe chats with Charles and Rachel about what really goes into that cup of coffee you’re drinking (including what goes into its price) and how the truth behind the coffee industry can inform the design of coffee shops.

Episode 043
November 19, 2019
31:47
Tune in.

Short Run Design

with Charles Fadem and Rachel Scott of Board & Vellum

Charles and Rachel chat about what it means for the design world if the obsession with “short-run design,” “one-offs,” and “limited runs” becomes not just a trend but a long-term pattern.

Episode 042
October 22, 2019
38:54
Tune in.

Just Park(let) Here: Owning Your City with Tactical Urbanism

with Taylor McNeill

Guest Taylor McNeill chats with Charles and Rachel about tactical urbanism: what it is, why you’ve probably already seen it in your city, and how it can have a lasting beneficial impact on your community and city.

Episode 041
September 16, 2019
40:41
Tune in.

Tacos and the Perils of Modern Design

with Charles Fadem and Rachel Scott of Board & Vellum

Charles and Rachel chat about the habit of designers telling people how to live and the conflict that creates between the designers of spaces and the people who inhabit those spaces. And also about tacos.

Episode 040
September 3, 2019
35:56
Tune in.

1 Bar, 2 Bars, Old Bar, New Bar

with Linda Derschang of the Derschang Group

Guest Linda Derschang chats with Charles and Rachel about the design stories behind popular Seattle hangouts like Linda’s Tavern and Oddfellows, and the role design plays in creating beloved, authentic nightlife spots.

Episode 039
August 20, 2019
48:50
Tune in.

Breaking Bjarke

with Charles Fadem and Rachel Scott of Board & Vellum

Charles and Rachel chat about the impact celebrity architects — a.k.a. starchitects, like Bjarke Ingles — and how the representation of architects in pop culture impacts the actual profession of architecture in real life.

Episode 038
July 23, 2019
44:29
Tune in.

Design in the Age of FOMO

with Jordan Lyon of The Evergrey

Guest Jordan Lyon chats with Charles and Rachel about how the cultural phenomenon of FOMO — Fear of Missing Out — impacts how we now design and plan events.

Episode 037
July 23, 2019
40:37
Tune in.

Thinking Ink

with Christy Lillard of Laughing Buddha Tattoo

Guest Christy Lillard chats with Charles and Rachel about the tattoo taboo — why a stigma persists around an ancient art form of personal expression, and the impact it has on artists, owners, and the tattooed.

Episode 036
July 9, 2019
46:07
Tune in.

Graphic Seattle

with Natalie Ross, Co-Author of Seattleness

Guest Natalie Ross chats with Charles and Rachel about the research and design process behind the book of Pacific Northwest-centric infographics she co-authored with Tera Hatfield and Jenny Kempson: Seattleness.

Episode 035
June 18, 2019
33:28
Tune in.

Greenwashing

with Ryan Adanalian

Guest Ryan Adanalian chats with Charles and Rachel about the sustainable efforts of companies, how many of them might just be greenwashing, and how to know the difference.

Episode 034
June 4, 2019
34:06
Tune in.

All The Feels

with Marissa Lada of Honey Lune Hivery

Guest Marissa Lada chats with Charles and Rachel about how emotions, feelings, and other non-linear sensations can and should impact design choices and how we can approach bringing them into the design process.

Episode 033
May 14, 2019
49:06
Tune in.

The Word “Design”

with Charles Fadem and Rachel Scott of Board & Vellum

Charles and Rachel chat about the word “design” itself: how the word is both specific and vague leading to tension and conflict among designers for who gets to use it, when, and where.

Episode 032
April 30, 2019
31:30
Tune in.

(Dis)Respect The Hustle

with Jeff Pelletier of Board & Vellum

Guest Jeff Pelletier chats with Charles and Rachel about the glamorization of overwork, and what it means for work culture, our health, and our lives if a whole generation is teetering on the edge of burnout.

Episode 031
March 26, 2019
38:33
Tune in.

Design and Digital Space

with Blake Scott of Microsoft

Guest Blake Scott chats with Charles and Rachel about why a traditional degree in architecture is actually very applicable for designing and building in the digital realm.

Episode 030
March 12, 2019
42:00
Tune in.

Post Truth Design: Part 3

with Monica Guzman of The Evergrey

Guest Monica Guzman chats with Charles and Rachel about the role journalists and news organizations play in navigating a world where “truth” is debatable.

Episode 029
February 26, 2019
45:13
Tune in.

Post Truth Design: Part 2

with Gabriel Stromberg of Civilization

Guest Gabriel Stromberg chats with Charles and Rachel about the role and impact graphic designers have, operating at ground zero of the battle between fiction and fact.

Episode 028
February 5, 2019
49:48
Tune in.

Post Truth Design: Part 1

with Chris Guillot of Merchant Method

Guest Chris Guillot chats with Charles and Rachel about how to design unique and authentic retail experiences when every element is approached with distrust and skepticism.

Episode 027
January 16, 2019
55:21
Tune in.

Communities in Need

with Fabian Bedolla of 14+ Foundation

Guest Fabian Bedolla chats with Charles and Rachel about how design doesn’t have to be only for the privileged, but how design can make a real difference in communities in need around the world.

Episode 026
December 18, 2018
32:46
Tune in.

In Good Taste

with Brian Baker of Board & Vellum

Guest Brian Baker chats with Charles and Rachel about the difficult concept of assigning or judging what constitutes good or bad taste in the world of design.

Episode 025
December 4, 2018
42:51
Tune in.

Latest Developments

with Sandy Wolf

Guest Sandy Wolf chats with Charles and Rachel about Seattle’s relationship status with architects and developers (and her once side gig of hosting speed dating events). Spoiler Alert: “It‘s complicated.”

Episode 024
November 21, 2018
52:27
Tune in.

Local Color

with Ciera Shaver of Myownpantone

Guest Ciera Shaver chats with Charles and Rachel about the value of color in our lives and how exposure to color impacts our quality of life, especially in the often-gray Pacific Northwest.

Episode 023
November 6, 2018
44:30
Tune in.

A Total Fabrication

with Mike Marian of Marian Built

Guest Mike Marian chats with Charles and Rachel about the art and craft of designing and building small custom spaces so they make an outsized impact on those who inhabit them.

Episode 022
October 23, 2018
54:14
Tune in.

Ethical Design

with Michael Ellsworth of Civilization

Guest Michael Ellsworth chats with Charles and Rachel about how designers can serve their clients while making values-based decisions during project acquisition and the subsequent design process.

Episode 021
August 21, 2018
40:39
Tune in.

Light and Day

with CJ Brockway of Sparklab

Guest CJ Brockway chats with Charles and Rachel about the special relationship Seattleites have with both natural and artificial light, and how we can take better advantage of light’s offerings when designing spaces.

Episode 020
July 30, 2018
35:28
Tune in.

Seattle’s Big Time

with Jeff Shulman of The Seattle Growth Podcast

Guest Jeff Shulman chats with Charles and Rachel about how it’s possible to cheer for growth in Seattle while still preserving the soul of the city and protecting the space and voice of long-term residents.

Episode 019
June 26, 2018
42:28
Tune in.

The Seattle Single Experience

with Danielle Koval of Tawkify

Guest Danielle Koval chats with Charles and Rachel about how to navigate Seattle’s tough dating scene and the delicate culture clash between locals and the new-to-town.

Episode 018
June 13, 2018
46:32
Tune in.

Work to Live

with Jeff Pelletier of Board & Vellum

Guest Jeff Pelletier chats with Charles and Rachel about how to approach and implement lofty work culture goals in the notoriously pressurized profession of architecture and design.

Episode 017
May 22, 2018
52:28
Tune in.

Electric Collaboration

with Duffy of Electric Coffin and Ryan Adanalian of Board & Vellum

Guests Duffy of Electric Coffin and Ryan Adanalian of Board & Vellum chat with Charles and Rachel about the challenges and advantages of cross-disciplinary creative collaboration.

Episode 016
May 2, 2018
46:05
Tune in.

Made in Seattle

with Tina Witherspoon of Boho Republic

Guest Tina Witherspoon chats with Charles and Rachel about what separates a “maker” from an “artist” among the many subgroups of Seattle’s creative community.

Episode 015
April 17, 2018
45:37
Tune in.

A Seattle Type

with Professor Andrea Leksen of Cornish College of the Arts

Guest Andrea Leksen chats with Charles and Rachel about the stories hidden behind the design of the typefaces we see around us in the built world every day.

Episode 014
April 3, 2018
38:57
Tune in.

The Seattle Retail Experience

with Chris Guillot of Merchant Method

Guest Chris Guillot chats with Charles and Rachel about how retailers balance creating authentic local experiences for their customers while remaining true to their values and operating both fairly and profitably.

Episode 013
March 20, 2018
44:05
Tune in.

Seattle Vernacular

with Daniel Ash of Nelson Treehouse

Guest Daniel Ash chats with Charles and Rachel about what it means for vernacular architecture when the people building homes are rarely the ones living in them.

Episode 012
March 5, 2018
40:05
Tune in.

Seattle’s Changing Hands

with Monica Guzman of the Evergrey

Guest Monica Guzman chats with Charles and Rachel about how we can open a dialogue between natives and newcomers to make the city of Seattle feel welcome to all.

Episode 011
February 20, 2018
54:39
Tune in.

Northwestern Hospitality

with Zack Thomas of Board & Vellum

Guest Zack Thomas chats with Charles and Rachel about how landscape designers manage the expectations urban-dwelling, outdoor-loving Pacific Northwesterners have for the design of their spaces.

Episode 010
February 6, 2018
44:28
Tune in.

The Race for Light Rail

with Matt Hagen

Guest Matt Hagen chats with Charles and Rachel about Seattle’s fraught relationship with its public transportation infrastructure and the evolving debate around how to solve for the missed opportunities of the past.

Episode 009
January 22, 2018
36:50
Tune in.

Hawaiian Design

with Chris Parker of Board & Vellum

Guest Chris Parker chats with Charles and Rachel about how Seattle’s sensibilities compare to the even more nature-focused values of Hawaii when it comes to how we live and structure our lives in our physical spaces.

Episode 008
January 7, 2018
50:17
Tune in.

City to the Suburbs

with Todd Martell

Guest Todd Martell chats with Charles and Rachel about how urban and suburban lifestyles vary, the conflict between them, and what it’s like to switch back and forth between living in the city and living in the suburbs.

Episode 007
October 23, 2017
36:20
Tune in.

Parks and the Paywall

with Leslie Batten of Board & Vellum

Guest Leslie Batten chats with Charles and Rachel about the past and future of Seattle’s parks and public spaces, and what it means to limit access to spaces large and small.

Episode 006
September 18, 2017
37:59
Tune in.

New Neighborhoods

with Robert Mech of Board & Vellum

Guest Robert Mech chats with Charles and Rachel about Seattle’s neighborhoods, what defines them, how new residents impact them, and the role nostalgia plays in a neighborhood’s future.

Episode 005
September 5, 2017
41:47
Tune in.

The Pacific Northwest Aesthetic

with Monika Shreves

Guest Monika Shreves chats with Charles and Rachel about the “Pacific Northwest Aesthetic,” especially as compared to East Coast design sensibilities.

Episode 004
August 22, 2017
39:41
Tune in.

Art in the Pacific Northwest

with Hayley Buckbee of RSVR

Guest Hayley Buckbee chats with Charles and Rachel about how the art community in the Pacific Northwest is constantly evolving, and how it differs from the art communities of other cities.

Episode 003
August 8, 2017
26:36
Tune in.

What else happens at Board & Vellum?

We have integrated design teams specializing in architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, with experience designing and building residential, commercial, and multifamily projects.

About Seattle architecture firm Board & Vellum – Board & Vellum's portfolio includes architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture projects.

About

Who are we, anyway? For starters, we are a close-knit team of creative professionals, collaborating on architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture. We love what we do, and we have fun doing it. As your advocates, our goal is to help you realize a project that you love.

Board & Vellum's portfolio includes architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture projects, like this backyard cottage.

Portfolio

Our portfolio of work spans across a spectrum of project types and scales. We don’t have a particular “style” either: we love traditional, modern, contemporary, you name it. Our goal is to work with you to design a project you love.

Learn about our services.

Considering a project? Or, just curious about something?

Send us your questions about design, architecture, interiors, landscape, LEGO rooms… Anything, really. We’re always eager to meet new people, and we’d love to get to know you, your project, and your goals.

Get in touch.