From the creator of popular design podcast, Clever, comes its more sinister sister series, Clever Confidential. In each episode my co-host, Amy Devers, and I dig into the lesser told stories of the darker side — the shadowy, sometimes sordid tales hiding under a glossy topcoat of respectable legacy.

Clever Confidential unpacks and revels in the historic events from the world of design that you’ve likely never heard. Meet the visionaries who built the world and uncover the mysteries that brought them down.

Clever Confidential is premium, narrative, non-fiction that is cinematic, suspenseful, inquisitive, conversational, and full of intrigue that will leave you wondering about all the enigmas hidden amongst the concrete and plaster that have been intentionally painted over.

Clever Confidential

In 2020 the Digital Public Library of America received a grant from the Knight Foundation to create a competitor to Libby, the privately funded ebook app. DPLA approached us to name the at-the-time-still-in-development app as well as create the brand identity, tone, and voice. In 2021 The Palace Project was born.

“Drawing on the long tradition of libraries as the center of citizenship and engagement, The Palace Project name was chosen to highlight the central role of libraries in public life and the idea of public libraries as “Palaces of the People”. The goal of The Palace Project, a new division of Lyrasis, is to support public libraries in their mission to provide equitable access to digital content, while restoring the direct relationship between library and patron.”

The Palace Project

In 2018, Airbnb had determined that a large percentage of their guests were choosing accommodations based on “style” over other amenities and even over location. I was hired to work closely with their internal team to develop their first style taxonomy for the company’s Airbnb Plus program, identifying and documenting characteristics of over 100 unique architectural and interior design styles on the platform. Airbnb built off this initial work, making “style” a central theme to their business in 2022, showcasing some of their more unique rental offerings in their now famous “Categories” ad campaign.

In August of 1993 the quintessential mid-century modern Long Island architect, Norman Jaffe, dove into the Atlantic Ocean for a morning swim and never returned. His disappearance left many unanswered questions about his legacy. In this monograph published in 2020 I explore an oft-overlooked house in his oeuvre, how he influenced generations of one of the most powerful New York City real-estate families, and how his work helped shape the Hamptons forever.

When a group of esteemed Ameriprise Financial Advisors decided to finally open their own firm they approached me to create the name, brand, identity, and communication system for their new endeavor. Working with art director and long-time collaborator, Guillermo Brotons, OneEleven Integrated Wealth Management is set to launch in the spring of 2020.

The Silicon Valley think tank, Parliament, has long maintained an off-shoot non-profit, BlkShp, tasked with infiltrating corporations with artistic efforts. Up until February, 2018 and the launch of The Black Sheep Podcast their efforts were scattered and infrequent. I served as the producer of the first season of the podcast (12 episodes) which features guests like Grammy Award winner, Aloe Blacc and ex-Netflix rabble-rouser, Patty McCord. The podcast debuted on iTunes top 200 business podcasts for three months.

The Black Sheep Podcast

Kettle joined forces with the App Store to help them build out a true creative department and take their external communications to new levels. As a key member of the Kettle team I have worked with the App Store to launch several successful campaigns as well as a new identity system culminating in the September 2017 launch of the new iOS 11 App Store. 

Beginning in the summer of 2014 AREA 17 worked with the Aparium Hotel Group to create an entirely new brand, brand strategy, visual identity, copy, web site, collateral, and all content. The new brand launched in spring of 2015.

aparium.com/

AREA 17 worked with Apple throughout the winter and spring of 2015 to bring their long-running iTunes Festival online to create a "Best Seat in the House" experience. Featuring multiple camera angles, deep social engagement, immersive story-telling, along with unrivaled soundscapes the online festival was put to the test in September of 2015.  

applemusicfestival.com/

ESPN.com had long been in need of a redesign. In the summer of 2013 they approached AREA 17 to put together a pitch for the job. After a mad three week sprint, we created a prototype and strategic approach to the job. We won!

After an intensive year plus collaboration the new ESPN.com launched in March of 2015.

espn.go.com/

AREA 17 worked with Apple throughout the spring, summer, and fall of 2014 to rethink their approach to recycling across their entire ecosystem. Originally tasked with redesigning their recycling website we quickly realized that without full attention to the entire ecosystem their efforts would fall flat. . 

Advertising Age approached AREA 17 in the spring of 2013 about redesigning their site. After zeroing in on several key opportunities we developed the three-pronged strategic approach of simplify, synchronize, seduce. We won the job and got to work.

The new site launched in November of 2014. 

adage.com/

Style.com approached AREA 17 to pitch them for the redesign of the most authoritative fashion site in the world. With only a week to work, the team put together a remarkably thorough recommendations document and proposal. After three meetings in the span of five days, we won the job. 

The new site launched just in time for Fashion Week in September of 2014 in New York City . 

Apple recognizes the need to speak to their customer base outside of product launches. But how? An old-school print magazine, that's how. Genius! is a proposed quarterly magazine to be distributed through Apple stores worldwide with a complimentary web component. Devised by the team at AREA 17 for a capabilities presentation for Apple.

Turns out what's old just might be new again. Apple loved the print magazine idea and AREA 17 is now a preferred vendor, having completed numerous assignments for Apple since the engagement first began.  

Operating as an incubator as well as an agency, AREA 17 has developed and launched three businesses over the years. I served as the director and editor-in-chief of Krrb, a hyper-local, mega-global classifieds and AREA 17's largest and most successful product. As part of our growth strategy, we created the Krrb Classified Network with partners Apartment Therapy, and Chicago Magazine. After several years of successful partnership with Apartment Therapy, Krrb was acquired by the home decor site in 2017.  

Apartment Therapy Classifieds

Over the winter and spring of 2013 AREA 17 worked with the architects Roman and Williams and the owners to develop the branding and visual identity system for the High Line Hotel. The team at AREA 17 worked on everything from the logo to the website to the in-room amenities including vintage embossers sourced from around the world. Located in the historic General Theological Seminary in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, The High Line Hotel has become a central gathering place for travelers and locals alike. 

The High Line Hotel

Working hand-in-hand with Pentagram, the AREA 17 team was tasked with conceiving, designing, and launching GLG's new website. The incredibly complex business needed to be simplified in order to further the global company's expansion. Understanding and communicating GLG's business was key to this undertaking with copywriting playing an important role. 

StumbleUpon approached AREA 17 to pitch them on redesigning all of their corporate websites. Scattered and disjointed, the team followed a little known StumbleUpon marketing tact: DNA. Working with the brand's color scheme, the team put together a pitch utilizing StumbleUpon's "DNA." Aiming to create consistency in design, clarity of message, and connections between all their b2b sites, AREA 17 created a system that showcased data visualization and took full advantage of customer on-boarding.

Did we win the job? As a matter of fact, we did. The new site launched in October of 2014. 

Vogue invited AREA 17 to pitch for the redesign of their site to be launched in September of 2013. Though we ultimately lost the pitch some truly exciting ideas were explored and some very valuable lessons learned. 

Throughout 2012 and 2013 I worked on a number of stories for Dark Rye, Whole Foods' online magazine. This experience gave me the opportunity to work on package stories consisting of short films, stories, interviews, photo galleries and even recipes. My role has run the gamut from producer to writer to interviewer and editor. "The Sullivans" was one of my favorite pieces I've completed in the last year. They are special people and I think we captured that in every aspect of this "package." 

The Sullivans

Piggy-backing on my New York Times pieces, I appeared as a contestant on the HGTV show FleaMarket Flip where my partner and I built four pieces of furniture upcycled from flea market finds. The indoor stoop has long been a daydream of mine. We built it out of an old chest-of-drawers and a $50 Flokati rug. We won after selling all our pieces at the Brooklyn Flea for a tidy profit! 

FleaMarket Flip, Season 1, Episode 6

For two years I wrote a column for the New York Times called "What You Make of It." Focused on upcycling street finds throughout New York City, my adventures took me from egg cartons found on the streets of Chinatown to abandoned bikes in the East Village. While the column proved popular the untimely demise of the "Home" section put an end to this journey.  

"Pull Up a Chair , Then Fix It," New York Times, May 2012

"Seeing a Noguchi in a Bike," New York Times, March 2012

"Turn Egg Cartons into Stools," New York Times, December 2011

I served as the team leader of this design, art, craft and DIY-focused magazine with a circulation of over 375,000. I managed editorial and art staff in both New York City and Des Moines, Iowa in the redesign of this bi-monthly publication with the aim of increasing appeal to an ever-widening audience while keeping its maverick spirit intact.

I was responsible for managing award-winning writers, designers, illustrators, and online contributors. I conceived and instigated a complete web redesign resulting in a quadrupling of traffic while expanding social media operations as well as executing successful brand extensions including an in-house concert series, press-worthy launch parties, and participation in national DIY conferences and events.

Working closely with the Vice President, Publisher and senior sales staff we maximized advertiser impact so much so that ReadyMade was included in Adweek's 2010 “10 Under 60” Hot List.

Check out ReadyMade's Redesign

I conceived, developed, and executed the major redesign and re-launch of the 70-year-old publication, a role that included recruiting and managing senior creative staff, assigning nationally renown writers, contributors and designers, and creating and maintaining an award-winning online presence for the publication.

The redesigned American Craft debuted in August 2007 and immediately netted a Society of National Association Publication’s EXCEL Award, UTNE Reader Independent Press Award nomination and increased distribution in key outlets such as Whole Foods and Barnes and Noble. The redesigned website became a key information provider for makers in the United States and abroad, as well as a valuable revenue stream for the organization.

I served as the founding managing editor of popular magazine devoted to modern architecture and design. Dwell won numerous awards including the American Society of Magazine Editors General Excellence award (2005), Folio’s Editorial Excellence Award (2001) and an Ozzie award for Best Design for a New Magazine (2001). The foundation the founding four built has not only withstood the test of time but allowed the magazine to continue to thrive both online and off. 

After being so entrenched in Dwell magazine for so long I had a few misgivings about writing this foreword — particularly when so many of my good friends were still there. The duo behind Unhappy Hipsters had, however, pulled off quite an artful (and humorous) comeuppance that I deserved as much as anyone. So, I took a crack at it and in the end was really pleased with the outcome. It was a good reminder to never lose your sense of humor. 

“Their energy is infectious, which is why I call D.I.Y. the punk rock of the craft world.” - Andrew Wagner as quoted in "The Ambassador of Handmade," New York Times

Always looking to stir the pot, I found myself in the right place at the right time when taking over the Editor-in-Chief role at American Craft. I jumped head first into the fire when I wrote a lead essay for this definitive book on the DIY craft scene in 2009. The New York Times wrote a good piece that captured much of the debate and I was able to provide a semblance of intelligent quotes which I'm not too shy to share:

"It is also what irritates old-school craftspeople, those who might have come out of the American studio crafts movement of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. Yet their ideals are the same, according to Andrew Wagner, the editor of American Craft magazine, which redesigned itself last year in an attempt to bridge the two worlds.

Mr. Wagner, a founding editor of Dwell magazine, went on to say, “It’s still about working outside the mainstream, and making a living doing what you love. We saw this huge new movement, which Faythe is cast as sort of the poster child for, and it and the old guard weren’t communicating.”

There was, Mr. Wagner said, some real hostility: “The old guard was saying: It took me 20 years to master my craft, and these kids think they can start by just stitching owls.”

Contributor to "the definitive book on contemporary sustainable design and architecture from around the world." Exploring subjects as diverse as Paris' Musee du Quai Branly by Jean Nouvel to the Kraft Bench by Touch Design I helped round out this "in-depth survey of the most innovative interventions in design today."