Cindy Allen Hosts Conversation with Matthew Goodrich Over Instagram Live
Stay put, stay vigilant, and stay tuned to Interior Design Editor and Chief Cindy Allen’s Instagram Live conversations. Today she is joined by designer Matthew Goodrich from his home in Philadelphia. The friends talk about their somewhat successful endeavors in cooking, what working remotely has been like for them, and, of course, design.
Everyone on Goodrich’s team is healthy and grounded, so he’s doing well relative to the circumstances. “It’s a huge source of comfort right now,” he says about maintaining work and creativity. He reiterates Teddy Roosevelt’s words: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Goodrich NYC focuses on hospitality design and, luckily, their projects have been continuing but are, of course, presented with the challenges of working and sourcing materials remotely. Goodrich briefs Cindy about some of their mutual friends in the industry, such as Union Square Hospitality Group’s Danny Meyer, and how those in the restaurant business are trying to maintain business by initiatives such as hosting auctions and selling gift cards. “It’s amazing to see the ingenuity and creative spirit,” the designer marvels.
Goodrich is also thinking a lot about how large gathering spaces are going work during this time, which is not something he’s taking lightly. One of his ongoing projects is working on the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, home of the New York Islanders NHL team. He has set up a virtual sales center to pitch possibilities to clients, Covid-19 being on everyone’s mind. Just before this current crunch, Goodrich completed the Standard Maldives, repositioning a resort originally planned for a romantic getaway into a more social space suitable for all travelers, working with a limited budget and resources. Both Cindy and Goodrich remark how designers always find a solution no matter the circumstances.
The team at Goodrich NYC has set up their own weekly routine to bring some stability to this uprooted world. The members are separating their creative work from their creative projects—producing art made from the heart helps them stay sane. Cindy shares some images from Goodrich’s own creative endeavor: an iPhone photography project experimenting with light, objects, and materials. “It feels like a gift,” Goodrich says about the sunlight coming into his home.
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