Amplifying Your Brand Voice for Press at The Layered Life Retreat
Design by Noelani Zervas Interiors and featured in New England Home magazine.
In early April, I had the exciting opportunity to be part of a keynote discussion at the inaugural The Layered Life retreat in Newport, Rhode Island. Created by interior designers Rachel Reider and Kate Maloney Albiani, The Layered Life was designed as a more intentional experience for interior designers looking to slow down, reconnect with their vision, and have honest conversations around both business and creativity. So when they asked me to be a part of the keynote, let’s just say, I was BEYOND thrilled.
The keynote, titled Amplifying Your Brand Voice for Press, featured New England Home editor Jenna Talbott, Boston Home and Boston Magazine editor Jaci Conry, Rachel, Kate, and me. The discussion focused on making the editorial world feel a little less mysterious, covering everything from how publications evaluate projects to how designers can position their brand for press. Here are my key takeaways from the discussion:
Layered, Aspirational Projects, Always in Demand
Both publications shared that they are consistently looking for layered, full-home projects with strong storytelling and personality. And the good news? It does NOT need to be a full feature. Kitchen and bath stories, one-room spotlights, and front-of-book features are all possibilities.
New England Home publishes six issues annually, covering Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, along with four Connecticut-specific issues each year and an annual Cape & Islands issue. Boston Home publishes four issues annually across New England and also features a monthly two-page room spotlight in Boston Magazine. So there are lots of opportunities to have your story published.
Design by Noelani Zervas Interiors and featured in New England Home magazine.
Collaboration Between Project Partners Is Key
One of the biggest takeaways from the conversation was how important it is for all project partners to be aligned before a project is pitched. Builders, architects, landscape architects, and workrooms should all be part of the conversation early on, especially since multiple pitches of the same project from different teams can sometimes create confusion or even hurt the opportunity for publication altogether.
Another really helpful takeaway was hearing how straightforward the pitching process can actually be. Just concise project information that clearly outlines the designer, project location, key project partners, and a few highlights about what makes the project special.
Styling Truly Matters
This was one point that really resonated with me because it’s something I feel strongly about as a photographer. If editorial is a goal, investing in a stylist can completely elevate a project and help it translate more successfully on camera. Stylists bring a fresh perspective and understand how to create the layered, lived-in details that editors are often looking for.
There Is No “It” Photographer
I loved hearing this directly from the editors. Jenna and Jaci both emphasized that designers are not missing out on publication opportunities because of who photographed the project. While strong photography absolutely matters, timing, the overall project mix, and editorial needs all factor into what gets selected for publication.
Design by SV Design and featured in Boston Home magazine.
Think Strategically About Exclusivity
Both editors spoke about the importance of being upfront about where a project has previously been published, whether that’s nationally, regionally, online, or even on a personal blog. Publications generally prefer projects that have not already appeared elsewhere in print, so if editorial placement is a priority, it’s important to think strategically and plan ahead before widely sharing a project.
The Layered Life retreat keynote panel for Amplifying Your Brand Voice for Press featuring Jenna Talbott, Kate Maloney Albiani, (me!), Rachel Reider, and Jaci Conry. Photographer: Merissa Conley
Thanks for reading!
xx, Jess